Maggie Reynolds felt something for him.
And it wasn’t just pity.
Chapter 27
“Hey, guys.” Josh sat in his living room, smiling at his parents, who stared back from the screen of his laptop. It was good to see them. But the main purpose of the conversation made the frozen pizza he’d downed for lunch roil in his gut.
“Hey, honey. It’s so good to see your face.” Mom’s brown pixie cut framed a petite face that sported a fresh tan. A bright shade of coral adorned her lips, and as usual, a pair of elaborate earrings dangled from her lobes.
Dad adjusted the angle of the phone. “The Wi-Fi’s spotty, so if we get disconnected, I’ll call back.” Having lost most of his hair in his forties, Dad resembled the father onEverybody Loves Raymond—a fact that made Josh grateful he’d taken mostly after his mother in looks.
“No worries.” Josh’s gaze drifted to the wood-paneled background behind the sofa with a funky painting of... he wasn’t sure what. “Where are you now? I can hardly keep up with you guys.”
Mom squeezed into the frame. “We’re in this adorable apartment in Athens.”
“By ‘adorable,’ she means miniscule and expensive.”
“Oh, stop it. It’s not that small.”
“It makes the cabin on the cruise ship seem like an estate. She rented it solely based on the picture of the balcony.”
“You should see it, Josh! It’s beautiful. I have my own little garden of Eden right outside the door.” The image bobbled, cutting to the ceiling, then the floor as Mom swiped the phone and went outside to show off the space. She flipped on a porch light because it was evening there.
“Look at this bougainvillea!” she said over the noise of traffic. “Have you ever seen anything so lush and lovely? We sit out here every morning with our coffee.”
“It’s the only space besides the bed big enough for both of us.”
“Oh, stop it. We should sit out here and talk to our son.”
“He won’t be able to hear over the noise.”
“Well, that’s true. We’ll take you back inside, honey.” The background noise lessened as they slipped back through the patio door. “Tell us what you’ve been up to.”
“Yeah, how’s business? Last time you mentioned you were looking for a new crew member.”
The opening was too good to be true. He and Maggie had discussed how Josh might bring the conversation around to the subject. But now that the moment was upon him, his nerves quaked. Was he ready for the truth? “Um, yeah, I already hired a new guy. He’s only nineteen but he’s working out really well so far.”
“I’m so glad to hear it,” Mom said. “A good crew makes all the difference.”
“He’s a real go-getter and he’s terrific with the passengers. Neat and tidy behind the bar. Couldn’t ask for better.” His smile felt plastic as he zeroed in on his dad’s face and forced out the words. “His mom actually knows you, Dad.”
“That so?”
“Yeah... her name’s Robyn Jennings.”
Furrows formed between Dad’s brows. Otherwise his expressionremained the same. “Doesn’t sound familiar. Where am I supposed to know her from?”
“Not sure. She’s a nurse, though, so I assumed you worked with her at some point.”
“Doesn’t ring a bell. Maybe if I saw her. Sound familiar to you, honey?”
Mom’s earrings tinkled as she turned to Dad. “Didn’t you work with a Robyn at Parkfield? The RN who always ate her lunch at the workstation?”
“That was Rowan.”
“I thought Rowan was the one who always wore the rainbow scrubs.”
“It is. That’s the same woman.”
