Page 45 of Too Close To Call

The doorbell rings and when I open the door, I find Kimberly’s smiling face.

“Hey,” she greets me. “I’ve come to take you to lunch.”

She jerks her thumb over her shoulder. “With a few friends.”

While Kimberly’s impromptu invitation is welcome, I can’t help but think it’s suspiciously timely. Case had to go in to work today to meet with a new client. “Case called you to babysit, didn’t he?”

Kimberly’s face tells all. That man; what am I going to do with him? But a lunch date with the girls sounds lovely. “Well, let’s go.”

When I climb into Kimberly’s SUV, I find Shyanne, Jen, and a woman I met at the cookout, Sadie Price. She works with Shyanne’s husband, David, at the police department as a dispatcher.

From the front passenger seat, I turn and smile at the assembled group. “Good morning, ladies. Sorry you all were dragged into this.”

Jen chuckles and says, “When food is involved and we have volunteer babysitters, it’s no hardship at all. It’s a treat.”

Kimberly starts the SUV as she explains. “Hannah and Blake offered to keep the kids and we couldn’t drop them off fast enough. Plus, I’m no longer breastfeeding so adult beverages will be consumed. Jen, I’m appointing you DD since your kid is still on the booby.”

“Got it,” Jen sings out from the back seat.

“Don’t get the wrong impression. We love our kids, but it’s just been a minute since I’ve felt like something more than a beverage dispenser and janitorial service provider,” Shyanne says and everyone laughs.

“Where are we going?” I ask.

“I thought we’d go to Brewster’s. It’s a bar, but they have really good food. The place I’d normally recommend Shyanne owns, and it wouldn’t be much of an outing for her.”

“And there would be more than one fire I’d have to put out if I were there,” Shyanne says.

“Wait, I thought you were a fighter?” I ask.

Shyanne nods and her blonde hair pulled back into a ponytail flies around her face. “I’m a retired fighter. I still do appearances for charity, but I own a restaurant downtown and a walk-up diner out at the marina.”

“How do you do all that with a baby too?”

“I have an incredible husband, for one thing, and I’ve cut my hours back. Thankfully, I have good managers at both places.”

“And, Kimberly, you own the Inn and do all the town’s marketing?” There are so many new people, it’s hard to keep them all straight.

“Right. I also have a great manager at the Inn who has basically taken over the daily running of the place. The town’s marketing almost creates itself these days so I have plenty of time for my family.”

“And I am co-owner of the coffee shop in town, UnCommon Grounds, but it’s my sister who actually runs it. I’ve even been thinking of turning the whole thing over to her.”

I remember the shop she’s talking about. “I love that coffee and the brownies are incredible. Daisy and I come in for treats.”

“Thanks. Joy has a new brownie she’s trying out that might be better than our original.”

“I don’t think that’s possible, but I’ll reserve judgment until I try it.”

“Have you met Sadie?” Kimberly asks.

I turn around again and smile. “Hi, Sadie. We met at the cookout, but I’m afraid we didn’t have a chance to talk. I know you’re the dispatcher for the town.”

Sadie has rich mocha-colored skin with black curls framing her face and down her back. She looks a bit like Kerry Washington fromScandal.

“She also lives with her very hot and professional baseball player ex-husband,” Kimberly volunteers.

“What? Isn’t that awkward? How does that even work?”

Sadie nods and shrugs. “We married much too young, right out of high school. The marriage ended, but our friendship didn’t. Griff is my best friend.”

---