Blackout After Dark (Gansett Island #21) - Marie Force Page 0,89
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“For the next year, it seems I do.”
“That’s awesome. Can we go, Grammy?”
“We’d love to do that,” Linda said to Dara.
“Great, it’s a plan, then.” It was nice to have something to look forward to, Dara thought, thankful to her new friend for taking her in and giving her hope.
So far, Gansett was proving to be good for her shattered soul.
Chapter 33
On Monday evening, the entire clan gathered at Evan and Grace’s new home for a combined bachelor and bachelorette party for Mallory and Quinn. After another day without power, everyone was starting to get cranky, but they put their best foot forward for the bride and groom.
Mallory appreciated that her family went all out for her, despite the blackout, and she was eager to see Evan and Grace’s new home.
“Holy shit,” Quinn said when they pulled up to the huge house with the three-car garage, gorgeous landscaping and a to-die-for view of the ocean. “I need to get busy writing and recording music.”
Mallory laughed. Things had been so hectic at the senior center as they grappled with the blackout that he hadn’t seen his younger brother Cooper, who’d arrived a couple of days ago. “Aren’t you busy enough, Dr. James?”
“I’m plenty busy, but I’m doing something wrong if this is the house your brother bought with music money.”
“You’re doing everything right, and we can buy ourselves a nice house when we’re ready.”
“We can’t afford this.”
“We don’t need this.”
He looked her way. “I do have the money Jared gave me when he first struck it rich. I’ve never touched it because it felt kinda weird to take money from my little brother, but he wanted to share his largess with us. So we have that if we want something really fabulous.”
“I don’t need really fabulous. I’ve been perfectly happy in my sister’s little cottage. As long as you’re there, I’m set.”
“That makes you rather easy to please.”
“You know it.”
“I do know it, and I appreciate it more than you can imagine.”
“Same. I love our stress-free, easy life together. You and me and Brutus make for a perfect little family.”
From the backseat, Brutus grunted in agreement.
They’d brought him because it was too hot to leave him home alone. The poor guy had been suffering in the heat.
“Let’s go to our party!” Mallory said as she got out of the car and led the way up the elaborate stone walkway to the front door.
Evan and Grace were there to greet them with hugs and kisses and excitement for their wedding.
“To hell with the wedding,” Mallory said. “Show us this house!”
“To hell with the wedding, she says the day before,” Quinn muttered.
“Oh hush, you know I’m kidding. Sorta.”
Grace laughed, hooked her arm through Mallory’s and said, “Let me give you the grand tour.”
“Can you believe you live here?” Mallory asked.
“It’s going to take a year for me to believe I live here.”
After the women had walked away, Quinn sized up Evan. “Way to lay down the gauntlet with the best wife surprise in the history of wife surprises.”
“I did a rather good job, didn’t I?”
“Don’t make it worse by being smug.”
Evan laughed and gestured for Quinn to lead the way to the deck, where every form of beverage was chilling in coolers.
“Soda, water and seltzer are in that one,” Evan said.
“Thanks.”
Quinn chose a lemon seltzer and cracked it open. “I’ve had enough of this freaking heat wave.”
“I hear you. It’s like someone set the thermometer to roast.”
“For days.”
“How’re you guys holding up at the center?” Evan asked.
“Hanging in there, thanks to two generators, but they’re just enough for lights, low-level AC and the refrigerators. The residents are grumpy about being without TV and internet service. And I feel for them. It’s their lifeline to the world.”
“That sucks.”
“It really does. Thankfully, our part-time activities director, Jordan Stokes, has been coming up with all sorts of fun things for them to do, but I’m and I’m hearing it could be another couple of days.”
“For what?” Grant asked when he joined them on the deck.
“Power,” Evan said, filling in his brother.
“No way. We’re about to sweat to death in our house. No sign of even the slightest breeze there.”
“Stay here,” Evan said. “The breeze off the ocean is pretty good, and this place has a generator.”
“I may take you up on that,” Grant said. “The heat is making Steph sick.”
“My house is your house,” Evan said.
“This place is crazy, and I’m actually pissed with you.”