Tides of Hope Read Free

more elegant, no question about it. Heather serves a wonderful proper British tea.” Then Edith winked. “But I guarantee she won’t offer you home-baked chocolate chip cookies. As for taking advantage…that’s nonsense. We’re neighbors, for goodness’ sake. You’ve listened to me vent plenty of times. I’m happy to return the favor.”
    â€œIs it that obvious I need to?”
    â€œIn a word…yes. Problems with the Lucy Sue? ”
    â€œMinor compared to my problems with Lieutenant Craig Cole.”
    â€œYou met the invisible man?” Interest sparked in the older woman’s eyes.
    â€œWho’s the invisible man?”
    Her daughter’s question reminded Kate how little the youngster missed—and of the need for prudence in her presence when discussing grown-up topics.
    â€œIt’s kind of a joke, honey. No one has seen very much of the new commander at the Coast Guard station, so people call him the invisible man.”
    â€œMaybe he’s busy.”
    â€œI expect that’s the reason.”
    â€œMaddie, why don’t you finish building your castle in the sunroom while your mommy and I have some tea?” Edith interjected. “After we’re done, you can tell us a story about the people who live there.”
    â€œOkay.”
    As Maddie skipped off, Kate shook her head. “Talk about little pitchers.”
    â€œShe doesn’t miss much, that’s for sure.”
    â€œNo more problems today?”
    â€œNot a one. She’s fine, Kate. Come on, let’s have that tea.”
    â€œCould we make it coffee instead?”
    Edith grinned. “Heather still hasn’t converted you, I see.”
    â€œIt’s a lost cause.”
    â€œShe’s made inroads with me. But I still like my coffee, too. You’re on.” Edith led the way toward her early American-style kitchen, pulling two mugs from pegs on the wall.
    â€œWhere’s Chester?” Kate took a seat at the familiar hickory table that had hosted more than its share of gab sessions and propped her chin in her palm.
    â€œIn the garden, finishing up the renovations on the guest cottage.” She shook her head as she bustled about the homey room. “I’m not convinced it will be ready to rent out this season, though. My good husband has been futzing around with it for months, and the tourists will be descending before we know it.”
    â€œAnd life will get even busier.” Kate sighed and selected a cookie from the plate on the table.
    After pulling a pitcher of cream from the refrigerator, Edith turned a keen eye toward her Lighthouse Lane neighbor. “Do I detect a hint of discouragement in that comment?”
    Forcing her lips into a smile, Kate shrugged. “Maybe.”
    â€œThat’s not like you. You’ve always kept a positive attitude despite problems that would have made most people cave long ago.”
    â€œYou and Chester can take a lot of credit for that. If you hadn’t agreed to watch Maddie while I work, and if Chester hadn’t stepped in as my first mate, I doubt I’d have made it.”
    â€œYes, you would. You’re a survivor, Kate MacDonald. But even the best of us can get discouraged on a bad day. And yours sounds like a doozy.” She dropped her volume. “Starting with Maddie’s asthma attack at four in the morning.”
    â€œIt wasn’t a great beginning,” Kate conceded, angling her head toward the window-rimmed room Chester had added to the back of the kitchen. Maddie was busy with her blocks and oblivious to the adult conversation, the panic-filled attack in the wee hours of the morning, the tears, the nebulizer treatment already a distant memory.
    Kate wished the same was true for her. But after each episode, the agony of watching her daughter struggle for air and the feeling of desperate helplessness that twisted her stomach into knots stayed with her. Sometimes