Sweet Horizons

by Jean C. Gordon

She would have guessed that by the ring of jelly around the little girl’s mouth.

  “Come on.” Shelley wrapped her sticky fingers around hers, the child’s enthusiasm making Sonja’s heart swell. Shelley tugged Sonja toward the small kitchen off the living room.

  A pile of five or six peanut butter and jelly sandwiches sat on a plate in the middle of the table. Sonja’s gaze went from them to the jars on the jelly and peanut butter smeared counter.

  “I’ll clean up the counter while you ladies sit down.” Jeff brushed by her and grabbed a dishcloth.

  Did he think she was judging him? She helped Shelley into her booster seat, resisting the itch that made her want to wet another cloth and wash the child’s sticky hands. They’d only get sticky again eating.

  “I’m glad I brought my appetite,” she said, taking the seat next to Shelley.

  Jeff frowned as he rinsed the dishcloth and draped it across the faucet without wringing it dry.

  “We might have gotten a little carried away,” he said.

  She pasted a smile on her face.

  When he opened the cupboard to get out a third plate for her, Sonja dropped her gaze to the table. Why was she mentally correcting everything Jeff did? She chalked it up to living by herself for so long.

  Jeff placed her plate on the table in front of her, his arm brushing her shoulder. She braced herself not to react to the tingle his innocent touch sent through her. She revisited her self-question. It wasn’t because she’d lived alone so long. It was another effort to distance herself from Jeff. Being with him had never been awkward before … before Lauren and Jesse’s wedding and her encounter with her ex. Somehow that had made her more aware of Jeff as a man. Dispelling that awareness would be a whole lot easier if the two of them weren’t sharing the care of Shelley while the kids were on their honeymoon.

  “Grammy, san’wich.”

  Jeff had given himself and Shelley a sandwich and was holding the plate for her. Her cheeks warmed.

  “Sorry. I was lost in thought.” She lifted the top sandwich from the plate. “They look yummy.”

  “Yummy,” Shelley agreed.

  “How did your showing go?”

  “Great. The client wants me to put in an offer that I think the seller will take.”

  “That’s good.”

  “Yes.”

  The room went silent.

  “Papa, drink.” Shelley interrupted the silence that may have been for only a minute or two, but seemed longer.

  “Right. We all could use a drink.” Jeff stood so fast he almost tipped his chair over. “I have milk for Shelley and sweet tea. It’s from the gas station convenience store.”

  “Tea is good,” she said.

  Jeff filled a sippy cup with milk for Shelley and placed the carton of tea and two glasses on the table.

  Sonja filled her glass. “So, do you have plans for the afternoon?”

  “Not really. What did you have in mind?”

  He thought she was inviting him do something, and why not? That’s what her question had inadvertently sounded like. “Nothing really. I thought Shelley and I would make c-o-o-k-i-e-s.”

  “Good idea, since she already asked me for one and I’m all out.”

  Sonja squirmed. How was she going to politely tell him she hadn’t been inviting him up to her place for the afternoon? Her cell phone rang in her purse she’d hung on the back of her chair.

  “Do you need to take it?” Jeff asked.

  She nodded. Saved by the bell. “Maybe. If it’s my buyer.” Sonja pulled the phone out and stepped into the living room. She glanced at the caller ID. It wasn’t the buyer. It was her friend Caroline. But Jeff didn’t know that.

  “Hello, this is Sonja Cooper.”

  “So formal,” Caroline said.

  “Force of habit. I had a showing this morning.” And I don’t want Jeff to think I’m rude.

  “I’m not your buyer, but I have some good news for you from the Indigo Bay Small Business Association.”

  Sonja bit her lip while she waited for Caroline to continue. Her friend was owner of Indigo Bay’s popular Sweet Caroline’s Cafe and current president of the business association, which both Sonja and Jeff belonged to.

  “Your Morrison Mansion B&B received two nominations for this year’s best new business start-up award.”

  “Get out!” Her heart pounded. Jeff had to have heard that in the other room and now knew she wasn’t talking to a client. She lowered her voice. “But we’re not even open yet.”

