Sand Castle Bay (Ocean Breeze) - By Sherryl Woods Page 0,73
said. “You have no idea how much.”
“Oh, I have some idea,” she said with feeling.
Being back in his bed even once had left her wanting more. A whole lifetime, in fact.
But today had complicated the likelihood of smooth sailing for the two of them. While her work had always been satisfying and challenging, today, for the very first time, she’d felt she was doing something important. She liked the way that felt. It added an element of fulfillment she’d never anticipated.
But to do work like this shelter, she would have to accept even more paying jobs, which would lead to being busier than ever. How would the addition of a relationship work, especially with Boone on the opposite coast?
She sighed and pushed that worry out of her head. It wasn’t a problem she could solve, not tonight and not alone, but there were plenty of other things she could tackle. Better to concentrate on those, at least for now.
15
“What’s with her?” Emily asked, gesturing in the direction Gabi had taken. She’d fled the room right after Emily walked into her grandmother’s house on her return from California and Colorado.
“She says she has the flu,” Samantha said. “I have to tell you, though, I’m a little worried about her. It’s not like her to miss more work, not when she was so anxious to get back over there. I think she’s more stressed out about that job than she’s been letting on.”
Emily stared at her sister in surprise. “She never went back to Raleigh? I thought she was heading home the same day I left.”
“That was the plan, but then she came down with this bug and hasn’t been able to shake it.”
“Has she seen a doctor?”
Samantha shook her head, her frustration plain. “Grandmother wanted her to stop by Ethan’s clinic, but she refused. She insisted she’d be fine and would be heading home by the end of last week. When she blew off that deadline, too, I was tempted to drag her to the clinic myself.”
Emily grinned. “Not that you’re looking for an excuse to get a glimpse of Ethan, I’m sure.”
“Bite me,” Samantha replied, probably unaware that the color in her cheeks betrayed her interest in the old high school football hero.
“Still can’t take the teasing, huh? Then you should stop wearing that old football jersey of his around the house.”
“It’s comfortable,” Samantha insisted. “So, how was your trip? You were gone longer than I’d expected.”
“I was gone longer than I’d expected,” Emily said. “But the work is so exciting, Samantha. It’s going to take a miracle to pull this off by Thanksgiving, but I really want to do it. I think everyone working on the project understands how important it is to have this place ready by then. What a blessing it will be for some of these women and their kids to be in a safe environment for the holiday.”
Samantha smiled. “I love seeing you excited about something so worthwhile, rather than indulging the whims of all these wealthy clients of yours.”
Emily took offense at the comment. “Those wealthy clients make it possible for me to take on a project like this.”
“I suppose,” Samantha conceded, letting the subject drop and moving on to what she obviously considered to be safer territory. “How soon can we expect to see Boone? I imagine he’s anxious to get over here now that you’re back.”
Emily frowned. “Not till tomorrow, I’m afraid. B.J. had asked a friend to spend the night before Boone knew when I’d be getting back into town.”
“I could go over and give him a break,” Samantha offered. “Or you could go over yourself and help chaperone.”
Emily shook her head. “We agreed it’s best that we not spend too much time together around B.J. And if Boone took off, even for an hour, B.J. would know something’s up.”
“So all this caution around B.J. is just in case things don’t work out,” Samantha guessed. “I suppose that makes sense, but how do you feel about it?”
“Not great, to be honest,” Emily admitted. “Still, the last thing I want is for B.J. to get hurt. So, Boone will shoo B.J.’s friend out as early as humanly possible, then come by here for a quick visit before he takes B.J. out to shop for school.”
Samantha’s gaze narrowed. “You’re not going with them?”
“Nope.” She tried to keep her expression neutral, but she was sure it was plain how much that grated, too.