his face. He was the exceptionally cute boy she’d seen playing basketball the other day.
She heard the girls yell, “Hi, Logan,” and figured that must be his name. She watched the girls in their fancy bathing suits gather around him, giggling, and the slender blonde put her head on his shoulder. Taken, was the clear message. Shelby sighed. He was probably some popular jock type anyway.
She yanked her t-shirt back on in case they passed back her way. She really wanted to go for a swim, but not with them watching. In fact, she just wanted to pack up and go home and never come back. Did a bathing suit really make that much difference? Was she going to let this stop her from going in the water? Anger tried to override her fear, but it wasn’t winning. She was used to hiding, being alone. What made her think this summer was going to be anything different? Besides, she’d rather spend her time with dogs any day than with entitled people like those.
Giving in, she folded up her chair, shook out her towel, and headed back to the house. Happily, her grandmother was outside on the porch reclining in one of the white wicker chairs. Scarlett was in her lap and perked up when she spotted Shelby.
“Back so soon?” Alice called out.
Shelby stiffened. “I guess I’m just not used to the sun yet.” She brushed past her grandmother and headed into her room. Towel and chair landed on the floor. She ripped off her bathing suit and tossed it in the trash, slipped on a nightshirt, then flung herself into bed. What made her think she could fit in here any better than the last place she’d lived?
Alice stuck her head in the door. “Everything okay?” Scarlett scampered into the room and leapt up on to Shelby’s bed.
Shelby looked up at her sweet grandmother and remembered how Alice had always been the one to care the most about her. Almost like a second—or, in this case, first—mother. “I’m fine. Just tired,” she said.
Shelby noticed Alice eye the trash can where her discarded bathing suit was draped across the edge. “I’m here if you want to talk,” she said.
“Thanks,” Shelby said.
Her grandmother hesitated at the door. “Oh, and by the way, Mindy is interested in your dog walking services. She said she’d confirm tomorrow.”
“Thanks for contacting her,” Shelby said, pushing herself up in bed.
Alice stood silent for a moment, as if waiting for Shelby to say something. When that didn’t happen, she gently shut the bedroom door behind her as she left.
Alone in the room, Scarlett and Shelby curled up together. Maybe she was just tired. Tomorrow she would focus on starting her new summer business. She could buy any bathing suit she wanted once her business got started. Shelby kissed Scarlett’s glossy curls on the top of her head. Snuggled together, they drifted off to sleep.
Chapter 6
It was early morning. From his living room window, Theo saw the mist hovering above the lake as sunrays danced across the surface of the water. He knew Wally needed to go out, so he’d better dress and get going. Perhaps they'd walk along the lake today, let Wally run in the sand the way he used to do when he was a puppy. Meeting that girl Shelby and little Scarlett had gotten Theo thinking. Perhaps he could help her out a little with her business idea. She seemed a bit lost and alone and he could relate. Maybe he could… Theo stopped himself. There were other people, young people, and soon she would be gone anyway at the end of summer. Maybe he shouldn’t get involved.
This gut-wrenching loneliness was the worst thing he'd ever been through. He'd never truly understood grief before. How could you understand pain like this unless you'd felt it yourself? And after summer, how could he go through another dark, cold winter without Jean?
Wally seemed eager to go out. At least try, he told himself. He could almost hear Jean say, “Put on a smile.”
After finishing his morning coffee, Theo grabbed a light jacket and headed down the path to the lake with Wally. A few hawks hunting for breakfast screeched as they flew across the lake, then off to some unknown destination. Once on the sand, Theo noticed there was no one nearby, so he set the dog free. He knew his beagle was well behaved, would kiss rather than bite, and if anyone complained, he'd put the