Page 55 of Sea Breezes at The Beach House Hotel

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

That evening, Vaughn and I sat on the couch on the lanai and discussed the Wiley’s house. I showed him a couple of photos that I’d taken and explained that Earl had been laid off on disability some years ago, and he and Hester had done very little upgrading on the first floor and almost none on the second floor.

“But the layout and bones of the house are excellent. The backyard can accommodate a pool, and I noticed plenty of storage space,” I said enthusiastically.

“You’ve done what Nell asked of you,” said Vaughn. “Now, we have to let them make their own decision about it.”

“Agreed. Because if they decide to go ahead with the purchase, it’ll take a lot of work on their part to get it the way they are sure to want it. And right now, Clint can do very little until he’s healed, leaving most of the work to Nell.”

“I still feel bad about those injuries,” admitted Vaughn.

I patted his arm. “It was just a freaky accident.”

Bailey and Ned ran into the room in their pajamas and climbed up on the couch with us. “Ready for bed?” I asked. They’d been allowed to watch a television show with Robbie.

I walked them to their bathroom and watched as they brushed their teeth. It was such a treat having them with us. Without their parents around, they were especially eager to cuddle and talk about their lives at home. The move to Florida would be healthy for both Bailey and her brother, because they’d been well aware of the tension inside their home.

“Gammy, will you read to us?” asked Ned.

“Of course. One short book because you have school tomorrow,” I said.

“I have a new friend,” said Ned. “His name is Jacob.”

“I have two new friends,” Bailey said. “But I’ll make more. The girls here are cool. Not like some of the girls back home.”

Interesting, I thought. “It’s very sweet when you make new friends. Girls and boys are the same everywhere. They want to be liked and treated with kindness.”

“That’s what my teacher, Miss Ortiz, says,” Bailey announced.

“Let’s pick a book to read,” I said.

“How about this one?” said Ned, holding up Stellaluna.

“Perfect,” I said, climbing onto the bed with a child on each side of me. It was moments like this when I realized how lucky I was. My grandmother would read to me as a child, but we never cuddled in bed like this.

I’d just turned out the lights in their rooms when my cell rang with Nell’s specific chime.

“Hello,” I said. “Is everything all right?”

“It’s both good and bad,” Nell said. “We signed the sales agreement for the house with a closing date of January 15th. I’ve hired a moving company to help us after the first of the year.”

“But?” I asked.

“But Clint’s company is threatening to sue him for breach of contract. Clint’s lawyer friend agrees it would never hold up in court, but they’re using it to stall returning his share of equity contribution. Again, Clint’s lawyer doesn’t think they can legally do that. But it means we can’t use that money for a new house.”

“Mrs. Wiley told me she’s going to stand firm on her price. Can you meet that number?” I asked her.

“Yes, but we’ll have very little money for renovations right away,” said Nell.

“The house is in fine shape overall. It just needs a lot of decorating with painted walls, flooring, and the like.”

“That’s the problem. Clint can’t do any of the work right now. And he likes everything to be nice,” said Nell.

“Because something is in a state of transition doesn’t mean it can’t be,” I said.

“I know,” said Nell. “I’m working on the numbers now. We know from Liz that the house is a great buy even in its present condition. If a home inspection doesn’t turn up anything major, it’s a find. I love her neighborhood and the idea of the children being together.”

“Let me know what you and Clint decide,” I said. After I ended the call, I decided to say as little as possible about the situation to anyone else. I wanted to give Nell and Clint the opportunity to work it out for themselves.