by Lucie Ulrich
“Same here.” Pippa smiled at Sarah, then winked at Kevin.
Giving her friend a quizzical look, Sarah wondered if Pippa wasn’t having second thoughts about Kevin after all.
Everybody dug into their sandwiches. Sarah kept a surreptitious eye on Pippa and Kevin, but they barely looked at one another. Her father, however, picked up the slack.
Frank sipped on some apple juice. “So, Kevin, Sarah tells me you’re bucking for detective.”
Kevin nodded. “That’s right, sir. I’m currently studying for my exam.”
“And finishing college too, from what Sarah said.”
Kevin shot her a glance and grinned. “I didn’t realize Sarah had told you so much about me.”
“Pffft, don’t flatter yourself. Dad always has a million questions whenever I’m gone for any length of time.”
“That’s true. I like to stay informed about Sarah’s friends.”
Lorraine rearranged one of the flowers. “Do you own this house, Kevin, or do you rent? Sarah didn’t know.”
“Mom, let the man enjoy his lunch without giving him the third degree.”
“He’s a policeman. He should be used to it.” Lorraine picked up her sandwich. “Besides, I’m just making conversation.”
Kevin chuckled. “I’m more accustomed to asking the questions than answering them, but I don’t mind. I bought this place almost two years ago, figuring it would be a good starter home. Depending on how my career advances, and whether or not I remain in Sunset Cove, I’ll upgrade in time.”
“And of course, whether or not you marry any time soon. Are you currently seeing anybody?” Lorraine bit into her sandwich.
Sarah choked on her juice. She swiped a napkin over her mouth. “Seriously, Mom, there’s conversation and there’s invasion of privacy. Kevin’s love life is none of our concern, so why don’t we eat more and talk less? I’d like to see if we can get the painting finished today.” She glanced Kevin’s way, giving him a bit of an embarrassed shrug. It was the best apology she could offer without speaking.
Pippa’s shoulders shook. She held a napkin over her mouth, but Sarah knew laughter wasn’t far behind.
“You’re not helping, Pippa.”
“I’m sorry.” She blew out a slow breath. “This conversation brings back so many memories from our high school days while sitting at your dining room table. I love you, Mrs. Alexander, and I’m glad you haven’t changed.”
“Thank you, Pippa.” She cocked her head Sarah’s way. “It’s good to know one of my girls loves me.”
Sarah stood and walked behind her mother’s chair. She bent down and gave her mom a hug. “You know full well I love you. Even when you talk too much.”
Lorraine patted Sarah’s cheek. “You just wait. Twenty-five years from now you’re going to look in the mirror and see me looking back at you.”
“Yeah, because you’ll probably be living next door and letting yourself in whenever you please.”
Laughter erupted around the table.
This was what Sarah needed. This was what would see her through the next year. And if she told herself that enough times, she might actually believe it.
CHAPTER TEN
With lunch over, the crew returned to the apartment and worked until nearly six o’clock. Kevin installed the wainscoting while the others finished painting the walls. He stood back and admired his work, glad to have learned so much from his father.
Sarah joined him after bagging up all the rollers and paint pads for the trash. “You were so right about adding this detail, Kevin. It looks amazing.”
He’d painted one small section white in order to give her a picture of what the finished product would look like. “Thanks, I’ll get the rest painted sometime this week.”
“You don’t have to do that. I can come up another weekend and finish it. You’ve already done so much for me.”
The light in her eyes and joy on her face turned his insides to mush, and as much as her having an excuse to come for another weekend thrilled him, he knew she had school to finish, packing, and all the other things involved with the move ahead. “Don’t give it another thought. I already told you I enjoy the physical labor. Besides, this won’t take long, and it’s not my style to leave a job unfinished.”
“In that case, I’ll leave you to it.” She tied up the bag and set it next to several others. “I can’t wait for Antonio to see all the changes we’ve made.”
“Somebody mention my name?” Antonio strode into the living room with a cake box in his hands.
Sarah hurried over to him. “Antonio, I’m so glad you’re here. Come and see what we’ve done to the place.”
