Sunset on Moonlight Beach - Sheila Roberts Page 0,66

thoughtful of you,” she said.

Ellis was a thoughtful man. Good company, generous. Any woman in her right mind would be encouraging him.

She filled the vase with water, saying, “Sit down. May I offer you something to drink? I was just telling Jenna, I have pop leftover from moving day.”

“Sure, I’ll take a Coke when you’re done,” he said, and settled on the couch where Jenna had just been.

“Flowers make a room look so special,” she said as she arranged them in the vase.

“My wife loved flowers.”

She could picture him stopping off after work and picking up flowers. For John and her that sort of thing had been a luxury. Still, he’d always gotten her one long-stemmed rose for Valentine’s Day.

Mel set the vase on the kitchen counter, then brought him his drink and sat in a chair. Smiled at him. He looked so at home on that couch. Almost as if he belonged.

“You getting settled in okay?” he asked.

“I’ve got the kitchen squared away,” she said. Now would he expect her to invite him for dinner? “And I’m slowly getting the bedroom set to rights.” Did that sound provocative? “I’m getting a lot done,” she finished. And that sounded like an efficiency report. “I’ve already met the neighbors on one side. Two sisters, both retired schoolteachers. They brought me jam.”

As if he cared what they brought her. Her conversation was about as sparkling as a dirty glass.

“But nobody’s brought me flowers,” she said. “That was kind of you.”

“It’s been a long time since I’ve brought a woman flowers.”

He sounded wistful, and Mel was sure he was thinking of his wife. “What was your wife’s name? You never told me.”

“Camille.”

“That’s a very glamorous name.”

“It fit her. She was a pretty woman. She’d have liked you.”

“I think my John would have liked you, too,” Mel said. The conversation suddenly felt a little too intimate. She switched gears. “I must say, you have excellent taste.”

“I know how to spot an exceptional woman, that’s for sure,” he said.

She waved away the compliment. “I meant the flowers. I’m not exceptional.”

“You don’t think so, huh? I’d say anyone who could raise two such great daughters on her own qualifies for exceptional.”

“You do what you have to do.”

“Now you’re here at the beach and you can do what you want to do. I thought maybe tonight you’d want to take me up on that offer of dinner,” he said.

She’d been working hard trying to get things squared away, and the idea of cooking anything was far from appealing. And talk about appealing. There sat Ellis, smiling at her.

If Edie was there she’d say, What are you waiting for?

Mel was beginning to wonder. She still felt so conflicted. But here was Ellis, in her living room, on her couch, looking like he belonged. It was only dinner, for heaven’s sake. And she did want to be friends.

“I’d like that,” she said. “But nothing expensive.”

“All right. How about Sandy’s? It’s casual dining but nice.”

“It sounds perfect,” she said.

“Great. I’ll pick you up at six thirty.” He finished his drink, then stood, saying, “I guess I’d better let you get back to work.”

Another date. She felt suddenly giddy.

He’d barely left when Roberta, her friend from the old neighborhood, called. “How are you doing down there?”

“Fine,” Mel said. “I love my new house.”

“I’m glad. So this is all working out for you.”

“It is,” Mel said.

“Have you met many new people?”

“I have,” Mel said, and thought of Ellis.

“Good. I hope you’ll have me down when you’re all settled in. I’m anxious to see your new digs.”

“I will,” Mel promised.

Roberta went on to fill her in on the goings-on in the old neighborhood. The young couple down the street were getting a divorce and their place was up for sale. Caroline fell down her daughter’s stairs. Nothing broken, thankfully, but she was pretty sore and bruised.

“Other than that, nothing much,” Roberta concluded. “I half envy you, getting a fresh start in a new place. I’m sure you’re going to have lots of adventures.”

Mel felt like she was perched on the edge of adventure. All she had to do was walk into it. She decided not to tell Roberta about Ellis. She already had enough people giving her advice.

She finished with her bedroom and then, after cleaning the tub, indulged in a bubble bath. She still had so much work to do, so much to unpack. But the kitchen and bedroom were taken care of, and that was enough for the moment. Life was