Page 31 of New Day at the Beach House

Roxie shook her hand. “Actually, my mom and I were planning to see the play before I’d even met your son. And he’s right, you were great in that role. I haven’t laughed like that in a while.”

“You are so sweet.” Judy looked at her son. “Are you two dating?”

Roxie snorted. Mothers certainly liked to be direct.

Ethan nodded. “We are, Mom.”

“Well, good for you,” Judy said.

More people came over to congratulate the cast on their performance, so Ethan and Roxie said goodbye and went to find her family.

Trina waved at them as they approached. “Mimi and Miguel are both in the bathroom. I think there’s a line in the ladies. I also think Mimi’s a little tipsy.”

“Tipsy?” Roxie frowned. “There was no alcohol.”

Trina shrugged. “She and Miguel both snuck some in.”

Roxie rolled her eyes. Nothing her mother did really surprised her anymore.

“Hey,” Ethan said. “Do you guys want to go to the diner for something to eat? I don’t know about you all, but I didn’t have dinner and I’m starving. Plus, they have great pie.”

Trina nodded. “I’d be okay with that. Might help Mimi to get some food in her, too.”

Miguel came out and Trina told him what Ethan had just suggested. He nodded. “That sounds nice. I like pie.”

“Should we invite Margo and Conrad?” Roxie asked. This whole thing had been Willie’s attempt at getting Margo back out into the world, but Margo seemed to be doing just fine with that on her own. All the same, it would be rude not to invite them.

“We should.” Trina looked around. “They’re over by the bulletin board. I can run over and ask.”

“Or just tell them where we’re going,” Roxie said. “They can meet us there.”

“Okay.” Trina went off on that errand.

“I can’t believe the turnout,” Roxie said to Ethan.

He nodded. “Diamond Beach is a big tourist area, but a small town at heart. People like to support each other.”

“That’s nice,” Roxie said.

Willie came out, still wiping her hands on a paper towel with exaggerated effort. “That took forever.”

“We’re going to the diner to get something to eat,” Roxie said. “You okay with that? Or do you need to go home?”

Willie gave her daughter a look. “I could use a little something to soak up all that rum.”

Roxie’s eyes narrowed and she decided to give her mother a little grief. “Where did that rum come from, Ma? There was no bar.”

Willie just giggled. “Miguel brought some, too, you know.”

Roxie shook her head.

Trina came back. “Okay, they’re in and Conrad’s going to give me a ride to the diner. That way, if you, Mimi, and Miguel can all go with Ethan, we won’t need to get an Uber.”

Ethan said, “Sure, that’s no problem. There’s more than enough room in the backseat.”

“Cool,” Trina said. “See you over there. You do mean Digger’s Diner, right?”

“Right,” Ethan said.

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