Chapter 20
OCEAN
Ocean was surprised by how much she’d enjoyed the Marigold murder investigation.
She found the whole thing laughable, of course.
She knew how ridiculous they were, playing detectives.
Still, Mrs. B seemed to shed years as they walked back together across the courtyard.
Her eyes were bright and her stride was strong.
Her caftan flowed behind her like Batman’s cape and Ocean couldn’t keep herself from smiling.
“Are you free tonight?” Mrs. B asked. “For dinner with CJ? Will you yell at me if I invite her on such short notice? Should I make goulash? I don’t have mushrooms. Why don’t I have mushrooms?”
“You’re happy,” Ocean said, at the door to Mrs. B’s cottage.
“I’m not happy, I’m pleased,” she said, then lowered her voice. “Lily-Ann is glowing, did you see her? And Hamilton is thrilled we’re meeting at his house again. It makes him feel like a member of the community. Like a central member of the community, which of course he is. You all are.”
“That’s a lot of centers.”
“That’s what love is, my dear. A cornucopia of centers.”
That stopped Ocean. “Huh. I like that.”
“I am very wise.”
“Right. So you’re just happy for everyone else, huh?”
“Of course. And for myself. I needed this. A new investigation because…” She glanced around as if checking they were alone. “The way things ended last time didn’t feel like an untarnished victory, if you know what I mean?”
“I do.”
“So solving a crime in which, well”—she lowered her voice even more—“none of us are guilty? That’s what I need. It’s what we all need. That and mushrooms.”
Ocean laughed. “Ask CJ to dinner some other time. She can’t tonight.”
“Oh, are you taking her out?” Mrs. B stepped inside her cottage, then turned with the door still opened. “What is this, the fifth date?”
“It would be, but—”
“That’s lovely! Is the sex good?”
Ocean felt herself flush. “Why would you ask me that?”
“It’s more interesting than asking if she makes you laugh.”
“Well, she does. She does make me laugh. And I’m not seeing her tonight. She needs more alone time. I think losing Frank for her is like what losing you would be to me.”
“Are you sure dragging her out of the house wouldn’t make her feel better?”
“I’m not sure about anything. Dating at this age. A younger woman. And now she’s been accused of murder. What will the kids think?”
“You’re worried about Riley?”
“A little.”
Mrs. B pressed her lips together. “First, we know she didn’t kill Frank. Just like you would never kill me.”
“As much as I might want to, sometimes.”
“Ha! And second, you’re not worried about Riley. You’re hung up about your ex-wife. Things fell apart with you and Zoe, so you think you’re bad at relationships. You’re afraid you’re not lovable.”
“Don’t be stupid,” Ocean grumbled, because you’re right would’ve been too painful.
“In this cornucopia of centers, Ocean, you’re the one that holds everything together.” Her sweet, wrinkled face was aglow with earnestness. “Nobody here doesn’t love you. You’re wonderful, you’re a treasure and beloved and—”
Ocean closed the door in the old biddy’s face, flushing with embarrassment. Mrs. B cackled from inside, and despite her mortification, Ocean couldn’t help smiling along. What a monster.
On the way to her own place, she snipped a few blooms from the pink and orange floribunda rosebush between their cottages. She folded her pocketknife away—along with her thoughts about CJ—and went into her kitchen for a vase.
She loved this time of year. Only a couple more months of heat—September and October were often hotter than July and August in Santa Barbara—before the seventy-degree days returned. Plus, the kids were back in school, but not yet jaded, just like her own art students at City College.
Miles was already preparing for his school trip to Catalina Island, where the kids spend a full week away from home.
Well, he was deciding which baseball hat to bring.
Meanwhile, Riley was agitating for a tattoo, though Ocean wasn’t sure if she really wanted one or was just testing the waters.
Which meant Ocean didn’t know if she should put her foot down or start sketching ideas.
If she really did want a tattoo, what better than a design created by her mother? Surely, that was every teenager’s dream.
Ocean smiled again as she stepped into her cottage and heard the kids talking.
Mrs. B was right about her fear of romantic failure: she’d been so certain that Zoe was the love of her lifetime …
right until everything burst into flames.
Still, there was so much love in her life.
For her friends and family, true, and maybe, just maybe, she’d get romance right this time.