Chapter 27
Frankie sipped her coffee in Ansley’s kitchen, her brain still fogged from sleep. There was a nap waiting for her in the near future.
Garnet stepped into the kitchen, yawning. “I so need coffee.”
“We were up too late last night.”
“Totally,” Garnet said.
Ansley stepped into the kitchen. “Good morning. You’re both awake.” Her voice was way too bright and happy for such a late night.
Frankie turned to stare at Ansley. “You’re a morning person.”
Ansley laughed. “I am. I love mornings.”
Garnet yawned again. “We were up until almost two in the morning.”
Ansley smiled as she pulled eggs from the refrigerator. “That was fun. Thank you for coming over.”
“Thank you for inviting me.” Frankie was glad she had two great friends in these ladies. They helped her feel better about everything. “And thank you both for being understanding about my worries.”
“Hey, there are loads of people who would take advantage of your position,” Ansley said.
Garnet nodded. “Yeah, money is one of those things people get upset over. When you start looking for charities, it might be good to have someone like a lawyer help you figure out where to give.”
Frankie nodded. She’d told them some of what she knew about the money, just not everything, like the amount. “Yes. After talking to you, I know I need to get a lawyer involved.”
“I do like the charity idea,” Ansley said.
Frankie laughed. “I don’t know about fully funding one.”
Ansley shrugged. “Well, you can at least help a lot.”
“It’s cool that you want to help and not just pocket the money. You know, you could create a lifestyle and ignore everything,” Garnet said.
Frankie shook her head. “No, that’s how I hit my lows. I lived that with my ex, and it was awful. Everything was about selfishness and partying. I want more from life.”
“I do, too,” Ansley said.
Garnet nodded. “Same.”
“Can I help you fix breakfast?” Frankie asked.
“No, sit and drink more coffee. I’ve got it.”
“Thank you.”
“Of course,” Ansley said as she cracked an egg into a bowl.
She could tell these women would remain friends even if she didn’t stay with Keel. But she wanted to stay with him. She just wasn’t sure she would measure up. He needed someone worthy of him, and she had a lot of work to do to measure up.
After breakfast, they cleaned Ansley’s house, even vacuuming, and it only took them twenty minutes. Frankie headed home, waving at Sonja, who was staring out her window.
The alarm had no alerts, no warnings, so she felt safe going inside. She locked up, then showered before making a grocery list. Keel kept a clean house, but there was dust she needed to clear from the surfaces. It didn’t take long, and a little after noon, she decided to head to the store.
The taxi picked her up ten minutes later. On the drive to the store, she watched for Forest, but didn’t see him. No way would Forest be caught dead in anything other than a flashy ride, so it would be easy to spot him.
She felt guilty spending the cash Keel had left for her, but she would be able to pay him back.
The money still flummoxed her. How could she have even half of what that woman told her she had?
No way would she spend it, at least not like it was her own.
She would make sure to manage the money well.
Her goal was to provide help to others. Who exactly, she wasn’t sure, but she would figure it out and become someone worthy of having the money.
When she was almost done shopping, the chime on her phone sounded. It was the alarm warning her that someone was on her front porch. Panic hit, and her hands shook as she opened the application to see who was invading her peace.