“Been there,” Sally said. “So has Meg, as I’m sure she told you since she can’t resist talking about the transformation of her life since she moved to Sand Castle Bay.”
“I don’t spill my guts to total strangers,” Meg replied with feigned indignation. “Just to kindred spirits.”
“Well, it’s evident to me that Gabi is a kindred spirit,” Sally said.
“I think so, too,” Meg agreed.
Sally turned back to Gabi. “So, you’re here because you want me to give you lessons?”
“If you offer classes, that’s fine, or I’ll pay you for individual instruction. Whatever works for you. I’m happy to just help out and observe for a while, serve sort of an apprenticeship, if that’s better.”
Sally studied her thoughtfully. “I don’t give classes,” she began. “Don’t have the patience for it.”
Gabi’s spirits sank.
“Oh, don’t look so glum,” Sally said. “If you’re serious about helping out and observing, I imagine I can teach you a few things along the way. The goal, of course, will be to help you find your own style. It won’t benefit either of us if you just try to mimic mine.”
“Understood,” Gabi said eagerly. “Believe me, I understand all about intellectual property. Where I worked before, people were very protective of their work. Obviously it was a very different world, but the principles are the same.”
“And you don’t mind doing some of the drudgery around here? You won’t freak out if you’re not producing great wind chimes by the end of the week? You strike me as the impatient type.”
Gabi wasn’t surprised that this virtual stranger had pegged her so well. “Yeah, well, that was the old me. I’m trying to become more mellow. I’ll deal with your timetable. I just want to learn this the right way, not necessarily the fastest way.”
Sally nodded. “Tomorrow,” she said then. “Be here at ten.”
“I could make it earlier,” Gabi offered at once.
“I’m a night owl. Ten is good enough,” Sally said. “Bring coffee. Mine is terrible, and you’ll be saving me a trip into town.”
“Done,” Gabi agreed at once. “Thank you so much.” She turned to Meg, who looked as pleased as Cora Jane when she saw a scheme coming together. “You, too. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate this.”
“We’ll see how happy you are after Sally has worked you to death for a few days,” Meg replied, but she was smiling when she said it. “Seriously, though, you couldn’t be in better hands.” She gave the artist a hug. “Thanks. I’ll speak to you soon. From the looks of the wind chimes on the porch, you’ll have that next order ready for me any day now.”
“Tomorrow or the next day,” Sally promised. “I’ll have my new helper here drop them off.”
As she and Meg returned to the car, Gabi was filled with exhilaration. The happy tinkling of the wind chimes on the porch seemed to echo her mood.
“This is such a cheerful place,” she murmured, though she felt a little silly uttering the words.
Meg merely smiled. “It is. If I were carrying a baby again, I’d want to be in a place just like this. I’m a big believer that, even in the womb, babies respond to their surroundings.”
Gabi had never imagined herself buying into such a view, but now? She was pretty sure Meg had it exactly right. She couldn’t have found a better place than Meg’s so-called Wind Chime Point for her baby—or her—to spend the next few months.
* * *
It was after six by the time Gabi got back to Cora Jane’s. All she wanted to do was put her feet up and sip on a tall glass of ice water, but there was a flurry of activity in the kitchen, with not only Cora Jane and Samantha there, but Jerry, too.
“Are we having a party?” she asked, fixing her water and dodging the fast-moving people in the room.
“Something like that,” Cora Jane said. “Jimmy and Wade will be here shortly for dinner.”
Excitement at the prospect of filling Wade in on her afternoon warred with sheer exhaustion. At her silence, Cora Jane took a closer look at her.
“You look plum worn out,” she said. “Go take a catnap until they get here. Or at least splash a little water on your face and freshen up.”
“Putting my feet up for a few minutes would feel wonderful,” she admitted. “But don’t let me sleep through dinner, okay?”
Samantha gave her a wry look. “As if Grandmother would ever miss a chance to throw you and Wade together.” She waved her off. “Go. I’ll come for you when he gets here.”
Gabi headed toward her room but never made it past the living room. The sofa looked too inviting. She dropped down on the comfortable cushions, put her feet up and sighed. Heavenly!
The next thing she knew, she felt the light brush of lips across her forehead. Given the way her body instantly stirred at the touch, she doubted it was her grandmother or Samantha awakening her.
“Hey, Sleeping Beauty, you ready for dinner?” Wade asked softly.
She opened her eyes to see his gaze on her, a smile on his lips. “Hi,” she murmured sleepily. “How long have I been asleep?”
“Long enough, according to Cora Jane. She says if you don’t get up now, you’ll never get to sleep tonight.”
“When did you get here?”
“A half hour ago.”
“You weren’t in here watching me sleep, were you? That would be embarrassing. I think I might snore.”
Wade laughed. “Even though I came in here just a minute ago, I heard no evidence of snoring. If that’s really worrying you, maybe one of these nights you’ll let me crawl into your bed and we can find out for sure.”
Though she’d been half-asleep for most of their conversation up to now, she came fully awake at that. “Excuse me?”
“Well, that definitely got your blood pumping,” he teased. “Rather than repeating it, though, I’ll just let you ponder the idea for a while.”
He
