Barefoot in the Sand Read Online Free Page B

of hugs. Even Ashley joined in, jumping up and down as they squeezed and shrieked and an avalanche of explanations came pouring out.
    “We wanted to surprise you!”
    “We’re here to cheer you up!”
    “We’ve been planning this since the hurricane but knew you’d tell us not to come!”
    Lacey reeled, holding each dear friend in her arms, choking on laughter and disbelief and joy. Finally the eruption ended and she managed to get her head around the fact that her best friends had come to help her pick up the pieces of her storm-shattered life.
    They’d come from across the country and, in Tessa’s case, the world.
    “Tessa Fontaine!” She put her hands on clean, fresh cheeks, as always unadorned by makeup but so naturally pretty. “I didn’t know you were back in the States.”
    “I just got back while you were dealing with this,” Tessasaid, her voice as soft and earthy as her hair, shadows of sadness making her deep brown eyes so serious. “And, by the way, it’s Galloway again. I’ve officially dropped Fontaine.”
    “Oh, Tess.” The divorce, of course, must be final. “Sucks.”
    “Tessa lives with me now,” Zoe announced.
    “You do?”
    “Not forever.” Tessa shrugged a shoulder, which was toned from hours of farmwork in dozens of distant countries. “I went to Flagstaff to hang out with Zoe for the past month, but we didn’t bother you with any of that, since you’ve had your hands full.”
    “We decided we just had to get out here and lift your spirits.” Zoe squeezed Lacey’s hand, her other arm already hooked over Ashley’s shoulder with casual affection. “And see our group goddaughter, who is getting way too grown-up and gorgeous.”
    Ashley beamed a mouthful of hot-pink-banded braces at her. “Thanks, Aunt Zoe.”
    Lacey turned her attention to Jocelyn, the only person on earth who could ride in a 4x4 down a beach road and not have a hair out of place.
    “And it only took an act of God to get Jocelyn Bloom back to Mimosa Key,” Lacey exclaimed. “There must be a dozen L.A. movie stars who are paralyzed right now without their life coach.”
    Jocelyn flicked off the comment with dismissive fingertips. “All I need is a phone and Internet and I can work from here for a while. You’ve always been there for each of us, so it was our time to come to you.”
    “I’m sorry it took so long,” Zoe said, her green eyessparkling with the joy that always seemed to light her from inside. “My job took off, so to speak.”
    They all laughed at that, and Lacey could feel the pressure that had crushed her for all these weeks lift as easily as one of the hot air balloons Zoe piloted for a living.
    “I already feel better just looking at you three,” Lacey said. “I can’t even remember the last time we were all together.”
    “Tessa’s wedding,” Jocelyn said, probably able to tell them the date and what each of them wore.
    “Uh-oh,” Tessa moaned. “This adventure better turn out more successful than that one.”
    “Tess, c’mere.” Lacey reached to give her a hug. “You’ve been through hell this year.”
    She took the squeeze, but not for long. “Hell is living through a hurricane. Zoe told me you stayed alive in a bathtub! Is that true?” she asked Ashley.
    “Totally true,” Ashley confirmed. “Mom was incredible. If it weren’t for her, we’d have died in her bedroom closet.”
    “Ohhh!” The outcry was in unison and came with more hugs, but the tears in Lacey’s eyes burned from the sweetness of Ashley’s unexpected compliment.
    “Hey, Ashley propped me up a few times, trust me.”
    “Lacey’s always been our fearless leader,” Zoe said. “The RA who kept us out of trouble for our entire freshman year of college.”
    “Like anyone can keep you out of trouble, Zoe,” Tessa said.
    They laughed again, but Jocelyn broke away to look around in disbelief at the bare trees, the piles of debris, and what once was a lovely beachfront property.
    “God,