  “Two of the people who were at the wedding yesterday emailed nominations.”

  “Wow. The promotion package the winner will get would be a giant boost to our launch.”

  “Yeah. So once all the nominations are in and the voting begins, don’t be shy about touting the B&B.”

  “When, since I’ve moved here, have you seen me be shy about anything?”

  “Never, but before … you don’t want to fall into old habits.”

  “Don’t worry about that, and thanks for letting me know.”

  Sonja almost floated back into the kitchen. The news was doubly good. Besides the possibility of winning the promotion package, the nomination gave her a good excuse for keeping her contact with Jeff at a minimum. She needed to devote all her free time to finishing the final touches on the B&B for the grand opening and the final judges’ walk-through—assuming the B&B placed in the top five after the local citizens’ vote.

  “The seller accepted the offer?” Jeff shrugged his shoulders. “I mean your voice sounded like it was something good. I mean I couldn’t help overhearing.”

  “Better. The B&B got nominated for the best new business start-up in Indigo Bay.”

  Jeff whistled. “Before it’s even officially open.”

  Sonja sat. “Two of the guests at the wedding emailed nominations.” She sipped her tea. “I have so much to do yet before we open.”

  “I’m available to help. I don’t have any custom bike orders at the moment and I do have two reliable part-time people willing to cover the shop and beach rentals. I’d planned on time off to spend with Shelley anyway. Just tell me what else you need me to do to help.”

  Sonja bit into her sandwich. It probably would be ungracious to say stay as far away from me and the B&B as you can.

  C H A P T E R 3

  “A custom motorcycle for your son,” Jeff said. “You gunning for father of the year?”

  “The kid’s getting out of the service,” his long-time friend Eric answered.

  Jeff gazed out of his shop’s picture window to the street. How many celebrities’ kids did active military service?

  “You know I wasn’t there for him much when he was growing up.”

  “Yeah, I know what you mean.” Jeff had been there physically for Jesse, but he hadn’t really connected with his son until Jesse was grown.

  “Draw up some options and send them to me, and we can go from there.”

  “Sounds good.”

  “Talk with you later.”

  “Wait.” Jeff hesitated. “I have an idea.”

  “Shoot.”

  “When is your son due home?”

  “Late June. Early July.”

  “What do you say to a rally here, when you and Chris pick up his bike? Indigo Bay is a great vacation spot. You and Chris could celebrate his coming home.” Jeff held his breath. Eric and Chris would have to travel here anyway to pick it up, unless Eric sent someone.

  “My business isn’t enough?” The man on the other end laughed.

  Jeff scuffed the toe of his boot against the counter. “To be honest, no. The beach bike and ATV rentals are doing okay, and I’ve had about what I expected in repairs. But you know what gets my juices going.”

  “Custom bikes.”

  “Bingo. Indigo Bay does it big with its Independence Day celebration. A whole week’s worth to launch the summer tourist season. Think we could get a rally together in that short of a time?”

  “I’m not shoot
ing anything in early July. I wanted to be free to spend time with Chris. I can spare a day or two. It’ll be like old times.”

  Jeff slapped the countertop with his free hand. That was more than he’d expected with his spur-of-the-moment idea. “You sure? With Chris just home and all. He might not be interested in coming. I’m good with your connections and name as a backer on the rally.”

  “Some reason you don’t want me there?”

  “Not at all. And I have a place for you to stay. A friend of mine is opening a B&B July 1. This is more of a local event, so she’s not fully booked.”

  “She, eh? About time. Not to be crass, but Shelley’s been gone a while.”

  “It’s not like that. As I said, we’re friends.” Jeff ignored the pinch in the center of his chest that said he was lying. “Besides,” he said to his four-times-married friend, “I’m not sure I should take advice from you on women.”

  “Hey, I have no trouble getting women. It’s the keeping them I fall down on. Talk with your lady and hook me up with a suite, room, whatever for the third, fourth, and fifth. Make that a suite, if she has one. I’m assuming Chris will be with me.”

  “Will do.” It wouldn’t do any good to correct him again on the your lady.

