“I wish we’d been able to convince her to look at those retirement communities,” Liz said as they sat out front. She turned to Flo. “Do you think we should have pushed harder when she kept putting us off?”
“She wasn’t ready,” Flo said. “And we’ve been keeping a close eye on her, just the way we promised.”
“But it may be time for her to tell her family what’s going on,” Liz said. “She seems increasingly forgetful lately. I think she’s kept this from them long enough.”
“And if she refuses?” Flo asked. “Are we going to tell them? We can see the decline, but it’s not as if she’s done anything truly dangerous.”
Liz gave her a wry look. “Are we supposed to wait until she burns down the apartment or wanders off someplace? They’re her children and, much as I’d hate to override her wishes and be the one to tell them, they should know.”
Though it filled her with dismay, Flo reluctantly agreed. “I am not looking forward to any of this one bit.”
“Neither am I,” Liz said briskly. “But we’re her friends and it’s up to us to be candid with her.”
When they got to the apartment, though, there was no response to their knocks. The neighbor across the hall stuck her head out.
“I saw Frances leave about an hour ago. I’m not sure where she was going, but she headed toward town.”
“Thanks,” Flo said, then turned to Liz. “Now what?”
“Now we go into town and look for her,” Liz said determinedly. “If we don’t find her at any of the likely places, I suppose we’ll have to speak to Carter.”
Flo was horrified by the idea of involving the police, but she knew Liz was right. Without being sure that Frances was safe, they couldn’t take chances.
“Where to first?” she asked, anxious to find their friend before going to the police became necessary.
“Wharton’s,” Liz suggested at once.
When they got there, though, Grace said Frances hadn’t been in.
“Is everything okay?” Grace asked worriedly. “She hasn’t wandered off, has she?”
In an attempt to protect Frances from gossip, Flo shook her head. “Just a little mixup on where were supposed to meet, that’s all.”
Grace didn’t look as if she entirely bought the explanation, but she nodded. “If she comes in, I’ll tell her you’re looking for her.”
“Now what?” Flo asked when she and Liz were back in the car.
“The Corner Spa?” Liz suggested. “Maybe she mixed up which day it was and thought the seniors exercise class was this morning.”
When they were parked in front of the spa, Flo took a look at Liz’s pale complexion and said, “Why don’t I run in here and check? You wait in the car. There’s no need for two of us to exhaust ourselves.”
Liz nodded gratefully. “Thanks, Flo.”
Flo went inside and looked around. Elliott Cruz, who taught the seniors class, was working with one of his private clients. Flo walked over and beckoned to him.
“Has Frances been by here?”
Elliott, who knew her situation, frowned. “No, why?”
“She didn’t show up at the senior center to play cards, she’s not at home and Liz and I can’t find her.”
“You checked Wharton’s?”
She nodded.
“Let me call Karen. Maybe she stopped by Sullivan’s to see her.” He made the call on his cell phone, then shook his head. “Karen hasn’t seen her.” His frown deepened. “I don’t like this.”
“Neither do Liz and I. She’s waiting for me. I’d better get back outside. Will you call me if you see Frances or have any ideas about where else we ought to look?”
“Absolutely,” he said. “I have a break in a half hour. If you need help, I can look around town, too.”
“That would be great,” Flo said.
She was across the gym, when she heard him calling her. She stopped until he joined her. “Try the school,” he said. “She could have gotten mixed up and gone by to see the kids. She picks Daisy and Mack up for us from time to time.”
Flo nodded. “That’ll be my next stop then. Thanks.”
When she and Liz pulled up in front of the elementary school, sure enough there was Frances sitting on a bench out front in the sunshine. She looked up in surprise when they approached.
“What are the two of you doing here?”
“You were supposed to meet us at the senior center to play cards,” Liz said gently, as she sat down beside her.
Frances regarded them blankly. “I was? Why would I schedule that when I had a class to teach?”
Flo exchanged a look of alarm with Liz. “A class?” she said carefully. “You’ve retired, Frances.”
Frances gave her an impatient look. “I know that. One of the teachers asked me to come in for career day. They like to bring in retirees to talk about teaching, rather than using the teachers who are currently in the classroom. I suppose they think we’re more likely to make it sound glamorous.”
Relief washed over Flo. “You’re here for career day.”
“Well, of course. I haven’t lost all my wits just yet.”
“Thank goodness,” Liz said fervently. “You have no idea what we were imagining when we couldn’t find you.”
“I’m sorry I forgot about playing cards. When Myra Simpson called to ask me to speak to her class, I just said yes without thinking. I so rarely have anything on my calendar these days that can’t be put off, it never even occurred to me to check.”
“Have you already given your talk?”
Frances nodded. “I was quite a hit, if I do say so myself. There’s nothing like a roomful of inquisitive youngsters to keep a person on her toes. I was just sitting out here enjoying this lovely April sunshine before walking back home.”
