"Ready to hit the hardware store?" Vanessa asked Joe as he reached the two waiting girls.
"Drive on my Queen," Joe replied, climbing into the back seat and leaning back.
"If I'm the Queen, then why am I driving?" Vanessa inquired haughtily as she started the motor.
"Because I'm your King?" Joe asked, lifting one brow and tilting his head sideways.
Franc giggled as Vanessa shook her head in mock exasperation. The threesome arrived at the hardware store and gathered the items they needed. Carrying the supplies to the front checkout, Joe felt a bit uneasy as the cashier, a man in his early forties with straight black hair, and a touch of gray at the temples, and hazel eyes, watched Joe approach and lay down his load. The cashier flashed a grin at Joe, which revealed one gold tooth on the upper left side of his mouth.
"Planning on doing a bit of work?" he asked, staring Joe in the eyes.
"Joe and Vanessa have volunteered to help Dad and me fix up our place, Mr. Maurice," Franc answered for Joe.
"Francessca!" the cashier exclaimed. "I didn't see you there. These two are friends of yours, then?" Franc nodded, a big smile on her face.
"This is my neighbor of a few miles, Vanessa Bender and her boyfriend, Joe Hardy," Franc made the introductions. "Vanessa, Joe, this is Liam Maurice. He has been most helpful in helping us get what we need together."
"These go on your father's account then?" Mr. Maurice inquired, ringing up the items.
"Please," she answered. Their purchases covered, the threesome left the hardware store and stowed the gear in the trunk.
Vanessa pulled to a stop beside a gold PT cruiser which sat in the driveway. "Your dad's?" she asked.
"Yeah," Franc admitted, her face breaking into a huge smile.
The three teens got out of the car and went inside. "Have a seat," Franc invited them. "I'll go find Dad." She returned a few minutes later with a handsome man in his late thirties. "Dad, this is Vanessa Bender and Joe Hardy," Franc introduced her friends. "Guys, my dad, Bailey Wyndham."
"It's nice to meet you, Mr. Wyndham," Joe said, standing up and shaking the man's hand.
"The pleasure is all mine," Mr. Wyndham returned. "I want to thank you two for helping out my little girl yesterday," he added.
"It was no problem," Vanessa assurred him. "It's great to have Franc around."
Mr. Wyndham smiled at her. "We brought some supplies from the hardware store," Franc informed her dad. "Joe and Vanessa have volunteered to help fix up the place."
"That's very kind of you," Mr. Wyndham stated, surprised. "We have called contractors but they are unable to begin right now."
"It's our pleasure," Joe assured the man. "You can't be expected to live in a house with more holes than roof."
"You know how to install a new roof?" Mr. Wyndham inquired.
"My brother and I helped our dad put a new one on our house last summer," Joe told him.
"And the materials for ours were supposed to have been delivered this morning," Franc put in. "Except for the nails and tools, of course."
"It's here," Mr. Wyndham replied. "Stacked up in the backyard next to a couple of ladders."
"I guess we had better get started then," Joe said.
"I have an idea," Mr. Wyndham said. "Why don't you girls work on painting the kitchen while I help Joe with the roof?"
"Great idea, Dad," Franc approved, grinning. "We can get a good start on two jobs today that way, and Vanessa can help me prepare for the English exam."
Their plans made, the foursome split up. Joe and Mr. Wyndham each took some tools and laid the ladders against the house.
As Joe began pulling up the old shingles, Mr. Wyndham began talking. "Have you lived in Bayport long?" he asked Joe.
"Since I was four," Joe answered.
"So you pretty much know where everything is?" he asked.
"Pretty much," Joe agreed. "Why?"
"I was wondering if you and Vanessa would mind showing Franc and me around town?" Mr. Wyndham asked, looking at Joe with a serious expression.
Joe looked surprised but quickly covered it. "Sure, we'd love to," he replied. "But wouldn't you feel more comfortable having someone older do that?" he asked. "My parents would be better at showing you the town and I know they would love to meet you."
"I'd like to meet your parents," Mr. Wyndham replied. "But, well, I have a confession to make."
"Oh?" Joe asked, pausing in his task and looking at Mr. Wyndham.
"Franc has been in boarding school ever since her mother died six years ago," he began. "Don't get me wrong," he added defensively although Joe hadn't said anything. "I love Francessca more than anything but my job requires I travel a lot and that was no life for her. She needed the stability a boarding school could provide." He gave a deep sigh and smiled wanly at Joe. "When she insisted on attending a public school her senior year, I didn't know whether to be more worried or thrilled. I get to see her so much more now, but when I'm away, she'll be alone and that makes me worry. Anything could happen to her when I'm out of town."
"I understand your concern," Joe told him. "And you really don't have to worry. If she needs anything at all, she can call me or Vanessa," he assurred the man. "But I don't see what Vanessa and I showing you around town has to do with Franc being on her own while you're away."
