Page 70 of The Summer Swap

Lily noticed that Cecilia seemed different. Calmer. Softer. As if she’d just returned from a long walk in the country or a spa day. Was that Seth’s influence? The flowers?

“And you reconnected. That’s nice. That flower arrangement is perfect. You could put them on the table on the porch and paint them.”

“That’s exactly where I’m going to put them, but you’re the one who is going to paint them.” Cecilia carried the jug outside and placed it carefully in the center of the table.

The deck was bathed in sunlight, the ocean sparkling under a cloudless blue sky.

Todd was on his knees, fixing one of the planks on the porch. He looked up as they came out.

“Nice flowers. Who is your admirer, Lily?” He wiped his brow with his forearm and stood up.

“Not me. No admirers.” Her love life was moribund, but she’d made her peace with that. At least she thought she had until he’d shown up. “These were sent to your grandmother.”

And Cecilia was smiling in a way Lily hadn’t seen her smile before. As if everything was right with the world.

Todd obviously noticed it, too.

“Nanna?” He poured himself a glass of lemonade from the jug on the table. “Tell us everything. The more detail the better as Lily and I are both going through a fallow phase on the romance front. We need some vicarious action.”

Lily’s heart thudded. She would have preferred some real action, but since the only man she was interested in wasn’t interested in her she was going to have to settle for vicarious. And as for Todd, she’d assumed that someone whose relationship had just ended would be more upset, but he didn’t seem upset. She kept wondering what that meant, but wondering had a nasty habit of leading to hope, so she tried to shut it down.

Instead, she thought about what Cecilia had just told her about her friend admiring her paintings. The fact that he wanted to see more was terrifying and exhilarating at the same time.

“Nothing to tell.” Cecilia made a final adjustment to the flowers. “There. That’s better.”

“Nanna!”

“What? He’s an old friend, that’s all. No one you know.”

Todd wasn’t about to give up. “And he lives here?”

“He owns a gallery in town. Took it over from his father. It’s been many years since I saw him. Lily’s paintings gave me the excuse to make contact again. I probably shouldn’t have needed an excuse, which just goes to prove that even someone of my mature years can still feel insecure and unsure.”

If she’d felt unsure, Lily thought, then that must mean she cared.

“It’s good that someone has finally recognized Lily’s talent. That’s great. Long overdue.” Todd rested his hip on the edge of the table. “And now tell us more about this guy. You said it has been years since you saw him. How many years?”

Cecilia raised her eyebrows. “Is this an interrogation?”

“That depends on whether you’re hiding something juicy.”

Lily was only half listening. She was still absorbing the news that Cecilia had shown her paintings to someone who owned a gallery. And that Todd thought she had talent.

Cecilia paused. “I knew him before I met your grandfather.”

“Knew?” Todd folded his arms and waited. “An old boyfriend? Nanna Lapthorne, you’ve never talked about that time in your life. This is a story I need to hear.”

“You might need to hear it, but you’re not going to hear it. How is my porch? Can you fix it?”

“Easily. But first you need to give me details. No censorship allowed. What’s his name?”

“His name,” Cecilia said, “is Seth. Now, will you finish the boards? Because if I trip and break a hip, I’ll be blaming you.”

“I’ll have it finished by tonight,” Todd said. “Tomorrow I will start on the window frames.”

“What’s wrong with the window frames?”

“Some of them are rotten. Don’t worry. I can fix it, but I work faster if my head isn’t full of questions. It affects my concentration. Is Seth married?”

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