Page 77 of Sunsets at the Beach House

She’d texted Paulina to ask if she could stop by. Paulina had said yes and sent Roxie the address. Roxie got the sense that Paulina had wanted to know what the visit was about, but Roxie hadn’t said anything else.

Roxie had plugged the address into her GPS and been surprised when it had taken her to the Sea Breeze condominium complex. She’d had to show her license to the guard at the front gate to get in, after he’d called to confirm with Paulina that Roxie was indeed an expected guest.

It was a nice place with two pools, tennis courts, and a pavilion. She had no idea what a home in here might cost, but she was definitely going to look it up. Certainly nicer than her house in Port St. Rosa.

That comparison didn’t help how Roxie was feeling, but she pushed on. She needed to do this. She needed to get rid of this stupid necklace and, hopefully, most of her hurt feelings along with it. Although that was starting to feel like less of a possibility.

Paulina lived on the fourth floor in Building B, Unit 5. Roxie parked and rode the elevator up. The necklace was in her purse. When she stepped out of the elevator, everything was marble and chrome and very sleek. She would have described it as beach modern, if that was a thing.

She walked over to the windows. The gorgeous blue of the Gulf and the sparkling white sands of Diamond Beach were easily visible. Which probably meant Paulina had those same views from her condo.

Roxie got her bearings and started toward Unit 5.

Paulina opened the door as she approached. She gave Roxie a tight smile and spoke softly. “Nico is sleeping. I didn’t want the knocking to wake him up.”

“I understand.”

Paulina stepped back. “Please, come in.”

Roxie hesitated. This was what she was here for. She took a breath and walked inside. The condo was beautifully furnished. Nothing showy, but there was definitely no secondhand furniture. As she followed Paulina in, she saw an older woman in the living room, a woman more like Claire’s age. A baby monitor sat on the coffee table along with a small basket of laundry, which looked to be mostly onesies. Those were the only indications there was a baby in the house.

Paulina held her hand out. “This is my mother, Elena. She doesn’t speak much English. She’s come from Mexico to help with Nico.”

Roxie nodded at her. “Hello.”

“Hola,” Elena said. “Welcome.”

Roxie smiled. “Thank you.” She turned toward Paulina. “I didn’t really come for a social visit. I have other errands to run. But I was back at my home in Port St. Rosa yesterday and found something I thought you should have.”

“Oh?”

Roxie dug the jewelry box out of her purse and handed it over. “I don’t have any use for it and, as you’ll see, it was obviously meant for you.”

Paulina opened the box, her lower lip quivering as she stared at the pendant. Then she started to cry. “Thank you.”

Her mother said something in Spanish and came over to comfort her daughter.

Roxie didn’t feel the relief she’d expected. Instead, she felt a little pity for Paulina, and was reminded of her own initial grief. “I should go.”

“I’m sorry,” Paulina said. “I still miss him very much.”

Roxie nodded. “I’m sure you do.”

Paulina closed the box and wiped at her face. “Do you hate him because of me?”

Roxie swallowed. She wasn’t sure how to answer that. “I’m not sure I’d say I hate him. But I’m certainly not grieving him like I was.”

Paulina nodded. “I understand. As much as I can. I’m sorry for what he did to you. And to Claire. That was not something a man of good principles would do. It shames me to say that of my husband, but my tears are partly because I miss him and partly because I mourn for the man I thought he was.”

Roxie exhaled, the words piercing through her with their truth. “Yeah, I feel a lot of that, too. That’s a pretty good description.” She shook her head. “Finding out about you was pretty hard for me. Well, you and the fact that Bryan told you we were divorced. That hurt. A lot.”

“I’m sure,” Paulina said.

“Finding out about you made me realize how Claire must have felt when she found out about me.”

“You didn’t know about each other?”

“No, not at all. Not until we ended up at the beach house at the same time and it all sort of came out.” Roxie pinched the bridge of her nose. “The amount of lying and manipulating that Bryan did is just staggering.”

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