Page 5 of Shifting Sands

“I can handle it,” I repeat. “I’ll be the fill-in. I know it may be hard to believe, but I still know my way around a bar, Audrey,” I assure her.

“I don’t know.”

“Well, I do, and I’m technically the boss, so …”

She laughs. “Sure you are.”

“I am. And I’m telling you to get your ass on that plane. I will handle things here.”

“Fine. But know that I’m going under protest.”

“Noted. You guys have a safe trip. Learn all the things and try to have a little fun while you’re there too.”

“Okay, boss.”

I click off the line and run a hand through my hair. I guess the relaxing I planned to do will have to wait a few weeks.

Brandee

After spending the day familiarizing myself with the island, I ran to the market to grab a few groceries before heading back to the house. Avie and Leia arrive home as I’m unloading the supplies from the back of my truck. When the little girl spots me, she runs over and begins to tell me all about her day.

“I’m sorry,” Avie says as she hurries to wrangle her daughter. “She doesn’t meet a stranger.”

I smile down at the child. “That’s okay. I don’t either. Besides, we’re friends, aren’t we, kiddo?” I ask, ruffling her brown curls.

She beams up at me, and Avie gives me an appreciative nod.

“Sebastian is going to be late today, and we’re going to throw a couple of pizzas in the oven. Want to join us? We can have that glass of wine?”

“Pizza and wine? You’re speaking my love language! Let me put these bags away, and I’ll be right over,” I say, gesturing to the bags I still have to carry in.

“I’ll help,” Leia says as she peeks over the tailgate. “That’s a lot of food for one person.”

“I have a couple of friends coming to visit me this weekend, and we like to eat. A lot.”

“Cool. My mom and her friends like to eat a lot too,” she says.

“Hey,” Avie exclaims.

She cuts her eyes to Avie.

“Fine. We do. But you don’t have to go around, telling our business to everyone.”

“I don’t. I just told Brandee.”

Avie sighs. “Everyone told me it would happen one day. That my sweet little baby girl would start sassing me and call me Mom instead of Mommy.”

Leia rolls her eyes and looks back at me. “I’m almost eight years old now. I’m close to being a teenager.”

I cough to stifle a laugh and nod. “Yeah, eight is practically a grown-up.”

She leans in and whispers, “Let’s get these in before Mom gets hangry.”

“Okay, grab one and follow me,” I reply.

Avie shakes her head as she leaves to start dinner while Leia and I go inside. Together, we put everything away, and she fills me in on her school activities and her upcoming fall dance recital before we join her mother.

“So, you’ll be here until after the New Year?” Avie asks as we settle on her back porch.

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