Page 63 of The Perfect Distraction

Chapter Eighteen

Beth spent the next few days alone. Colton had called to say that he’d be busy installing some wood cabinets for one of his best customers and that he wouldn’t be free until the end of the week.

At first, she talked herself into believing it was for the best and that she needed the reprieve, but with each passing hour, she became more anxious to see him, and Joey too. She filled her days the way she had when she’d first arrived: reading, taking walks, and sitting down by the bay. She bought her lunch from the same café that she and Joey had gone to, and when the owner, Mary, introduced herself and asked how Joey and Colton were, she didn’t even flinch. She decided that Mary wasn’t being nosy, she was just being friendly, and that was how it was in small towns.

On Thursday evening, she was sitting in the sunroom, checking her email, when she received a FaceTime call from Becca. But when she answered, both of her sisters’ faces filled the screen.

“Hi,” they said simultaneously and waved.

“Hi,” Beth said, waving back. She hadn’t been gone that long, but seeing her sisters’ smiling faces made her miss them even more. “What’s up?”

“We want to come and visit you,” Brooke said.

“Yeah. We want to meet Dadalicious before the summer’s over,” Becca added.

Beth laughed and shook her head at the ridiculous nickname. “I don’t think I’d be able to trust you not to call him that when you meet him.”

“Becca said you’ve been playing baseball with him,” Brooke said, wiggling her eyebrows.

“Who else have you told?” Beth asked, narrowing her eyes at Becca.

“Nobody. I promise. But Brooke asked how you were doing, and I had to say something.”

“So, we were thinking we could come up for July Fourth. We both have extra time off, so it’d be perfect. What do you think?” Brooke said.

Beth’s face fell. “July Fourth?”

“Is that a problem?” Becca asked.

“Well…”

“Oh. I get it. Joey’s probably going away for the weekend, and you and Colton are going to be able to play baseball to your heart’s content. Am I right?” Becca said.

At least she’d called him by his actual name that time. Beth slowly nodded, feeling somewhat guilty about turning down her sisters even though it was for a good cause.

“Bummer. Well, not for you, but for us. I was looking forward to getting away for the weekend,” Brooke said.

“Why? Is something wrong?” Beth asked, picking up on something worrisome in her youngest sister’s expression.

Brooke shrugged.

“It’s Kyle,” Becca said matter-of-factly. “She’s still hung up on him.”

“I’m not hung up on him.”

“Well, what would you call it, then?” Becca said.

“We’re friends.”

“Right. But he’s hung up on somebody else,” Becca reminded her.

“Is he still dating Haylie?” Beth asked.

“Yes, but I don’t think it will last.”

“You said the same thing months ago, yet they’re still together.”

Becca was the blunt one, and Beth came along after her and smoothed things out.