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Kenna let out a weird gasp that kind of sounded like laughter and a bit like a sob. Then her forehead hit the table and I lurched forward, hand extended. It hovered there, unsure what to do. I feared she was on the edge of having a psychotic break. Her shoulders began to shake and then her whole body got into it. The first sob escaped and her hands came to her head, clutching her hair in a grip that had to hurt.
I snatched my hand back and inched away. I’d never seen someone break down like this, and I had a feeling under normal circumstances, Kenna Ryan would not want me here witnessing it. If she wasn’t so high maintenance and liable to snap my head off, I’d pat her back and reassure her that everything would be fine. As it was, I was afraid to creep back outside lest I make a noise to remind her of my presence.
As the sobs continued, I waffled on what to do. Sneak out and leave her in despair? Try to console the wild animal and hope I didn’t die in the process? I shook my head and looked up at the ceiling that sported a large water spot from when the roof had leaked two years ago.
Really, Maeve? You knew I’d be pissed about being tied to this woman, so you didn’t tell me about your will. I hope you’re laughing your ass off up there.
“I don’t…have a…home…” Kenna wailed, hiccuping her way through actual words. “That asshole…diamonds! Bear genitals for kids! Even my tires!”
I grimaced, wondering what the hell this woman was going on about. Was she on drugs? That had to be it. All those crazy Californians were on drugs these days. Pretty sure Maeve had mentioned her sister and niece lived in San Francisco, the epicenter of drug usage running rampant in the streets. I should probably check her luggage for needles. We didn’t need that kind of influence here in Sunshine Key.
With another indecipherable wail ringing in my ears, I edged toward the open door. Another few wails and I was outside, rushing down the porch steps and back over to my own property. Safely on my property I glanced back at the house, remembering all the times I’d sat over there with Maeve. She’d always be my fondest memory of this town.
“Well, fuck.” I slid the phone out of my back pocket and hit speed dial on one of my saved numbers. “Yeah, can I order a cheese pizza to be delivered to Maeve’s? Put it on my usual credit card, please, along with a fifty percent tip.”
For all I knew, that crazy woman was vegan and would toss the cheesy goodness back in the delivery guy’s face, but I couldn’t leave her over there unfed. It went against everything Maeve had taught me. She never failed to pull out a snack when I was over there and just this once I could return the favor.
With that settled and karma back on my good side, I headed into my own house where the air didn’t smell like dirt and Miracle-Gro. It also didn’t have a wailing woman, though her sobs still rang in my ears.
Why were all the pretty ones off their damn rocker?
There was a song lyric there, I could just feel it. I grabbed my guitar and had a seat in my screened-in back porch. A few strums of chords later and I found a rhythm, playing around with lyrics and watching the rainwater drop from the roofline into my flower beds. The sun had come out full force again, just in time for it to sink into the ocean that spanned out behind my house. If Kenna ever got her head off that dining table, she might see that Maeve had a view just as gorgeous out her back slider. Real estate was pricey around here for oceanfront properties, Formica countertops or not.
Today had certainly not turned out like I thought. I was now the not-so-proud co-owner of Captain’s Boat Club and sole caretaker of a crazed next-door neighbor when all I wanted was to be left alone.
There’d be another storm tomorrow afternoon but you could bet your ass I’d be out on my boat before the rain clouds rolled in. Anything to get me far, far away from Kenna. Even for just a few blessed hours.
An incoming text vibrated my phone.
Harley: Checking in, brother. Heard the niece showed up and she wasn’t all too happy with you. What’s that about?
I didn’t bother responding to my best friend. I needed a few short hours to not think about Kenna Ryan.
Chapter Five
Kenna
“No! Release me!”
I woke up with a jerk, realizing I’d been stuck in a dream where the house plants were trying to suck me in and make me one of them. I blinked and the fuzzy edges of the dream fully dissipated. The room was already bright which meant sunrise had long passed. The hideous geometric pattern of the wallpaper made me wish I’d kept my eyes closed. Burnt red, gold, and pea green should never have gone together, no matter the year my aunt had originally put up the wallpaper.
“Freaking Jumanji,” I mumbled, sitting up and pushing back the covers that had been twisted around me. I looked down, realizing I was only in my bra and underwear. I hadn’t even taken the time to find my pajamas.
After I’d lost my shit in front of my new business partner and neighbor, I’d inhaled the mysterious pizza that arrived, too tired to question where it came from and if it was meant for me. The universe had delivered manna from heaven and I wasn’t going to turn down the first good thing that had happened to me in weeks.
With a full belly, I’d stumbled upstairs to the first guest room I’d found, collapsing into the bed and immediately sinking into a deep sleep. I hadn’t been doing much of that the last few days. Sleep had been evading me as my brain spun, trying to make sense of all the change I’d gone through all at once. Well, I’d made up for the lost sleep last night, falling so far into a deep slumber I was having a hard time waking up.
I grabbed my phone off the charger on the nightstand and pushed my hair back from my face. Notifications popped up all over the home screen. Ignoring the text messages for now, I opened up my email. Right there at the top was an email from the same law firm that had been stamped all over the paperwork I’d been served before leaving San Francisco. The email had come in last night but I’d already been asleep. My gut clenched with dread but I couldn’t ignore it. Better to suck it up and face the music. Clicking on it, a simple but straightforward message opened.
Dear Mrs. Cugly,
Due to the pending divorce proceedings and our client’s concern with your stability, all financial accounts will be frozen until mediations have begun or a judge deems you trustworthy.
Good day.
I dropped the phone and promptly punched the pillow. Good day? I’d taken out a measly two hundred dollars before I boarded the plane yesterday in case I needed food along the way. How dare he freeze our joint accounts? Unstable? Untrustworthy? How about I ask for a reimbursement for the diamond bracelet he’d bought his mistress with our money? Talk about untrustworthy…
“Ugh!” I hopped out of bed, fully awake and so pissed off I was trembling with it. It seemed that was my permanent state recently. Pissed off and helpless.
