you in, that radiated kindness and positive energy.
She hugged him fiercely. “When I reopen it, you’ve got a lifetime free pass.”
“That works for me.”
Skye blinked away a sudden wave of tears. She’d never been the weepy type. She was definitely emotional, but more passionate in nature than vulnerable.
Stepping away from her, Owen reached for a Kleenex from the box on his desk. “Now don’t get me started or we’ll both end up bawling,” he teased her.
“There’s no crying in baseball . . . ” she began.
“Or funeral directing,” he said, completing his favorite saying. “Now go on home and celebrate!”
Angel was cooking angel-hair pasta when Skye burst into the apartment.
“That took a while.” Angel’s attention remained on the marinara sauce she was creating on the stove.
“Yeah, well, I went over there broke and came back . . . a millionaire!” Skye danced Angel around the tiny kitchen.
“What are you talking about? You didn’t borrow more money from Owen, did you?”
“Of course not. In fact, I’m now in a position to pay him back.”
“What do you mean?”
“One of those lottery tickets I got him—turns out it was an instant winner.” Skye waved the ticket at Angel, much the way Owen had waved it at her.
Angel looked at the card as if it represented all the evil in the universe. “Money brings trouble.”
“Not having money also brings trouble. Like the electric company threatening to discontinue service.”
“We don’t need much.”
“Maybe not, but electricity is nice.”
“It starts with electricity and ends with gas-guzzling SUVs and designer watches.”
“I’m not buying an SUV or a watch. I’m buying the Tivoli Theater.”
“What?”
“The movie theater downstairs. I’m going to buy it. And restore and reopen it.”
Angel appeared speechless. Skye knew the condition wouldn’t last long.
“A movie theater?” Angel said.
“That’s right.”
“I hadn’t thought of that.” Angel sniffed a moment before rushing back to the stove. “My sauce!”
“Are you and Angel playing tag in the kitchen?” Toni demanded as she joined them. She’d traded her customary tiara for a fairy wand filled with sparkling stars. Her feet were bare and she was wearing a two-piece swimsuit with little fish on it.
“No, we’re celebrating by dancing.” Skye scooped her up in her arms and cradled her so she could press a raspberry kiss onto Toni’s bare tummy.
Toni shrieked with laughter. “That tickles!”
“ No. ” Skye stared down at her with mock disbelief. “You mean this tickles?”
She gave her daughter another loud, smacking raspberry kiss, right on her belly button.
“Yes!”
“I had no idea it might tickle. In that case . . . I’ll do it again!”
Toni wriggled herself free, giggling gleefully as Skye chased her into the living room and around the round red couch, a castoff found at the thrift shop.
Always a fan of multitasking, Skye spoke to Angel while playing with Toni. “You’ve run a bunch of businesses, Angel. I’m just following in your footsteps. What do you think?”
“That it appears we’re about to embark on another adventure.” Angel’s expression remained worried as she reached out to hug Skye. “Maybe I should consult the tarot cards and runes.”
“You don’t have to. My mind is already made up.”
Two hours later, Skye’s mind was still racing. She read Toni her favorite Olivia the Pig story and put her to bed. Since Skye never wore a watch, she had no idea what time it was. She only knew that she was too wound up to relax.
“I’m just gonna go get some fresh air,” Skye told Angel. “Can you stay a bit longer?”
“Sure.” Angel looked up from the scarf she was crocheting. “Everything okay? You haven’t lost the lottery ticket already, have you?”
“Not unless it’s grown legs and walked out of the freezer.” Skye often stashed important papers there. “I won’t be
She hugged him fiercely. “When I reopen it, you’ve got a lifetime free pass.”
“That works for me.”
Skye blinked away a sudden wave of tears. She’d never been the weepy type. She was definitely emotional, but more passionate in nature than vulnerable.
Stepping away from her, Owen reached for a Kleenex from the box on his desk. “Now don’t get me started or we’ll both end up bawling,” he teased her.
“There’s no crying in baseball . . . ” she began.
“Or funeral directing,” he said, completing his favorite saying. “Now go on home and celebrate!”
Angel was cooking angel-hair pasta when Skye burst into the apartment.
“That took a while.” Angel’s attention remained on the marinara sauce she was creating on the stove.
“Yeah, well, I went over there broke and came back . . . a millionaire!” Skye danced Angel around the tiny kitchen.
“What are you talking about? You didn’t borrow more money from Owen, did you?”
“Of course not. In fact, I’m now in a position to pay him back.”
“What do you mean?”
“One of those lottery tickets I got him—turns out it was an instant winner.” Skye waved the ticket at Angel, much the way Owen had waved it at her.
Angel looked at the card as if it represented all the evil in the universe. “Money brings trouble.”
“Not having money also brings trouble. Like the electric company threatening to discontinue service.”
“We don’t need much.”
“Maybe not, but electricity is nice.”
“It starts with electricity and ends with gas-guzzling SUVs and designer watches.”
“I’m not buying an SUV or a watch. I’m buying the Tivoli Theater.”
“What?”
“The movie theater downstairs. I’m going to buy it. And restore and reopen it.”
Angel appeared speechless. Skye knew the condition wouldn’t last long.
“A movie theater?” Angel said.
“That’s right.”
“I hadn’t thought of that.” Angel sniffed a moment before rushing back to the stove. “My sauce!”
“Are you and Angel playing tag in the kitchen?” Toni demanded as she joined them. She’d traded her customary tiara for a fairy wand filled with sparkling stars. Her feet were bare and she was wearing a two-piece swimsuit with little fish on it.
“No, we’re celebrating by dancing.” Skye scooped her up in her arms and cradled her so she could press a raspberry kiss onto Toni’s bare tummy.
Toni shrieked with laughter. “That tickles!”
“ No. ” Skye stared down at her with mock disbelief. “You mean this tickles?”
She gave her daughter another loud, smacking raspberry kiss, right on her belly button.
“Yes!”
“I had no idea it might tickle. In that case . . . I’ll do it again!”
Toni wriggled herself free, giggling gleefully as Skye chased her into the living room and around the round red couch, a castoff found at the thrift shop.
Always a fan of multitasking, Skye spoke to Angel while playing with Toni. “You’ve run a bunch of businesses, Angel. I’m just following in your footsteps. What do you think?”
“That it appears we’re about to embark on another adventure.” Angel’s expression remained worried as she reached out to hug Skye. “Maybe I should consult the tarot cards and runes.”
“You don’t have to. My mind is already made up.”
Two hours later, Skye’s mind was still racing. She read Toni her favorite Olivia the Pig story and put her to bed. Since Skye never wore a watch, she had no idea what time it was. She only knew that she was too wound up to relax.
“I’m just gonna go get some fresh air,” Skye told Angel. “Can you stay a bit longer?”
“Sure.” Angel looked up from the scarf she was crocheting. “Everything okay? You haven’t lost the lottery ticket already, have you?”
“Not unless it’s grown legs and walked out of the freezer.” Skye often stashed important papers there. “I won’t be
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