This time she couldn’t help the eye roll. It came before she could even anticipate it and hold it in. Rich’s lips twitched as his eyes met hers.
“It’s the safest place I’ve ever lived, ma’am.” Rich nodded. “You don’t have to worry about them here.”
“At least the neighbors are respectable,” her mom said to her dad. “You can’t get much better than a doctor.”
“Yes.” Her dad nodded. “That’s good to know.”
“Well, I should get inside. It was nice to meet you.” Rich lifted a hand in farewell.
“And you,” her mom said. “Hopefully we’ll see you around a lot. Whenever we visit.”
Over Meghan’s dead body. She’d visit them instead. Because right now she was mortified.
Sliding his key into his own door lock, Rich looked over his shoulder, his gaze connecting with hers. He gave her an amused grin, then turned back, walking into his apartment and closing the door behind him.
“Mommy, can I turn on the television?” Isla asked.
“Don’t be silly, dear. We can do some drawing together. The television isn’t good for your eyes,” Meghan’s mom said, walking back inside her apartment. Her dad followed them, leaving Meghan standing alone in the doorway.
In an hour they’d be gone. And hopefully Rich wouldn’t hold their weird behavior against her. Thank goodness she only had to see them every couple of weeks – any more than that and she might lose her mind.
For the first time in a long while, she’d been able to breathe easy, without worrying about what they thought of her, or how she was letting them down again.
She was beginning to like that feeling.
5
It had been a week since her parents’ visit, and she hadn’t seen Rich at all. At first, she’d planned to apologize to him about her parents, but now it had been seven days since their visit, and it felt like too much time had passed. Instead, she’d suffer her embarrassment silently, and hope that he’d forgotten her parents even existed.
It was Sunday afternoon, and business was steady. She had three students working today, as well as Jeannie. and Meghan thanked her lucky stars that she’d agreed to stay on when Meghan had bought the shop.
“You should take a break,” Jeannie said, when the line at the counter had slimmed down to two people. “That little one looks like she’s going to burst if she doesn’t get outside.” Sure enough, Isla was staring at the beach, her legs swinging as though she couldn’t keep them still.
Meghan glanced at her watch. It was almost three. “Are you sure?” She hated seeing Isla mooning out of the window. Isla should be out there enjoying the spring sun, instead of stuck inside while her mom worked. Maybe she’d take a look at the schedule and see if she could fit in some more family time with her. As well as confirm her place at camp for the summer – because there was no way she could sit here every day for two months.
“I’m sure. Why don’t you head out to the beach? Let her paddle in the water. Take your phone, I’ll call if there are any problems.”
Meghan smiled. “You’re a lifesaver.” A little wade through the water and a sandcastle or two should cheer Isla up. Then they’d come back and finish the shift and head home for dinner. After a weekend like this one, Meghan was certain they’d both sleep like babies.
Isla’s mood lifted as soon as their bare feet nestled into the golden sand. The grains were warm against their soles – not too hot yet, though in a few months they’d probably be jumping like frogs to avoid getting their feet burned. Holding Meghan’s hand, Isla pulled her through the maze of towels and umbrellas, sun tents and volleyball nets. As they reached the water’s edge, she heard her name being called.
With a smile, she turned to see Autumn Paxton sitting on a towel with her baby, Skyler, who was kicking at the sand and giggling at the resulting spray. “Come sit with us if you have time,” Autumn suggested. “You know everybody, right?”
Meghan looked around, seeing familiar faces smiling up at her. She’d met Autumn through work – Autumn owned Paxton’s Pier, the old Victorian edifice that stretched from the boardwalk into the ocean, topped with restaurants and booths painted in pretty pastel colors. She’d used Meghan to cater for her recent naming day celebration for her baby, and had introduced her to her friends then.
“I think so.” Meghan smiled. “I know Ally, of course.” She owned the coffee shop a few buildings down from the ice cream parlor. “And Ember and Arthur are regular visitors to the shop.” Along with Ember’s gorgeous firefighter husband who always got the female staff in a tizzy.
“Well next to them is Brooke. She has a son who’s in middle school, and she’s married to Aiden Black, the director of the Silver Sands Resort.”
Meghan knew the resort well. In her fantasies she’d open a second ice cream parlor there one day. She just needed to make this one work first.
“And then there’s Harper with little Alyssa. She’s almost two. Her best friend, Caitie, who is also Ember’s sister-in-law, isn’t a huge fan of the beach, but I’ll introduce you some time.”
They all called out warm greetings to Meghan and Isla, and before long they were in deep conversation about how they were settling in, and about how welcoming the town of Angel Sands was.
“Mommy, can I go pick up some shells?” Isla asked. She’d brought a little bucket with her from the playroom.
“Sure. But don’t go too far. I want to see you at all times.”