Page 29 of Beach Vibes

“What is it?”

“I’d like you to meet my sister. I was thinking dinner.”

Jana nearly dropped the phone. “What? I couldn’t. Rick, it’s way too soon for us to be meeting each other’s family.”

They’d been on all of three dates. Yes, each of them had been great, but they were still getting to know each other. Meeting family, even a sibling, implied a level of commitment they weren’t close to.

“I’ve made you uncomfortable,” he said quietly. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay. I just… It’s too soon,” she repeated.

“I know we’re not there with each other. In our relationship.” He paused as if trying to figure out what to say. “It’s just, she’s my Teddy. She’s a big part of my life, and I’m hoping, well, I’m hoping that’s where you and I are going. I’m not suggesting I meet Linnie. That’s completely different. She’s a child, and this isn’t about that.”

While his argument was a little convoluted, she got what he was trying to say. He felt about his sister the way she felt about Teddy. In a way, he was being really sweet. Most guys would rather face a shark than admit they saw a relationship going somewhere, especially this early. But Rick didn’t play games. He put it all out there and dealt with the consequences. Plus she appreciated that he was being careful about her daughter.

“This is important to you,” she said.

“Yes.”

“Okay, we can have dinner with your sister.”

“For real?”

The delight in his voice made her smile. “Yes, for real.”

“Thanks, Jana. I’ll get something set up and get back to you. You’re the best.”

* * *

Beth tried to interest herself in dinner. Agatha was out with friends, so she was alone. Eating by herself had never been her favorite, yet she found herself doing it more and more. One of the good parts of being married had been having someone sitting across the table from her every night. She missed that. In fact, there were several things she missed about being in a relationship, so she should get serious about meeting someone.

In the past couple of weeks, she’d been trying to pay attention to her customers and figure out who was age-appropriate and single. While she could assess age fairly well, the whole “not involved with someone else” part was more of a challenge. If only people wore color-coded badges, she thought humorously. Forest green ones could indicate something like “single, straight and looking.” That would help her a lot.

She closed the refrigerator door and walked over to the drawer where Agatha kept the battered takeout menus. She could have something delivered, although lately she felt she had more of a relationship with the Uber Eats driver than was healthy. Sheknew the problem wasn’t actually about food as much as it was about her not having a personal life.

Beth stared at the menu, then shut the drawer. She wanted more, she admitted. She wanted connection. Even her brother was dating, although from the sound of it, the woman in his life was a promiscuous single mom searching for a life of ease. Which was very judgy but might not be inaccurate.

“Not the point,” she murmured as she walked into the dining room, where she eyed several headless mannequins wearing very skimpy crocheted bikinis. One of the tiny, nearly nonexistent scraps was done in fluorescent orange. As all Agatha’s work was custom and made to order, one of her clients obviously had a thing for the color.

“Better her than me,” she murmured, fingering the slender strap holding up the barely there top.

She returned her attention to her lack of dating problem. If she wanted someone to care about, then she needed to figure out how to start meeting people. As it was, she worked, she went to the food bank once a week and she was here. Where exactly was she supposed to meet a man or even make friends? Thank goodness she and Jana had started hanging out—she appreciated having a new friend in her life, but Jana didn’t solve the relationship problem.

Beth honestly had no idea what to do about that. She figured in a city the size of Los Angeles, there had to be ways for single people to meet, but wondered if, in the land of stars and beautiful people, she was too ordinary. There was a depressing thought. Should she—

Fortunately, just then, someone knocked on the front door. She headed over eagerly, happy for the distraction, only to find her brother standing on the front porch.

“Did I know you were coming by?” she asked, stepping back to let him in.

“No. I was heading home from the hospital and thought I’dstop by here first.” He smiled at her. “I knew you’d be here. You always come straight home after the store closes.”

She knew he was simply stating what he saw as a fact, but there was something in his words. Something…pathetic, she thought grimly. Because she did keep to a schedule, which made her what? Predictable? Boring? Neither of which was the point of Rick’s visit.

“Here I am,” she said lightly, leading the way to the family room, only to stop. “Wait, did you get dinner? Should I fix you something? Or we could order in.”

“I’m good.” He sat on the sofa and waited until she was seated in a club chair before adding, “I want to talk to you about the woman I’m dating.”

Ugh. Did they have to? That question was immediately followed by worry. “Did something happen? Does she want to borrow money?”

---