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“Oh, yes.” Mamá clapped her hands.
Nigel headed to the kitchen and Carolina followed him. “I’d like to keep working. Could you stay with her for a while?”
“Of course. I could use a little sit-down.” He pulled a key off his ring. “This is for the storage area.”
Apparently, Abby hadn’t sent out a memo that she was a thief and shouldn’t be trusted. Carolina tucked the key in her pocket. “Let me know if she gets agitated.”
“Will do.”
She stopped by Mamá’s table, explained what she was doing, then braced herself and headed out the door.
Stacking the chairs around the fire pit wasn’t hard, but she couldn’t muscle the loaded cart to the storage area by herself. After fighting the cart and wind, she unloaded a third of the chairs.
“What are you doing?” Bess called. The wind tossed the sound around.
“Moving chairs into the storage area,” Carolina yelled back.
“Where’s Nigel?” Bess stopped on the walkway next to her. Her eyes were as hard and unforgiving as the stones under their feet.
“Sitting with my mother in the restaurant. He was really limping.”
“He’s recovering from hip surgery.” Her eyes blinked rain away. “Your mother’s here?”
Carolina nodded, adding with a defensive tone, “Abby invited us.”
Bess gnawed her thumbnail. Then gave a sharp nod. Picking up the stack of chairs Carolina had off-loaded, she said, “Let’s put these away.”
They worked together. It was surprising how few words were needed.
Nigel came out. Carolina hurried over to him, but he held up a hand. “Your mother’s fine. A server is watching over her.”
Carolina smoothed wet strands of hair off her face. A plastic bag slapped her in the back.
After they stored the courtyard chairs and tables, they started on the courtyard flowerpots. Her arms and thighs ached from lifting. The bombardment of rain was so loud, they had to holler.
“Next?” Carolina shouted.
“Porch flowers,” Bess yelled.
Dolley joined them as they wheeled carts to the front of Carleton House. She glared at Carolina, but Carolina was too tired to care.
Liam came next. Then Gray.
“Where’s Daniel?” Bess called as they moved over to the Fitzgerald House porch.
“He and Nathan are securing tarps on one more house,” Gray called. “They’ll be here within the hour.”
With the men helping, it got easier. The guys did the heavy lifting. She and one of the sisters manhandled the carts to the storage area and together they unloaded the massive crockery pots.
With each trip, she glanced into the restaurant, relieved to see Mamá eating or talking.
“What’s next?” Daniel asked Bess, giving her shoulders a massage.
Nathan had also arrived.
“I want to move the orchids into the ballroom,” Bess said.
Everyone but Carolina groaned.
Bess placed her hands on her hips. “The greenhouse might not survive a hurricane.”
“Fine.” Daniel kissed Bess’s cheek. “With all of us hauling plants up the terrace stairs, maybe our thighs won’t burn out.”
The terrace stairs. Oh, wow. Without thinking, she said, “Why don’t we make a human chain?”
Gray patted her back. “I like the way you think.”
In the courtyard, Kaden, Courtney and Sage, their heads lowered into the wind, trudged toward the restaurant. Sage caught sight of Carolina and jerked, his mouth dropping open.
“We’re here to help,” Courtney said.
Sage stared at Carolina.
She straightened her shoulders as much as she could in the storm. Did Sage think she would sit around and watch them work? He really didn’t know her at all—did he?
His loss.
* * *
SAGE CLIMBED THE terrace steps to Carolina and handed her another plant. He’d lost track of how many times he’d climbed up and down the stairs.
Why was Carolina here? It had been obvious she was persona non grata with the Fitzgeralds, yet she was helping them. And the two sisters were treating her with respect. He grimaced. Carolina had accused him of not respecting her.
“Next one.” Dolley nudged his arm and handed him a plant. “Watch out. This one has buds.”
How could she tell through the sheets of rain? Standing water filled the courtyard. The wind pushed and shoved, forcing him to brace his legs.
He sheltered the plant with his body and headed up to Carolina. “Make sure the buds are safe.”
Carolina nodded, exhaustion etching lines on her face.
He didn’t head straight down, but waited for her to finish her leg of the relay. “You should rest. You’re beat.”
