Page 27 of Grown-Up Second Chance

“Really,” I’d told her.

“I’d like that.”

As we walked toward the table, I noticed Joe watching us. He gave me a big grin and thumbs up.

The girl didn’t become part of our circle, and I never did find out what happened, but whatever good came of that situation, it had gotten better because of Joe Kelly.

No matter what had happened between us, I had clearly missed an opportunity.

Chapter Nine

I was soaped up in the shower the next morning when the water turned freezing cold.

“Dammit!” I yelled. “Who used all the hot water!”

Walls in RVs give a new meaning to the word “thin,” so I got an immediate response.

“You were the first one in the shower!” Kathleen yelled back.

I shivered as I got the soap off. Stepping out, I toweled off and pulled on my clothes.

“I guess I’ll wait for my shower, since you hogged the hot water,” Kathleen said.

“Not me,” I replied. “I was only in there a few moments when it went cold.”

Kathleen frowned and put down her coffee. She went to the sink and flipped on the water. Her frown deepened.

“It can’t be the water heater. This thing is almost brand new.”

“What else could it be? I mean, I had water. Just no heat. Sure sounds like no water heater to me.”

“Stop being so logical,” Kathleen said. “If it is the heater, we’re going to have to take our showers in the main building. It’ll take a while to get any parts.”

Ugh. I hated showering where other people had been. My own dirt I could handle. But someone else’s?

My coffee threatened to return to my mouth.

Liz came into the RV. From the covered canvas under her arm, I assumed she had been painting.

“Can I see?” I asked.

She shook her head. “I’m not comfortable showing them.”

“Are you painting nude geese or something?” I asked with a grin. Not being able to see Liz’s paintings was beginning to bug me.

“Ha, ha,” Liz said, and continued to the rear.

“She’s never shown you anything?” I asked Kathleen, who was still staring at the faucet as if attempting sorcery to get the hot water to work.

“Huh?” she said. “Oh. No. Never.”

“Weird.”

“I stopped asking. It’s her work.”

Hmmm. I was going to crack this case one way or another.

But first we needed hot water. I was not showering in the public showers.

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