The Do-Over(40)

Nodding, I took in the room. Leather recliner chairs lined three walls. There was a large TV high on the fourth wall playing House Hunters International, and I wished I was with the British couple looking at cave houses in Santorini.

“Those things kind of freak me out.” I gestured toward the TV.

“Why?” Stacy looked at the handsome couple weighing the pros and cons of three properties.

“I don’t know. Being in a room without windows is a bit spooky and the thought of an earthquake or something and being trapped in a cave totally wigs me out.”

“You’re weird, Tara. Look at that Infinity pool overlooking the Mediterranean. I would love to be there.”

Digging into an oversized beach bag, I gave Stacy a mysterious smile.

“What? What are you going to torture me with now, Tara? Besides your mere presence.”

Laughing, “Damn woman, you are such a treat.” And I pulled out what I was looking for and handed one to Stacy.

She looked at the paperback’s cover and flipped it over to read the blurb on the back.

“Is that Claudia Bustamonte’s new book?” A fiftyish woman was getting her infusion three chairs down.

“Yes,” I nodded. “It is.”

“I just read her Time Slips Away Trilogy. I could not put it down.”

“I loved that series.” I agreed with the woman.

Looking at the copy in my hands, Stacy commented, “So, you bought us the same book?”

“Yes, I thought we could both read it and then we’d have something to talk about.”

Before she could answer, the other woman chimed in, “What a great idea.”

“Would you like my copy,” I offered her. “I’ll just download it on my phone and read it there.”

“I couldn’t,” she began to protest.

Getting up from the lounge chair, “Please, it will be fun to all do this together. I’m Tara, by the way.” With a smile, I happily handed her my copy.

“Well, thank you so much, Tara. I’m Andie.”

“This will be fun to talk about.” Andie’s smile was beautiful. “Will you be here with us in three weeks?”

“I could be,” I answered with a shrug of my shoulders, looking over at Stacy.

She was already on chapter one when I sat back down. “Ugh. You’re actually a nice person. No wonder why my brother likes you so much,” she mumbled.

My day had just been made.



It was about 8 P.M. that evening when I heard from Wes.

“Hey, I just wanted to thank you for today. I hope she didn’t give you too hard a time.”

I laughed, “She’s as ornery as I remember her.”

“Oh no, that bad?”

Pouring a glass of red wine, I moved toward my couch as if it were an oasis in the Sahara, kicked my shoes off and spread out. “Nah. Not too bad at all. So, how are you? Are you okay?”

“Yes, I got home and as she promised, all signs that she’d ever been here, are gone.”

“I’m sorry, Wes.”

“Getting dumped is no fun, but honestly, Tara, this has been over for a while. I knew she didn’t have any place to go, so I didn’t push it.” He sounded tired.

“I guess she found a place.” The minute it came out of my mouth, I hoped it didn’t sound snarky.

He laughed and I was instantly relieved that he didn’t take it that way. “Thank God.” He paused for a moment. “I would like to thank you for today. Do you have plans Friday night?”

I could feel my cheeks making my eyes crinkle. Was Wes Bergman actually asking me out on a date? Never did I ever think this would happen. “I don’t know. Do I?

“You do.” And I could hear him smile.

“What am I doing Friday night?” To say I felt giddy would be an understatement. I had wanted to spend time alone with this man from the night I met him, but that was a dream I was convinced would never happen in this lifetime. And now, what was this? Was it really happening?

“You’re having dinner with me on my boat. I’m going to fire up the grill and cook for you.” The man sounded proud.

“You have a boat?” This was a surprise, but having met him on a boat, I was excited to be on a boat with him again. I probably should have been more surprised that he was going to cook for me. Frank had never even scrambled eggs for me.

“I do,” he laughed. “After a certain windjammer trip, I made myself a promise that I would buy myself a boat as soon as I could afford it.”

“Well, I would love to have dinner with you on your boat. What can I bring?”

“Just you. I’m at the Brewer Capri Marina up on Manhasset Bay. I’ll text you over directions and a map to the boat. Eight o’clock work for you?”

“Sounds perfect.” And I knew exactly what I was bringing.



Laynie and Jill had watched and laughed as I tried on half my closet. I ended up in a pair of white jeans shorts, a turquoise tank top and a white boat neck sweater with thin turquoise horizontal stripes.

“You look very Ralph Lauren,” Laynie commented as I tied the straps from my turquoise espadrilles around my lower shin.

“Love the shoes.” Jill gave me the nod of approval. “Anything that ties around your leg like that is sexy in a totally casual way.”