Page 9 of Distant Shores (Stapled Magnolias #2)

“Monny, my brother, my Liem’s father, uses a wheelchair now.

” She sighed heavily, suggesting there was a lot more to it.

“It has been quite an eye-opening experience. Just as moving here and spending time at the Locc with the, ah… older people has been.” She flicked her hand again, as if separating herself from the classification.

“Anyway, my Gilbert says you’ve been a tremendous help to him, and Jillie says you were interested in more work? I hope I’m not being presumptuous.”

That was a lot more people talking about me than I was comfortable with, but I needed to call bullshit on one of them.

“Ari, I’m sorry, but there is no way your husband said the word ‘tremendous.’”

She tossed her head back and laughed loudly, the sound somehow musical, but it cut off abruptly as she gripped her head and let out a small groan of pain.

“Are you okay?” I asked, patting her awkwardly on the arm.

She squeezed her eyes shut and massaged her temples. “Yes, dear. I get migraines from time to time. I’m afraid with the season changing, they’ll come more frequently. ”

“We can do this another time,” I assured her. “I’ll be around.”

For years and years, if I were lucky.

Or very unlucky, my intrusive thought generator supplied.

She looped her arm through mine and tugged me further across the grass, surprising me so much that I just went along with her. “Can I ask you the same question, dear? Are you okay?”

I narrowed my eyes. Had Gil said something to her? Even if he had, there was no way I was spewing my issues, so I just patted her hand again. “All good.”

Dropping my hand, I fussed with the loose strings on the hem of my jean shorts to keep it busy.

I had to stop patting this woman.

“So, what I need your help with, dear Ireland, is, well… everything.” She came to a stop and gestured to the grass and the sun high above us.

“This is the perfect spot for the greenhouses, but what we need to do is find money for it and willing hands to maintain it. The actual building of the structure won’t be a problem.

My Gil and Bub are excellent at that sort of thing and are more than up for the task. ”

I had no idea who Bub was, but by the name alone, I guessed he might be a fellow retiree.

“So, how do we find the money?”

“Fundraising,” she said simply. “There are also grants available for this type of thing, but there is too much red tape and waiting for that.” Her expression turned contemplative.

“And I don’t want to wait. I want to start as soon as possible.

Jillie assures me that if we can raise a certain amount, Live Oak will match it. ”

We came to a stop in the middle of the green space, wind blowing and birds singing from the multiple live oak trees that dotted the entire campus .

“You would be my assistant of sorts,” she explained, not put off by my silence. “It’s a paid position. And if you’re up for it, we can start Monday. I already have a notebook of ideas. I have no patience for the internet, so that’s where you would come in.”

I nodded, a slow smile forming on my lips as I realized the universe may have actually been throwing me a bone. “Okay.”

She beamed. “Just give me your phone number, and I’ll call you tomorrow to set our first meeting. Granted, this….” Her words trailed off as she closed her eyes tight and swayed.

I grabbed her arms, keeping her steady.

Was something in the air today? Was there an air quality warning I’d missed?

“You need to go home, Ari,” I said seriously. “I think Gil is at the Locc. Do you want me to go get him?”

“No, no. I’ll just have?—”

“Aunt Ari! Ire!” a sweet, masculine voice called.

We turned to find Liem approaching us with more enthusiasm than I’d ever seen, which was saying something. Because this guy? He was enthusiasm, wrapped in an unexpected package.

“What are you two doing out here?” he asked, seeming to float toward us.

“My Liem,” Ari greeted her nephew, those two words full of so much love that it made my heart squeeze. “That’s our business.”

And those words were so unexpected, I let out a snort.

Liem laughed with that musical quality like his aunt’s and then regarded me with a nod. “Ire. Were you about to hug my aunt, or is this the start of some sort of altercation?”

I glanced at Ari and frowned, realizing I was still gripping her upper arms. With anyone else, this might’ve been mortifying, but despite his piercings and tattoos, Liem had a guileless quality about him that put me at ease. Ari smiled in amusement as I dropped my arms as if they were on fire.

Smears of paint on Liem’s clothes and skin caught my eye, and I wondered how the art class he’d taught at the Locc today had gotten so messy.

Ari was looking over her nephew, too, her head pain seeming to ease with his presence, a knowing smile blooming on her face. “Something’s happened.”

“It happened,” he whispered mysteriously as his lean body swayed with the wind. “It happened, Aunt Ari.”

Ari gasped and clutched her heart dramatically. “Your beautiful boy?”

Liem nodded, beaming. “He asked me on a date. We’re going on a date. Today.”

Ari drew Liem into her arms and squeezed him tightly, and I took an automatic step away. I didn’t get far before Liem’s tattooed hand shot out and grabbed my wrist, pulling me into the group hug and engulfing me in the smell of paint and incense.

“You’re part of this, Ire,” Liem said serenely.

Utterly bewildered, I patted both their backs as I muttered, “I really don’t see how.”

I clenched my scraped hands to stop them from acting on their stupid whims.

“This is just lovely,” he sighed. “This whole day.”

He sounded so lovesick that I couldn’t help but smile, but I was still relieved when our weird huddle finally disbanded. Sometimes I worried that one good hug would actually ruin me, and I didn’t have time to be ruined this year.

They stepped away and fell into a conversation about the guy—Cody—and I stuffed the traitors into my pockets. There would be no more patting today.

When Liem mentioned a Vespa, I straight up ignored whatever he said next.

It was Dad’s Vespa I’d just anonymously sold to him, facilitated by Jillie.

“I’m going to get Aunt Ari home,” Liem announced eventually.

I looked over at Ari, who was looking unwell again, the adrenaline of Liem’s proclamations seeming to have worn off. I nodded and offered them a weak smile. “I’m happy for you, Liem.”

He grinned like I’d just made his life. “Text me later?”

I narrowed my eyes at him but kept it playful with a little shrug. “We’ll see.”