Sunset on Moonlight Beach - Sheila Roberts Page 0,115
rejoined them mentally. “What?” She looked at Mel, confused, and Mel held up her left hand.
Her daughter may not have been happy with her own life, but she was delighted for her mother. “Mom, this is wonderful,” she said, jumping up to hug Mel.
“Guess we don’t have to ask who the man is,” Henry said.
“I guess not,” Mel agreed.
Celeste grabbed her hand and lifted it for a closer look. “Wow! This is gorgeous.”
“You so deserve to be happy,” Jenna said.
So did Jenna. Even as they all celebrated the big change in Mel’s life, she sent up a silent prayer. Please, God, give my girl someone wonderful to love her.
* * *
Love. Bah, humbug, Jenna thought when she woke up on the worst day in the world for people who were alone. Oh, yeah. Bah, humbug was Christmas. Well, it worked fine for Valentine’s Day, too.
“Valentine’s Day sucks,” she coached Jolly Roger as she took the cover off his cage and woke him up for the day. “Valentine’s Day sucks, Valentine’s Day sucks.”
Roger bobbed his head.
“You’ve got to agree. You don’t have anyone, either,” she said. “Come on, repeat after me. Valentine’s Day sucks.”
“Valentine’s Day sucks,” he said in his birdy voice.
“You’re darned right it does.”
She’d approached the day determined to be positive. She’d have a Valentine’s orphans party and invite Annie and Tyrella over for dinner.
But Annie was catering a private party and Tyrella had a man she’d been getting to know online coming down from Seattle to take her to dinner. As a matter of fact, he’d booked a room for the night at the Driftwood, and Tyrella wanted Jenna to keep watch and let her know when he arrived.
Darrell Banks—Jenna remembered a reservation coming through in that name via the website—was over six feet tall. Tyrella had told her all about him. He was a minister at an apostolic church, loved animals, and was sooo wonderful. Jenna was seeing the writing on the wall there. Tyrella wasn’t long for Moonlight Harbor.
So much for Jenna’s orphan party. She was the only person with nothing to do. Her mom and Ellis were off to meet her friends from the old neighborhood, Celeste and Henry were planning a cozy celebration for two at home. Jenna was...going to get some chocolate.
After she’d checked in Tyrella’s new man and finished her work for the day, she went in search of that chocolate she’d promised herself.
She found a five-pound box of it at Beachside Grocery. Perfect.
“You planning to eat all that single-handed?” asked a deep voice.
She turned to see Seth Waters looking at her with an eyebrow raised. She hadn’t seen much of him since he’d joined her family for Thanksgiving. It had felt so strange not having him around. At the sight of him her heart gave a little stutter.
“I am.” If she wasn’t going to have sex she could at least have chocolate.
He studied her, a concerned look on his face. “You doing okay?”
“No, but thanks for asking.”
“Things will get better. You know they will.”
She hugged the huge heart-shaped box of fat bombs to her chest. “How do you know? Are you psychic now?”
“It doesn’t take a psychic to know that you won’t stay single forever.” He reached over and started to take the box from her.
She held on tight. “We can’t be parted.”
“You’ll be reunited, I promise,” he said. “Now, let go. I’m getting this for you.”
She was so shocked she loosened her hold. “You are? Why?”
“Because it’s Valentine’s Day and a pretty woman shouldn’t have to buy her own chocolate.”
It sounded like something Brody would say. The thought came loaded with a good dose of melancholy.
“Thanks,” she said.
“Glad to help out. Is there anything else you need to get through the night?”
There was no point telling him about the sex thing. He wasn’t going to volunteer for the job, the big chicken. She shook her head.
“Okay, come on,” he said, and started them toward the checkout register.
“Is that why you came in here, looking to buy chocolate for some love charity case?” she asked, falling in step with him. “I don’t see any groceries in your basket.”
“I’ll get them when we’re done.”
“You can get your chocolate, too. I won’t laugh.”
He half smiled at that. “I’m just here to stock up on beer.”
“Are you going to sit at home and drink all by yourself?”
“Nope,” he said, and left it at that.
What was he going to do? Probably head over to The Drunken Sailor and play pool. Valentine’s Day wasn’t half as