Kind of like my dad and the beachcombing.
“Want to join?” Aunt Kitty asks as she lifts herself up from the ground. “Going to be sweltering out there, but Rupert promised a dip in the ocean after and then some ice cream.”
“I can’t,” I say. “I have to work on the shop, every day. You know this, Aunt Kitty. And when I’m not doing that, I’m still picking up the odd jobs around town. I could really use some help when I’m out fixing Mr. Herman’s toilet.”
“I know nothing about toilets,” Aunt Kitty says as she heads down the stairs.
“I mean when I’m fixing the toilet, it would be nice if you could clean out the second storage room, kind of like how you did the first. You said you would do the second.”
“Yes, we have time to get that done.”
“We don’t have a lot of time,” I say. “I want to get the shop opened before the end of summer. We need to hit up the tourist season before it ends.”
When we reach the entryway, she picks up her sweatband that’s hanging on the hat rack next to the door and fastens it over her hair.
“We’ll get it done.” She goes to open the door, but I stop her.
“Aunt Kitty, the bathroom is a bigger project than expected. I have to replace some of the drywall because of water damage and I spent all yesterday peeling back layer after layer of flooring. I wasn’t expecting it, and it just feels very overwhelming.”
She pauses and turns toward me. “But this is what you wanted.”
“This is whatwewanted, remember? We talked about it.”
“Yes, and I still want this as well, but I’m not sure how long I have Rupert’s help and we’ve really made a breakthrough.”
I don’t understand how she can think working with Rupert is more important than helping with the store.
“How about this?” she continues. “I’ll stop by later today and help with the second storage space when I’m done training. How does that sound?”
Relief washes through me. “That would be so helpful. Thank you.”
“Of course.” She stands tall and brushes her shirt down. “Now, how do I look? Like I’m ready to take on an obstacle course?”
“Obstacle course?” I ask. “I thought you were just focusing on dressage.”
“Rupert said he thought I was limber enough to get back into obstacles, so I’m going to see.” She opens up the door, and out front is Rupert with an obstacle course already set up, the ridiculous kayak off to the side with a water cooler perched on top, and a Bluetooth speaker already pumping music.
He’s wearing short red shorts, no shirt, and a straw hat while sporting a whistle around his neck.
“You’re late.” He checks the nonexistent watch on his wrist.
“Hold up,” I say, getting in front of Aunt Kitty so Rupert can’t hear what I’m saying. “I don’t know if this is a good idea. You could get hurt.”
And if she’s hurt, then she won’t be able to help. She won’t be able to see the candy store through, and I don’t know if I’m strong enough to do it all on my own.
“I won’t get hurt. This is all stuff I’ve done before.”
“But not in a while, and frankly”—I glance over my shoulder and then back at her, wanting to be as polite about this as possible—“this is not where your attention should be focused. I know that it’s fun for you and that’s great, but we need to make money, Aunt Kitty. We have bills we need to pay.”
“I have the life insurance money.”
“That’s not going to last forever. I thought you were going to get a job over at the beach shack. Weren’t you talking to someone about that?”
“They didn’t want me.” She waves her hand in dismissal. “It doesn’t matter because Rupert has been saying influencers get compensated. So I can make money doing the thing I love—hobby horsing.”
Freaking Rupert.
Of course a wealthy aristocrat who has money in his bank account just from breathing would say something like that. When you have money, it’s easy to chase your dreams.
