Mom texts back right away.
Just had an email from them. Says our products are below standard.
They’re threatening to back out of the avocados and beef if we don’t lower our prices. We can’t afford what they’re offering.
I’m glad I don’t have anything in my stomach. I feel sick.
That feeling stays with me when Junie and I leave Flamingo’s, all the way to the cove. I can’t shake my suspicions about Frankie. Especially when we reach the cove and discover everything Larry’s said is true. Parking is impossible and the entrance to the cove is blocked by fencing and Under Construction signs. Flatbed trailers with large palm trees and succulents line the street, taking up a dozen parking spots.
But Junie wants the beach for her birthday, so I pay the outrageous fee to park in the hotel parking lot for the day.
While Junie waits impatiently at my side, I pull beach chairs, an umbrella, and sand toys from the back of my truck. Just as I have everything balanced in my arms and on my back, my phone rings. I dig it out of the beach bag, just in case it’s an emergency call.
But it’s Frankie’s name on the screen.
I let it ring, wanting to answer, but not sure what to say if I do. I have to ask her what she knows, but I’m afraid of the answer. If it’s everything—or even a little bit of something—that’s it. Frankie and I will be done. All hope for seeing her again will be gone.
If our goodbye is forever, I don’t know how to save myself or my kid from missing Frankie even more than we already do.
Chapter 23
Frankie
Clutching my mobile in front of me, I pace across the plush beige carpet in the too-large bedroom I’ve been assigned at Malcolm’s house. I stare at the screen, waiting for Cal’s face to appear.
It’s selfish to ring Cal. It’s an even worse idea to FaceTime him. Terrible, in fact. I’m not so oblivious to my motives that I can ignore the fact ringing Cal has less to do with wanting to tell Junie happy birthday than with wanting to be reminded there are girls who adore their dads. And that there are men as good as Cal in the world.
At last, his face appears, but not with the excitement I’d hoped for.
“Hey,” he says, his brow pulled deep in an unasked question.
“Hi.” When my smile doesn’t prompt one from him, I quickly tuck mine away. “I’m sorry to call right now. I just…you said you were going to spend the day with Junie, and I wanted to wish her a happy birthday.”
His brow dips further.
“I know that could stir things up for you, so no pressure—say no if you’d rather not.”
The silence on his end isn’t great. We haven’t talked since last week, but we’ve texted. I kinda thought he wouldn’t mind my talking to Junie. Kinda hoped he’d also want to talk to me. As hard as I’ve tried to create distance between us—to keep things friendly and casual—all I’ve created is empty space that’s impossible to fill with anything but thoughts of him.
Finally, Cal’s mouth twists to the side before he says. “Sure. Give me a second.”
Then his face is gone, replaced with a view of asphalt accompanied by what sounds like clanging metal. A few more seconds of noise and a panoramic view of what looks like a parking garage before his face appears again.
“Where are you?” I ask.
“At the cove.”
“The cove? Really? Looks like a garage.”
“We’re parked at the hotel.” His voice is tight, but I can’t tell if his frustration is directed at me or something else.
“Sanctuary?”
There aren’t any other hotels at the cove, so the answer is obvious, but it’s weird Cal would pay for parking at the hotel when it’s not the fastest or closest way to get to the beach.
“Yeah.”
“Why?”
