by Nicole Smith
"You're a friend of Holly's?" Deb asked as she began putting containers full of food into a large brown bag with handles. "From the city?"
"Yes, we've been friends for quite a while. She asked her sister if I could stay out at the beach house."
"That's Holly for you, always doing a good deed. Well, here you go. It's gonna add up to some total."
Julia looked at the ticket and was surprised it wasn't a higher amount. She handed over her American Express card, and then quickly asked for it back. That was her company card. Instead she pulled out her Discover card and gave it to Deb. "Sorry. I don't want to use my company card for this." Deb looked interested, but when she didn't say anything more, turned to the register.
By the time Julia returned to the house and unpacked her food, she was wilting. "I can't need a nap in the morning--I just woke up!" She said to the room. "And I'm talking to myself--what does that mean?"
She stretched out on the couch intending to get up in just a few minutes to work on her computer. She fell asleep almost instantly.
* * * *
Cody spent the morning listening to Captain Hank Minnick, and his pal Joe Crawford, regale the crew in the rocking chairs with tales of a tuna that got away, 'bigger even than the one on the internet, I swear!' At times he found his attention wandering, thinking about how Julia might be doing. She had looked a bit more substantial today at the bakery, like she had gotten some sleep and felt better. He found he was looking forward to the dinner tonight.
"Cody? What do you think?"
He realized Joe was asking him his opinion about something--he just didn't know what. "Sorry, wasn't paying attention."
"Mind on a girl, huh?"
"Well, yes, but not the way you think."
"Ha ha. Right. Here's the deal. Do you think if we used the heaviest tackle you have, we could've brought that fish in or not?"
The conversation proceeded into an analysis of different types of gear. By the time the men left the shop it was nearing lunch time. Cody went to Deb's Deli for a sandwich. Deb motioned for him to sit down while she waited on other customers. She knew what he liked, and clearly wanted a word with him, so he sat.
Deb sat down across from him a few minutes later, shoving a ham and cheese on rye at him. "Okay, what's the story?"
"You mean, Julia?"
"Of course I mean Julia, you blockhead. Are you dating her?"
Cody stared at her. "Deb, whatever gave you that idea? Holly sent her down here, she's Holly's friend."
Deb gave a short laugh. "I was Holly's friend too, but you still managed to date me rather intensely for a few weeks."
"And aren't you glad we're just friends now? Otherwise you'd never have married Claude."
"True. So, you don't know much about her?"
"No, why?"
"She's interesting. Those clothes she had on certainly didn't come from a discount store. And she basically told me I'd be making a lot of her meals since she doesn't cook. She's skinny as a rail, but she bought a lot of food to take home with her."
"Yeah? That's good. Look, she's just a little burned-out and needs to rest up."
"And you have no interest in her?"
Cody said, "No, I mean yes, but not the way you mean. I've sworn off women for a while. Haven't had a date in months."
"Believe me, all your friends have noticed. What's going on?"
"Just taking a break to figure out what I want."
"And...what if someone else expressed an interest in this Julia person, you'd be okay with it?"
He sat up straight in his chair and leaned forward, arms on the table. "Who's been showing an interest?"
"Nobody yet, but she's a pretty girl. Somebody will, that's for sure."
"I don't think anyone should. She's not here for dating. You tell whoever is interested, I said that."
"Okay, then. I'd better get back to work."
"Yeah," Cody said, distracted by the idea of some man bothering Julia. "Thanks for the sandwich."
He didn't notice Deb smiling and shaking her head at him as he left.
* * * *
Julia decided to change clothes before going to dinner at the Grainger house. She put on her favorite long black skirt that swirled around black boots. Topped with a cream blouse and red jacket, she headed out to town, following the directions Cody had given her. As she drove, she thought about what an amazing day it had been. All she had accomplished was to finish the book she'd been reading. Afterwards, she'd taken a nap. She hadn't even touched her computer--it was mind-boggling. She cringed a bit at the idea of just how much email she must have by now.
