Page 24 (2/2)
Rawley shrugged "I’m a practical man My dad, he socked away a little here and there Over tiot no bills and a steady job And I have another truck I never thought it was a good idea to sell that old house My dad died in that house--it’s good enough for ruh money socked away to buy one of these beachfront lots, he sure wasn’t broke, yet he’d let on that he’d have to sell his truck or house to pay for a burial He sure played broke
Rawley slapped a hand on Cooper’s back "That was real neighborly, Coop I didn’t forget to thank you, did I?"
"No," he said "You were very polite"
"That’s a relief My dad would be spinnin’ in his grave to think I was ungrateful"
"Why didn’t Ben leave this whole thing to you?" Cooper asked him
"I had little use for it All I wanna do is run errands andit into parcels and talkin’ to a lot of people about what they can put on ’em For that matter, I ain’t the friendliest proprietor and have no intention of getting any friendlier I reckon Ben s considered You’re the talker, notstaircase to the bar Once he was inside, Mac started to laugh
"It’s not that funny," Cooper grumbled
"I think it’s hilarious," he replied
The landscape of the toas changing in many ways School would start the week before Labor Day Lou McCain, who had shared a house and parenting responsibilities with her nephew, Mac, for ten years, was ready to ht middle school in Thunder Point, she could continue to help with the kids even if she lived elsewhere She was the perfect person to ot to and from school, and when Mac or one of the seventeen-year-olds, Ashley or Eve, or Mac’s neife, Gina, couldn’t carpool the kids to games or lessons, Lou would find a way to help out But at the age of sixty-one she was ready for soin with Joe this week before school starts and on Labor Day weekend, while you’re cooking burgers on the grill, we’re leaving town"
There was silence around the table for a moment Then Mac said, "Alone?"
"I’m over twenty-one," she replied starchily "And so is Joe, though he’s not quite as far over twenty-one as I aer and a State Trooper who occasionally worked with the sheriff’s department So far there hadn’t been so e difference
"Ifor the ride?"
She shook her head "We’re looking forward to going sotinature And I’ll still help with the kids regularly I mean--they’re as reed "Well Congratulations"
"We have to get this done before football starts," she said "If you think I’ame, you’re crazy"
In Cooper’s apartment, the plans for the new house were always handy, usually rolled up and standing at attention in the corner Sarah thought Cooper was a little addicted to them He spread them out a few times a day, made too many calls to the architect and contractor He had pronounced this as Sarah’s special project, her responsibility since she was leaving the Coast Guard but, so far, he hadn’t been able to let go of it for thirty seconds
While they were lying in bed late one night, he pointed out to her that she was al "You have one more week," he said "Then you’re all o This time, no shots"
"That hasn’t been a problem of mine," he pointed out to her, since the last tiot drawn into doing shots and he’d had to practically carry her home
"Then it’s you and me Mr and Mrs Cooper, beach bar entrepreneurs We’ll be looking at colleges with Landon, going to Friday-night gaonna do?" she asked
"Build a house," he said
"Right You seem to be all over that project So--what’s the anticipated date of completion on that?"
"The date they promise or the date it will probably actually be?" he asked "Because the rule of thuer and costs uess on e’ll be in there," she suggested
"I’d say June at the latest now that the roads are almost complete They’re in but not paved Damn, those suckers are pricey!"
"So, do we have money problems?"
He ran a knuckle over her cheek and s to have ?"
"Do you proh at et pregnant I want us to have a baby I want me to have a baby and you to be the daddy I want to throay o for it I’ve wanted it for a few years and never dared But with you, I feel safe I’m ready I’m almost thirty-four and I want to have a baby"