“Oh, why did you stop in?”Donna asked.
“Right, that.”Olivia laughed.“Wanted to borrow your blender. Ours broke and Emily is on a smoothie kick. I ordered another one but it won’t come for a few days.”
“Sure, just grab it on your way out.”
“Thanks, Mom. See you tomorrow.”
Donna turned back to the project at hand, boxing up clothes to give away and clearing out the dresser. It was going to take longer than she thought to conquer this room.
Chapter 20
The next evening Donna closed up Parker’s, touched the sign by the door, and turned to make her way home.
“Hey, Donna. Wait up.”Barry came jogging up to her.“I was hoping I’d get here before you closed up so we could walk home together.”
“Looks like you’re just in time.”She smiled, glad to have the company. She’d been worrying about Evelyn all day, and problem after problem kept cropping up at the store. She couldn’t wait to get home and kick off her shoes.
They headed out toward Sandpiper Court, walking side by side.
“You look tired,”Barry said, then laughed.“I guess that’s not really something you want to hear, is it?”
“I am tired. Long day.”
“Want to unwind with a drink when we get home?”
“That sounds lovely. Can you give me about fifteen minutes to change clothes and meet me out on the point? Just come around back in the pool cage.”
“Sounds perfect. Don’t mind if I slip on shorts and a t-shirt myself. It’s warmed up a bit since I first got here. The nights aren’t chilly anymore.”
They got to their houses and Donna changed into casual clothes, opened a bottle of red wine, and reached for the glasses.
She heard a knock at the slider between the pool cage and the kitchen and motioned for Barry to come in.
“Red wine okay? Or there’s beer in the fridge.”
“Red wine is perfect.”He nodded toward the doorway to the garage.“What’s with all the boxes?”
“Ah, that.”She sighed.“Let’s go outside and I’ll explain.”
They went out to the point and settled into the chairs. She poured the wine and took a sip. A hint of a light breeze ruffled the palm fronds and stars glistened in the sky. A perfect coastal night.
The solar twinkle lights in the mason jars cast a mellow yellow light on the small table. A round ceramic ball with cutout star shapes glowed at the very end of the point. Whoever came up with solar lighting was a genius as far as she was concerned.
She leaned back in her chair and relaxed, then turned toward Barry.“So Evelyn is going to move in here with me for a while.”
“Really?”He raised an eyebrow.
“She needs a place to stay for a time.”
“I thought she was married and had a big house on the harbor.”He grinned sheepishly.“Emily was chatting with me about her.”
“She was…is…married. Though, she soon won’t be. Her husband is divorcing her.”
“Oh, I’m sorry.”
“I’m not. He’s…well, he’s not a very nice man. Super controlling of her. And a snake. He had her sign a paper before she married him, and let’s just say she didn’t know what she was signing and now she’s walking away from a long marriage with almost nothing.”
“That doesn’t seem right.”He frowned.
