down. Oh, and it helps to keep moving,” she added with a chuckle. “So you can stay one step ahead of the humiliation demons.” Julia pulled her sister into a hug. “And you begin as you intend to go on, and that includes calling people by their first names.”
“Even . . . even Mrs. Richie?” Trisha whispered. She leaned away, her eyes now dancing with amusement. “I really don’t want to be responsible for sending an eighty-four-year-old woman into anaphylactic shock by calling her Christina.”
“Have you ever heard
me
call her Christina?” Julia said on a laugh, giving her one last fierce hug before stepping away. “But everyone else by their first names, including Ezra at the Trading Post, okay?”
“Um . . . Mr. Oceanus?” Trisha said, already shaking her head. “Duncan I can probably do, but not Olivia’s husband. He’s just . . . he’s too . . .”
“Big and scary?” Julia finished for her. “Yes,” she said with a curt nod before heading down the hallway. “You put on your big girl panties and call him Mac.”
Trisha followed with a heavy sigh. “Why is growing up so scary? I’m freaked out just thinking about riding a stupid bus to New York City with
friends
.”
“You think calling people by their first names and visiting a big city are scary?” Julia asked, stepping into the bathroom and turning to arch a brow at her. “You just wait until the boys at UMO get a look at you next September and you find yourself having to beat them off with a stick.”
“I’m not letting any stupid boys distract me from my studies. And I’ve decided I’m not trying out for band, either.”
Julia stepped back into the hall, making Trisha step back in surprise. “Being distracted by college boys is part of your education,” she growled. “And so are extracurricular activities. You’ve been living like a nun all through high school,” she said softly, touching Trisha’s curls. “Please don’t hide in your books at college, too.”
Trisha gave a sad smile, even as she lifted her chin. “I’ve only been following your example. When was the last time
you
went on a date?” She in turn tugged on a lock of Julia’s wild mess of hair. “I’ll start dating when you do.”
“I don’t have a campus full of men to choose from.” Julia waved toward the living room. “And unless we suddenly have an explosion of frogs and I start running around kissing them, there’s not much chance of finding Prince Charming in Spellbound Falls.”
“Then move to Orono with me.”
Julia sighed and stepped back into the bathroom. “We’ve had this discussion before, and my answer is still no.” She leaned against the half-closed door. “I’m still holding out hope for Reggie, and Jerilynn’s pregnancy seems to be having a positive effect on Tom, especially the closer she gets to her due date. And besides—”
“And besides,”
Trisha said, cutting her off as the girl headed for her bedroom—that had its own bath, because Julia had figured a teenager needed more mirror time than a thirty-year-old who’d given up trying to impress men.
“I need to experience being independent,”
she mimicked. The girl then poked her head into the hall and grinned back at her. “My deal stands; I’ll start dating when you do,” she finished, just before wisely disappearing into her room and closing the door.
“Okay, fine,” Julia growled. “I’ll start dating when it starts raining frogs.”
* * *
Soaking up the weak but still surprisingly warm November sun, Julia sauntered home from the housekeeping facilities behind the second hotel segment, having indeed fallen back into her routine of cleaning cottages, hunting for a new source of pinecones, and trying not to worry about Trisha. Oh, and battling some persistent felines that weren’t about to let two silly little lock pins keep them out of their old home.
Big Cat must have simply
leaned
on the door, because when Julia had gotten
“Even . . . even Mrs. Richie?” Trisha whispered. She leaned away, her eyes now dancing with amusement. “I really don’t want to be responsible for sending an eighty-four-year-old woman into anaphylactic shock by calling her Christina.”
“Have you ever heard
me
call her Christina?” Julia said on a laugh, giving her one last fierce hug before stepping away. “But everyone else by their first names, including Ezra at the Trading Post, okay?”
“Um . . . Mr. Oceanus?” Trisha said, already shaking her head. “Duncan I can probably do, but not Olivia’s husband. He’s just . . . he’s too . . .”
“Big and scary?” Julia finished for her. “Yes,” she said with a curt nod before heading down the hallway. “You put on your big girl panties and call him Mac.”
Trisha followed with a heavy sigh. “Why is growing up so scary? I’m freaked out just thinking about riding a stupid bus to New York City with
friends
.”
“You think calling people by their first names and visiting a big city are scary?” Julia asked, stepping into the bathroom and turning to arch a brow at her. “You just wait until the boys at UMO get a look at you next September and you find yourself having to beat them off with a stick.”
“I’m not letting any stupid boys distract me from my studies. And I’ve decided I’m not trying out for band, either.”
Julia stepped back into the hall, making Trisha step back in surprise. “Being distracted by college boys is part of your education,” she growled. “And so are extracurricular activities. You’ve been living like a nun all through high school,” she said softly, touching Trisha’s curls. “Please don’t hide in your books at college, too.”
Trisha gave a sad smile, even as she lifted her chin. “I’ve only been following your example. When was the last time
you
went on a date?” She in turn tugged on a lock of Julia’s wild mess of hair. “I’ll start dating when you do.”
“I don’t have a campus full of men to choose from.” Julia waved toward the living room. “And unless we suddenly have an explosion of frogs and I start running around kissing them, there’s not much chance of finding Prince Charming in Spellbound Falls.”
“Then move to Orono with me.”
Julia sighed and stepped back into the bathroom. “We’ve had this discussion before, and my answer is still no.” She leaned against the half-closed door. “I’m still holding out hope for Reggie, and Jerilynn’s pregnancy seems to be having a positive effect on Tom, especially the closer she gets to her due date. And besides—”
“And besides,”
Trisha said, cutting her off as the girl headed for her bedroom—that had its own bath, because Julia had figured a teenager needed more mirror time than a thirty-year-old who’d given up trying to impress men.
“I need to experience being independent,”
she mimicked. The girl then poked her head into the hall and grinned back at her. “My deal stands; I’ll start dating when you do,” she finished, just before wisely disappearing into her room and closing the door.
“Okay, fine,” Julia growled. “I’ll start dating when it starts raining frogs.”
* * *
Soaking up the weak but still surprisingly warm November sun, Julia sauntered home from the housekeeping facilities behind the second hotel segment, having indeed fallen back into her routine of cleaning cottages, hunting for a new source of pinecones, and trying not to worry about Trisha. Oh, and battling some persistent felines that weren’t about to let two silly little lock pins keep them out of their old home.
Big Cat must have simply
leaned
on the door, because when Julia had gotten
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