An Unlikely Family

Evie laughed. “I was talking about Brenda this time.”

“Yes. Pretty much. She’s kind of hard to ignore. But she takes good care of Gemma. And she means what she says. We’ll see that Gem doesn’t act out in this way ever again.” He gave her a sympathetic smile. “I know this wasn’t how you hoped to start the school year.”

“No, but with kids you can never be certain of anything. I’m aware that you’re a single father, and raising a child isn’t easy under the best of situations. I’m sorry I had to call you.”

“Don’t apologize,” he said. “I’m not sorry I’m here.” He passed his hand over the start of a grin. “Well, I’m sorry about the circumstances that brought me, but now that we’re alone, I’m kind of glad.”

He was glad? That wasn’t the response Evie had expected. “What do you mean?”

“I was hoping we could get to know each other a little better.”

CHAPTER FIVE

EVIE STARED AT Billy while she caught her breath. He would never win an award for impeccable timing.

After her silence became uncomfortable, she folded her hands in her lap and said, “Billy, are you asking me out?”

He walked over to the pile of litter Gemma had left on the floor, scooped up the bugs and deposited them into the trash can. Then he pulled his chair to the opposite side of Evie’s desk, sat and leaned back. “I’m not sure. But you have this look on your face that tells me you wouldn’t say yes.”

She sat forward. “No, I wouldn’t. We just had an incident with your daughter. I’ve had to appease Missy Hutchinson, who, I’m starting to believe, is not the town’s most understanding and forgiving citizen. And I’m still somewhat breathless over encountering your mother.”

She shook her head. “And to top it off, I’ve spent the day adjusting to a new job, new staff and the responsibility that comes with preparing for the arrival of one hundred and twenty-five youngsters the day after tomorrow.”

“Looks to me like you could use a night out,” he said. “With a friend.”

She pointed at him, then pointed at herself. “You and I? Friends?”

Billy shrugged one shoulder. “Sure, why not?”

“But we’re here as parent and school administrator. I was just about to discuss your daughter’s behavioral problems.”

“Okay. I know Gemma can be a handful. She’s going through a stubborn phase right now. Why don’t you and I talk about it over a couple of seafood dinners at the Tail and Claw restaurant?”

“I don’t know that we should—”

Mary Alice opened the door. “Sorry to bother you again, Evie,” she said.

Evie was beginning to think of the secretary’s sudden appearances as precursors of trouble. “What is it, Mary Alice?”

“There’s a UPS truck outside. The driver has a delivery for you.”

Evie groaned. “Already? I didn’t expect such prompt service.”

Mary Alice jutted her thumb at the window. “See for yourself.”

Leaning over the back edge of a van, a man dressed in trademark brown shorts and shirt lowered a hand truck laden with boxes to the ground. A half dozen other cartons already sat in the school yard.

“He needs to know where you want it,” Mary Alice said.

Evie pressed her hand against her forehead. “I never dreamed… I thought it would be days yet.”

Billy strode to the window and stared at the growing pile of boxes. “What is all that?”

Evie sighed. “Oh, books, reference materials, clothes, knickknacks…” A burst of near hysterical laughter escaped her. “…ice skates.”

Billy turned. “Ice skates?”

“I thought there might be an indoor rink. We have them up north…” She waved her hand in front of her face. “Never mind. It’s a total of fifteen boxes of all the things I thought I couldn’t live without.”

He chuckled. “You can live without ice skates in Heron Point.”

“I know that now,” she said. “I was hoping my things would arrive after I found a place to live.” She stared at the stack in the yard. “I can’t fit even half of this at the Pink Ladies.”

Mary Alice tapped her foot on the wood floor. “So what should I tell him?”

Evie looked around. “In here, I guess. Temporarily at least.”

Mary Alice made a clucking sound with her tongue. “It’s going to be crowded.”

Grimacing at the woman’s obvious and unnecessary observation, Evie said, “I’ve got to find a place. Now!”

The phone in the outer office rang and MaryAlice hurried to answer it. She called to Evie a moment later. “It’s for you. It’s the mayor.”

Evie grabbed the phone. “Claire?”

At the sound of her new friend’s calm voice, Evie’s breathing returned to normal. With each sentence from Claire’s mouth, she relaxed more. She finished the conversation by thanking Claire, hung up and looked at Billy.

He raised his eyebrows. “Good news?”

“Yes. What did I just say five minutes ago?”

“That we were heading to the Tail and Claw.”

She scowled at him.

“Okay, second guess. That you need a place to live.”

“Right. You won’t believe this. Claire just offered me the cottage behind her house. She said it would be ready by Friday.” As the first load of boxes was wheeled into her office, Evie exhaled a deep sigh. “I said yes. I’m moving in Friday.”

“I should have told you Claire was going to do that,” Billy said.

“You knew?”

His response was matter-of-fact. “It’s Heron Point. Of course I knew.” He began stacking the cartons against the only spare wall in the office. “I have Friday night off and I own a pickup.” The mischievous look over his shoulder was disturbingly similar to Gemma’s. “So, do you want my help?”

She watched him squeeze a box into a space between the stack and the ceiling. “Sure. And I’ll buy the pizza.”

THE NEXT AFTERNOON after school, Evie went by Claire’s bungalow, which she’d learned was called Tansy Hill by local residents. Interested in the history of the century-old home, which sat on a rise with a stunning view to the Gulf, Evie discovered that the original owner had raised herbs in the backyard, tansy being one of the principal varieties. Since then, everyone in town, even the postman, knew the property as Tansy Hill.