“Ugh!” Frankie’s exaggerated groan as she hoisted the little girl into her arms had Phoebe giggling. “You’re getting too big for me to carry, Phoebs. What are you guys doing here?”
“We’re on our way to Calliope’s,” Kendall said. “Phoebe made something for you.”
“You did?” Frankie jostled Phoebe—who was actually small for her age—on her hip. “What did you make me?”
“This!” Phoebe reached into her pocket and pulled out a folded-up piece of paper. “It’s an I’m sorry you didn’t get to be chief card.” She pushed the paper against Frankie’s suddenly constricted chest. “Mom said you were sad about it, and I wanted to make you feel better. It has daisies on it,” she announced proudly as Frankie set her back on the ground so she could look at the card more closely. “Daisies make people happy. Right, Mom?”
“Right.” Kendall’s smile didn’t quite reach her eyes when Frankie looked at her.
Frankie looked down at the smattering of crayon sketches, the flowers and butterflies bursting at odd angles out of the grass. “This is beautiful, Phoebe. Thank you.”
“Did it work?” Phoebe grabbed the hem of Frankie’s shirt and hopped up and down. “Are you happy now?”
Frankie leaned down and gave her a hug. “I’m very happy now. You know what? How about you take this inside and find a place for it on my desk where I can see it every day.”
“Cool! Be right back, Mom!”
“I’ll be right here,” Kendall said with a laugh.
“She’s come a long way,” Frankie said once Phoebe was out of earshot. “You both have.”
“We’re getting there.” Kendall’s smile brightened.
Frankie had never pushed Kendall about her past, but she’d gleaned enough over the past year or so to know her friend’s fiancé had been killed in Afghanistan shortly before Kendall herself had nearly died in a roadside bombing incident. Kendall had closed herself off for a long time, until Hunter MacBride had turned up in Butterfly Harbor earlier this year with his recently orphaned niece in tow. The combination of the two of them had been too much for Kendall’s heart to withstand. Now the happy family lived on a swath of property close to where the Liberty Lighthouse and carriage house stood sentry on the high cliffs of the town.
“Is everything okay?” Kendall’s question caught Frankie off guard.
“Sure. Why?”
Kendall pinned her with that eerily accurate assessing gaze of hers.
“This morning, at the fire, you seemed a little off.”
Guilt mingled with shame. “Did I?”
“It must be difficult. Adjusting to a new boss you weren’t expecting.”
“It has its moments,” Frankie admitted. “But I suppose when I break it all down, it’s just a job.” And it was about time she got over it. Except getting over it meant accepting Roman, and that she wasn’t ready to do just yet. Not when she couldn’t figure out where he fit into things.
“I think we both know it’s more than a job for you, Frankie. But working with Roman today, and seeing how he was with Parker and the car, I got a better feel for him. He’s good. He cares. About everyone involved. He knows what he’s doing.”
“Yeah.” And didn’t that just burn? “I know he does.”
“He’s also not that bad on the eyes.”
Frankie snort-laughed. “Since when do you have eyes for anyone other than that hunky author of a husband of yours?”
“Since he seems quite interested in you.” Kendall grinned, and the sight of her friend, who had at one time dealt with depression issues, lifted her heart. “But I can always appreciate a good-looking man.”
“He is not interested,” Frankie shot back even as her cheeks warmed.
“I was watching him after the fire. Believe me, Frankie. He’s there if you want him.”
“That’s ridiculous. I don’t. I can’t. He’s my boss. And I don’t date guys like him.” Ever.
“Guys like who him?”
“You know, guys.” She flexed her biceps. “And guys.” She held her hand high over her head. “Guys.”
“Oh, you mean decent, gorgeous, dedicated to making the world a better place kind of guys. Yuck. What a turnoff. I can see why you went out with the pharmacist. What was his name? Cody? Dean?”
“Phil,” Frankie admitted under her breath.
“Phil the pharmacist?” Kendall laughed so hard she bent over. “I can’t even...stop it! You have to be kidding!”