She hesitated.
The walk here, short as it had been, had required more energy than she’d expected.
It might be wise to claim a harborside bench. Give the shakiness in her legs a few more minutes to subside while she ate.
“Here.”
“Excellent choice. I’ll put a bottle of water in the bag for you. And you’re in luck. The picnic table in the gazebo is available.” He motioned toward the pocket park that was out of sight behind his food trailer.
“How do you know?”
“It was empty earlier, and no one’s come by. You may have to shoo Floyd and Gladys away, but they won’t mind.” He grinned at her as he wrapped the tacos in white butcher paper and slid them into a brown bag, along with the water.
Lauren’s mouth flexed as she dug out her wallet and handed over the cash for her order. Charley’s nonhuman friends were always amusing. “I can’t wait to dig into these after all the hospital food I ingested.”
“I imagine you’re glad to be eating home cooking again.”
“Yes—but only if I cook.” She took the bag he held out across the serving counter. “Devyn may be a great dancer, but her culinary skills leave a lot to be desired. Her go-to dinner is takeout. She’s already on a first-name basis with everyone at the Myrtle.”
Charley chuckled. “She came here quite often while you were in the hospital too.”
“I rest my case.”
“Well, no one can excel at everything. I may be able to paint, but I wouldn’t know how to thread a bobbin or use a pair of pinking shears. You, on the other hand, are an amazing seamstress.”
A flush warmed her cheeks. “Thanks, but my sewing skills were born of necessity. After Dad paid all of Devyn’s ballet expenses while I was growing up, there wasn’t much money left over for clothes. So I made most of my own.”
She frowned.
What was with her case of motormouth today? Could it be a side effect of her head injury?
“Sounds like giving Devyn the opportunity to develop her talent required hardships all around.”
“There were plenty on the home front, that’s for sure.” As faras she could tell, however, neither Devyn nor Mom had had to pinch pennies.
“I imagine she appreciates all the sacrifices that were made on her behalf.”
Lauren tightened her grip on the bag as the savory, spicy scent of the tacos tickled her nose.
Hadn’t Devyn tried to broach that subject in the hospital too?
Hard to recall with any certainty, thanks to her fuzzy thinking after the injury. But the brain fog was clearing up ... even if her mixed feelings about Devyn’s presence weren’t.
A family group approached the stand, and Lauren called up a smile. “I should claim that table before someone else does.”
“Smart plan. Enjoy your lunch.”
“Always.”
Bag in hand, she circled the taco stand, leaning more heavily on her cane than she had earlier.
But the sky was blue, the sun was warm, and she was healing.
Devyn would likely read her the riot act for wandering off by herself, but this foray had helped restore a sense of normalcy to her life.
And while seabirds wheeled overhead and a silver-white harbor seal sunned itself on Little Gull Island, perhaps the fresh sea air would blow the remaining cobwebs from her mind so she could ponder the seeds Charley had planted.
After all, Devyn was the only family she had, other than Mom. And Mom didn’t count. It was a shame they’d never been close, but it was what it was.