But really, who says I have to answer any of it? I'm on vacation. No email! The thought gave her a thrill, as well as a touch of fear at disconnecting from her world. However, if the plan was for her to relax and get away from work, then clearly that meant no email. The only person she really wanted to hear from while she was down here was Holly. And that says way too much about my choices of so-called friends these days, she thought glumly.
Taking a deep breath, she focused on the road and decided that if she'd come here to think about her life, maybe it was important also to look at who her friends were. Not a one had tried to call her since she disappeared from the job. She wondered thoughtfully just how long that would continue.
The Grainger house was a large, rambling two-story, painted white. Two pots of geraniums stood to either side of the door on the porch, which wrapped around one side of the house. She rang the bell and Cody was there, opening the door in less than a minute.
"Hey, you made it here okay."
"Yes, good directions." She walked into the house. It was a comfortable place, lived in, nothing fancy, and filled with good old pieces of furniture. Cody led her into the dining room.
"Can I do anything to help?"
He laughed. "You've already confessed how you're a disaster in the kitchen, so I'm keeping you out of there. Besides, everything is ready to go. I'll get the salad and Dad will bring in our main dish."
She sat down at the table where he'd pulled out her chair. A man with graying, dark blond hair came into the room carrying a large platter.
"Don't get up, I've got it." He set the plate down on the table. "There we go. I'm Frank Grainger, and you must be Julia."
He held out a hand which she shook. "Yes, I'm Holly's friend."
"Heard all about you from Cody and Holly both. We're glad you came. And I'm happy to see Sam and Anna's beach house being used. Seems like a crying shame to leave it empty for all those months."
"It's a wonderful place. Incredibly peaceful. I'm going to enjoy being there."
Cody brought in a large wooden bowl filled with a salad and they all sat down. "This recipe is one of Dad's specialties. He's about the best cook in the family, except for Anna when it comes to baked goods."
Frank began serving their plates. "Didn't have much choice but to learn to cook, bringing up three kids. I hear you're not a whiz in the kitchen, Julia."
She smiled at him. "I'm astonishingly bad at cooking anything. But I do love to eat, and this looks delicious."
"Dig in, there's plenty."
Quiet reigned for a little while as they all concentrated on eating. Julia took a sip of the white wine Cody had served them. "Mr. Grainger--"
"Frank, please."
"All right, Frank then. This tastes great."
"Thanks! We have lemon meringue pie for dessert."
"We do?" Cody asked, sounding surprised.
"Yes. I mentioned to Maelynne that Julia was coming for dinner and Maelynne offered to bake one of her famous pies." He faced Julia and continued. "Maelynne is known for two things in this town. Being the biggest gossip around, and she can bake the best lemon meringue pie in three counties."
"Pie sounds lovely. I guess you have a lot of gossip in a small town like this, where everyone knows everybody else."
"Yes, it goes with the territory. But then small town life also offers living in a safe envir
onment, having people who care and help each other out, and also a more reasonable pace of life than the city offers. It's a real community."
"Even though this is only my second day, I can appreciate the quiet and peace to be found here."
"It's different during tourist season, but I always think it's a nice change for a few months. It seems to energize all of us who live here full-time."
Cody offered everyone more wine, but Julia refused. "I've got to drive home, so I'd better have coffee with dessert."
"Tell me, how do you plan on spending your time while you're here?" Frank asked, as Cody cleared the dishes.
"I'm not sure. Today I read and slept. Maybe I'll turn on my computer tomorrow--if I feel like checking my email by then. Being here has made me feel quite free to goof off."
"Sounds like it will be good for you. Advertising can be a real rat race I've heard."
She nodded. "It is filled with lots of pressure."
As Cody brought the pie in with a pot of coffee, he said, "I'm hoping I'll get you to go out on the fishing boat with me at some point."
"That's something I'll have to think about. Wow, the pie looks good."
