Unexpected Arrivals(49)
“You’re at work at eight o’clock?”
“The work days keep getting longer. My dad’s clients are far more time-consuming than those we had in-house…just because we’re learning them. We’ve had a couple interviews, but so far, we haven’t hired anyone to help with the additional load.”
“Yikes. That makes for some long days.”
“It keeps me out of trouble.” If he’d been in front of me, I swear a wink would have followed that statement. “What have you been up to?”
“I’ve worked the last few days doing parties around town. And Dottie and I went to see my mom.”
“Yeah? How’s she doing?”
“Not great. But thanks for asking. Did you call Cora?” I needed to change the subject quickly before I succumbed to the emotions.
“I can’t believe you remembered her name.”
“Yeah, well, having a guy cry on the shore about another girl after having sex with you is kind of memorable. It’d be hard to forget her name.” I giggled, hoping he could tell I was just giving him a hard time. “My ego took quite the hit that night. It could be years before I recover.”
“Wow.” He laughed through the word, and the sound barreled through the receiver. It was hearty and playful, and there was no doubt he’d gotten my intention. “Way to make a guy feel like a schmuck.”
“You can make it up to me by living out an amazing second-chance romance. One that authors and producers fight over owning the rights to. So spill it, have you guys talked?”
I didn’t know this girl and likely never would, but he’d been so enamored with her when we talked on the beach in Geneva Key, that I found myself rooting for them. When things in my life were so uncertain, it made me happy to listen to a hopeless romantic talk about the woman he loved. And Carp was in love with Cora.
“We have. A couple times, actually. Right now, I think we’re rebuilding the friendship. Plus, hearing her voice again gives me hope.”
“Has she said any more about coming back when her contract is up?”
“She’s unhappy there, but she won’t commit to anything. I haven’t pushed it. Yet.” The determination in his voice was clear, and I grinned believing he’d get the girl. Carp just seemed like that type of guy. “Oh, she asked me to come to Paris.”
Why he hadn’t led with that baffled me. It was far more interesting than hearing about a budding friendship for people who’d been lovers for years. “Really?” I was almost as excited as I would have been if it were me crossing the pond. “When are you going?”
“I’m not sure. The timing is horrible. With the increase in business, I can’t leave right now. Neil and I have to get someone trained before I can consider taking off for any length of time.”
“Don’t wait, Carp.” I thought about my mom and what I’d give to have more time with her. “There’s nothing in your office that won’t be there when you get back. Make people your priority, not money.” It was easy for me to spout off crap about life lessons. I wasn’t a business owner—hell, I could barely even say I had a job. And I certainly didn’t have anyone other than my mom and Dottie to worry about.
“I’m going to go as soon as I can. I just don’t have anything set in stone. I’ll keep you posted, promise.” He probably thought I was an idiot for insisting he chase down another woman after our one night. “What about you?”
I was confused. Either I’d missed something Carp had said, or I was lost. “What about me?”
“Picked up any more lonely guys at dinner parties and seduced them on the beach?”
“Har, har, har. I hope you don’t think that’s something I do regularly.” I rolled my eyes.
Carp’s opinion shouldn’t matter. He lived in another state. And if he was passing judgment, it was rather hypocritical since he’d been the one naked in the sand with me.
“More power to you if you do…just play it safe. Women should have just as much freedom sexually as men do. Although, be careful about who in Geneva Key knows—the old people there can be kind of critical.”
“Does anyone under the age of fifty live in this town?” I didn’t go out much. Other than the grocery store and to work, I stayed close to home. Even though the island was small, I didn’t chance getting lost; not to mention, everything I needed was already here, and those that weren’t could be ordered on Amazon.
His laughter wasn’t encouraging. “Yeah, but they aren’t legal. There’s a black hole from eighteen to forty-nine. Even though I can’t say for certain, I think the portal is down on Beaches Boulevard, close to the grocery store. I left before it could suck me in at nineteen.”
“That’s encouraging. There has to be someone here my age.”
“Sorry, sweetheart. Unless you want to become the trophy wife to a blue hair, you’re out of luck. Give it twenty-seven or so years, and you’ll be one of them.”
“A blue hair?” I had a hard time talking. The voice he’d used sounded like William Shatner, and all I could see were people getting sucked into this imaginary hole in the ground, and then being spit back out when they were old enough to return to the Geneva Key society. I was dying with laughter.