Page 10 of Sunsets at the Beach House

Margo cleared her throat softly. “Claire, why don’t you and I go secure a storage unit tomorrow? I’m going to need one for my things as well. There’s no reason we can’t share one. Then you won’t be cramped here.”

“I’d love to do that,” Claire said. “But I thought you and Conrad were going to Landry tomorrow to get your car.”

Margo shrugged. “Pushing it back one day won’t matter.”

“Okay, then let’s do that.”

Margo got up. “If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to call Conrad right now and let him know about the change of plans.”

“Sure, Grandma,” Kat said. “Tell him we said hi.”

Claire stood and started picking up plates. “Come on, Kat. Jules and Cash made dinner. That means we’re on cleanup.”

“Right.” She got up and picked up the big salad bowl. “There’s enough left over for a couple of lunches tomorrow.”

“Perfect,” her mom said. “I could eat that salad every day. It’s really good.”

Jules and Cash helped anyway, bringing their plates into the kitchen.

Jules opened the dishwasher to start loading.

“Shoo,” Claire said, laughing.

“Just trying to help.” Jules looked at her son. “If we’re getting kicked out, why don’t I take Toby out, then we can go upstairs and run through the song a few times?”

He nodded. “I could use the practice. I’d love to get a new version recorded, too.”

Kat waved them off with her hands. “Go on. Make Aunt Jules sound as good as possible so she can get super famous and the rest of us can stop working.”

Jules snorted as she went into the laundry room to get Toby’s leash. “Is that what you think’s going to happen?”

Kat smiled. “A girl can dream, can’t she?”

“Dream all you want, kitty cat,” Cash said.

Kat rolled her eyes. “Go walk your canine brother.”

“Mom,” Cash said, his grin stuck on his face. “I think Toby should get a diamond-studded collar, don’t you?”

“Yes, right after I buy you a Lamborghini.” She shook her head, pushing the elevator’s call button.

“Hey, I could use a Lamborghini.” Cash hooked his thumbs in the belt loops on his shorts. “I bet Sierra’d really go for a guy with a Lambo.”

“Sierra?” Kat said. “Who’s that?”

The elevator doors opened. Cash went a little sheepish. “Just a girl I’ve started seeing.”

“Come on, Tobs,” Jules said. The little dog followed her onto the elevator. “See you upstairs, Cash.”

“Right, Mom,” he replied.

“Sierra?” Claire said. “Pretty name. Pretty girl?”

Cash nodded enthusiastically. “She’s gorgeous. Not sure she knows that about herself, but she is.”

Claire smiled. “Why don’t you invite her over for dinner some night?” She looked at Kat. “You could bring Alex. We could do a cookout.”

Kat nodded. “Might be nice, but with the moving and the double-date you want us to go on with you and Danny, our social calendar is getting pretty full. And Alex only gets a couple of nights off a week.”

---