me.
I would have to sell this house. Well, part of keeping the house perfect was having its contents pared down to the minimum. This house was ready to show, as it was. With all the improvements I’d made, I had no doubt it would find a buyer sooner or later.
I’d have to pay someone to move all the furniture and boxes to the new house. So, the biggest exertion would be unpacking in the new house.
When I’d first met Angel and Shelby, they’d been hired by Martin to help bring this house to renovated life. They’d helped make the move into the house as smooth and painless as such a major upheaval could be. Now, Angel was offering to help me move out of the house.
Somehow, tying the two events together made me cry. In the past year, I’d become used to sudden outbreaks of tears, but it startled Angel. I had to wave a reassuring hand at her, to let her know I was going to be all right. She eyed me doubtfully, but she relaxed when she realized she didn’t have to figure out how to comfort me.
She indicated the phone and raised her eyebrows, and I nodded. Shelby now had his own office at Pan-Am Agra, and she was busy relating the events of the morning to him as I strolled out of the room and across the hall into the den to get a Kleenex. I kicked off my sandals, put my ice-tinkling glass on the small table by my current book. I folded my legs under me as I settled in the large leather armchair that had been Martin’s favorite. I hadn’t slept well the night before, and the day so far had been exhausting. When the air-conditioning came on again, with its relaxing drone, it seemed only natural to lay my head against the wing of the chair and close my eyes.
Chapter Seven
There was a hand holding mine. It felt comfortable; long, thin, fingers twined through my short ones. I opened my eyes to see Robin in front of me, sitting on the ottoman that matched the chair.
“Was I snoring?” I asked.
“No, actually. Just sitting there like you were resting your eyes for a minute.”
I pushed my glasses up with one finger. “Where’s An-gel?”
“She’s out spraying a wasp nest. What an energetic woman. If I were left alone in this house, I’d head for the bookshelves.” The shelves I’d had put in all up and down the hall were my favorite feature, too.
“Angel’s not much one for reading,” I said. “You’re welcome to go to the shelves if you want. How come you’re here? I’m glad you are,” I added hastily, not wanting to be rude, “but I’m kind of surprised Arthur let you come.”
“Luckily for me, I had an alibi for this morning.”
“Oh?”
“First, I ate breakfast in the hotel restaurant at the same time as at least ten other people. It’s quite the local watering hole, huh? Then, I was on the phone with my agent for thirty minutes.
We were talking about this film, and the contract for my next two books. Then, after I got to the set, Joel grabbed me to discuss some dialogue changes. So I think I’m pretty well covered.”
“That’s lucky for you. So Arthur said you could come out here?”
“No, I just came out here on my own.” There was a pause, not an uncomfortable one.
“Angel was telling me I should move,” I said.
“How do you feel about that?”
“I was thinking I was staying here because I had been happy here.” I was still a little simple from my nap.
“And now you think?”
“I think Angel is maybe right.” I wiggled straight in the chair, untwisted my legs. I was too old to fall asleep in such a position without paying a penalty. “I loved this house the moment I saw it, and I’ve loved living in it. And I’ve spent a mint on it. But now it just feels . . . empty.”
I made a face. “Like I’m not even here any more.”
“Would you live somewhere else?”
“You mean, leave Lawrenceton?” I’d wondered what would happen if Martin got transferred, so this wasn’t a new idea. “Not likely. Not if I don’t have to.”
“So you’d look for
I would have to sell this house. Well, part of keeping the house perfect was having its contents pared down to the minimum. This house was ready to show, as it was. With all the improvements I’d made, I had no doubt it would find a buyer sooner or later.
I’d have to pay someone to move all the furniture and boxes to the new house. So, the biggest exertion would be unpacking in the new house.
When I’d first met Angel and Shelby, they’d been hired by Martin to help bring this house to renovated life. They’d helped make the move into the house as smooth and painless as such a major upheaval could be. Now, Angel was offering to help me move out of the house.
Somehow, tying the two events together made me cry. In the past year, I’d become used to sudden outbreaks of tears, but it startled Angel. I had to wave a reassuring hand at her, to let her know I was going to be all right. She eyed me doubtfully, but she relaxed when she realized she didn’t have to figure out how to comfort me.
She indicated the phone and raised her eyebrows, and I nodded. Shelby now had his own office at Pan-Am Agra, and she was busy relating the events of the morning to him as I strolled out of the room and across the hall into the den to get a Kleenex. I kicked off my sandals, put my ice-tinkling glass on the small table by my current book. I folded my legs under me as I settled in the large leather armchair that had been Martin’s favorite. I hadn’t slept well the night before, and the day so far had been exhausting. When the air-conditioning came on again, with its relaxing drone, it seemed only natural to lay my head against the wing of the chair and close my eyes.
Chapter Seven
There was a hand holding mine. It felt comfortable; long, thin, fingers twined through my short ones. I opened my eyes to see Robin in front of me, sitting on the ottoman that matched the chair.
“Was I snoring?” I asked.
“No, actually. Just sitting there like you were resting your eyes for a minute.”
I pushed my glasses up with one finger. “Where’s An-gel?”
“She’s out spraying a wasp nest. What an energetic woman. If I were left alone in this house, I’d head for the bookshelves.” The shelves I’d had put in all up and down the hall were my favorite feature, too.
“Angel’s not much one for reading,” I said. “You’re welcome to go to the shelves if you want. How come you’re here? I’m glad you are,” I added hastily, not wanting to be rude, “but I’m kind of surprised Arthur let you come.”
“Luckily for me, I had an alibi for this morning.”
“Oh?”
“First, I ate breakfast in the hotel restaurant at the same time as at least ten other people. It’s quite the local watering hole, huh? Then, I was on the phone with my agent for thirty minutes.
We were talking about this film, and the contract for my next two books. Then, after I got to the set, Joel grabbed me to discuss some dialogue changes. So I think I’m pretty well covered.”
“That’s lucky for you. So Arthur said you could come out here?”
“No, I just came out here on my own.” There was a pause, not an uncomfortable one.
“Angel was telling me I should move,” I said.
“How do you feel about that?”
“I was thinking I was staying here because I had been happy here.” I was still a little simple from my nap.
“And now you think?”
“I think Angel is maybe right.” I wiggled straight in the chair, untwisted my legs. I was too old to fall asleep in such a position without paying a penalty. “I loved this house the moment I saw it, and I’ve loved living in it. And I’ve spent a mint on it. But now it just feels . . . empty.”
I made a face. “Like I’m not even here any more.”
“Would you live somewhere else?”
“You mean, leave Lawrenceton?” I’d wondered what would happen if Martin got transferred, so this wasn’t a new idea. “Not likely. Not if I don’t have to.”
“So you’d look for
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