Eyes wide, Antonio surveyed the paint job in the living room before stopping in the dining room and doing a three-sixty. “Beautiful. Looks like a million bucks.”
“Come see the kitchen,” Sarah said.
He placed the cake box on the wide ledge on the side window and followed her, Kevin right behind them.
Pippa pulled off the last of the blue painter’s tape and stuffed it into a trash bag. “Hey Antonio, what do you think of the color?”
“Is beautiful.” His bright eyes quickly dimmed. “But now the old cabinets look… old.”
Kevin checked out the two cabinets on either side of the stove, as well as the three above and below the counter on the opposite wall from the window. “It wouldn’t take much to fix them. The countertop laminate is in good condition. What if I painted the cabinet doors the same color as the dining room walls, then maybe a sage green for the cabinets? It would pick up the green flecks from the countertop and really brighten up the place.”
“No.” Sarah placed her hands on her hips. “You’ve done enough, and the cabinets aren’t all that bad. If I decide they need paint, I can do it later on.”
“Better to get it done before any furniture is moved in. There’s going to be sanding involved.” Kevin opened one of the doors. “The inside isn’t bad, but these doors are a mess.”
“Fantastico.” Antonio beamed. “I pay for the paint and Poliziotto Jenkins’ time.” He reached for his wallet and handed Kevin some cash, which Kevin pushed back into Antonio’s hand.
“After all the pastries you’ve supplied the force with, consider this a small payback.”
Sarah shook her head. “Honestly, both of you, this isn’t necessary.”
Kevin checked the drawers which opened easily enough. “What do you think of the color scheme, Sarah?”
“It sounds perfect, but—”
“Great. Next time you come, bring whatever knobs you’d like to replace these with. Let’s see, you’ll need a total of twelve, including the drawers. Of course, if you want pulls for the drawers instead of knobs then you’ll only need eight, and four pulls.”
“The two of you are incorrigible.”
“Who’s incorrigible?” Lorraine entered the kitchen and tossed an empty paper towel roll into the bag Pippa held.
Sarah faced her mother. “It’s not important, because apparently I have no say in the matter.” She tugged her mother toward Antonio and made the introductions.
“It’s so nice to meet you, Antonio. You’re such a huge blessing to our Sarah. I don’t know how to thank you.”
Antonio waved both hands in the air. “Is my pleasure.”
“Where’s Dad? I want him to meet Antonio as well.”
“Um,” she whispered, “he’s indisposed at the moment.”
“Nessun problema. I meet him next time. Now, I must go.” Antonio pointed toward the window ledge in the dining room. “Rosa sent a tiramisu for your dessert tonight. Enjoy.” He kissed Sara’s cheeks and Lorraine’s hand. “Arrivederci.” He raised a hand and was gone in a flash.
“What an interesting man.” Lorraine stared at the back of her hand.
Frank reappeared moments after Antonio left. “Are we ready to head back?”
Sarah’s cell phone rang. She dug it out of her pocket and grinned. “It’s Logan. I’m goin
g to step out on the fire escape for a few minutes.”
A sour feeling settled in the pit of Kevin’s stomach. It had been such an enjoyable day he’d allowed himself to forget about Sarah’s fiancé.
“She might be a while,” Pippa said, “and Mom planned for dinner at seven.”
“Oh dear.” Lorraine looked at her paint-splattered clothes and dirty hands. “I really need to shower and change before dinner.”
Once again Kevin was about to find himself thrown together with Sarah, only this time it would be of his own making. “Pippa, why don’t you get the Alexanders back to your place? I’ll bring Sarah along when she’s through.”
Pippa planted a kiss on his cheek then whispered into his ear. “You’re the best, and when Sarah discovers that she’s going to have a huge decision to make.”
“Thank you, Kevin.” Frank shook Kevin’s hand. “And thank you for caring about our Sarah. She needs a steady force in her life.” He took his wife’s arm. “Let’s go, Mother.”
