Page 38 of Sunsets at Seaside
“Yes.” She watched the girls fight over the raft she’d used.
“This is Steve Lacasse. You left me a message the other day.” His voice was energetic and friendly.
“Oh! Steve, yes, thank you for calling back. You had a baseball for sale, the one with Mickey Mantle’s signature all colored in with red ink.”
“Yes, but that’s been sold. Shipped it off the other day.”
“Yes. I know it was sold. I’m ninety-nine percent sure that was my father’s ball from when he was a child, and I’d like to contact the new owner to see if I can buy it from him. I was wondering if you could share his contact information with me.”Please, please, please.
“I’m sorry, Jessica, but I can’t give out any personal information. You can probably track him down on eBay.”
“Yes, I’ve tried that. Could you please pass along my information to him?”
“I suppose I could do that. What’s your email address?”
“It’s Jessica at BSO dot com, but could you please give him my phone number instead?”
“Darlin’, I’m not sure that’s a wise thing to do. Email is much safer.”
She smiled at his concern for her, but she hardly ever used email, and the less she had to rely on the computer, the better. “Thank you, yes, I understand that, but if you wouldn’t mind?”
He agreed, and Jessica hung up the phone feeling hopeful about finding her father’s baseball.
She lay down on the towel as Amy dried off a few feet away.
“Do you think I’m crazy to go out with someone a few years younger than me?” Amy laid her towel on her chair and tucked her wet hair behind her ears.
“I’m not the best person to give dating advice, but I’m younger than Jamie. I think you should follow your heart.”
Amy sighed. “I tried that.” She glared at Tony, who was nose deep in a novel. “I want to run down to the crazy store. Want to come with me?”
“What’s the crazy store?”
“Oh, right. Sorry. You know the two souvenir shops that are across the street from each other in South Wellfleet? Right on Route 6?”
Jessica shook her head.
“The ones with all the inner tubes and blow up stuff all over?”
“Oh, those. Yes.”
“We had a renter here once whose little girl called them the crazy stores, and it kind of stuck. Anyway, they have tie-dyed dresses, and I want to see if I can pick one up for tonight.”
An hour later Jessica, Amy, Bella, and Jenna came out of the crazy store with bags in hand. Jessica had a fun new dress to wear, which went perfectly with her new life. She’d bought Jamie a mood ring, and she’d picked up a cute beach bag for Vera.
When they got back to Seaside, Jessica heard Vera playing her violin. She walked around to the back deck of Jamie and Vera’s cottage to listen and found Jamie sitting with his back to Jessica, working on his laptop. Vera was playing “Czárdás” by Vittorio Monti, a piece that Jessica had always loved. She closed her eyes for a minute and let the music wash over her. Her fingers moved out of habit. She ached to play again. She opened her eyes as Jamie looked up from where he was working on his laptop and smiled.
“Hey, Jess.”
“Hi. I got Vera a little something. I’ve always loved that piece she’s playing.”
“It’s one of my favorites, too.” He reached for her hand as she stepped onto the deck and kissed her cheek.
“I saw this bag at the crazy store and thought Vera might like it for the pool.”
“The crazy store. You must have gone with the girls.” He held up the bag and showed it to Vera. “Look what Jess brought you.”
Vera stopped playing and joined them at the table. “That was very sweet of you. Thank you. This is lovely.”
