project on budget or came up with more funding, logged progress and setbacks, ordered supplies, answered phones, and occasionally went out to get lunch for everyone.
Doug was constantly trying to entice Carlyn to work solely for his projects. She was a gem, both as a preservationist and as a friend. She kept him dangling, mainly, Meri thought, because he was a willing victim to her teasing. Meri knew Carlyn loved the job, and though the pay was poor, it was a lot more satisfying to “crunch numbers for a worthy cause.”
Meri tossed her jacket in the front seat and locked the door. When she crossed the street, Carlyn was bent over touching her toes. She popped up, reminding Meri of a jack-in-the-box, though it might have been her reddish hair that began to frizz as soon as it hit the sea air.
Meri quickly stretched, and they started off north along the cliff. The air was brisk and there was a healthy breeze along the water. It was a perfect early spring day for jogging or speed walking or strolling, and the walk was already busy with people.
They began at a brisk walk until they passed the grounds of the Breakers, then broke into an easy jog, running side by side when the walk was wide enough, and single file when passing slower pedestrians. Parts of the walk had taken a beating in the last hurricane, but it was whole again.
Meri relaxed into the pace, breathed in the fresh air and sunlight, and cast occasional glances at the bay that glistened blue in the sun.
Students at Salve Regina were already stretched out on the lawn. Spring break was only a week away and they were getting an early start.
Carlyn suddenly veered right; Meri followed her down the forty steps to a small lookout. By the time she reached the bottom, Carlyn was turning around and heading back to the path.
Meri huffed out a breath, and taking a longing look at the water, began the climb up. Carlyn was jogging in place when Meri reached the top.
“I’m dying,” Meri gasped.
“Just another three-quarters of a mile and we’ll walk back.”
“Right.” Meri took a deep breath and started out again. By the time they reached the end of the walk at the Chanler Inn, Meri was wishing she was idly rich and could stop at the luxury hotel for brunch. But the Chanler was not for them. They would do their brunching at Barney’s Budget Breakfast and More.
Barney’s had great food. And their kind of ambiance: noisy, fun, and upbeat. Barney was actually a sixtysomething-year-old woman, with gray hair braided down her back. She’d lived in Newport ever since as a hippie she’d ridden into town on the back of a Harley and decided to stay. Her waffles could not be beat.
When they finally reached the end of the walk, Meri was still on her feet mainly by keeping the image of a double cappuccino like a dangling carrot to keep her going. Carlyn immediately started stretching, while Meri huffed her breath back to normal.
Well, Carlyn didn’t spend hours a day crunched up on a scaffold thirty feet above the floor. She went to Zumba class on Wednesday nights and spinning three times a week. She was a demon.
Meri counted carrying laundry downstairs to the basement and walking to the corner market as major aerobic exercise.
Carlyn barely waited for Meri to catch her breath before she started back the way they had come. At least she’d slowed to a power walk. Meri dragged herself beside her.
“You look beat,” Carlyn told her. “You need to get more exercise.”
“Tell me about it.”
Carlyn slowed to a normal walk. “So want to tell me what happened with Peter?”
“Just what I told you. He’s got an internship in L.A. He quit his job and is leaving next week.”
“I can’t believe he’s just leaving like that. What about the two of you? We all thought you were going to get married.”
“So did I. Actually, I’m pretty sure he did, too.”
“But he’s still coming back east for law school, right?”
“I guess.”
“So it’s not
Doug was constantly trying to entice Carlyn to work solely for his projects. She was a gem, both as a preservationist and as a friend. She kept him dangling, mainly, Meri thought, because he was a willing victim to her teasing. Meri knew Carlyn loved the job, and though the pay was poor, it was a lot more satisfying to “crunch numbers for a worthy cause.”
Meri tossed her jacket in the front seat and locked the door. When she crossed the street, Carlyn was bent over touching her toes. She popped up, reminding Meri of a jack-in-the-box, though it might have been her reddish hair that began to frizz as soon as it hit the sea air.
Meri quickly stretched, and they started off north along the cliff. The air was brisk and there was a healthy breeze along the water. It was a perfect early spring day for jogging or speed walking or strolling, and the walk was already busy with people.
They began at a brisk walk until they passed the grounds of the Breakers, then broke into an easy jog, running side by side when the walk was wide enough, and single file when passing slower pedestrians. Parts of the walk had taken a beating in the last hurricane, but it was whole again.
Meri relaxed into the pace, breathed in the fresh air and sunlight, and cast occasional glances at the bay that glistened blue in the sun.
Students at Salve Regina were already stretched out on the lawn. Spring break was only a week away and they were getting an early start.
Carlyn suddenly veered right; Meri followed her down the forty steps to a small lookout. By the time she reached the bottom, Carlyn was turning around and heading back to the path.
Meri huffed out a breath, and taking a longing look at the water, began the climb up. Carlyn was jogging in place when Meri reached the top.
“I’m dying,” Meri gasped.
“Just another three-quarters of a mile and we’ll walk back.”
“Right.” Meri took a deep breath and started out again. By the time they reached the end of the walk at the Chanler Inn, Meri was wishing she was idly rich and could stop at the luxury hotel for brunch. But the Chanler was not for them. They would do their brunching at Barney’s Budget Breakfast and More.
Barney’s had great food. And their kind of ambiance: noisy, fun, and upbeat. Barney was actually a sixtysomething-year-old woman, with gray hair braided down her back. She’d lived in Newport ever since as a hippie she’d ridden into town on the back of a Harley and decided to stay. Her waffles could not be beat.
When they finally reached the end of the walk, Meri was still on her feet mainly by keeping the image of a double cappuccino like a dangling carrot to keep her going. Carlyn immediately started stretching, while Meri huffed her breath back to normal.
Well, Carlyn didn’t spend hours a day crunched up on a scaffold thirty feet above the floor. She went to Zumba class on Wednesday nights and spinning three times a week. She was a demon.
Meri counted carrying laundry downstairs to the basement and walking to the corner market as major aerobic exercise.
Carlyn barely waited for Meri to catch her breath before she started back the way they had come. At least she’d slowed to a power walk. Meri dragged herself beside her.
“You look beat,” Carlyn told her. “You need to get more exercise.”
“Tell me about it.”
Carlyn slowed to a normal walk. “So want to tell me what happened with Peter?”
“Just what I told you. He’s got an internship in L.A. He quit his job and is leaving next week.”
“I can’t believe he’s just leaving like that. What about the two of you? We all thought you were going to get married.”
“So did I. Actually, I’m pretty sure he did, too.”
“But he’s still coming back east for law school, right?”
“I guess.”
“So it’s not
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