“That place needs trimming. Cleaning. It’s going to take hours of work.”
Gil cracked a small smile. “My thoughts exactly.” He set his half-full coffee cup in the sink and practically ran out of the room.
Eight
Lea arrived on the appointed day at 10:00 a.m. sharp. Sara told her brother he was to greet her, but Randal ran away like a frightened two-year-old. Sara called out, “You have to face her soon.”
“I will,” he called back, then disappeared among the trees. She hoped he wasn’t going to the cottage. She’d made sure it was locked, but her brother could open any door.
Sara started toward the front, but Kate came running down the stairs at an Olympic speed, passed her aunt without seeing her, and flung open the heavy front door.
Sara watched from the windows. Lea Oliver was a pretty woman, dark blond hair, a trim figure, and a nice smile. She wasn’t one to send men into fits of lust. She was what people used to refer to as “wife material.” It was an old-fashioned term that was frowned on in modern times, but it certainly fit this woman.
She and Kate stared at each other for a few minutes, saying nothing, then they fell into each other’s arms. They were reuniting friends who didn’t let a little thing like time hinder them.
When Sara turned away from the window, she was smiling all the way down to her bone marrow. She was a true believer in love being multiplied, not divided. She loved Kate so much that she was glad to see other people who felt the same way.
Sara went back to the library, where she was organizing the books she’d had in storage. It was great to see them again. She sent a text to Jack to ask him to please come over on his motorcycle at 1:00 p.m. She had a special errand for him. She felt a bit wicked for doing it, but that’s when Barbara Adair was to arrive. Jack on his father’s Harley might refresh her memories.
At eleven thirty, Sara realized that she hadn’t heard from Kate. Shouldn’t she be introducing her friend to everyone?
When Sara got to the kitchen, Lenny was there. She was used to his appearance but his scarred face was still startling. He was making a platter of Florida fruits, with pineapple and papaya at the center.
He looked at her as though to ask what she needed.
“Have you seen Kate?”
“She’s with the new woman in the movie room.” Lenny had an uncanny ability to know what was going on and where.
Sara frowned. “You think she’s okay?”
Lenny took a plate from a cabinet, filled it with the fruit, and held it out. He always used as few words as possible.
“Good idea,” Sara said. “Take some up to them and see what’s going on.” She stood below as he went up to the second floor.
Lenny gave a quick knock on the Palm Room, then opened the door. Kate’s tear-filled voice said, “She’s so young and now I have two half brothers.”
He closed the door and went back down to Sara. “Someone needs to see to Kate.” His voice was stern, brooking no argument. They all knew he liked Kate very much.
Frowning, Sara went upstairs and quietly opened the door. Kate was saying, “They took my daddy away. He was my entire world. I had no one else.”
Sara closed the door and went back down. When she saw her brother, she told him to go to the Palm Room. Now. She didn’t allow him to hesitate.
Sara and Lenny stayed below and looked up, waiting for Randal to give them a report.
As the others had done, he quietly opened the door. Kate was saying to Lea, “And Jack hasn’t saidanythingsince then! I’m glad he’s so respectful, but a girl wants more! You know what I mean?”
“Oh yes, I do!” Lea replied. “Alotmore.”
Randal closed the door and hurried down the stairs.
The three of them found Jack and sent him up to check on Kate.
“She needs you,” Sara said.
“And you three aren’t enough for her?” Obviously not pleased, he went upstairs and opened the door. He heard Kate say, “All those years and all her fits of depression, andshedid it! I wasnotthe cause!” He closed the door.
Jack went back down the stairs and looked at them.
