Frankie drank a big cup of coffee while she contemplated what to do with her day. She’d tweaked the logos some more, but she’d been hoping to get Harper’s input on them before she went any further. Probably she should focus on finding a neutral place to meet with Shar.
She refilled her cup, went back to the couch, and picked up her laptop. A quick search resulted in two possible meeting spots. One was the Andrew Jones Memorial Park on the other side of the causeway. It was on the river and had a boat launch as well as a small playground and a pavilion that was available for rent. From the pictures, there was also a picnic area with some trees. Nice spot with a great waterfront.
The other was a café in a small strip mall a little further inland. Maybe that was better. The park was nice, but it might be warm. And at the café, they could get drinks and food if the mood struck. Frankie checked the hours of the café, then sent off a response to Shar with the address of the restaurant and a question about what day would work.
Then she pulled up the logos she’d been working on, prepared to create a few more examples. But the coffee had made her antsy for some reason. Maybe she should eat something. Or take Archie for a walk. Or do some laundry. That was probably the best idea.
She’d get a load started, take Archie out for a quick walk, then get a shower and get to work on the logos when she got back.
She took another sip of her coffee and got out of her seat. Her phone rang. She grabbed it from next to her laptop. “Hello?”
“Frankie? It’s Prisha. I’m sorry to call but I didn’t know if you’d see the text. I tried your sister but she’s not answering. I wanted to invite you both to yoga this morning. It’s a core and balance class, very easy.”
An image of Lucas appeared in her head, him on the beach, out for a run. She didn’t like working out. But she liked Lucas. Getting in shape to keep up with him was as good a reason as any. “Harper’s tied up this morning, but I’ll go with you.”
“You will? Fantastic. I’ll be by in fifteen minutes to pick you up.”
“What should I wear? I’ve never done yoga before.”
“Leggings, a sports bra, whatever you’re comfortable in. It’s very low-key.”
“Okay. See you soon.” Frankie hung up and raced to her room to change and gather her laundry. That still needed doing.
She came back down, tossed the laundry in the machine and turned it on, then wondered if she should take Archie for a quick tinkle. She found him asleep in his bed with his teddy bear. He didn’t look remotely interested in going out.
How long could yoga be? An hour? He’d probably be fine.
She got her phone, a house key, and made a last-minute decision to take a bottle of water. She thought about taking a towel, too, but Prisha had said it was low-key. Would she even sweat? The towel might be overkill.
She went downstairs, locked up the house, and turned to see Prisha headed down the drive in a bright blue golf cart. She waved. “Hello, Frankie! How are you?”
“A little nervous,” Frankie admitted. “I’m not very athletic.”
“Neither am I,” Prisha said as Frankie climbed in. “We’ll get spots together in the back. This is one of those things you won’t necessarily enjoy until it’s over.”
Frankie laughed. “So pretty much like all exercise.”
Prisha giggled. “Yes, but at least it’s good for us.” She turned around in the driveway and pulled out. “I must confess, facing Suzanne alone again wasn’t something I was looking forward to. I assume Harper told you about what she said to me at Pilates?”
“She did. And I think she was contemplating going to Pilates to get some face time with Suzanne. Most people aren’t as brave when directly confronted.”
Prisha snorted. “Suzanne doesn’t have that problem. She doesn’t care what anyone thinks. Her husband’s position has made her feel untouchable.”
“Do you really think she’ll cause trouble for Harper?”
All the amusement disappeared from Prisha’s face as she drove. “Maybe. Suzanne lives by no one’s rules but her own.”
“So she would really do something like that to a neighbor?”
Prisha shrugged one shoulder as she pulled into the community center’s lot and parked in a row of other golf carts. “She doesn’t see your sister that way. She thinks Harper will sell as soon as she can, so why be loyal?”
Frankie rolled her eyes. “That’s a great way to live. Who made her judge and jury of who’s worthy of kindness and understanding?”
“Good question.”
They got out and went inside. It was a big building with two floors. There was a central lobby with double doors on either side along with an elevator. Slightly to the left and behind the reception desk was a wide set of steps.
Frankie followed Prisha up the steps. “What’s downstairs?”
