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Jessica looked at Beth as she popped another piece of fish in her mouth. If that was all Beth thought it took, maybe that was the problem. Jessica was sure you had to have more than that. There needed to be some chemistry involved beyond just the meeting of the minds, right?
Beth was right, she respected Clay, but he didn’t make her heartbeat faster. She wasn’t looking forward to seeing Clay. She didn't sit around and relive the moments that she had spent with Clay. Relive the moments she had spent with Clay? Oh yes, it was definitely time to get another dessert.
Two hours later, the both of them were walking back to the Shell, feeling as though they were little piglets with the only thing missing was an apple to pop in their mouths. The closer they got to the Shell; she noticed a man was sitting in the outdoor seating area. It was an elderly gentleman who seemed to have a roll of carpet underneath his arm and a box with some other things on top of it.
“Hello. Can I help you?”
The older gentleman smiled. “No, young lady, I know it doesn't seem like it, but I'm here to help you.”
His words brought Beth and Jessica to attention.
“I’m sorry, I’m still confused,” Jessica said.
“Well, it seems a gentleman left some instructions for me to fix a hole you have in your screen upstairs and to put this carpet in the middle of the bedroom.”
Jessica smiled and then looked at Beth, who was shaking her head.
“Jess, no good can come of this, you know that right?” Beth whispered.
Jessica knew her head was saying yes, but the rest of her was on cloud nine that Brian would be so considerate.
“I’m sorry, I don’t know your name,” Jessica said to the man.
He held out his hand. “I’m Lars. I used to run a bookstore but these days I just read books with other people. Middleton spoke a lot about you.”
“I hope he spoke kindly. He definitely didn’t tell me he was talking me up with such a handsome man,” Jessica said as she walked into the Shell. She had tried to let him go first but he was ever the gentleman.
“I may be old but there isn’t anything wrong with my manners.”
Jessica adored Lars from the get-go. She was captivated that Brian had seen enough in the room when he was there to notice she needed the things that Lars was here to fix. Beth went upstairs first to clean up. Lars waved it off.
“Please don’t worry. I’ve got four grown daughters and I’ve seen it all and survived,” Lars said. “However, young lady, I think you should go up first, I may take a bit to get there. My bones aren’t as limber as they used to be.”
Jessica said she was in no hurry to go into the only room in the Shell where everything was. Lars laughed and they both made it up the stairs.
“You read you say?” Jessica asked.
“Yup, everyday I’m on my front lawn reading and looking at the sea. My home is a little past the park. It’s on a little hill so I can see the sea while I’m reading. I need to get out early before the sun pushes me in, but I do try to get out every day.”
As soon as Lars walked in the room he exclaimed.
“Wow, you have some breeze in here. I can see why he was concerned. It’s no problem, Lars has got this.”
While Lars worked, Beth went to stand next to Jessica.
“Wow, maybe I should be speaking to Brian. It seems like Brian is really into making sure you are taken care of while he’s away. Brian, the man, wants to make sure the little woman, Jessica, sleeps safe,” Beth grunted.
“Stop it, silly!” Jessica laughed.
Lars turned toward the friends and smiled. It was then that Jessica realized that Beth may have been a little louder than they had both thought.
“I’m so sorry, Lars. Forgive our nonsense. Have you met Brian Cholan?”
Lars laughed. “Yes, we met him yesterday. He’s very focused on his numbers. Before yesterday I had just spoken to him by phone to get jobs. It was good to put a face to the voice.”
“He is very focused. Thank you for coming, let me walk you out.”
Jessica walked Lars to the door and as he was leaving he asked, “Have you seen Pilar?”
