Page 66 of Sunsets at the Beach House

“You be safe today.”

“You, too.” He grinned. “Musicians are crazy.”

“Yes,” Jules said, snickering. “Your father is proof of that. Have you talked to him lately? Does he know you’re here?”

Cash shrugged. “We’ve texted a few times. I guess he knows I’m here.”

Kat came out. “All right. Let me fix my coffee and I’m ready to roll.”

“Mug is full,” Cash said. “You just need to put stuff in it.”

“Thanks.”

Claire returned with her purse, the strap slung over her shoulder. “Danny’s downstairs. I’ll see you two at the house.”

“Okay, Mom,” Kat said.

“Drive safe, Aunt Claire.”

“Thanks, Cash. Thanks for coming today, too.”

“Thanks for baking all those delicious snacks.”

She laughed as she got on the elevator. “Anytime.”

Jules’s coffee seemed to be doing the job of waking her up finally. “I guess I’ll take advantage of being up early and head out for a walk on the beach.”

“What are you going to do with Toby all day?” Cash asked. “If you’re as late tonight as we were last night, I don’t think he’ll be able to hold it.”

“Good point,” Jules said. “I don’t think Jesse would mind if I brought him to the club. He could hang out in the control room, I guess. But I’d better ask first. At least if he walks on the beach with me, that’ll wear him out some. Otherwise, I’ll just have to take a break and run home.”

Cash glanced toward the stairs that led to the first floor. “Couldn’t you ask one of the people downstairs?”

Jules nodded. “Maybe. That’s another possibility.” She hated to impose on them. She knew they had a lot going on, too. Although Trina had offered to look after Toby if Jules ever needed her to.

Kat put the lid on her travel mug. “All right, I’m ready. Let’s hit it.”

Jules waited until they were on the elevator. “Bye. Have a good day.”

“Thanks,” Kat said.

Cash gave a little nod. “Make some good music today.”

“I’m going to try.” Jules went to the bedroom to change into shorts and a T-shirt. Toby had gotten himself up on the bed and looked like he was about to settle in. “Don’t go to sleep, Toby. We’re going walking.”

That got him down off the bed and doing his happy dance.

In a matter of minutes, she was changed, had him on his leash again, and was pushing the button to call the elevator. She was barefoot, having decided to get her feet into the sand and really feel it.

The house was oddly still and not just because it was early. This level of silence wasn’t something that happened often.

She liked it. She liked being around family, too, but after the day in the studio yesterday and the day she was about to have, she bathed herself in the quiet. She used it to center herself and find a rare moment of peace that was all her own.

The beach, she soon found out, was almost as empty. There were far fewer folks out than at around ten or so when she normally got to walk. Even the gulls and the waves seemed subdued. She walked at a leisurely pace, less concerned about burning calories than she was with just absorbing the new day.

Her mind rambled while she walked, bouncing from one topic to the next and back again. Jesse, the upcoming tour, the demo, new songs for the album, open mic night, moving day for Claire and Kat, Bryan’s new wife, Roxie and her family, Margo’s new house…there was a lot to think about.

One thing that her mind kept coming back to was that she still needed at least three more songs to complete her album.

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