“Oh, look.”Donna pointed out at the bay.“The Destiny. See, that large, two-level boat? It’s owned by a local man, Jesse Brown. Depending on the day it takes sunrise cruises or cruises out to Pelican Cay where we were yesterday. And then at night on the weekends, it has a dinner cruise to see the sunset.”
“I’ve seen it go past here. Wondered what it was.”
“Jesse’s a fine young man. Went to school with Heather and Olivia.”
“I’ll have to see if I can fit one of his dinner cruises into my schedule. Maybe you could join me?”Barry cocked his head when he asked the question.
“I…uh…Sure. Maybe we could work that out.”Had he just asked her out on a date? She wasn’t certain. She looked away and rolled her eyes at herself, so out of practice on this dating thing.Ifthis was a dating thing…
Olivia peekedout the French door on one of the grand suites on the upper floor of The Cabot.“The view here is spectacular.”
“So is this whole suite. Did you see how nice they’ve done everything? It would be fabulous to stay here, almost like a throw-back to earlier times.”Heather walked up beside her to take in the view.
“Hey, there’s Jesse’s boat. See it?”Olivia pointed.
“Oh, is it?”Heather answered noncommittally.
But Olivia ignored her cousin’s meager attempt at subterfuge.“Yes. You know, we should go on a dinner cruise while you’re here. See what all he’s done to the old boat. I hear it’s really nice now. Great food. It would be fun.”
“We’ll see. I’m pretty busy. Have some projects that are due to be sent in soon.”
“Right. We’ll see.”Olivia wasn’t sure what was going on there. Jesse and Heather had always been good friends. She assumed Heather saw him when she came to town. Why didn’t she want to go see his boat—or him, for that matter—now?
“So. Aunt Donna and Barry. You think something’s going on there?”Heather changed the subject.
“I’m not sure. I mean…he seems really nice. I’d love to see Mom dating someone.”
“She hasn’t really dated since Stan, has she?”
“No, not often. A random date here and there. I feel like she gave up so much and devoted her life to helping me with Emily. Now I wish she’d take time for herself.”
“Parker’s keeps her pretty busy though, doesn’t it?”
“It does. And I try to take on more of the responsibility, but she’s so used to running it and doing things her own way.”She shrugged.“I’d change some things, but…well, it won’t ever happen.”
“Have you told her this? Told her you want to do more?”
“I try, but you know Mom. She kind of agrees, but then still does it all.”
“She’s always been like that. I’m sometimes amazed how different Aunt Donna and Mom are. It’s like they were raised in different families or something.”
“They are different.”Olivia turned from the view.“Oh, did you hear that Grandmother is off on a world tour?”
“I did. I guess she just needed to get away. I was sorry I didn’t make it in for Grandfather’s funeral.”
“It was…a strange event. A lot of people I’ve never even met. No tears. Not by anyone. And I know it sounds horrible and strange…but I swear it was almost like Grandmother looked—”She paused, feeling guilty even finishing the sentence.
“Almost like what?”Heather prodded.
“Like she was relieved?”
“Well, Grandfather was a hard man to…uh…like.”
“He was a hard man, period. Cold. But still. He was Mom and Aunt Evelyn’s father and…hardly anyone from Moonbeam was there. Mostly people from their Naples retirement place and business associates of Grandfather’s.”
“Because he didn’t really have any friends, did he? I mean, I never saw him do anything with friends. He’d golf with business associates. Go to charity events. But…did he have friends?”
She shrugged.“Not that I know of. I guess Grandmother does now. At least friendly enough to take this world cruise with. It probably did her good to get away.”
