Page 47 of Sunsets at the Beach House

“No. It’s fine.” Roxie turned abruptly and headed for the back of her Ford Escape. “I’d better start hauling this stuff upstairs.”

“I’ll help.”

Her mom frowned. “You have a car full of your own stuff to carry up. Get that done first.”

Trina nodded, not wanting to argue. “Okay.”

She opened the back of her car and sorted through some things, mostly buying time while her mom grabbed a couple of bags of stuff and headed for the steps.

As soon as her mom was out of sight, Trina pulled out her phone and texted Ethan. My mom could use some cheering up. You might be the only one who can do it.

Thankfully, Ethan answered pretty quickly and didn’t ask for an explanation. Is that right? OK! I’ll see what I can do.

Thank you! Trina tucked her phone away, took a couple of bags and hustled after her mom.

Her mom was already inside and setting stuff on the couch in the reading nook when Trina came in. “Hey,” Trina said. “Why don’t we load a bunch of stuff into the elevator and then just haul it out in a big pile? Probably be quicker than all these little trips.”

“Good idea.” Roxie nodded. Then her phone chimed with an incoming message.

“Take your time,” Trina said. “I’ll load up the elevator and you can help me unload when I get up here.”

“Okay.” Roxie was reading her screen.

Trina turned to hide her smile and headed back down. She hoped Ethan didn’t say that she’d texted him, but he was a smart guy. He probably wouldn’t. She hoped. Not that her mom would be mad, but she might think Trina was interfering. Or something.

All Trina wanted was for her mom to not look like Trina’s dad had died all over again. And if Trina couldn’t make that happen, she had a feeling Ethan could. She’d never seen her mom smile so much as she did when that man was by her side.

Trina grabbed three more garbage bags full of clothes from her mom’s car and took them over to the elevator. She made two more trips, emptying her mom’s car and calling the elevator down on the last one. As soon as the doors opened, she loaded everything in and pressed the button for the first floor.

Her mom was about to go out the front door, but she stopped when she saw Trina arrive. “Let me help.”

“Thanks. This is Mimi’s stuff and yours. Your car is empty. Just need to lock it up.”

“This can’t be all of it. I still have some stuff in the back seat. I’ll help you get your car empty, too. Then I’m going over to Ethan’s. He’s going to make dinner.”

Trina smiled. “Yeah? That’s nice.”

“It is.” Roxie nodded. “I’m tired, but I’m glad he called. I could use the distraction right now.”

“Good. You don’t have to help me with the rest. Just go.”

“I need to take a shower first.”

Trina shrugged. “Then do that. I can handle the rest.”

“That’s not fair. There’s a lot of stuff in your—”

“Ma. I’m serious. You’ve had a tough day. I don’t need your help.” Trina winked, to be sure her mom knew it was all meant with good intentions. “Go see Ethan. I’d much rather you do that.”

Roxie smiled. Really smiled. She pulled the last bag out of the elevator, then gave Trina a hug. “Thanks, baby.”

“You’re welcome.” Trina stepped back inside the elevator and pushed the ground floor button. As soon as the doors closed, she laughed softly.

Her plan had worked. It wasn’t like her to go behind her mom’s back, but this had been an exception.

Ethan was a good guy to step up like that. For all Trina knew, he’d already had plans for the evening. Maybe not, but he certainly hadn’t hesitated to do what Trina had asked.

Trina got off the elevator, then opened her mom’s rear passenger doors to get the stuff off the back seats. She took out the last of the things from the Port St. Rosa house. Once again, she loaded the elevator, setting a bag in front of the doors to keep them from closing.

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