Mostly. Even when her mom took a day off, she usually found a reason to pop back into the store. When was the last time her mother had a day when she didn’t once step into Parker’s? She frowned as she stood and brushed the sand from her legs, gathering up items to put back into the cooler.
Maybe she’d just make it her mission to see that her mother took a full day off.
She laughed to herself. She’d probably have about as much luck with that as she was going to have convincing Heather to move back to Moonbeam.
Chapter 8
Barry waved to Olivia, Emily, and Heather as they left the dock. He turned to help Donna with the cooler.“Here, let me get that.”He swung it onto the dock.
Donna checked the boat, climbed off, and put the lift up, suspending the boat over the canal water. He nodded at the lift.“Those are different than what we had on a lake near us when I was growing up. The boats there were on lifts that float on pontoon-like supports.”
“These are used here because of the changes in the tides, suspending the boats from cables.”Donna pointed across the lake to a large trawler.“Though some larger boats are kept just tied up to their dock, and not on lifts.”
“Not really a boater myself, but I sure enjoyed going out today.”
“I learned my way around a boat probably about the time I could walk.”Donna’s eyes sparkled as she laughed.“My grandfather would set me and my sister on his knees and let us steer his boat. Anyway, been boating ever since. At least when I make time for it.”
“Speaking of making time. Could I repay you for your kind invite by making you dinner tonight? I could grill out some burgers for us?”
Indecision flitted across her face.
“I really do need to check on the store.”
“That would give me time to run get groceries.”He waited for her reply, suddenly not wanting to spend his evening all alone.
“How about this?You get the makings for burgers, and I’ll make us salad to go with them. We can grill at my place. You can see the view. It looks like it will be a spectacular sunset with all the clouds in the sky.”She laughed.“Unless they all dissipate. You just never know.”
“Okay. That sounds like a plan. I’ll be over about five-thirty? Does that work?”
“It does.”
He pulled the cooler up to her house, then picked it up, following her inside and placing it down on the tile floor of the kitchen. He looked around the room. The walls were a light neutral almost white while the cabinets were stained a warm gray color. She had pops of teal and yellow in the kitchen that followed through to items scattered around the great room. Large windows encased the showy view of the lake created by the convergence of a smattering of canals.
A small pool and spa were enclosed by a large pool cage, and an expansive lanai with tables, chairs, and chaise lounges stretched out from a sliding door off the kitchen. A wonderful, homey house.“Your home is just…charming.”He couldn’t think of a better word to describe it.
Donna blushed a lovely shade of rose.“Thank you. I did make some changes after it became mine. Lightened the wall color. Restained the dark cabinets to this lighter gray color. I find I like doing the work myself. I’m always working on some kind of rehab project.”
“Really?”He couldn’t remember if he’d ever so much as fixed something, which now that he thought about it was strange since he oversaw so much reconstruction. He’d never painted anything. Never lived anywhere long enough to need to paint anything.“Well, I’m impressed by your skills.”
“Oh, just things my grandfather taught me how to do. Evelyn—that’s my sister—and I spent lots of time here with our grandparents. Our parents traveled around a lot. Some for my father’s work, some just for pleasure. But my grandparents were always glad to let us stay here with them. I think I might have spent more time here than at my parents’house.”She shrugged.“Not complaining. Loved staying here with them.”
“And your parents? They’re gone?”He didn’t know how to ask the question, exactly. Asking if they were dead seemed harsh. Dead was such a hard word.
“My father…he passed away last year.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Ah, yes.” Donna turned and placed a tote bag on the counter. “Thanks.”
Her tone was careful, measured, as though giving the reply that was expected but not heartfelt.
“Mother lives in a retirement place in Naples. She’s off on a world tour with a group of ladies from there. I guess she’s having fun. Haven’t heard much from her on the trip.”
She seemed to have a dispassionate vibe about not hearing from her mother. There was more to the story here, that much he could tell. But it wasn’t his way to pry. He’d asked enough questions.
“I’m off, then. I’ll see you this evening?”
She walked him through the house to the front door.“Bye.”
