Bad Boy Blues - Jessica Lemmon Page 0,7
this town in their own way.
They’d grown up, though. Now they were content to serve it.
Elliott’s first week in Evergreen Cove had been uneventful. She hadn’t left the house, having brought enough groceries for her meals for the week.
She did run out of beer, though, which was tragic. She was going to remedy that tonight, which meant taking the car out, and “driving slowly” as per her knight in shining armor’s instruction. She realized she didn’t know his last name, and then she reminded herself she didn’t need his last name. She only needed her tire, which was an errand she intended on taking care of today, before this Anthony Renaldo guy was stuck with her patched tire and not being paid for his work.
Outside, she waded into the water up to her knees and waved—again—as a boat passed by. Her arm was tired from waving. Evergreen Cove had possibly the friendliest boaters she’d ever seen, and after spending quite a bit of time alone, it was almost jarring.
She heard a door open behind her and turned her head. A woman with sun-kissed brown hair stepped onto the porch of the house next door and put both hands on the railing, taking in the sunshine.
Elli had spotted the other woman throughout the week. She appeared to be around Elli’s age, or a few years older, and had a cool, breezy vibe about her. Elliott wanted to introduce herself but had chickened out. She swallowed thickly. Guess today was the day. Turning, she strode up the sand.
The other woman smiled pleasantly as she came down her porch steps, her hands in the pockets of her shredded shorts, her thick bangs blowing over her forehead.
“Hi. I’m Elliott. I’m staying next door.”
“Lourdes Daniels.” She offered a hand, which Elliott shook. “Everyone calls me Lou. I didn’t know the McKinleys were renting this place out until I saw you milling around.” Lou glanced up at the house, one blue eye squinting against the bright afternoon sunshine.
“They’re not. I’m their daughter.”
“Really. Your mom skews young. I thought she was like, ten years older than me, and that you were sixteen.”
“Thirty, actually.”
“Me, too. Heard you live in Michigan. Your mom’s the friendly, talkative type, and you’ll find most Evergreeners are.”
“Used to live in Michigan. I guess I’m an Ohioan. An Evergreener. Temporarily anyway,” Elliott said, uncomfortable. Talking about herself was like an atrophied muscle since she’d done it so infrequently over recent years. “I was uh, wondering if you knew where a girl could get a drink around here?”
Ugh. That was even worse.
“Are you asking me out?” Lou grinned.
“No! Not that I wouldn’t. I mean, you seem nice.”
“Relax, I’m teasing you. If you’d like a girls’ night while you’re in the Cove, I’m up for it. What’s your poison? Beer? Wine? Cocktail?”
Lou was easy to like, her confidence contagious. Elli could stand to catch a little of that for herself.
“I’m more a beer girl than anything. I’m out of stock, though, so I thought I’d head to town later. If you’d like to come…” She was about to take her offer back for fear of being turned down—making new friends as an adult was harder than she’d thought—when Lou clapped her hands with excitement.
“Love to.” Lou waved as another boat trolled by. “I was craving Salty Dog today. Best nachos on the planet. Have you been?”
“No. New place?”
“Ten years ago it was.” Lou’s smile was kind. “Don’t visit much?”
Elliott shook her head.
“Well, then you must visit Salty Dog. My treat to welcome you to the neighborhood. It’s the best place in town when you want fried food and great conversation. It lacks pretension, which is becoming a harder and harder thing to find around here. Assuming you’re not one of them?”
“Pretentious?” Elli asked with a small laugh. “Far from it.”
“That’s a big, fancy house you live in.” Lou hoisted an eyebrow.
“You’re one to talk.” Elli shot her chin out at Lou’s behemoth.
“Divorce isn’t always a bad thing.”
“I thought I’d head out around six tonight. I have to pick up a tire for my Beemer from a guy named Anthony Renaldo.”
Lou narrowed her eyelids in what might be recognition.
“Do you know him?” Elli ventured.
“Yeah. I know him.” Lou gave nothing away in her tone, but Elli could feel there was a story there. “I can show you how to find his place.”
“Sounds good,” Elli said. “Thanks.”
Maybe this making-friends thing wasn’t so hard after all.
Chapter 5
Anthony Renaldo’s “shop” was actually a huge garage-slash-warehouse next to a beautiful log-cabin-style