"I would feel more at ease if I know the places she goes to and the people she associates with," Mr. Wyndham explained. "If something were to happen to her then I would be able to have her haunts checked out."
Joe gave Mr. Wyndham a bright smile, the sun reflecting in his eyes and making them sparkle. "That makes sense," he said. "In that case, when would you like your tour to begin?"
"How about tonight?" Mr. Wyndham suggested. "I'll treat all three of you to your favorite restaurant."
"Sounds good to me," Joe replied. "I hope you like pizza."
"I love it," Joe was assured. "Are we going to Pizza Hut, then?"
"No," Joe denied with a shake of his blond head. "Mr. Pizza. It's a great restaurant run by the Pritos. Tony Prito is the manager and the owner's son. He's also one of my best friends."
"Wonderful," Mr. Wyndham enthused. He and Joe spent the next two hours working, talking occasionally, and getting hot.
Joe finally pulled off his shirt and dropped it over the edge of the roof where it landed amid a mess of weeds that would one day be a flower garden.
Mr. Wyndham, seeing Joe wipe his brow with the back of his hand suggested they take a break and get some lemonade. "Sounds good," Joe agreed. The two descended the ladder and entered the house via the kitchen where the two girls had decided to take a break as well. Vanessa was busy putting ice cubes into four tall glasses while Franc was pouring sugar into a pitcher.
"Perfect timing!" Franc declared, stirring her concoction. She brought it over to the table and filled the four glasses.
"I ought to call my parents and tell them I won't be home for dinner," Joe said.
"You can use the phone in the study," Mr. Wyndham told him.
"Joe?" Vanessa asked, wondering why Joe wasn't going home for dinner.
"Mr. Wyndham has invited us to go with him and Franc to Mr. Pizza for dinner," Joe informed her.
"Thank you," Vanessa said. "That's very generous of you, Mr. Wyndham."
"It's my pleasure," he assured the girl. "I do have one request, however."
"What's that?" asked Joe.
"That you both call me Bailey. Mr. Wyndham is so formal," he added disdainfully.
"Bailey it is," Joe agreed, then hurried to make his call. When Joe returned, he downed his lemonade and the two returned to the roof.
"You and Vanessa seem to get along very well," Bailey observed. "Have you two known each other long?"
"About seven months," Joe answered, struggling with a stubborn shingle.
"And how long have you been dating?" Bailey asked, surprised at Joe's previous answer.
"About," Joe gritted his teeth as he pulled at the shingle, "seven...months." He gave the shingle one last, strong pull. It came loose and Joe lost his balance. He fell back off the roof!
"Drive on my Queen," Joe replied, climbing into the back seat and leaning back.
"If I'm the Queen, then why am I driving?" Vanessa inquired haughtily as she started the motor.
"Because I'm your King?" Joe asked, lifting one brow and tilting his head sideways.
Franc giggled as Vanessa shook her head in mock exasperation. The threesome arrived at the hardware store and gathered the items they needed. Carrying the supplies to the front checkout, Joe felt a bit uneasy as the cashier, a man in his early forties with straight black hair, and a touch of gray at the temples, and hazel eyes, watched Joe approach and lay down his load. The cashier flashed a grin at Joe, which revealed one gold tooth on the upper left side of his mouth.
"Planning on doing a bit of work?" he asked, staring Joe in the eyes.
"Joe and Vanessa have volunteered to help Dad and me fix up our place, Mr. Maurice," Franc answered for Joe.
"Francessca!" the cashier exclaimed. "I didn't see you there. These two are friends of yours, then?" Franc nodded, a big smile on her face.
"This is my neighbor of a few miles, Vanessa Bender and her boyfriend, Joe Hardy," Franc made the introductions. "Vanessa, Joe, this is Liam Maurice. He has been most helpful in helping us get what we need together."
"These go on your father's account then?" Mr. Maurice inquired, ringing up the items.
"Please," she answered. Their purchases covered, the threesome left the hardware store and stowed the gear in the trunk.
Vanessa pulled to a stop beside a gold PT cruiser which sat in the driveway. "Your dad's?" she asked.
"Yeah," Franc admitted, her face breaking into a huge smile.
The three teens got out of the car and went inside. "Have a seat," Franc invited them. "I'll go find Dad." She returned a few minutes later with a handsome man in his late thirties. "Dad, this is Vanessa Bender and Joe Hardy," Franc introduced her friends. "Guys, my dad, Bailey Wyndham."
"It's nice to meet you, Mr. Wyndham," Joe said, standing up and shaking the man's hand.
"The pleasure is all mine," Mr. Wyndham returned. "I want to thank you two for helping out my little girl yesterday," he added.
"It was no problem," Vanessa assurred him. "It's great to have Franc around."
Mr. Wyndham smiled at her. "We brought some supplies from the hardware store," Franc informed her dad. "Joe and Vanessa have volunteered to help fix up the place."
"That's very kind of you," Mr. Wyndham stated, surprised. "We have called contractors but they are unable to begin right now."