“Well, I, for one, am completely worn-out,” Liz said. “I think this calls for a special occasion lunch at Sullivan’s. My treat.”
Frances’s eyes brightened. “Perhaps I need to scare you more often.”
“Don’t you dare,” Liz said. “At my age, I can’t afford to have that many more years scared off my life. I swear I lost at least five this morning alone.”
“I’m sorry,” Frances apologized again. “I’ll write things on my calendar from now on.”
Flo gave her a long look. “I doubt writing them down is the real issue. You need to look at the stupid thing once in a while.”
Frances chuckled. “Okay, that, too.”
As they all climbed into Flo’s car, Liz declared, “I’m ordering a glass of wine. I don’t care what anybody says.”
“Why would anybody say anything?” Flo asked. “I intend to join you.”
“Don’t even think about leaving me out,” Frances chimed in from the backseat. “Or perhaps I’ll have a margarita.”
“No!” Flo and Liz said practically in unison.
“The last time we had margaritas without supervision, we nearly ended up in the pokey,” Liz reminded her, laughing. “I vowed never to have another one except at those Sweet Magnolias gatherings.”
“Ditto,” Flo said. “I heard enough about my behavior that night from Helen to last a lifetime. I need to stay on her good side till she’s reconciled to me and Donnie being a couple.”
“So you’re done with margaritas from now till eternity?” Liz teased.
“No,” Flo protested. “She’s coming around.”
“Seriously?” Frances asked doubtfully.
&n
bsp; “I swear it,” Flo said. “Of course, the worrisome thing now is that she and Donnie seem to be in cahoots pushing for a wedding.”
“Whoo-ee!” Frances said. “I sure wish I’d been a fly on the wall when that conversation took place.”
Flo gave her a warning look. “You’re supposed to be on my side.”
“I am,” Liz assured her. “Which is what makes this such fun. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you so flustered. Makes me wonder why that is. I’m thinking it’s because you’re running out of arguments against marriage.”
“Not a chance,” Flo insisted. “I still have the best one of all.”
“What’s that?” Frances asked.
“I don’t want to,” Flo said emphatically. “Try arguing with that.”
“You know who you sound like,” Frances teased. “That sweet little granddaughter of yours when she’s throwing a tantrum.”
Flo stared at her. “Because I have a firm conviction?”
“Because you’re being stubborn,” Frances countered.
Flo looked to Liz. “Do you agree?”
Liz hesitated for barely a second, then grinned. “Sounds that way to me,” she said. “Reminds me of the expression that you’re cutting off your nose to spite your face. You’re crazy about Donnie. He’s obviously nuts about you. Seems to me you’re saying no just because Helen’s in favor of the idea.”
“I was against it before she ever got involved,” Flo insisted. “You can ask Donnie, if you don’t believe me.”
“If you say so,” Liz said.
“I do,” Flo said irritably, suddenly wondering if maybe she wouldn’t have that margarita after all.
14
“You working at Raylene’s tomorrow?” Mitch asked Lynn after dinner. He’d come to look forward to these evenings on her deck with a glass of lemonade or sweet tea and pleasant conversation. Tonight the lemonade was just a little tart and ice-cold.
She grinned at him. “Do you really need to ask? I thought you’d memorized my schedule by now.”
He winced. “I pay attention, that’s all,” he said guiltily, then tried to regroup by adding, “Which means I know that sometimes the schedule changes if Raylene or Adelia need to be somewhere.”
Though she was still smiling, she asked, “Is there some particular reason you wanted to know about tomorrow?”
“Just making conversation,” he fibbed. “I had no idea it would turn into such a big deal.”
Now she looked guilty. “Sorry. I’m just teasing you. It’s been a while since anyone really cared about my plans for the day. Ed was always oblivious unless I forgot to pick up his dry cleaning. Yes, I’m working in the morning. I should be home around two-thirty.”
Satisfied, he nodded. “Good to know.”
Lynn studied him. “Look, I know it’s not my imagination that you’re acting kinda funny. If something’s going on, you need to tell me what it is,” she commanded in a tone that probably terrified the truth out of her kids.
Mitch gave her the most innocent look he could muster. “I swear I was just making conversation.”
Her expression remained skeptical. “So that’s your story and you’re sticking to it?”
“Yes, ma’am,” he said, hoping there wasn’t a telltale twinkle in his eye.
She shook her head. “You’re no better at fibbing than my children.”
Actually, Mitch considered that a compliment since he was a big proponent of telling the truth, but under the circumstances it wasn’t a line of conversation he wanted to pursue. Instead, he said casually, “Nice night, isn’t it? You can feel summer in the air.”
“You mean the heat and humidity?” Lynn said wryly. “They’re right on schedule.”