  “I’ll have my publicity people contact you. They’ll take care of everything.”

  “Thanks. I owe you.”

  “And I’ll hold you to that when it comes to settling up for Chris’s bike. It’ll be good to see you again.”

  “Yeah. Be talking to you.”

  “Yes!” Jeff clicked off the phone and fist-pumped.

  “That good?” Liam, the college student he’d hired for the summer, asked.

  “Better.” He gave Liam a rundown of the plans.

  “You know Eric Slade. For real? I’ve seen all of his movies. Were any of your bikes in them?”

  Liam was much more interested in Eric than the business possibilities. But what could he expect? Liam didn’t have anything more than this summer invested in the bike shop.

  “We went to school together and have kept in touch. And, yes, some of the bikes in the later movies were mine. None in the crash scenes.”

  “Cool. And he’ll be here for your rally?”

  “That’s the plan. With the bike I built him when I had my shop in California.”

  “Wow! Who else?”

  “We haven’t gotten that far yet. I’m going to go have lunch with my granddaughter.”

  “At Miss Sonja’s?”

  “Yes.” What was with everyone thinking things about him and Sonja? “I’ll be back about two.”

  A few minutes later, Jeff swung off his bike, hung his helmet on the handlebars, and walked to the front door of the B&B. He lifted the door knocker and let it drop. He hadn’t seen Sonja and Shelley in two days, since Sunday. Yesterday, Sonja had planned a playdate at the beach with a friend and her granddaughter. Last night when he’d called about stopping around to see Shelley after he’d closed the shop, Sonja had said she was asleep.

  He glanced behind him as he waited. Sonja’s car was there. And he wasn’t imposing on her for lunch. He’d stopped and picked up burgers and fries for them and a kids’ meal for Shelley. Jeff tapped his foot. He supposed they could have walked somewhere, or gone out with a friend. But Sonja had said she still had a lot of decorating details to finish before the B&B opening.

  Finally, he heard footsteps and the heavy door creaked open.

  “Hi.” Sonja pushed a stray lock of hair behind her ear, leaving a smudge of dirt on her cheek.

  “Hey. I brought lunch.” He lifted the fast-food restaurant bag.

  “Papa.” Shelley launched herself out of the door, and he caught her with his free arm.

  “You haven’t eaten yet, have you?”

  “No, come on in. I’m glad to see you.”

  Jeff hoisted Shelley under his arm, making her giggle, and walked in, grinning himself. She was glad to see him.

  Sonja closed the door behind him. “I’ve been polishing the woodwork and window frames and sills that were re-stained, and somebody has been very bored.”

  Some of the bounce went out of his step. She was glad to see Papa, not Jeff.

  “Let’s go out on the back porch to eat.”

  “If you’ll take the lunch bag.” He handed the bag to Sonja and swung Shelley up on his shoulders. They walked through the house’s large entry hall, which was now the check-in area and through a sitting room to the original french doors that opened onto the back porch.

  Sonja unlocked the doors. “I have to keep them locked, since the lever door handle is easy enough for our little person to pull down and let herself out.”

  In his opinion, which Jeff was sure she didn’t want, the doors should be kept locked anyway. He placed the bag of food on the wrought iron umbrella table. Sonja was from some tiny place in Upstate New York, where some people still didn’t lock their doors. And Indigo Bay was a different lifestyle than where he’d come from in Southern California. Still …

  “You’ll want to keep some of the doors routinely locked for your guests’ safety.” And yours. He couldn’t stop himself. The place had numerous entries that weren’t visible from the check-in area. He placed Shelley on one of the four matching wrought iron chairs.

  “You’re right.” Sonja placed the lunch bag on the table and slipped into a chair next to Shelley. “But I was hoping to leave the sitting room doors open for the guests to go out to the backyard.”

  “Hung’y,” Shelley said.

  Jeff reached in the bag and pulled out a juice box and kids’ meal. He stuck the straw in the juice box. “You could have keys made for your guests.”

  “I’ve thought of that.”

