“Why are you so annoying?” Diane asked, pulling a face.
Nikki laughed. “You know you love me, though.”
“Whatever,” Diane replied, turning away from her cousin, who was now cackling. The two women closed the shop and went out to get some food from The Anchor.
She was surprised to see Joshua in one of the booths and even more so when she saw a tall blond woman slide into the seat opposite him.
“Let’s go somewhere else. I’m not feeling like eating here tonight,” she told Nikki, who looked at her weirdly.
“Why not?” she asked. “You’re the one who suggested we came here.”
“I know, and I’m sorry, but let’s just go get some fish and chips and maybe a milkshake by the Shake Shack,” she suggested.
“Diane. I’m hungry,” Nikki whined.
“Diane!”
She wished the floor would open up at that moment and just swallow her.
Nikki was the first to look in the direction of his voice, and she waved in greeting. Diane did the same.
“Hi, I thought you were headed home,” she said while standing at his table.
“I was, but then I got a call from my old friend who said she was in town and wanted to catch up,” he explained. “Diane, this is my friend Kathy. Kathy, this is Diane and her cousin Nikki,” he introduced.
“Hi, Kathy. It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Diane said, holding out her hand.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, too,” Kathy returned with a polite smile. Her eyes, however, showed annoyance.
“Well, it was a pleasure meeting you. Joshua, I’ll see you later.”
“You’re leaving already? But you looked like you just got here. Why don’t you join us? I’m sure Kathy won’t mind,” he said, looking from her to Kathy.
“Not at all,” Kathy agreed, but her voice was tense.
“Great, because I’m hungry,” Nikki said before sliding beside Joshua.
Diane wanted to scream bloody murder and order her cousin to get up. Instead, she slid into the seat beside Kathy. This was going to be an interesting night.
ChapterTwenty-Five
Tessa
Tessa walked off the back porch and down the steps that led to the patio. “Hey, Sis,” she greeted Kerry, who was busy setting up the decorations for their Labor Day celebrations with her boyfriend Ethan and Cora’s and Josephine’s significant others, Jamie and Daniel. They were a few of the persons who had arrived early to help with setup.
“Hi, Sis,” Kerry greeted back with a kiss on her cheek.
“Hi, guys.” Tessa looked behind her sister to greet the others.
“Hi, Tessa,” they all said in unity.
“It looks great out here already. What can I do to help?”
“We’re almost done,” Kerry informed her, then offered, “Why don’t you take a walk with me?”
“Okay,” she agreed. The two walked hand in hand down the cobbled stone path toward the harbor, but Kerry diverted their path toward the rose garden.
They proceeded to the bend that led up to the wooden gates situated beneath a beautifully arched arbor decorated with vines and creepers that had wrapped themselves around its surface. It was the beginning of autumn, which meant the gorgeous flowers were about to shed their petals and leaves in preparation for the chilly winter months ahead.
