Free Love Finds You in Treasure Island, Florida by Debby Mayne

mother added. “I think I’ll just take a look around here.”
    Jerry’s forehead crinkled, and he glanced back and forth between Amanda and his mother before settling his gaze back on Amanda. “Is that okay?”
    “Yes, of course,” Amanda replied as she forced a smile. Now there was no doubt something was going on.
    The second he left, Jerry’s mother plopped up on the barstool and folded her hands on the counter. “So, Amanda, how do you like living in Treasure Island year-round?”
    Maybe she just needed a little female companionship. Amanda smiled. “It’s all I know. I’ve lived here all my life.”
    “Have you ever been to Atlanta?”
    Amanda nodded. “Yes, but it’s been a long time. Do you enjoy living there?”
    The older woman shrugged. “I used to love it, but it’s gotten so big and congested, I don’t know anymore.”
    “I know what you mean. Treasure Island hasn’t grown in size for obvious reasons, but there are so many more people here than when I was younger. I’m afraid the traffic is a little crazy.”
    “But it’s still beautiful.”
    “Yes,” Amanda agreed. She wished she could think of something else to say, because this conversation was starting to feel awkward.
    Mrs. Simpson studied her for a moment then hopped down off the stool. “Reckon I better be getting back, or the boys will think I’m up to something.”
    No doubt . Amanda smiled. “Thank you for stopping by, Mrs. Simpson.”
    “Oh, please don’t call me that. It makes me feel so old. I’m Rosemary, and my husband is Harold.”
    “Okay…Rosemary. I guess I’ll see you at church on Sunday.”
    Rosemary had her hand on the door but paused and turned to Amanda. “Church?”
    “Yes. Jerry stopped by to find out about churches, so I told him about mine.”
    “So you’re a Christian girl?” Rosemary smiled and let go of the door. “That’s really nice.”
    To keep the conversation from going in a whole new direction—one that would make her squirm even more—Amanda quickly thought of something else. “I told him the services are at nine and eleven with a Bible study in between. We generally have refreshments, too.” She walked to the door and held it for Rosemary. “It’ll be nice to see you there. Oh, and don’t worry about dressing up. Everything here is casual.”
    “Oh…okay,” Rosemary said as she stepped outside. “See you Sunday.”
    Suddenly, Amanda found herself alone and slightly confused. What was Rosemary’s real reason for stopping by the shop? Did her husband really need Jerry, or did she want some time alone with Amanda?

    “That woman!” Jerry watched as his dad’s face contorted from frustration as he paced back and forth in the condo. “She needs to learn to mind her business.”
    “Dad, don’t be so hard on her. She just said you needed me.”
    “It could have waited.”
    Yes, Jerry agreed. It could have waited. His parents had gone out to the beach with a couple of plastic bags, and now his dad wanted some help in sorting through the stuff they found and taking what wasn’t any good to the Dumpster.
    “That’s okay. Want to go through it now?”
    His dad shook his head as he stood. “Might as well, since you hoofed it all the way back here. Let’s go out on the balcony.”
    Jerry went to the front door, lifted both bags, and carried them through the condo to the balcony where his dad waited. “How do you want to do this?”
    “I’ll look at it first, and if I don’t know what it is, you can take a look at it.”
    “What do you think you’ll find?” Jerry asked.
    His dad snorted. “If I’ve told you once, I’ve told you a hundred times—this place isn’t called Treasure Island for nothing. There’s treasure out there somewhere, and I aim to find it.”
    Jerry wasn’t sure how much of this was his dad looking for something to do and how much was the Alzheimer’s talking. His parents had always been a little eccentric, but this was a little weird. His