She clenched her teeth. “I hate needles.”
“Oh, come on. It’s not so bad. And we have no idea what kind of gremlins are in those floorboards. You might’ve been nicked by a rusty nail as well.”
“You’re probably right. Thank you for your help. I do appreciate it, although I’m sure you have much better things to do with your time than helping a middle-aged woman who is apparently now prone to falling.”
“Middle-aged? I don’t know about that. I’m forty-six, and I’m clinging to my youth by ignoring the progression entirely.”
She laughed. “We’re the same age, then.”
“How about that?” His eyes twinkled. “I noticed the front door was hanging a little crooked on its hinges too, if you’re getting things fixed.”
She slapped a hand to her forehead. “This whole place is falling apart. It’s in dire need of a facelift. I’m no good with tools, I’m afraid.”
He scratched his chin. “I could fix the door, but you probably need more work done than that. It’d be a good idea to at least work on the floor. We can’t have you falling through the boards regularly.”
“I know I should do it, but it costs a lot of money, and besides, when? I work here all day every day.”
He raised both hands as if in surrender. “I’m not going to tell you what to do, but please be more careful or I’ll be forced to come check on you daily to make sure you’re still alive.”
She sighed. “I’m sorry. This isn’t your problem to solve, it’s mine. I’m being very rude.”
She was horribly indecisive at times. It was why she never changed her life— instead, she just kept living exactly the same day over and over again because she didn’t know how to make a change, and there was no one in her life to force her into it.
There was a sadness to her voice and it lingered in her throat. Was she living perpetually in Groundhog Day? Would she one day reach the end of her life and wonder what might’ve been, or what she could’ve done differently? She wasn’t like Taya. Her friend amazed her with the way she’d seized hold of life as though it was one big adventure. Taya hadn’t always been like that. She’d been frozen in grief and then in the busyness of motherhood for a long time. But now, she was blossoming into the woman Evie had always known she could be. But Evie felt stuck, as though she’d been left behind.
There were times when she was happy and confident as a single woman and entrepreneur, and at other times she wished she had a life partner — someone to talk to, to help make decisions, to sit and watch a movie or take a trip for the weekend.
“I don’t mind at all,” David said. “I’m great at input. Sometimes I give far too much—at least my sister says so.”
Evie laughed.
“The postman left several boxes on the landing. I’ll bring those inside for you.”
She sighed. “Thank you — that would really help.”
“Sit and rest.”
Before long, she heard David bringing the boxes in from the front porch. She hobbled to the bench and set the kettle to boil. The least she could do was to have a cup of tea waiting for him when he finished.
One of the things she loved most about Coral Island were the relationships she had with the other residents. Having spent most of her life there, she knew almost everyone. They were salt-of-the-earth folks, people she could rely on in a time of need. She knew that, and the knowledge warmed her heart. And now a man she’d never met was helping out in her bookshop. He was clearly destined to live on the island—he’d fit right in. The people of Kellyville would love him. She wouldn’t exchange her community for any amount of money. It was priceless.
As the kettle finished boiling, she sliced a pineapple upside-down cake and set pieces on two plates. Her phone rang, and she fished it out of her pocket. With the phone hugged to her ear by one shoulder, she answered without looking at the caller ID.
“Hello?”
“Hi, honey. It’s Mum. How are you?”
She poured water into the teapot then shuffled back to her chair, lowering herself into it with a groan. “I’ve been better.”
“What’s wrong?” Mum asked immediately, concern making her tone abrupt.
“I fell through a rotten floorboard and grazed my leg pretty badly.”
“That darned building—I told your father just the other day that it’s going to fall down around your ears if you don’t do something about it. Won’t you let us help?”
Evie rubbed a hand over her face. “Thanks, Mum. I appreciate it—really, I do. But I can handle this.”
“Will you, though? I can’t stand the idea of you living in that place with it coming apart like that. I’ll be worried every moment. I won’t be able to sleep.”
