letting Fargo get his exercise and fun, tourists notwithstanding.
Before we left, I sat down on the edge of the bed, gently patting Cindy’s cheek, risking a fast pop with a pillow. “We’re off for a lap around Race Point, honey. Want to join us?”
She snuggled deeper under the light summer quilt. “Uh-uh, but I’ll be up and running when you get back. I have a lot to do.”
That was the answer I had hoped for. I wanted her up early and over to the cottage. Harmon had told me yesterday, he’d finished the repairs and the painting. I wanted to see it—wanted her and Aunt Mae to see it.
We returned from the beach to be met at the backdoor by a whirlwind. “Hose him off if he’s sandy. What did you two do to this house? Here, these go in the car to go to the cleaners. Here’s a grocery list you can do at the same time. Actually, two of them, one list is for the cottage. I hope it’s right. I can never remember what’s where. What’s that bag?”
“That bag, my dear, holds our breakfast—delicious, nutritious Portuguese fried bread.”
“Nutritious? It should be branded with a skull and crossbones. Well, it is delicious. Come on, coffee’s made.”
“Thank you, kind lady. For a moment here, I was afraid we were out to beat the four-minute mile.”
We sat down to coffee and the still-warm bread. I broke mine in two and began to savor it, while Cindy nipped a tiny piece of her own. “Sorry to be in such a rush, darling. I just want to get everything done so I can relax this afternoon. You remember we’re going to Lainey and Cassie’s for drinks and dinner, to inaugurate their new dining room furniture.”
“Oh, yes, sure,” I lied. Then I remembered. “And Peter and the Wolf will be there, too.”
“Right.”
“I hope to God it works out better than the last time this six-some was together for an evening.”
Last fall, the six of us, augmented by Sonny and Trish, had gotten together here for dinner and it had been disastrous. Lainey and Cassie had started an argument that damn near got to the plate-tossing stage. Wolf and Sonny had got drunk. Sonny and Trish had a tiff over who was to drive home. Wolf and Peter had had a blazing argument over an Amelia Earhart movie, of all things. And Cindy had gotten mad at me because I’d had just enough to drink to think it was all quite funny.
“I hope so, too,” Cindy replied with a sour look. “At least Sonny won’t be leading the charge to the bar.”
“Maybe Peter and Wolf will bring some nice, sweet old movie like Fatal Attraction or Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf . They’re always good for a real hoedown.”
“Oh, no. Don’t even think it.” She cocked an ear toward the laundry room. “That laundry should be almost finished. I’ll get it in the dryer and then go over to the cottage. I want to check on Wells. I know the girl who watches the shop for Aunt Mae has fed her, but that seems sort of . . . cold. She must be wondering where I am.”
“Sonny was over there on some errand.” I finished my bread and stole a small piece of Cindy’s. “Said Wells was fine. But I’ll wait and follow you over before I do errands, just to make sure everything is okay.”
“That’s very thoughtful of you, darling, and if you touch that bread again, I’ll break your wrist. More coffee?”
Aunt Mae must having been watching out the window. The minute our cars pulled in, she came briskly across the lawn, wearing an accusatory little half smile and shaking her finger. “Now, Cynthia, just what have you gone and done?”
Cindy’s eyebrows went up. “Hi, Aunt Mae. I don’t know what you mean.”
“Of course you do. And it really is my responsibility. Now just tell me what it cost and I’ll write you a check right now.” She patted the pocket of the green canvas apron she had already donned for her day in the herb shop.
By now we had turned the corner of the house, and the deck was before us. Harmon had done a good job. It looked
Before we left, I sat down on the edge of the bed, gently patting Cindy’s cheek, risking a fast pop with a pillow. “We’re off for a lap around Race Point, honey. Want to join us?”
She snuggled deeper under the light summer quilt. “Uh-uh, but I’ll be up and running when you get back. I have a lot to do.”
That was the answer I had hoped for. I wanted her up early and over to the cottage. Harmon had told me yesterday, he’d finished the repairs and the painting. I wanted to see it—wanted her and Aunt Mae to see it.
We returned from the beach to be met at the backdoor by a whirlwind. “Hose him off if he’s sandy. What did you two do to this house? Here, these go in the car to go to the cleaners. Here’s a grocery list you can do at the same time. Actually, two of them, one list is for the cottage. I hope it’s right. I can never remember what’s where. What’s that bag?”
“That bag, my dear, holds our breakfast—delicious, nutritious Portuguese fried bread.”
“Nutritious? It should be branded with a skull and crossbones. Well, it is delicious. Come on, coffee’s made.”
“Thank you, kind lady. For a moment here, I was afraid we were out to beat the four-minute mile.”
We sat down to coffee and the still-warm bread. I broke mine in two and began to savor it, while Cindy nipped a tiny piece of her own. “Sorry to be in such a rush, darling. I just want to get everything done so I can relax this afternoon. You remember we’re going to Lainey and Cassie’s for drinks and dinner, to inaugurate their new dining room furniture.”
“Oh, yes, sure,” I lied. Then I remembered. “And Peter and the Wolf will be there, too.”
“Right.”
“I hope to God it works out better than the last time this six-some was together for an evening.”
Last fall, the six of us, augmented by Sonny and Trish, had gotten together here for dinner and it had been disastrous. Lainey and Cassie had started an argument that damn near got to the plate-tossing stage. Wolf and Sonny had got drunk. Sonny and Trish had a tiff over who was to drive home. Wolf and Peter had had a blazing argument over an Amelia Earhart movie, of all things. And Cindy had gotten mad at me because I’d had just enough to drink to think it was all quite funny.
“I hope so, too,” Cindy replied with a sour look. “At least Sonny won’t be leading the charge to the bar.”
“Maybe Peter and Wolf will bring some nice, sweet old movie like Fatal Attraction or Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf . They’re always good for a real hoedown.”
“Oh, no. Don’t even think it.” She cocked an ear toward the laundry room. “That laundry should be almost finished. I’ll get it in the dryer and then go over to the cottage. I want to check on Wells. I know the girl who watches the shop for Aunt Mae has fed her, but that seems sort of . . . cold. She must be wondering where I am.”
“Sonny was over there on some errand.” I finished my bread and stole a small piece of Cindy’s. “Said Wells was fine. But I’ll wait and follow you over before I do errands, just to make sure everything is okay.”
“That’s very thoughtful of you, darling, and if you touch that bread again, I’ll break your wrist. More coffee?”
Aunt Mae must having been watching out the window. The minute our cars pulled in, she came briskly across the lawn, wearing an accusatory little half smile and shaking her finger. “Now, Cynthia, just what have you gone and done?”
Cindy’s eyebrows went up. “Hi, Aunt Mae. I don’t know what you mean.”
“Of course you do. And it really is my responsibility. Now just tell me what it cost and I’ll write you a check right now.” She patted the pocket of the green canvas apron she had already donned for her day in the herb shop.
By now we had turned the corner of the house, and the deck was before us. Harmon had done a good job. It looked
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