Lucy nodded shyly. “It’s okay.”
“No, it’s not. I was a busybody, trying to help out where I wasn’t asked. From now I will keep my big mouth shut until you ask for it.”
From the look on Lucy’s face, it was unclear how this made her feel. “Deal,” she said, finally. The word filled Eudora’s chest with more gratitude than she’d felt all summer.
When knitting group wrapped up, Lucy lingered. “Do you need help with anything else?” Eudora asked, nodding at her needlework.
Lucy bit her lip. “Actually, yes.”
Eudora sat down beside her.
“You know about my sister, Ella. I was wondering if you could help me with something.”
“What do you need, honey?”
She could see Lucy was afraid to ask. And she was unprepared for the question that followed. “I need to visit Ella this afternoon. Would give me a ride?”
Two requests for car rides had come in the same morning. Eudora planned to say no to one, but there was no way she could say no to the other. Despite the fact Lucy’s sister was all the way over at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, and despite the fact Eudora was afraid to drive anywhere these days, she agreed to pick Lucy up at five.
“I’ll meet you by the curb,” Lucy told her. And then she did something just as unexpected. She leaned over and gave Eudora a hug.
Eudora needed to go home and lie down. If she was goingto make this work, she needed to prepare herself. It was really no different than one of her rescue dogs needing a ride, she told herself. It would take the life out of her, and might likely require several days of recuperation after, but she would do it. Lucy Hart needed her.
She was so frazzled she drifted right by the register without her knitting materials. “Oh no. My bag!”
“I’ll get it,” Brad offered. He returned, and as he handed it over the newspaper clipping sailed out and onto the floor. He bent to retrieve it.
“Ooh, an art opening. Are you going?”
Eudora shook her head and shoved the clipping deep into her bag. “It’s just something Willet shared this with me today.”
Leah was studying her curiously. “Are you feeling alright?”
She could not risk letting on what Lucy had asked of her. “Yes, just a little rattled. Willet invited me to go with him to the opening.” Oh Lord. In trying to keep one cat in the bag, she’d released another.
Brad seized upon this. “Willet asked you on a date?”
“Goodness, no. He overheard me mention the artist, is all.”
A huge smile spread across Brad’s face. “Is it possible Willet Smith is a romantic?”
“Oh, I don’t think so.” Eudora could feel the deep blush that followed flash across her cheeks like wildfire. “It’s not like that.”
“Well, he doesn’t strike me as an art connoisseur.” Brad chuckled. “Though, I guess you never know. You should go. Together.”
Leah leaned across the counter. “I think it’s nice, Eudora. That you two have a friendship.”
Is that what it was? She supposed so. A friendship wasn’t so terrible; at least it wasn’t as terrifying as a date. Still, there was the matter of the distance and the drive. And the crowd that would be there. But she didn’t want to unload all that on Leah and Brad. Her nerves were already ablaze with the task before her that afternoon and she needed to get home. Besides, a customer had just come in. The bell jangled once, then twice as the front door opened and closed.
Whoever it was, Leah did not look happy. Eudora turned to see for herself. A young man, dressed more for a business meeting than a day at the Cape, stood in the doorway. He looked very handsome, his face friendly. Eudora glanced back at Leah.
Leah froze behind the register. She crossed her arms. “What areyoudoing here?”