She took a long, slow drink of her lemonade, sighing with such pleasure that Mitch regretted he couldn’t haul her off to bed and coax that same sound from deep in her throat.
“I wish it were possible to air-condition a deck,” she said.
Mitch seized on the comment like a lifeline, anxious to get his mind out of dangerous territory. If there was one thing he knew and could discuss endlessly, it was construction possibilities. “You can, but you’d have to enclose it,” he told her.
“And that would pretty much defeat the purpose of having an outdoor space, wouldn’t it?” Lynn said, clearly unconvinced.
“Pretty much,” he agreed, glancing around. “Of course, you could add a roof, turn this into a screened-in porch, then make glass panels to insert during the really hot months and put in one of those portable air-conditioning units.” He grinned at her. “Ask any contractor. There’s a solution to just about everything for the right price.”
Lynn gave him an amused look. “I think maybe it would be simpler and certainly less expensive to adapt to the heat.”
He laughed. “That’s another alternative,” he agreed. “Or I could get a big palm frond and fan you like some Roman slave.”
To his surprise, she looked instantly intrigued by that notion.
“You’d do that?”
“If it would make you happy,” he said solemnly. “I’ve told you before, I like seeing you smile.” In fact, lately that had become his mission in life. He wondered if he wasn’t becoming a little obsessive about it.
She smiled at him, “You keep talking like that, Mitch Franklin, you’ll turn my head.”
“I’m hoping,” he responded.
She looked away nervously, a sure sign that she wasn’t yet where he was with this relationship of theirs. Increasingly, though, he felt confident that she was at least heading in the same direction.
“When are the boys due home from college?” she asked, determinedly changing the subject to a more neutral one.
“A couple of weeks,” he said, letting her get away with it. “They have finals the first couple of weeks in May, I think, and that’s it.”
“Do they have plans for the summer?”
“Luke’s going to work for me. He’s not crazy about the work, but he likes the paycheck and he tolerates my bossing him around. Nate hasn’t said yet, but I think he may stay near school after graduation to be close to his fiancée. He mentioned that Jo’s taking one more class over the summer to wrap up her master’s. He has a part-time job in a restaurant and they’ll put him on full-time, if he wants it.”
“But you’d rather have him home,” she guessed.
“Can’t deny it,” Mitch admitted. “If his fiancée does go out West and he goes with her, this could be the last summer he’d be around. Maybe the last time ever.”
He shrugged, feigning an indifference he was far from feeling. He knew it was time for his sons to grow up and leave the nest for their own lives, but he didn’t have to like it. “But it’s not about what I want,” he added, a realization that grated on him just the same.
She gave him a sympathetic look. “Letting go must be incredibly hard.”
“It’s a killer,” he agreed. “Just sending him off to college tore Amy up. I was so busy consoling her, I didn’t notice how empty the house felt, even with Luke still at home then. Now, with all of them gone, I rattle around at loose ends. I’m always glad for a little company and commotion.”
“Can I ask you something?” she said, regarding him intently. “Are you hanging out here just because you’re lonely?”
Mitch nearly choked on his sip of lemonade. “Why on earth would you ask a thing like that? Haven’t I made it plain enough how I feel about you?
”
“Sure. I mean I know we’re friends. And I know you thought you were imposing on Raylene and Carter by hanging out there for dinner. I thought maybe this turned into a comfortable alternative. There’s nothing wrong with it, if that’s what’s going on,” she said hurriedly. “I’m glad for the company, too. Even though I have Jeremy and Lexie at home, it’s nice to have an adult to talk to at the end of the day like this.”
Mitch didn’t know whether to laugh or cry at her interpretation of what was happening. He could think of only one way to set her straight. After a moment’s hesitation, he stood up and moved in front of her.
“Come here,” he said quietly, leaning against the railing to give her space so she could make up her mind about whether to comply with his request.
She blinked at the intensity in his voice. “Why?”
He smiled at her sudden nervousness. “Just do it, Lynnie. Stand up.”
Slowly, she got to her feet, her eyes locked with his.
“A little closer,” he said, wanting her to take this next step fully conscious of what was about to happen.
“Another step,” he coaxed.
When she was within an arm’s reach, he touched her cheek, felt her tremble. He rubbed the pad of his thumb over her bottom lip, never once looking away. She swallowed hard, but she didn’t move. In fact, she swayed toward him ever so slightly.
It had been a long time since Mitch had kissed any woman other than his wife, longer still since he’d wanted to. Now he thought maybe he might die if he didn’t get to taste Lynnie’s lips.
“I’ve wanted to do this since we were thirteen years old,” he said, his voice ragged as he took the next step, then bent to place his mouth over hers.
Her lips were soft as silk and bore the faintest hint of tart citrus and sweet sugar from the lemonade. All his senses, denied this sort of closeness for way too long, sparked to life as he kissed her, first gently, then more hungrily.
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