Page 30 of Something Blue

She nodded. “I can see how that might have worried you. So, what happened?”

“Well, I didn’t think much of it until after we broke up, but with every new position, she asked for more money. When we broke up, I was paying for her tuition and apartment.”

She gave a soft laugh. “Wow, she really took advantage of you.”

“Mm-hmm. Later it happened a few times with other women, but I’m happy to say, I caught on quicker. It hurts to be taken advantage of.”

She tapped him softly on the back a few times. “You turned out pretty good.”

“Thanks,” he said with a chuckle. “You did too.”

“You know, it wasn’t just Chase who bothered me tonight. Talking about my mom since her passing has never been easy. But visiting a place she loved so much has been the hardest part. I love and hate to talk about it.”

“That makes sense.” He slipped his arm around her back and squeezed her side. “I’m here for you if you need to talk.”

She gave him a heart-warming smile, making his toes tingle. This week was going to be forever long if he couldn’t rein in his feelings.

14

Sadie

The next morning, Sadie woke early and headed outside for a quick walk on the beach. After last night’s venting session, she wasn’t ready to look Andy in the eye. He was lying on his side on the couch, shirtless and covered from his waist down with a sheet.

Oh boy.

She tiptoed to the door and opened it enough to squeeze by. When she was a few feet away, she hurried her pace. Walking with her mom in the morning was a tradition, and even though it was hard to be alone, she wanted to keep the memory strong.

Beach-walkers were the only people out this early. She turned to the right once her feet touched the surf, preferring to walk past the million-dollar beach houses lining the sand. She and her mom had always imagined buying one and living in Florida permanently.

A school of stingrays swam by, and she stood on a sand bank to watch them. Their dark shadows moved swiftly through the current, weaving in and out of the waves. If only her mom were there to enjoy it. There were still too many things they hadn’t done together. Surprisingly, with Andy by her side, she hadn’t struggled as much as she thought.

After a quick break in the chairs Andy had rented, she headed back to the room. No doubt he was a generous man, but there was also something haughty about him, which made her keep her walls firmly in place. It was a business transaction, nothing else, and the sooner she believed it, the better.

She opened the door slowly, in case he liked to sleep in. The shades in the front room had been opened and moved to the side, filtering in the morning light.

“Andy?” she called, eyeing the couch. The pullout bed had been stowed away and the pillows put in place. Her stomach growled with hunger. She opened the fridge, but only saw a few bottles of water. After taking one, she closed the fridge door and saw a note pinned with a magnet to the top.

Went to pick up a few essential groceries. Enjoy your morning. Be back soon.

Despite how worried she was to talk to Andy about last night, his note sent a wave of relief through her. She went to the bedroom and opened her suitcase. Today was their first official day of week nineteen. She’d be seeing most of her beach family, all of whom she hadn’t seen in at least three years.

Each outfit went on a hanger and anything else was organized into the drawer. It didn’t feel like home if she didn’t unpack and stow away the luggage. When she got to the swimsuits she frowned. A skimpy bikini, a hot pink tankini, and the ones she’d bought with Carrie. Better to make a good impression. She picked the hot pink one, a pair of sunglasses and a khaki-colored beach hat.

After changing, she wrote Andy a note to meet her at their chairs and took off with her beach bag. Within minutes, she was back under the umbrella. The sound of the waves relaxed her and she closed her eyes to catch up on the sleep she’d missed the night before.

“Look at you,” a deep voice said.

She opened her eyes, immediately shielding them. How long had she slept? The shadow of the umbrella had already moved, and the sun shone down on her brightly. She gave Andy a small smile. “Make it to the store okay?”

He held up a cooler, sloshing ice against the drinks. “I’m not much of a soda drinker, so I got a few varieties.”

She swallowed instinctively. “What kind?”

“Coke, grape, and orange. Any of those sound good?”

“Mmm, grape. My mom and I loved drinking those. There’s something about a cool drink on a hot beach day.”

“Agreed.” He handed her the wet can and pulled a grocery sack to his hip. “Thought you’d be hungry, too. Hope you like cream cheese since it’s already on the bagel.”

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