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Clara looked over at Becky and nodded, smiling with one of those happy smiles that Becky was sure to be able to read saying that it was a happy time. She had almost exclusively fond memories of going to school here. She had been so sad when it had been time to leave and go to the big school down at Blueberry Beach.
“It was the best place ever. If all schools were like this, kids couldn’t help but learn.”
“It would be pretty cool to go to school where you can look out and see the lake and the horses every day.”
“Back when we were in school, there weren’t horses in the field, but the lake was there, of course. It was beautiful, and you’re right. We got to enjoy it every day.”
Becky didn’t say anything, and Clara didn’t push her. Clara suspected that perhaps Becky hadn’t even gone to school last year.
But telling her that school was a wonderful thing and actually having her enjoy it herself were two different things. But she could try to give as many positive aspects to it as she could.
“I see lights on. Does that mean that the guy you said was going to be here is here?”
“Maybe. He might have left lights on after he left. Or he might still be working.”
She had wanted to go see Alex all day. She managed to keep from walking up until Kim had approached her with an idea.
Apparently, they’d found out that the girl that had been working for them was homeless. She’d run away from her foster family, and they really needed to contact the authorities and deal with the issue. However, Kim had promised Becky that she would try not to let that happen. She’d come up with the idea that everyone in town would take turns housing Becky for a night, until they could discuss things with child services.
Clara had volunteered to take the first night.
Becky had come willingly and hadn’t seemed afraid. She didn’t exactly act belligerent, although she wasn’t open or friendly either. Clara figured she had enough heartache in her life to make her suspicious of strangers.
But Clara had seen it as an opportunity to go see Alex. And using the excuse that she wanted to take Becky for a horse ride along the lake and look at the sunset, they were going to ask Alex if he wanted to come along.
It was one of the best things about living in Strawberry Sands, and Clara had wanted to do it with Alex ever since he talked about moving in. She just...couldn’t really ask him to go with her by himself. Not that there was anything wrong with that exactly, she just...wasn’t sure whether that would be something that he would be interested in or not. Actually, if she was being honest, she was just too scared.
“You go in the front door?” Becky asked as they reached the end of the building and needed to decide whether to walk to the front or to the back.
“Yeah. Let’s go to the front.”
Clara really didn’t know. She was showing up here tomorrow, although she wasn’t sure what she would be doing. It was doubtful that Alex had gotten anything set up. Since the truck wasn’t even scheduled to arrive with their things from Chicago until tomorrow.
They heard clanging and banging as they walked around the building, and through the window, they could see Alex wearing a face mask and wielding a crowbar.
It looked like he was smacking the floor, breaking up the tile and then scraping it back.
“That looks like fun!” Becky said.
“I think there would be a certain kind of satisfaction in ripping something apart with a heavy blunt instrument,” Clara said with a grin.
“Yeah. Do you think he’d let us help?”
“I’m sure he probably will. Although, if we’re going to go down to get our horses saddled and ride on the beach, we better get going. Maybe we can do this tomorrow?”
She hadn’t realized he was going to be working on the floor. She thought they were going to be patching things together and working out of it as they slowly hired someone to fix things up while Alex did some work on the side.
But everything was kind of new for Alex, so maybe he hadn’t been sure what was going to happen. Maybe he still wasn’t. He’d had some big changes in his life.
She waited until he wasn’t banging on something, then knocked on the door before she opened it. It was unlocked.
At her knock on the glass, he stopped and turned.
There should be music playing, or something like that, but there wasn’t. It was just Alex, dusty and dirty in a T-shirt and jeans, pulling his mask down, surprise stamped all over his face.
“Clara,” he breathed.
“I’m sorry for interrupting you, Alex,” she said. She liked the way her name sounded on his lips. It gave her a shiver to hear it.
