Harper scooted to the edge of the bed. “You didn’t tell me she was upset.”
Frankie shrugged. “She let go of it pretty quickly, but I think that was what spurred her into trying to find out the truth about Buck.”
“Poor kid. It’s not like she doesn’t have your parents, though. And Tom’s mother is still around.”
“Tom’s mother is too busy with her country club friends and charity activities to be much of a grandmother, which is fine with me, but not so fine with Willa. Sadly, they’ve never had a great relationship. And my parents do what they can, but they’re not as mobile as they used to be.”
“Buck’s got to be in his late seventies or early eighties. She can’t think he’ll be much different.”
Frankie sighed. “Willa’s a bit of a dreamer, which is a great quality, don’t get me wrong. She latches on to things quickly and she gets her hopes up pretty fast. His age might not be something she’s really considered.”
“And you’re worried she’s going to be let down.”
“I am,” Frankie admitted. “She might be a grown woman, but she’s also still my little girl. Always will be. I can’t help but feel protective of her.”
Harper smiled. “Then we need to get to know Buck as much as we can before we meet him.”
“Ifwe meet him.”
“If.” Harper nodded. “Text Lucas about dinner, then we’ll work on this email.”
“Right.” Frankie hooked her thumb over shoulder. “Left my phone in the office. I’ll be right back.”
“I’ll be here.”
Frankie went to the office and sat at the desk. She picked up her phone to answer Lucas, and found he’d already texted her.
Those logos are fire. I could not love them more. Thank you. I’ve already sent them to my merch manager to get new T-shirts into the store. I want to pay you!! What’s easiest for you?
She smiled, absolutely pleased with his response. What would be the easiest way for him to pay her? A check would just sit in her purse until she went home, since she used a local bank. What she needed was one of those cash app things. Whatever was popular these days.
She’d have to ask Willa. Then it occurred to her that she’d sometimes sent money to Willa via SpendFriend, although she hadn’t done that in a while. Maybe that would work?
Wait. What was she thinking? Frankie’s online store, with its rare sales, used Stripe. She could probably send him an invoice that way. She just needed to look into it. If she was really going to do this, she had to know how to work the financial side of things, or she’d come off as unprofessional and unorganized. That was no way to prosper.
She texted Lucas back.I’m so happy you like them! I loved doing them. I’ll invoice you shortly. About dinner, is 7:15 okay?
Sure, that would be fine. Everyone coming?
She hadn’t asked Willa yet, but Willa was all about Lucas, so Frankie couldn’t see her staying home alone.Yes!
Great!
Frankie stuck her phone in her pocket and went out to the living room. She called out to Harper. “Hey, I’ll be right back. I need to talk to Willa for a sec.”
“Okay,” Harper called back.
Frankie jogged down the steps and went out to the pool where Willa was sunbathing. Archie was, as Harper had predicted, snoozing in a shady spot nearby. He looked suspiciously damp.
Willa had earbuds in and sunglasses on, but when Frankie’s shadow covered her, she sat up. “Hey.”
“You in for dinner at Lucas’s house tonight at seven fifteen? I hope so, because I already told him yes.”
Willa smiled. “Um,yes. Like I would miss that.”
“Pretty much what I figured. And seven-fifteen is good with you?”
“Yep.”
