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“I get it. It’s pretty wild to think about. I’m here if you ever want to talk. I swear I’m a really good listener,” Rose said. “I’m sorry you’re going through it.”
Finally, April was able to let it all out. And now she wanted to continue to let it pour out of her. But she knew she couldn’t put all of that on this one woman. Not if she wanted to become friends with her. She had to go easy at first. Get to know her before she put all this baggage on her shoulders. It wouldn’t be fair.
As April opened her mouth to say something else, Henry appeared from the back room. “Oh, man! Sorry about that ladies.”
“Never worry about it,” Rose replied. “Besides, we were making great conversation before you came around.”
Henry pointed to the back of the store. “I can go back there again, if you guys wanted to continue your chat.” He looked between April and Rose, brows raised. When neither of them said anything, he continued, “That’s what I thought.”
While Rose checked out, April could only think about how great it would be to have real friends around the island. There would be people her age to talk to. Not that Georgia wasn’t great company; she just wasn’t going to stay forever. And she was teaching April too many words. The kids these days were coming up with more slang than she could keep up with.
Before she left, Rose turned around and called out, “See you later, Henry, April.”
Henry began counting the screws in the bag. As he took out each one, she knew it would take him a few minutes. Instead of waiting to see Rose again, she decided to ask what she really wanted to know. “Do you know if anyone else has come to the island for a new adventure?”
“New adventure?” he replied without looking up.
April shrugged. “Like how I came here for a fresh start? Stuff like that. I’m sure other people have done the same. Rose was just telling me that she came here after her own divorce.”
“Yes, that woman has been through so much. If you ever need any advice, she’s the woman to go to.”
“Is that so?”
Henry nodded. “There have been a few women coming in the past year or two that need a fresh start. They’re great women. So many of them have told me Rose has helped them. She’s a good friend to have around here.”
It was exactly like April had thought. She wasn’t the only one who came here for something new. And it wasn’t just Rose either, though it seemed like she was the best one to talk to. There was hope for April to find a group of people that could relate to her situation.
She left the hardware store with screws for a ceiling fan and a new friend.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
The paint went on easier than April expected. Every inch of the floor and furniture in the living room was covered in plastic tarps. The only paint she’d spilled so far was on her shorts.
Georgia had small lines of white primer on her neck from when she’d scratched her cheek with a paintbrush in her hand. April admired it from across the room as they stood on ladders and swiped their rollers full of paint up and down the walls.
April was worried they would need three buckets of paint instead of just the two they’d picked up from the hardware store. It was a nice sandy beige color that Georgia picked out to complement their beach theme.
It was hard for them both to stay on theme lately. April always wanted to go overboard, too cliché with bright colors, shells, and anchors everywhere. While Georgia wanted to go too bland with only a color scheme and nothing else to match their grand motif. Together, they were working to find that balance.
Songs blared through the open front doors of the house as they painted. So they didn’t hear when Nigel’s car pulled into the driveway. April only noticed when he stood in the doorway and bellowed, “I have a delivery!”
“Oh!” she said, surprised by the visit. “What are you doing here?”
He stood in the doorway with a plastic bag hanging from his arm. “I have brought you two a feast for lunch. Haven’t seen you in Giant’s in a while. Thought it would be nice for you to have some good food. Not whatever you’ve been cooking on that camp stove.”
Nigel served them various lunches and dinners over the past few weeks. They would sit and talk for short periods of time during the rushes, but he’d never showed up like this.
April watched his eyes stare at the old stove sitting on the kitchen counter. But he couldn’t have known she was using one until now. There was something else on his mind, a reason for his visit. She wasn’t sure what yet, but she was curious to know.
“Thank you! I feel like I haven’t eaten in weeks,” Georgia said in an exasperated sigh as she stepped off her ladder.
Carefully, April lowered herself down one step and was met with Nigel’s hand out in front of her, offering to help her down the rest. She took his hand and slowly worked her way down. “Thank you.”
He nodded with a smile. That’s when she knew he was definitely up to something. It was nice to bring a meal for them. Nigel was someone who would do nice things without expectation. But this felt different, like he was here for a reason other than just dropping it off. Like he was here to see her.
April cleared her throat, nervous now. “So, uh-”
“I was-”
