Page 32 of A Spot of Tea
He cocked his head to the side. “Really?”
“Yes! How can you not realize that my daughter going on a flying date with—” She spotted Joey walking down the hill and dropped her voice to a whisper. “We’ll talk about this later.”
Russell laughed and covered his mouth. “Sure. Sorry.”
Joey said his hellos and promptly got them into the air. Sheila managed to resist asking any probing questions, watching as Joey joked with Russell, laughing and carrying on.
Why hadn’t she realized it before? OfcourseEliza would like this guy. He was interesting, good-looking, and seemed worldly. Maybetooworldly for Eliza?
Sheila sat silently, thinking of what would happen if Joey hurt Eliza. She’d have no choice; she’d have to mount an argument to Russell as to why he had to be fired.
Thankfully, before her imaginary argument reached a crescendo, they landed. Sheila managed a polite smile to Joey before stepping onto the dock.
They didn’t spend long at the site. They were still mainly in the demolition phase but making good progress. Russell wanted to get her thoughts on the new plans for a dining hall and a spate of guest cabins. She agreed it looked good, and they were off and back on the plane with Joey.
On the way back, she and Russell discussed Lottie’s most recent health report. They, along with the rest of the rehabilitation team, got the reports every month.
Her worries about Lottie taking a turn for the worst at the last moment weren’t coming to fruition. Lottie was eating well and gaining weight. Russell had made sure to upgrade her food supply to the best quality fish and, on the recommendation of a new veterinarian, increased the amount she was getting. The trainers had stopped Lottie’s performances at the park, now focusing on increasing her strength and stamina.
They’d also introduced Lottie to live fish. So far, Lottie had befriended all the salmon placed in her tank, playfully chasing them and letting them swim in her wake.
She was too adorable. Sheila could hardly stand it, and she never would have imagined the joy she’d feel over reading how many tons of salmon an orca had eaten, or how she’d played peek-a-boo with a fish.
Could life get any stranger, or more beautiful?
Her answer came as they flew back to San Juan Island. Waving at her from the cottage’s patio were four women: Eliza, Patty, and what looked like Cora and Mackenzie.
Even though they couldn’t see her up in the sky, she grinned and waved back like a fool.
Thirteen
Surprising her mom never got old. This time, Eliza even got to enlist Joey’s help to create a dramatic entrance for their surprise guests.
It worked like a charm. Back on land, Mom broke into a run when she spotted them, her arms in the air, waving frantically.
“Girls!” she yelled. “You did it again!”
Eliza laughed and waved back. “Got you!”
Cora’s eyes were focused on Russell.
“It’sactuallyhim,” she whispered, grasping Eliza’s arm. “He’s getting closer. Eliza, he’s getting closer!”
She managed to wiggle out of her grip. “Did you think I’d made the whole thing up?”
Cora puffed out her cheeks and let out a measured breath. “I don’t know what I thought.”
“You look like a puffer fish,” Eliza said. “Pull yourself together.”
“I didn’t know you like,meant it,meant it.”
Mackenzie shot her a side eye. “That doesn’t make any sense.”
“Are there movie stars here all the time?” Cora tried fixing her hair, an impossible task against the gusts of wind from the ocean. “Because I think I’m ready to fall in love again.”
Mackenzie and Eliza burst into laughter just as their mom reached them, wrapping them both in a hug.
“What’s so funny?” Granny asked, then immediately jumped to, “Sheila, do you and Russell want pepperoni rolls?”
