dysfunction has disturbed your little bit of paradise here, but my mind is made up. Maybe fair weather will head both our ways and my daughter will check out tomorrow, leaving us both alone.”
Eva laughed. “You’re a rascal, River.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment. Speaking of Mary, how’s she doing?”
Eva laughed. “Gee, I thought we were talking about something else, but since you brought her up, I’d steer clear of her for the time being. Something you said got her all stirred up.”
River winced at the comment, but admitted, “You’re quite right. First things first. Got to get my daughter out of here and back home. Maybe I’ll take a little trip to Key West, where she can’t find me. Keep my bungalow free, will ya? I’ll pay for it, of course. Just keep charging on my credit card.”
“River, I don’t need to know any of your plans.”
“Ah, yes. You’ll want plausible deniability. Just keep my bungalow free. Okay?”
“Talk to you later, River.” Eva smiled as she left the bungalow and hurried to the office, skirting the pool area where Mr. Egan’s daughter was complaining loudly to the other guests.
Eva sincerely hoped that woman would check out tomorrow. She had never disliked a guest so much, and she’d had to deal with many rotten guests over the months since she reclaimed the Last Chance Motel.
For some reason, the motel was not working its charm on River’s daughter.
Pity , thought Eva. It was the daughter’s loss.
17
M ike tucked Jenny in after he made sure she had brushed her teeth. He read several chapters from The Three Musketeers until Eva joined them.
“Whatcha got there?” he asked, eyeing a box in Eva’s hand.
“It’s a present for Jenny,” revealed Eva. “And if you are finished, sir, I would like to give this to Jenny in private.”
Mike mugged and slammed the book shut. “I know when I’m not wanted.” Pretending to be hurt, he slunk out of the room.
Jenny laughed. “Daddy, you’re not mad. I can tell.”
Mike popped his head inside the room. “Have sweet dreams, baby.”
Eva waved him away. “I have something for you, Jenny.”
Jenny sat up in bed. “What is it?” she asked, eyeing the wrapped box.
“Open it and find out,” Eva encouraged.
Jenny took the box from Eva’s hands and tore off the wrapping. Opening the box, she lifted a clear rectangle with a cord attached. “What is it?”
“It’s one of those new electronic photo albums. I noticed you don’t have many pictures of your mother, so I found some and had them copied. They’re stored in this album. Whenever you want to see your mother, all you have to do is press this button, and you can see pictures of all the happy times you had with her. That way you’ll always have your wonderful memories at your fingertips.”
Eva pulled out another electronic photo album. “And this one is for new memories to come. There’s nothing on it now, but we’ll put pictures of fun stuff you do with your dad and me, and Grandma, too.”
Eva placed the two albums on the nightstand and plugged the filled one in. “What is the first thing you are going to put on our new picture frame?”
“I’m going to put our snorkeling trip on it. Mommy taught me how to swim in the ocean.”
“Then I will look forward to seeing how well you swim, and I promise to take lots of pictures for you. Okay?”
Jenny hugged Eva. “Thank you.” She looked at Eva with tears in her eyes. “It’s all right to call you Mommy too, isn’t it?” She looked confused.
“I think I can solve this problem. Beth will always be your mommy, but I don’t think she would mind if you called me Mommy as well–or you can call me Mom.
Jenny pressed the button on the album and a large picture of her mother appeared. “I think I will call her Mommy and call you Mom.”
“I think that is splendid,” replied Eva. “Let’s look at these pictures together, and you can tell me about them.”
Jenny pushed the button
Eva laughed. “You’re a rascal, River.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment. Speaking of Mary, how’s she doing?”
Eva laughed. “Gee, I thought we were talking about something else, but since you brought her up, I’d steer clear of her for the time being. Something you said got her all stirred up.”
River winced at the comment, but admitted, “You’re quite right. First things first. Got to get my daughter out of here and back home. Maybe I’ll take a little trip to Key West, where she can’t find me. Keep my bungalow free, will ya? I’ll pay for it, of course. Just keep charging on my credit card.”
“River, I don’t need to know any of your plans.”
“Ah, yes. You’ll want plausible deniability. Just keep my bungalow free. Okay?”
“Talk to you later, River.” Eva smiled as she left the bungalow and hurried to the office, skirting the pool area where Mr. Egan’s daughter was complaining loudly to the other guests.
Eva sincerely hoped that woman would check out tomorrow. She had never disliked a guest so much, and she’d had to deal with many rotten guests over the months since she reclaimed the Last Chance Motel.
For some reason, the motel was not working its charm on River’s daughter.
Pity , thought Eva. It was the daughter’s loss.
17
M ike tucked Jenny in after he made sure she had brushed her teeth. He read several chapters from The Three Musketeers until Eva joined them.
“Whatcha got there?” he asked, eyeing a box in Eva’s hand.
“It’s a present for Jenny,” revealed Eva. “And if you are finished, sir, I would like to give this to Jenny in private.”
Mike mugged and slammed the book shut. “I know when I’m not wanted.” Pretending to be hurt, he slunk out of the room.
Jenny laughed. “Daddy, you’re not mad. I can tell.”
Mike popped his head inside the room. “Have sweet dreams, baby.”
Eva waved him away. “I have something for you, Jenny.”
Jenny sat up in bed. “What is it?” she asked, eyeing the wrapped box.
“Open it and find out,” Eva encouraged.
Jenny took the box from Eva’s hands and tore off the wrapping. Opening the box, she lifted a clear rectangle with a cord attached. “What is it?”
“It’s one of those new electronic photo albums. I noticed you don’t have many pictures of your mother, so I found some and had them copied. They’re stored in this album. Whenever you want to see your mother, all you have to do is press this button, and you can see pictures of all the happy times you had with her. That way you’ll always have your wonderful memories at your fingertips.”
Eva pulled out another electronic photo album. “And this one is for new memories to come. There’s nothing on it now, but we’ll put pictures of fun stuff you do with your dad and me, and Grandma, too.”
Eva placed the two albums on the nightstand and plugged the filled one in. “What is the first thing you are going to put on our new picture frame?”
“I’m going to put our snorkeling trip on it. Mommy taught me how to swim in the ocean.”
“Then I will look forward to seeing how well you swim, and I promise to take lots of pictures for you. Okay?”
Jenny hugged Eva. “Thank you.” She looked at Eva with tears in her eyes. “It’s all right to call you Mommy too, isn’t it?” She looked confused.
“I think I can solve this problem. Beth will always be your mommy, but I don’t think she would mind if you called me Mommy as well–or you can call me Mom.
Jenny pressed the button on the album and a large picture of her mother appeared. “I think I will call her Mommy and call you Mom.”
“I think that is splendid,” replied Eva. “Let’s look at these pictures together, and you can tell me about them.”
Jenny pushed the button
Similar Books
