Beauty and the Beach (31 page)

“Forewarned is forearmed.” Her father turned another page. “Like receiving a tornado warning in time to board up the windows..”

The last thing she wanted to deal with was her ex-boyfriend showing back up in town. Everyone had thought for sure they’d get married, but Andrew had bigger plans. He’d left Breezy, not for a racier woman, but for a racier city. Los Angeles, to be exact. If he was in town, she was sure it was only for a brief visit and then he’d be back out looking for the thrills that small-town Aspen Grove, California, could never provide for him.

Dad was right. Forewarned was forearmed. Now she was ready so she wouldn’t make a fool of herself if she ran into him. But she would try very hard to not run into him at all until he went back to big old LA.

Her mother tilted her head in thought. “I know. I’ll invite Andrew over.”

“Don’t you dare, Mom! I mean it! That is so over.”

Her mother sighed. “Sometimes all someone needs is a second chance. And you should do good to everyone.”

Breezy pointed her finger at her mother. “If you do, I will walk right back out the door.”

“Oh, you will not.” Her mother shot her an appraising look. “You will sit down and visit with the man while he’s here.”

Her father said, “Any man who passed up our daughter has mush for brains.”

When Breezy’s cell phone chirped to tell her it was time to leave for work, she pulled it out and turned off the timer. “Thanks for a delicious lunch, Mom. Love you both. This is much better than going to my house for a lunch all by myself.”

She pulled first her mother and then her father into a hug.

“Love you, too, Sweetie.” Her father gave her an extra squeeze, then held her suit jacket while she slipped her arms in.

She fastened the three buttons. “Time to get to the station.” She picked up her purse, glad to get away from threats of old boyfriends being invited to Sunday dinner and excited to get to the weather.

“What is the forecast for this week, anyway?” asked her mother. “I haven’t heard yet.”

Dad shrugged again, said, “With Breezy, it’s always sunny,” and disappeared behind his paper.

Her mother said, “I hope there’s a date in Breezy’s forecast.”

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Thanks again.

I hope you enjoyed the read.

Happy tales.

Diane Darcy