  “After lunch, I could take Shelley off your hands for a while and have the keys made at the hardware store. The shop’s slow, and Liam’s there for the afternoon.” Jeff took the double cheeseburgers and fries he bought for himself out of the bag.

  “No need. I’ll get the keys made.”

  Jeff concentrated on unwrapping his burger as if his life depended on it. He didn’t know which bothered him more: her no thanks to his offer to help or the way her shoot-down affected him.

  Sonja moved her carton of fries closer. She didn’t know why she’d been so quick to turn down Jeff’s offer. With Shelley to watch and entertain, she’d gotten only about half of what she’d wanted done this morning. Him taking the little girl for an hour and getting keys made would be a big help. When they got back, Shelley would be tired out and ready for her nap. She didn’t have to do everything herself. Dealing with her ex at the wedding had dredged up old insecurities.

  “Can I change my mind about that, the keys?” she asked. “It would do Shelley good to get out of the house.” She covered for herself.

  A grin as warm as the early June day spread across Jeff’s face. “Sure.” He bit into his burger.

  That was one of the too many things she liked about Jeff. His easy acceptance of life’s changes. No questions why. No air of superiority because she’d given in to him.

  “Great. After lunch I’ll get you the key and the B&B credit card.”

  “I can cover it.”

  “No.” She was firm on this. “I like to use the card to keep track of business expenses.”

  “Understandable. How many guest keys?”

  “Fries,” Shelley interrupted.

  Sonja put a couple in the little girl’s meal container.

  “Fanks,” Shelley said.

  “You’re welcome. Back to the keys. We have fourteen rooms, plus the suite. So I’d go with thirty, figuring two guests each, more for the suite.”

  “Okay. And speaking of guests, I have a reservation for your opening for the suite.”

  Sonja swallowed the french fry in her mouth. “How? Someone local?” She’d just started advertising the opening this week, and hadn’t been deluged by reservations or inquiries.

  Jeff leaned back in his seat, looking far too large and m
ale for the dainty chair. Maybe she should look for some more substantial chairs that were compatible with the table.

  “No, a friend of mine from California. He called about a bike for his son. The kid’s mustering out of the Army.”

  “Your first custom order here since you opened. Congratulations!”

  He twisted the side of his mouth. “I’m glad for the business. Don’t get me wrong about that. But I’d like to get a local order, new customers.”

  She reached across Shelley and patted his arm. “You will.”

  The little girl copied her pat, echoing Sonja’s you will, and nodding.

  Sonja and Jeff burst into laughter that washed away the misgivings she’d had about touching him in such a familiar way and what it might say to him.

  “What’s your friend’s name, so I’ll know it’s him when he calls?”

  Jeff shuffled his feet under the table, kicking one leg and jostling the table.

  He had said his friend was a he, not a she, hadn’t he? Jeff wasn’t concerned that the friend was female, thinking that would disturb her, was he? But that thought had bothered her, as well as her—she couldn’t deny it to herself—not wanting to picture Jeff with another woman.

  “Eric Slade is the guest, but one of his people will be calling.”

  The name sounded familiar. Her eyes widened. “Eric Slade, the actor?”

  “One and the same.”

  “All done.” Shelley said.

  Sonja, brimming with questions, cleaned Shelley’s face and hands.

  “Play sand?” Shelley asked.

  “Great idea,” Sonja answered. She watched Shelley climb down the two steps to the grass and run over to her sandbox, switching her attention to Jeff as soon as the little girl sat down in the sand.

  “What’s Eric Slade going to be doing in Indigo Bay? Scouting for a new movie site?” Sonja mentally calculated what that might do for B&B business longer term.

  “Nothing that big.”

  Still it had to be big from Jeff’s grin and the light in his warm, brown eyes.

  Jeff leaned on his elbows toward her. “Eric and I were bs-ing about bikes and business, and I threw out the idea of a bike rally, featuring some of my custom bikes, here during the Indigo Bay Independence Day celebrations. Eric jumped in on the idea, saying he and his son could pick up the new bike and celebrate his son’s return. Then he said he’d put his people right on it. I’m sure I could ask them to promote the B&B, so you get other bookings from the rally, too.”