“No problem, Mr. Alexander.” A mixture of desire and confusion swirled through Kevin’s mind. His desire to spend time with Sarah couldn’t be denied, while Frank’s comment brought more confusion than clarity. Did he mean while Logan was away? That Logan wasn’t husband material? What? He waved to the trio as they left.
For the next few minutes, Kevin paced through the apartment. As much as he would have liked to overhear Sarah’s conversation, eavesdropping seemed a little low. Especially after hearing what sounded like the beginning of an argument. With no place to sit, he pulled the apartment door open and perched on the top step of the landing.
Reaching for his cell phone, he checked his email, replied to three of them, then played some mindless game to pass the time.
“Hey, where is everybody?” Sarah’s voice echoed in the empty apartment.
“Be right there.” Kevin found her standing in the middle of the living room. “All done?”
“Yes. Did the others leave?” She shook her head. “Dumb question, obviously they left.”
A tinge of red ringed Sarah’s eyes, and Kevin wondered if it had anything to do with the argument, or if things had ended well and Sarah had hated to say goodbye. He’d listen if she wanted to talk, but he wasn’t about to ask.
“Your mother wanted to clean up before dinner, so Pippa went with them. Looks like you might want to do the same. Why don’t you get your purse or whatever else you need while I grab the trash bags? If we hurry, I should be able to get you back to Pippa’s in time.”
“Okay, but there’s no big hurry. Tonight’s dinner is just Mom, Dad, and Pippa’s parents. It’s not that I wasn’t invited, but I wanted the four of them to have some time together. “
He stuffed a small bag into one of the larger ones. “So what have you and Pippa cooked up for yourselves then?”
“Pippa has a date and my plans include a long walk on the beach.” She hiked her purse over her shoulder and pulled out the apartment key. “I haven’t gotten any further than that.”
“What about dinner?”
“I’m sure I can scrounge up something.” She stepped onto the landing.
Without reservation, he was about to do it again. “It just so happens I’m free tonight, and a walk on the beach sounds pretty nice… if you wouldn’t mind the company.”
Sarah hesitated for a long moment, and Kevin figured he’d be eating alone tonight, but then she nodded. “Actually, your company would be very much appreciated.”
She really had no clue how he felt about her. He should feel guilty, but he was tired of denying his feelings—at least to himself. If he found out more about Logan and Sarah’s relationship, it might help him get a better grasp of his own feelings. Kevin pulled the door shut. “Tell you what. I’ll take you to Pip’s, go home, clean up, then come back around seven-thirty laden with a feast fit for a queen.”
“A feast? I don’t think you have to go that far. And I’m no queen.” She locked the door.
“Good, ‘cause I was thinking something along the lines of burgers or fried chicken.”
“Ooh, I’d love a nice fat, juicy burger. Pippa always has salad fixings in the house, so if you’ll bring hamburger meat and buns, we could use the small grill on her deck. What do you think?”
“Perfect.” They descended the stairs and he opened the street-level door for her. It was going to be an interesting night.
****
Sarah stood under the warm spray in the shower, rehashing her conversation with Logan. He’d been upset that she’d bailed on dinner with his parents, and things had gone downhill from there.
Twisting the faucets off, Sarah stepped out of the shower and wrapped herself in a large towel. She refused to dwell on it any longer. When they’d both had time to cool off, they’d talk it out and make it right. In the meantime, she needed to dress then go in search of whatever she could find to go along with the burgers.
Kevin rapped on the door just as she placed a pot on the stove. “Open up if you want dinner tonight.”
“Coming.” Sarah hurried to pull the door open, only to find him standing there with a large canvas bag filled to the top and a smaller paper bag. “Wow, I didn’t realize ground beef and buns took up so much space.”
“You did say you wanted a large, juicy burger, did you not?”
“I did.”
“Then it’ll take more than plain ground beef, my dear.” He stepped inside.
“So, you’re a cop, a carpenter, and a chef?”
He winked. “You’re about to find out.”
She made a grand gesture with her arm, welcoming him in. “In that case, let’s put you to work.”
“Do you like cheeseburgers?” Kevin asked.