Frank began cutting it and placing the pieces on plates. "You guys need to eat as much as you want, because I don't need to have a bunch of pie left around here for just me." The other two began to eat and he continued. "I expect to see you down at the hardware store the next time you're in town. And if you need anything, have any trouble, you be sure to call me--or Cody."
Julia had paused with her fork halfway to her mouth as he spoke. "That's good to hear, Frank. And by the way this pie is great. Should I send a thank you note to this Maelynne person?"
"No, no, I'll thank her for all of us," Frank replied.
"Deb said you found some good things to fill your fridge today," Cody said.
"Yes, she's going to be a lifesaver."
Frank looked at Cody. "You saw Deb today? How's she doing? I haven't stopped to talk with her in a while."
Cody shrugged. "She's doing fine."
Frank told Julia, "Cody used to date Deb a while back. That was before she fell for Claude, the guy she married. But she's still a friend of Cody's."
"Dad, we don't need to go into my history, here," Cody protested.
"He somehow manages to stay friends with pretty much every woman he ever dated," Frank said with twinkling gray eyes.
Julia grinned back at him. It was an interesting piece of information. Not many men could maintain a friendship once they broke up with a woman. But then, Cody seemed so easygoing, she could see how it might happen.
She finished eating her pie, but refused another piece. "I'm completely full. Tell me, what are some of the things you suggest I go see or do while I'm here?"
Frank and Cody began to describe various sights and activities. The conversation flowed over her as she listened to them bantering back and forth about which ideas held merit. They seemed very relaxed with each other. When was the last time she'd been that relaxed around her father? She knew she'd never had it with her mother, but hadn't she at one point had it with her father? Struggling to remember, she felt sad at how she couldn't seem to find any of those feelings in her memories.
"Julia?" Cody said quietly. "You okay?"
She jolted back to awareness, and realized they'd stopped talking and Cody had asked her something. "Goodness, I'm sorry. I must be more tired than I thought. Kind of spaced out there for a moment. What did you ask me?"
Cody looked concerned and said, "I asked if you wanted to visit my shop tomorrow as it is on the list of sights to see. But maybe we should get you home. I can drive you and we can pick up your car tomorrow."
"No, no, I'll be fine. I seem to get tired very easily these days, that's all."
Frank said, "I think you need to listen to Cody and let him drive you. You're still recovering from--" He stopped as he obviously couldn't think of a word to use.
"Recovering from my collapse, you mean? How much did Holly tell you, anyway?" She felt a bit angry at Holly and all of them, which she knew was due to being tired.
"She didn't tell us much," Cody said. "But she did say you'd fainted at work and the doctor was concerned about you. Come on, let me drive you back this once, please?"
She gazed into concerned blue eyes and sighed. It was the 'please' that did it. "Okay, okay. Just this once. Because I plan on getting my strength back soon enough. And I certainly will after meals like this one tonight."
Frank nodded, and Cody looked relieved. He asked, "Do you want a piece of pie to take home with you?"
"Please, do take some," Frank encouraged her.
"All right, you convinced me. Not that I needed much convincing. Thanks so much for dinner, Frank. It was perfect."
She and Cody left shortly thereafter, and she got to ride in the Corvette. It was just as fine as she had thought it would be.
"Your Dad's nice. Were you always close?"
Cody thought for a moment. "We had our difficulties when I was a teenager, but I grew out of them with time. He's always been a great father. The kind you know will be there for you, no matter what."
To her complete surprise and mortification, Julia burst into tears.
Cody glanced over. "Julia? What's wrong? What'd I say?"
She waved a hand at him and wiped at her eyes. "Not you, just something I realized tonight."
He continued driving while he waited to hear more.
"It's just, seeing you and your father together--I don't have that kind of relationship with my own father. Seems like I should, but I don't know how. He's wrapped up in his business, and I was always focused on working for Mother. We stopped talking somewhere along the way."
"None of my business I know, but I will say this. Things change. Nothing says you have to continue not talking to him. You can give it a try."
