Maude sipped her prosecco and laughed. “Just. I’m fifty-five, sometimes going on ninety, but with an inner twenty-year-old.”
Cece chuckled. “I feel that.”
Essie nibbled on a pretzel. “Is this everyone?”
“No,” Paige said. “We’re waiting on one more. There were supposed to be six of us, but Althea had to cancel.” She made a sad face. “Her husband had a small heart attack. He’s going to be all right, according to Althea, but obviously you can understand why she canceled.”
“Oh, wow,” Maude said softly. “I think I might know who his doctor is.”
Chapter Eleven
“Beau, really?” Blaise sighed as she realized she’d just stepped in a puddle of regurgitated grass.
She’d been about to leave for the book club meeting. And before she did that, she wanted to drop off the brownies she’d made for Brick.
She pulled off her soiled shoe and cleaned it in the kitchen sink, dried it with a paper towel, then pulled a few more sheets off the roll to clean up the mess Beau had made.
Beau was in his bed, looking innocent.
She shot him a look. “Behave while I’m gone, would you?”
She was going to be a few minutes late to the book club meeting. She detested being late, but it couldn’t be helped. With the cleanup taken care of, she washed her hands, grabbed the tray of brownies for Brick, and went out the back door.
He wasn’t at his house; he was at her gate with a screwdriver. He looked up as she came toward him, his gaze once again sweeping over her.
The latch was fixed. “Did you just replace that missing screw?”
He pocketed the screwdriver. “Mm-hmm. That all right?”
She smiled, extra glad she’d made him the brownies. “It’s very all right. Thank you.” She held out the pan. “I hope you like brownies.”
He frowned. “You know someone who doesn’t?” He took the tray. “You made these?”
“I did. I’m not the best in the kitchen, but I know how to make brownies. I use Katherine Hepburn’s recipe.”
He glanced at the foil-covered pan in his hands, something that might have been suspicion in his eyes. “Why’d you make them?”
“Because you were understanding about Beau’s…violationof your yard. And we’re neighbors. Thought it would be nice.” She was second-guessing that thought now.
He nodded. “Thank you.”
She gestured back toward her house. “I have to go. Already going to be late, which I hate. Have a good night, Brick.”
He grunted, staring after her like she’d breached some unknown rule. Or maybe he just wasn’t used to people being nice to him.
She could see that. She went back inside. He didn’t exactly invite interaction, but she was touched that he’d replaced that screw for her. Of course, maybe he’d done it so Beau wouldn’t trespass again, but so what? It was still a nice gesture, and it saved her the trouble of calling maintenance.
She grabbed her purse, the other pan of brownies, locked up, and climbed into her golf cart. As she drove, she checked the time. She was going to be six minutes late.Six. She rolled her eyes at herself. She didn’t like that at all. But it had been worth it to hand those brownies over to Brick.
And she wasn’t showing up to Paige’s empty-handed. That should help.
She found Paige’s house easily enough. Four other golf carts were parked outside. She hoped that didn’t mean she was the last to arrive.
Through the sheers covering the sliding doors at the front of the house, she could see women laughing and drinking inside, all standing around. Maybe the actual club part hadn’t started yet. That would be good.
She took her things, went up to the front door, and rang the bell.
The door opened instantly. “Blaise, right?”