“Love them, but the only cheese Pippa has in her refrigerator is of the cottage variety, and there’s no way in the world that’s going on my burger.”
“Yuck!” He over-exaggerated a shiver. “Hence the reason I came prepared with a bag of goodies. Are you a fan of blue cheese?”
It was Sarah’s turn to shiver. “I know it puts me at the bottom of the ‘foodie’ chart, but I can’t stand the stuff.”
Kevin walked the few short steps into the kitchen, pulled a small chunk of blue cheese from his bag and placed it in the refrigerator. “Good thing I brought cheddar and swiss too.”
“Cheddar is perfect.”
After placing the swiss in the fridge as well, he set the bag on the counter. “Want to be my sous-chef?”
“Does that mean I have to do all the grunt work?”
He laughed. “Only if you consider following my lead to be grunt work. I promise you won’t have to touch any uncooked meat.”
The glint in Kevin’s eyes spoke so much of his personality. Why on earth wasn’t he married? She set the thought aside. If he were married, she wouldn’t be enjoying a pleasant evening with good company. “Thanks. As much as I love a good burger, I can’t stand the thought of all that gunk on my hands.”
“Then you shall remain gunk-free. First thing I need is a large mixing bowl.”
While Kevin unloaded the remaining items from the bag, Sarah retrieved the bowl and placed it in front of him. Between the two of them, they added powdered and liquid seasonings to the meat. Kevin mixed it all together while Sarah buttered the buns. A giddy feeling overtook her. Working together was so much fun.
Logan loved good food, but didn’t know his way around a kitchen. Understandable, considering he grew up with maids, butlers, and cooks, but Sarah hoped for days like this once they were married. Thinking of Logan brought her back to their argument. Nope, not going there. “Okay, Chef. What’s next?”
“You light the grill while I work my magic.” He reached into the paper bag and handed her a small bag of ready-to-light charcoal briquettes and one of those long butane lighters. “Remove the grill, set the bag on the bottom, and light the end.”
“Not to worry, it’s one more thing my father taught me.” She stood at the end of the small count
er, watching him work. He appeared confident, but when he formed a skinny patty instead of the fat juicy one he’d promised, Sarah wondered whether or not they should switch jobs.
Kevin looked up and grinned. “I really do know what I’m doing.”
Heat prickled her cheeks that he’d caught her staring. “I’m sure you do.” She took a few steps back. “I’ll go out and light those coals now.”
Kevin stepped out five minutes later and handed her a tall glass of something pink and icy. “See if you like this.”
“What is it?”
“Pineapple pink grapefruit punch.”
She took a sip of the sweet and tart drink. “Delicious. Did you make this too?”
“I did.”
“I can now say I’ve met a true Renaissance man.” She held up her glass in salute before taking another sip.
Laughing, Kevin checked on the coals. “I can do a little bit of a lot of things; not sure that qualifies me as a Renaissance man. But I thank you for the compliment.” He took a large swallow of his drink. “Coals should be ready in ten or fifteen minutes. If you aren’t dead set on the chips and baked beans I saw on the counter, I thought we could go with grilled zucchini, mushrooms, and peppers instead.”
“You know, when you said you were going to grill up some burgers, I wasn’t expecting anything quite this gourmet.”
“If I tell you a secret, will you promise to keep it to yourself?”
“Absolutely.”
“When I can’t sleep, or there’s nothing else on TV, I watch cooking shows. I’ve since become a cookbook junkie.”
“And here I thought firemen had all the cooking skills. I will never make that assumption again.”
He chuckled. “Don’t get too excited. I’m a mere novice and haven’t much gotten past the book on ground beef, but I figure I’ve got to start somewhere.”
“Hey, you’re cooking for me. I’m not about to complain.”
He pinched her cheek. “Good.” Pulling out a chair from under the small table, Kevin beckoned her to sit. “I’m going to finish with the prep work while you relax.”
A stiff ocean breeze brought some relief from the setting sun, as did the buildup of scattered clouds. Another hour and the sky would be alight with color. Living this close to the beach would be hard to give up when the time came—as would not having a friend like Kevin.