"It's our pleasure," Joe assured the man. "You can't be expected to live in a house with more holes than roof."
"You know how to install a new roof?" Mr. Wyndham inquired.
"My brother and I helped our dad put a new one on our house last summer," Joe told him.
"And the materials for ours were supposed to have been delivered this morning," Franc put in. "Except for the nails and tools, of course."
"It's here," Mr. Wyndham replied. "Stacked up in the backyard next to a couple of ladders."
"I guess we had better get started then," Joe said.
"I have an idea," Mr. Wyndham said. "Why don't you girls work on painting the kitchen while I help Joe with the roof?"
"Great idea, Dad," Franc approved, grinning. "We can get a good start on two jobs today that way, and Vanessa can help me prepare for the English exam."
Their plans made, the foursome split up. Joe and Mr. Wyndham each took some tools and laid the ladders against the house.
As Joe began pulling up the old shingles, Mr. Wyndham began talking. "Have you lived in Bayport long?" he asked Joe.
"Since I was four," Joe answered.
"So you pretty much know where everything is?" he asked.
"Pretty much," Joe agreed. "Why?"
"I was wondering if you and Vanessa would mind showing Franc and me around town?" Mr. Wyndham asked, looking at Joe with a serious expression.
Joe looked surprised but quickly covered it. "Sure, we'd love to," he replied. "But wouldn't you feel more comfortable having someone older do that?" he asked. "My parents would be better at showing you the town and I know they would love to meet you."
"I'd like to meet your parents," Mr. Wyndham replied. "But, well, I have a confession to make."
"Oh?" Joe asked, pausing in his task and looking at Mr. Wyndham.
"Franc has been in boarding school ever since her mother died six years ago," he began. "Don't get me wrong," he added defensively although Joe hadn't said anything. "I love Francessca more than anything but my job requires I travel a lot and that was no life for her. She needed the stability a boarding school could provide." He gave a deep sigh and smiled wanly at Joe. "When she insisted on attending a public school her senior year, I didn't know whether to be more worried or thrilled. I get to see her so much more now, but when I'm away, she'll be alone and that makes me worry. Anything could happen to her when I'm out of town."
"I understand your concern," Joe told him. "And you really don't have to worry. If she needs anything at all, she can call me or Vanessa," he assurred the man. "But I don't see what Vanessa and I showing you around town has to do with Franc being on her own while you're away."
"I would feel more at ease if I know the places she goes to and the people she associates with," Mr. Wyndham explained. "If something were to happen to her then I would be able to have her haunts checked out."
Joe gave Mr. Wyndham a bright smile, the sun reflecting in his eyes and making them sparkle. "That makes sense," he said. "In that case, when would you like your tour to begin?"
"How about tonight?" Mr. Wyndham suggested. "I'll treat all three of you to your favorite restaurant."
"Sounds good to me," Joe replied. "I hope you like pizza."
"I love it," Joe was assured. "Are we going to Pizza Hut, then?"
"No," Joe denied with a shake of his blond head. "Mr. Pizza. It's a great restaurant run by the Pritos. Tony Prito is the manager and the owner's son. He's also one of my best friends."
"Wonderful," Mr. Wyndham enthused. He and Joe spent the next two hours working, talking occasionally, and getting hot.
Joe finally pulled off his shirt and dropped it over the edge of the roof where it landed amid a mess of weeds that would one day be a flower garden.
Mr. Wyndham, seeing Joe wipe his brow with the back of his hand suggested they take a break and get some lemonade. "Sounds good," Joe agreed. The two descended the ladder and entered the house via the kitchen where the two girls had decided to take a break as well. Vanessa was busy putting ice cubes into four tall glasses while Franc was pouring sugar into a pitcher.
"Perfect timing!" Franc declared, stirring her concoction. She brought it over to the table and filled the four glasses.
"I ought to call my parents and tell them I won't be home for dinner," Joe said.
"You can use the phone in the study," Mr. Wyndham told him.
"Joe?" Vanessa asked, wondering why Joe wasn't going home for dinner.
"Mr. Wyndham has invited us to go with him and Franc to Mr. Pizza for dinner," Joe informed her.
"Thank you," Vanessa said. "That's very generous of you, Mr. Wyndham."
"It's my pleasure," he assured the girl. "I do have one request, however."
"What's that?" asked Joe.
"That you both call me Bailey. Mr. Wyndham is so formal," he added disdainfully.
"Bailey it is," Joe agreed, then hurried to make his call. When Joe returned, he downed his lemonade and the two returned to the roof.
"You and Vanessa seem to get along very well," Bailey observed. "Have you two known each other long?"
"About seven months," Joe answered, struggling with a stubborn shingle.
"And how long have you been dating?" Bailey asked, surprised at Joe's previous answer.
"About," Joe gritted his teeth as he pulled at the shingle, "seven...months." He gave the shingle one last, strong pull. It came loose and Joe lost his balance. He fell back off the roof!