Page 54 of Lakehouse Promises

She walked over and pulled the blanket up over her shoulders before turning her attention to taking Phoenix outside.

Stepping out into the cold air, she walked down the stairs toward the lake. Phoenix followed. She wrapped her arms around her as she watched the wind play on the waves of the water. The sun was trying to peek over the water.

She breathed in deep, the air burning her lungs.

“Good morning.”

She spun around shocked to see Janice behind her.

“Good morning. I didn’t expect you to get up so early.”

“I didn’t sleep very well,” Janice huffed.

“I’m sorry.” She took a drink of her coffee.

“Maybe today you can go buy a proper mattress for that bed.”

“Janice, I’ve got to be at work in an hour. And even if I didn’t have to work, I don’t have the extra money for a mattress.”

“That’s crazy. Of course, you have the money. You got half of all my son’s hard-earned assets. Everyone knows the wife of a husband as well-off as Chris has to give the ex-wife substantial funds.”

“I wish he had. But unfortunately, all I got in the divorce was this lake house and a paltry alimony for three years.” She shrugged.

“I don’t believe that. You just don’t want me here.”

“Janice I don’t have the energy to argue with you. Ask your son.” She shook her head and walked past her.

Janice said something but she didn’t hear her. The words were white noise in her ears.

Phoenix noticed the danger of the older woman, and didn’t leave Carolina’s side. When she stepped inside the house Phoenix was right beside her.

Chapter 32

“You have a phone call.” Bernice glared at her.

Carolina stood up from arranging pumpkins around some haystacks and mums. “Me?”

“Yeah you.” Bernice yelled. “This ain’t no dating line so hurry up.” She shoved the phone at Carolina.

“Hello?”

“Carolina.”

“Thomas? What’s wrong?” He had never called before. From the tone in his voice she knew it was something serious.

“It’s your ex-mother-in-law.”

She cringed. “Is she still there?”

“Yeah, and she won’t let me do my job.”

“What do you mean? Just get up on the roof and ignore her.”

“She won’t let me near my ladder,” he said.

“You’re kidding me.”

“Do I sound like a man who kids?”