Page 38 of Grounds for Love

“I am behind you a hundred percent. I’m so proud of you, Joy.”

She slams into me and wraps her arms around me like she used to do when she was little. I’m not gonna lie; it brought a tear to my eye.

“Thank you for bringing us to Faire Island. It was the best move we could have ever made.”

She’s right. The best move ever. “I couldn’t agree more.”

Later that morning, I’m unlocking the door when I get a text from Rod.

I’ve been called in for the 7:00 a.m. ferry. I’ll miss my coffee run. See you tonight?

I grin. I’d left his house this morning at five, and an hour later I’m missing him. I’ve got it bad for this guy.

I chuckle as I type, Want me to start dinner?

His reply is immediate. No!

I glance at Joy behind the counter getting ready for our first customers.

Can I get a raincheck? I need to spend time with Joy.

I’ll miss you. Have fun with your sister.

I’ll miss you too, I reply and before I can put my phone back in my pocket, it chimes again.

Hey, don’t you and Joy get off early today?

It amazes me how he knows my schedule. Yep. At three. Maybe we’ll go to the beach.

Why don’t you go to my house? I have the last ferry so I won’t be home until around 10 tonight.

I stare at his reply. For real? You wouldn’t mind?

Not at all. Text me when you get there and I’ll unlock the door.

Isn’t technology wonderful? Will do. Thanks! Miss you!

“Hey, Joy,” I call out and ask, “Do you have plans today after work?”

Her face brightens. “Nope. I was just going to wash my hair and do some laundry.”

Her excitement makes me feel guilty for the way my time has been monopolized by Rod. We haven’t had a sister day for a long time. “Could I interest you in a day at the beach? Sisters only.”

She jumps and claps her hands enthusiastically. “Are you serious? Heck yeah!” she says and punches the air.

That’s the last time we have for chatting because it’s one customer after another for the rest of our shift. When Melissa and Gail come in at three, I almost beg off and stay to help out, but I don’t. Joy and I need this time together.

“You have the best boyfriend in the world,” Joy says from the lounge chair by Rod’s pool as she has her toenails painted Get Your Man Red. “I can’t believe he did all this for us.”

Boyfriend. I haven’t put a label on our relationship, but I suppose that word will work. I sigh as my feet are being massaged, buffed, and moisturized. “I can’t either.”

We got to Rod’s house around 3:30 and after Joy went all gaga over his home, we headed outside to the beach where we found a blue and white striped cabana with two lounge chairs, music if we so chose, floats to take in the ocean, and even a cabana boy to keep us in drinks and delicious treats to snack on.

We sunned, played in the water, and had too many fruity drinks. After the first one, we requested non-alcoholic—which I am thankful for because we would be drunk off our asses if they hadn’t been. The sugar coma is bad enough. And we talked. Sister talk about our hopes for the future and even happy memories from the past.

But that wasn’t even the best part, though it rates right up there. Around six, Daryl, the cabana boy, announced dinner was served on the pool deck. Rod had dinner catered from Shyanne’s downtown restaurant and it was delicious. There was even my favorite cheesecake for dessert.

After dinner, a masseuse and nail technician set up by the pool and we’ve been in heaven ever since.

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