Page 36 of Pickled
“When does the defiance stop?” I asked. Olive had been a breeze as a toddler but, like any five-year-old, had started pushing the boundaries.
Lisa groaned. “Wait until the hormones start. This is nothing.”
The sliding door rumbled open. Gerry emerged, brandishing the barbecue lighter and wearing an apron. “It was under the rolling pin.” He clicked it a couple of times. “Are you sure you can’t stay? I’m dying to use all the burners on the new grill.”
“I have a few things to do tonight, but someone has decided she’s part mermaid and would rather live in your pool.” I crossed my arms as Olive jumped in the water again.
A whoosh of hot air and aa loud whumph sound distracted me from the pool. Gerry took a step back from the barbecue and rubbed his face. “Honey, do I still have eyebrows?”
Lisa walked to her husband, ran both of her thumbs over her brows, and kissed his lips. “As bushy as ever, but the ends are a little crispy.”
Gerry lowered the lid and turned his attention to the pool. “Girls. It’s time to get out. Olive has to go home.”
Instead of protesting, the three of them got out of the pool. Ariana kissed her father on the cheek. My heart ached for the relationship the girls had with their father. It was jealousy, not for me but for Olive.
Lisa put her arm over my shoulder and whispered in my ear, “Ask him.”
Her heart was in the right place, but Lisa had been out of the dating game for too long. She had a loyal and dedicated husband. There was absolutely no way a gorgeous hockey starwould be interested in getting splashed by cannonballs and barbecuing chicken. There was no way that Gideon wanted to be a Gerry.
Olive held my hand as Lisa walked us to the car. “It’s hot in here.” Olive hopped into the back onto her booster seat. I cranked the window down, then slipped into the driver’s seat. “Whooo. This car is as hot as that barbecue.” I slipped the keys into the ignition.
“Watch your eyebrows.” Lisa held on to the open door.
Laughing, I turned the key but, instead of starting up, was met with a click. “Oh, no.” I tried it again.
Click.
“The battery must be dead or something,” Lisa said.
This was the last thing I needed—an expensive car repair. “I hope it’s just the battery.”
“Hold on. Gerry’s got one of those charging things.” Lisa disappeared into the house. We stepped out of the sauna on wheels until she returned with the battery contraption in her hand. “Gerry said you should do a slow charge. He’s going to hook this up. I’ll drive you two home, and we’ll bring your car to you tomorrow.”
Biting my lip, I tried to quell the tidal wave of overwhelm that threatened to crash through my nervous system. Expensive car repairs would train wreck my budget for the month. A new car was completely out of the question. Asking for help was not something I did often. I had gotten this far in life, pretty much on my own.
“I’ll call a tow truck.”
“Don’t be ridiculous.” Lisa got into her SUV. “Get in.” I was too hot and tired to protest, and Lisa’s tone told me that she was done with the discussion.
Twilight had given way to night by the time the SUV’s headlights shone on the garage doors of my carriage house. Mr. Lockelhurst came out of the main house carrying a flashlight.
Lisa rolled down the window. “Hi, Keith,” she shouted and waved.
“Lisa, what are you doing here?” My boss peered into the car and smiled as he spotted me in the passenger seat. “Oh, Piper. It’s you.”
“The battery in my car died. This is my friend Lisa.”
“I know Lisa.” Mr. L grinned. “Best physio at Azalea Bay.”
Lisa leaned on the frame of her open window. “Are you still doing the ankle stretches I gave you?”
My boss bounced on the balls of his feet. “Every day.” He looked past Lisa at me. “This woman is the reason I can walk the golf course every day. If only she could fix my slice.” He laughed at his typical golfer joke, then held out an envelope. “This is for you. Someone left it stuck to the door.”
Lisa took the envelope and handed it to me. “Thank you.” I turned it over in my hands. My name was written in swirly cursive.
“No problem, kiddo. You can borrow one of our cars tomorrow if you need one,” he said.
“We’re going to get Piper’s car all charged up and return it in the morning,” Lisa said.
