Page 51 of Key West Homecoming

Whatever Connie had poured tasted terrible. Emma swallowed it anyway and immediately reached for the iced tea Tess had set in front of her.

Tess laughed.

“You get used to it.”

“I don’t think I want to.”

Emma stayed longer than she intended. The afternoon crowd began to drift in, and the room changed around her as stools filled and the low hum of conversation grew.

Tess moved easily behind the bar while Leah disappeared in and out of the kitchen. Connie argued with a delivery driver near the back door, and Lloyd remained exactly where he’d been when Emma arrived.

Four days ago, none of these people had been part of Emma’s life. Now they celebrated with her.

A little before four, she checked the time.

She picked up her bag. “I need to go.”

Tess looked at her. “To update the tenant?”

Emma gave her a look. “The tenant has a name.”

“I know. You’ve said it several times already.”

Emma ignored her and headed for the door.

She could hear Tess laughing behind her.

Jake was near the far end of the garden when Emma came through the gate. He had pruning shears in one hand and a bucket at his feet. He was working on the same stretch of bougainvillea she’d watched him trim two days earlier.

He looked up when he heard her. “Well?”

Emma smiled. “The sale is stopped.”

Jake set the shears on top of the bucket and straightened.

“Since when?”

“Nine o’clock this morning.”

“Officially?”

Emma smiled. “Court order. The title company has been notified, and Arthur will know by the end of the day.”

Jake nodded, then he smiled.

Emma had seen hints of it before, but never quite like this. The smile was small and didn’t last long. It changed his face enough that Emma wished he’d smile more often.

“It’s a good day,” he said.

“It is.”

His smile returned.

“How are you doing?”

“Tired.”

“I bet.”