Free Barefoot at Sunset (Barefoot Bay Timeless Book 1) by Roxanne St. Claire Page A

world is a family, and he doesn’t have one yet.”
    Beth stared at her, and Emma could have sworn some color drained from her face. “He said that?”
    “Not in quite so many words, but yes. We were talking in a group about where all our lives have gone since high school.” She shot a tight smile to her husband. “Of course, I told them how happy I am.”
    “Of course,” he agreed dryly, running a hand over his shiny dome. “You love your old, fat, bald husband.”
    “I do and—”
    Beth put her hand on the woman’s arm. “What did he say?”
    The woman glanced as if to check to be sure the center of her gossip was still out of hearing range. “He said his biggest regret was not having kids yet,” she said. “He said he’d love to have a family, and I told him he most certainly can.”
    The husband harrumphed. “With a much younger woman.”
    “Donald, that isn’t true anymore. Women have babies in their forties, right?”
    Beth didn’t answer, but her gaze drifted back to the man in question and softened to something akin to sadness. Then she looked down at the untouched plate of food in front of her.
    “Oh, here he comes,” the other woman said as Mark and Ken walked closer. But Beth didn’t look, Emma noticed. She was folding her napkin and pulling her phone out of her purse.
    “Your fiancé is pretty nice-looking, too, Emma,” the chatty woman said. “I think I heard the collective sound of single women’s hearts breaking all over the island when Lacey told us Mark is engaged.”
    Then mission accomplished, Emma thought as she laughed lightly. “I consider myself quite lucky,” she said, taking a sip of water and hoping that was suitably vague.
    Mark returned with the other man, the two of them laughing about something, but Emma noticed that the moment “Captain Cav” spotted Beth, his expression changed. Laughing with Mark morphed into…intensity.
    “Hey, Beth.”
    Like no one else was at the table.
    “Hello, Ken.” She suddenly looked at her phone, which had not buzzed, dinged, or vibrated. “Oh, I have a call. Excuse me.” She smiled at Ken. “This seat’s open.”
    His face fell with obvious disappointment, but he recovered instantly, letting Mark do a round of introductions, reminding Emma that the chatty woman’s name was Linda and her husband was Frank. They all kept up the small talk, but Ken was quieter than the others, except for a few jokes with Mark and answering Linda’s many questions about life at his fire station. The minute everyone was done eating, Ken excused himself and disappeared.
    “Dance of the Decade planning is next!” Linda announced, elbowing Mark’s side. “You two better win for the eighties!”
    “There’s a meeting about it?” Mark asked with a groan.
    “Can’t miss that,” Emma said, leaning back. “We promised Lacey.”
    He pushed up and pulled Emma’s chair back for her. As he did, he put a hand on her shoulder and leaned close to her ear. “You’re killing this, by the way,” he whispered, his breath warm and mouth wonderfully close.
    You’re killing me. “Thanks,” she whispered, standing up and out of his touch before he felt her shiver.
    Just then, Lacey came up to their table to invite them to the patio to talk about the dance program.
    “We’re on our way,” Emma assured her. “As soon as I swing by the ladies’ room.”
    Lacey sidled up to her and gestured her toward the house. “It’s through the family room, Emma,” she said. “Come on, I’ll show you.”
    “Thanks, I’m sure I can find it.”
    “I’m going that way.” Lacey stayed close as they walked across the patio and into the house, greeting guests as she passed, but as they reached the counter bar in the kitchen, Lacey stopped and put her hand on Emma’s arm. “Can I talk to you for a second?”
    “Oh, sure…” A sudden warmth rose up in Emma’s chest, somewhere between a full-on blush and a blast of liar’s fear. Was this going to be about