"Maybe. You must think I'm a total nut job, falling apart like this."
"Not at all. Here we are, already home. Let me walk you to the door--"
"No, no, I'm okay. Thanks for driving." She pulled the keys out of her bag. "If I'm out and about tomorrow I'll stop by your shop."
He smiled at her. In the darkness of the car it felt intimate and warm, and she felt like she could stay there talking forever. He proceeded to give her directions on how to get to the docks. Twenty minutes went by as they talked about the town, without either of them noticing.
Suddenly she yawned and Cody said, "Look at the time, and you were already tired."
She nodded. "I think I'd better go. Thanks again." She got out of the car and waved to him. He waited until she was in the door before driving away.
Julia walked into the house and set the pie on the counter. She couldn't stop yawning, and quickly got out of her clothes and into silky blue pajamas. Crawling into bed felt like heaven. She snuggled under the covers and thought about her talk with Cody in the car. It had been easy and comfortable. He was a great guy, she thought drowsily, and then blanked out into sleep.
The next morning she woke up, heard the wind blowing hard outside, and realized the house was a bit chilly. She jumped out of bed, hurriedly got the coffee machine going and turned up the heat. Through the window in the kitchen she saw her car sitting in the driveway, and realized Cody and his father must have returned it while she slept. She looked around, and sure enough, the keys were on the kitchen counter.
She grabbed her laptop and the book she'd been reading and set them on the bed. Finally, getting her cup of hot coffee and setting it on the nightstand, she got back into bed and piled the pillows behind her. "Now, this is living," she said and then laughed at herself. She glanced once at the laptop and decided avoiding her email was working great so far. Instead, she picked up her book, and began to read and sip coffee.
After a while, her stomach began growling and she debated about whether to bring the lemon meringue pie into bed also. Deciding she wasn't quite that decadent yet, she got up and pulled on her old flannel robe with heav
y socks on her feet. The pie tasted just fine eaten at the kitchen counter. She knew she needed a better breakfast than super sweet pie, however, and she picked up the phone book to see if there was a diner in town.
Finding out there was--and it was called simply The Diner--she got dressed and put on her warmest boots. She stuck the book in her purse and left for town.
* * * *
Cody was looking over an inventory report on his laptop when Joe Crawford and Captain Hank came in. "What's up guys?" he said, still looking at the computer.
"Guess who we saw at the Diner this morning?" Joe demanded.
"Dunno, who?"
"The new lady at Sam and Anna's beach house. She's a looker, that's for sure."
Captain Hank stared at his friend. "A 'looker?' How old are you anyway. She's hot is what she is. Looks like a model."
Cody had looked up and focused on them. "You saw Julia? This morning? How was she?"
Captain Hank looked puzzled. "She was pretty, we've just been saying that."
"Yeah, but I meant, did you guys talk to her?"
"Nah, she was reading a book and eating her breakfast. You definitely oughta be asking her out, Cody. Seriously," Joe said.
"Yeah," Cody said, feeling distracted.
The two men wandered off into the store, discussing the merits of dating a model versus a gymnast. Cody shook his head at them.
The bell on the door rang, and he saw Julia walk in, looking around. Cody walked toward her feeling pleased and brought her into the main room. There were two rooms on either side of the main center one, filled with fishing equipment. Cody waved her into one of the rocking chairs around the table.
"What do you think? Is this what you expected?" He grinned at her.
"It's way better than anything I expected. I have to confess I wasn't thinking it would be so big. I never knew there was this much equipment to do with fishing."
"Yes, a bit more than worms," he said with a laugh. "Can I get you a drink? Some coffee? A donut?"
"No thank you. I just came from the Diner and I'm still stuffed. How about showing me around the place?"
He felt happy at the request, and she got up and followed him through to one of the rooms. Cody took her through rows of fishing equipment, talking about how it was used. He stopped talking somewhere in the middle of the second room of gear. "Julia? You don't have a clue what I'm talking about do you?"