The two women sat at a table to tend to the details of their agreement. When they finished, Babe handed her the keys. “Move in anytime, and welcome to the neighborhood.”
Babe walked her back to the front of the house. Just before Maileah got into her car, a flash of movement across the street caught her eye.
A young woman with blond hair was watering an impressive collection of potted plants on her front porch.
“Hi there,” Babe called out. “I’ll introduce you. If you need anything, you can talk to her.”
“Sure,” Maileah replied. They strolled across the street.
The other woman put down the watering can and brushed her thick hair back. She wore a simple T-shirt and denim cut-offs, typical beach wear.
“Hi, I’m Skeeter,” she said, offering her hand to Maileah.
“Nice to meet you,” Maileah said. “You have quite the plant collection.”
“With a little water, everything grows like mad here,” Skeeter said.
Maileah admired the neat house, painted a calming shade of peachy orange with white trim. It seemed Skeeter took care of her home, and Maileah looked forward to having friends nearby.
“Have you lived here a long time?” Maileah asked.
“This is Sailor’s house,” Babe said. “You know him, right?”
“Uh, sure do.” Maileah tried to hide her surprise. She hadn’t pictured him in a place like this. Or with a woman like Skeeter—assuming that’s who she was.
Babe chatted easily with Skeeter. “You didn’t go to Hawaii with him?”
“Not this time,” Skeeter replied. “He had to fend for himself because I have schoolwork to catch up on.”
“Are you a teacher?” Maileah asked, trying to make conversation.
“Maybe someday. I’m in graduate school.”
Maileah hadn’t known Sailor had a girlfriend, let alone one who lived with him. She was surprised, but knowing men as she did, she probably shouldn’t have been. She had even asked him if he had a girlfriend. Not that it mattered, except now she couldn’t trust anything he told her.
What was wrong with men?
That was a dilemma for another day, not that she could ever hope to solve that.
“Well, I’ll see you both around,” Maileah said to Babe and Skeeter.
She got into her car and started back to her sister’s house. She’d forgotten to take photos for her, but Junie would see it soon enough.
Despite learning that unsettling news about Sailor, she was looking forward to a change of scenery.
Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, she reconsidered her plan. She could still pitch Sailor on her idea when he returned.
Meeting Skeeter was fortunate, Maileah thought. Knowing he was involved with someone would make their friendship and professional relationship less complicated.
11
After putting down the boxes she’d carried from the car, Maileah opened the door to her cottage on Orange Blossom Way.
“Where shall I put these?” Junie asked, her arms wrapped around another cardboard box.
“Just stack everything in the bedroom,” Maileah replied. “I have to go through all those old relics before I put anything away.”
“What’s in here? Sweaters?”
