Sand Castle Bay (Ocean Breeze) - By Sherryl Woods Page 0,93

introduction. Jodie stared straight ahead.

Boone glanced at Emily. “You okay?”

“Sure, but that deep freeze at Castle’s is sounding better and better. It has to be warmer than here.”

“It’s going to get better,” Boone said with a confidence he was far from feeling. “Whatever her feelings about you and me, Jodie won’t spoil this for B.J. I’m counting on that.”

“I’ll do my part,” she promised.

The lights went down then and the play began. Despite the scary, taped music, there were more laughs than terror generated by the performances. B.J. played the best ghost ever, in Boone’s opinion. Pictures were snapped every few seconds with cell phones around the auditorium. Even Jodie got into the spirit of things and took a few when B.J. was onstage.

The audience applauded loudly at the end, giving the kids a standing ovation, despite the chuckles none of them could hide.

“I don’t suppose it was meant to be a comedy,” Frank said, unable to hide the mirth in his eyes.

“Frank, stop that,” Jodie chided. “They’re just children. I thought they were wonderful. I can’t wait to post some of these adorable pictures online so our friends in Florida can see them.”

“I agree with you about them being wonderful,” Emily said. “And B.J. looked fantastic. Mrs. Farmer, I understand you made his costume.”

Jodie looked nonplussed at being addressed directly, but she managed to utter a tight, “I did. Thank you.”

“Well, let’s get our budding star and head over to the restaurant,” Boone said, being determinedly jovial. “I’ve reserved one of the private rooms for our party.”

Jodie immediately shook her head, but Frank said, “We’re not going to miss this, Jodie. We can’t disappoint B.J. And you know you’re going to want our pictures taken with him wearing his costume.”

She looked as if she might argue, then backed down. “No, you’re right.”

Frank gave her an approving look. “We’ll meet you there,” he told Boone.

Emily gave Boone’s hand a squeeze. “I’ll ride over with Grandmother.”

Boone was tempted to tell her to come with him, but it made sense for her to accompany Cora Jane. “See you there, then.”

So far, the evening had gone according to plan. There had been no bloodshed. The combatants had been civil. It gave him hope that the party would go off just as well, especially if everybody there focused on B.J. and making it the perfect night for him.

And there, he thought dryly, was some of that optimism Emily seemed to think was going to be his downfall.

19

B.J. was wired up on too much excitement, probably combined with too much soda, Emily concluded as he tore around the private dining room at Boone’s Harbor with a couple of his cast mates who’d been invited to join the party. She had a hunch the outsiders were part of Boone’s plan to keep Jodie in line. His mother-in-law would never misbehave and air personal family feuds around strangers.

“At least she’s being civil,” Cora Jane acknowledged from her seat beside Emily. “I was ready to pop her one if she tried to take you on.”

Emily smiled at her grandmother’s feisty comment. “I really don’t think popping her one would help my case,” she said. “Civility is the goal for now.”

“Maybe I should spend a little time chatting with Frank,” Cora Jane suggested. “He’s a reasonable man.”

Emily shook her head. “Stay out of it, Grandmother. Boone needs to handle this. One wrong word and things could go terribly wrong. Who knows what might trigger an overreaction from Jodie? The last thing we want is to put B.J. through some ugly custody battle.”

Cora Jane sighed and sat back. “You’re right, of course.”

Just then B.J. came bouncing up to them. “Ms. Cora Jane, did you like the play?”

“I thought the play was excellent,” she told him. “And you didn’t miss a single line. I was very proud of you.”

B.J. grinned broadly. “Did you like it, Emily?” he asked, leaning into her side.

Instinctively, Emily put her arm around him to give him a squeeze. “You bet I did. I’m so glad I was able to come back to see it.”

“And, guess what?” B.J. said excitedly. “I’m going to be in the Christmas pageant, too.” He looked at her worriedly. “You won’t miss that, will you?”

“Absolutely not,” Emily assured him, though even as the words came out of her mouth, she wondered if she shouldn’t have been more cautious. She had a lot of small jobs lined up with regular clients to help them ready their homes for the holidays. That work often