Total pages in book: 138
Estimated words: 126823 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 634(@200wpm)___ 507(@250wpm)___ 423(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 126823 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 634(@200wpm)___ 507(@250wpm)___ 423(@300wpm)
Shabina was almost afraid to ask. “Who is the lucky man?”
“You know him. Edward Fenton. He owns the helicopter service in town. He’s the most wonderful painter. It took me forever to get him to show me his work. I love to paint, but I don’t compare to his work.”
“Janine is really good,” Val said, breaking off a small piece of scone. “But I agree with her, Edward is amazing. We all went out to the canal together to paint last week.”
“There were blue herons,” Janine said. “Just walking along the canal. Edward captured them beautifully. Mine weren’t the best. He thought they were good, but his were vivid and looked so elegant and real.”
“We ran into Sean,” Theresa added. “He seemed very upset that Edward was painting with us. The two of them walked off together and seemed to be having a heated exchange. Then they moved where we couldn’t see them and were gone for a bit of time. When Edward came back, he was alone, and it looked as if they may have gotten into a physical altercation. We asked Edward about it, but he said not to worry, that Sean got into moods.”
“I think he made fun of Edward painting with us,” Janine said.
“Why did you think that?” Shabina asked.
Val nodded in agreement. “Edward said disparaging things about his painting after the run-in with Sean.”
“The way he talked about his painting made us think Sean had influenced him negatively,” Theresa said. “Edward had admitted to Janine he hadn’t made any real attempts at artwork since school. He was already feeling very shy about his work.”
“I try not to say bad things about people,” Val said, “but I think Sean needs a therapist.”
“That’s not a bad thing,” Janine said. “I think everyone needs a therapist, but then I am one.” She laughed at her own joke.
“He may have been having a bad day,” Theresa pointed out. “We don’t know what goes on in someone’s life. We can only try to treat them with kindness and hope they benefit from good energy.”
Val rolled her eyes. “Theresa, I swear you’re the only reason we’re going to make it through the pearly gates if there are gates. You’ll pull us on the top of your wings.”
“You’re such a heathen, Val,” Theresa said, but there was amusement in her voice.
Janine burst out laughing. “You’ve stumbled onto an ongoing argument between the two of them. Val is our scientist, and Theresa is a woman of faith.”
“One doesn’t exclude the other,” Theresa said.
“No, it doesn’t,” Val agreed, “but common sense tells me when men like Sean are mean to everyone around them, kindness doesn’t win out. If that were true, at his age, he would already be a decent human being.”
“Maybe,” Theresa said, “but I think we should all try kindness before we resort to being mean ourselves.”
“Telling someone they need therapy isn’t being mean, Theresa,” Val said. “It’s helpful advice. I could have said something entirely different, which is what I was really thinking.”
Shabina struggled to keep a straight face despite hearing the information that Edward and Sean had been in a physical altercation and both had been at the canal near the same place where she had discovered the spices and dates dumped in the bushes.
The three women’s friendship reminded her so much of what she had with Stella, Raine, Harlow, Vienna and Zahra. She might not have known her friends as long, but she knew that relationship was strong and lasting. It was clear to her that these women knew they could count on each other, and they always backed one another up.
Theresa was the one to roll her eyes. “Ignore her, Shabina. She sounds awful, but she truly has a heart of gold. We’ll be regulars in your café for breakfast or lunch for the next couple of weeks. Stella is helping us find a place to stay in Knightly. She knows so many people.”
“She has a line on a little guesthouse—it’s only two bedrooms, not three, but it’s still ideal for us,” Janine said. “A kitchenette and living room and, best of all, it has a pottery studio right on the property. The couple give pottery classes. If I end up staying longer, the couple will consider extending the lease.”
“You must be talking about Tom and Judy Rosewood. They’re incredible and so kind and thoughtful. Their property is beautiful. Have you seen the guesthouse yet?”
“Not yet, just pictures,” Val said. “But it looks picture perfect. The gardens are impressive.”
Shabina had to agree. “I’d better get busy, or my own staff will fire me. I really do hope you get a chance to meet with Tom and Judy. They’re very special people.”
She gave a friendly wave and returned to quickly breaking down tables and setting them up for new customers. She stayed on automatic pilot as she turned the information she’d inadvertently gotten from the women over and over in her mind. She wanted to talk to her friends and Rainier about what she’d discovered.