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Back Sunset Beach Save as PDF
Chapters (73)
  1. Title Page
  2. Copyright Notice
  3. Dedication
  4. Acknowledgments
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. 24
  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. 29
  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. 33
  38. 34
  39. 35
  40. 36
  41. 37
  42. 38
  43. 39
  44. 40
  45. 41
  46. 42
  47. 43
  48. 44
  49. 45
  50. 46
  51. 47
  52. 48
  53. 49
  54. 50
  55. 51
  56. 52
  57. 53
  58. 54
  59. 55
  60. 56
  61. 57
  62. 58
  63. 59
  64. 60
  65. 61
  66. 62
  67. 63
  68. 64
  69. 65
  70. Epilogue
  71. Also by Mary Kay Andrews
  72. About the Author
  73. Newsletter Sign-up

“You do,” Brice said. “Before you get too excited, though, I should warn you it’s in pretty rough shape. The last tenant lived there for six or seven years, and he was kind of a hoarder. He always paid his rent on time and never had any complaints about the place, so I sort of let things slide. It wasn’t until last year, after the hurricane damaged the roof and the old guy moved out, that we realized how bad things had gotten.”

Drue’s eyes filled with unexpected tears. “Mom never said a word. All those years, she drove crappy secondhand cars and we lived in shithole apartments. She could have sold that place—it’s right on the Gulf, right? I bet it was worth a lot of money. I can’t believe she hung on to Papi’s house.”

“Your mom was never the sentimental type, as you know, but I think she regarded the cottage as her legacy to you. It was the one thing of value in her life. Well, that and her daughter.”

Not trusting herself to speak, Drue could only stare down at the keys.

“What are your plans now?” Brice asked.

“I don’t know,” she admitted. “Things are kind of up in the air right now.”

“Sherri said you’ve been waitressing at a bar?”

“That’s right.”

His raised eyebrow spoke volumes.

“And … no romantic ties keeping you here in Fort Lauderdale?”

She scowled. Since Trey, her faithless boyfriend, had been a no-show at the funeral, she’d already relegated him to ex-boyfriend status. “Are you deliberately gloating over the fact that I’m thirty-six and have a shitty job and no life?”

He raised his hands in surrender. “I was going to offer you a job, but obviously that’s a deeply offensive move on my part.”

“A job? Doing what?”

“Working at the law firm. We’ve affiliated with half a dozen boutique personal injury firms in the Southeast in the past year. Business is crazy good. Another firm in town just poached my most senior intake associate. I’m really shorthanded.”

“No thanks,” Drue said firmly. “I have no interest in moving back to St. Pete and zero interest in the law.”

“You mean, zero interest in working for me.”

Her eyes met his. “That too. Sorry. I mean, I appreciate the offer. And your coming over for Mom’s funeral. And letting me know about the cottage. Thanks. I really mean it.” She looked down at her watch. “Can you get the check now? I’ve got to work tonight.”

He let out a long sigh. “You’re as goddamn stubborn as she was. More, even.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment,” Drue said.

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