Page 96 of Hello, Summer
Conley pointed at the picturesque gondola gliding down a canal. “I’m betting it’s Venice.”
“You’re home late,” Lorraine said. “Is there a big story brewing?”
“The Robinette thing is heating up,” Conley said, unloading her groceries on the counter. “Charlie made an official announcement that he’s running for Symmes’s unexpired term, and then, lo and behold, Rowena ran into Vanessa at the beauty parlor, and Vanessa told her she intends to run too!”
“Against her own son?” Lorraine looked up, startled.
“Sounds just like that family,” Winnie said. She picked up a piece, and her hand hovered over the puzzle as she considered its placement.
“Yup. Did you know Symmes had cancer?”
“No! Where’d you hear that?” Lorraine asked.
Conley found a canvas tote bag in the cupboard and began loading it. Wine bottle, opener, plastic cup, chips, cheese dip, spreader.
She quickly filled the two women in on the day’s developments. “We sent out a digital edition of theBeacona little while ago,” she added.
Her grandmother looked confused. “Digital? Like television?”
“A little bit,” Conley said. “It’s our print content, but because this is such hot breaking news, we sent it out on the internet to our mailing list. And it’s got embedded video too, thanks to our hotshot young gun, Michael. Here. I’ll show you.”
She reached into her small cross-body pocketbook for her cell phone but came up empty.
“Must have left my phone in the car,” she said.
But a thorough search of the console and the floor of the Subaru failed to turn it up.
G’mama was waiting by the kitchen door when she got back upstairs, holding up her own ancient flip phone. “Sean Kelly just called me,” she said. “You left your backpack—and your phone—at the store today.”
“Thank God!” Conley exclaimed. “I was starting to panic. That phone has my whole life in it. Guess I’d better head back to town to get it, though.”
“No need,” G’mama said. “Sean said he’d just drive it out to you.” She gave her granddaughter an exaggerated wink. “I think that boy’s got a crush on you, Sarah Conley Hawkins.”
“Stop with the matchmaking! We’re old friends, G’mama, and that’s all. I’m going upstairs to change, then. As soon as Skelly drops off my phone, I’m going to go for a walk on the beach.”
“Put on something cute, like a sundress, and do something with your hair,” G’mama instructed. “Sometimes I think you forget you’re an attractive single girl.”
“Lalalalalala,” Conley said, putting her hands over her ears and starting for the staircase. “I can’t hear you.”
“Seems like it’d be kind of rude for you to just grab your phone and ask him to leave after he went to the trouble to drive all the way out here,” Winnie commented. “Your grandma and me already had our supper, but I can warm up something for the two of you, if you want.”
“Not you too, Winnie,” Conley said.
35
Conley didn’t put on a sundress, but she did take the time to pick out a pair of white shorts that showed off her legs, and a scoop-necked coral-pink tank top. She ran a brush through her hair and, in a begrudging concession to her grandmother, put on a pair of dangly silver earrings and some peachy-coral lipstick.
She was in the kitchen, pouring herself a glass of chardonnay, when she heard Skelly’s feet on the staircase outside.
“Your boyfriend’s here,” Winnie whispered from her seat at the table.
“Stop it!” Conley ordered.
G’mama moved with surprising swiftness toward the living room and the front door. “Sean Kelly, come on in here,” she said loudly.
She ushered Skelly into the kitchen. He had Conley’s navy-blue backpack slung over his right shoulder and was holding out a bottle of wine.
“I was getting ready to lock up the store, but I kept hearing this buzzing noise. I thought I was going crazy, then I spotted this backpack on the floor by the lunch counter.”
