by Cindy Bell
“No problem,” Catherine said with a smile. “We'd be happy to help.”
“I can take them anywhere they need to go,” Paul added. “Just go enjoy your time with Mary.”
“Thank you so much,” Suzie sighed.
“Suzie?” Mary called out as she stuck her head in the front door. “Did you find your purse?”
Suzie gasped and herded Benjamin and Catherine into the pantry.
“Not yet!” Suzie called back shakily.
“Well, it's right here,” Mary said as she picked up Suzie’s purse which had been sitting on the kitchen island. Paul was crouched down behind it.
“Oh, silly me,” Suzie said. “Let's go!”
“Suzie, are you sure that you're okay?” Mary asked. “Yesterday was quite traumatic, maybe we should just stay in.”
“Nonsense,” Suzie said. “Let's get going,” she nearly pushed Mary out through the front door. The rest of the afternoon was a whirlwind of Suzie sneaking off to make phone calls. Mary was exasperated by the time the movie was over and they had finished lunch.
“Really Suzie, if you'd rather be with Paul it's fine,” Mary said with a shake of her head.
“The only person I want to be with on your birthday is you,” Suzie insisted. “But not with that hair,” she added.
“What?” Mary asked with surprise. She had worn the same hairstyle for a very long time.
“That's my birthday gift to you Mary, a trip to the hair salon,” Suzie said. “I'm going to let you get your hair done while I cook you a nice dinner at home. Louis said he will give you a ride home when you are done.”
“Okay, I guess,” Mary said with a slight frown. Then she shook her head and smiled. “Thank you, Suzie,” she said warmly.
“You deserve it, Mary,” Suzie said. Once she had made the arrangements with the hairstylist and pleaded with her to delay her until the time of the party, Suzie sent a text to Louis to let him know that Mary would be waiting for him. Then she rushed back to Dune House to help with the final party preparations and greet the guests. She had invited just about the entire town. As everyone began to arrive, she noticed that Wes was missing. Suzie tried to call Wes to see if he was going to be there. His phone went to voicemail. She growled with frustration.
“What's wrong?” Paul asked.
“I can't believe he's not here yet,” Suzie said as she paced back and forth in the foyer.
“It's okay, Suzie,” Paul said in an attempt to soothe her. “I'm sure he'll be here. Something must have come up.”
“He better be dead,” Suzie muttered. “Or I'll kill him myself.”
Paul raised his hands and backed away a few steps. “Scary,” he said.
“It's her birthday,” Suzie grumbled. “Her first one since she got away from that beast. She will be hurt if he doesn't show and I will be so furious with him.”
“Wow,” Paul chuckled. “I've never seen this side of you, Suzie,” he stepped closer to her. “I think I like it.”
“Not now, Paul,” she huffed and then peered out the front window. “Unbelievable,” she muttered just as a text came through from Louis to say that he and Mary were on their way. “Mary’s on her way, Wes is going to ruin the surprise,” Suzie said with frustration.
“Suzie remember, this is for Mary,” Paul said gently. “Let's just try to have fun, and maybe not so much talk about murder with the cop here,” he tilted his head towards Jason who had walked out to the foyer.
“Murder?” he asked and looked between the two. “I thought this was a party?”
“You're right, you're right,” Suzie sighed. “Okay, everybody hide!” she said as she headed into the kitchen. Benjamin and Catherine were ducked behind the front desk. Mary opened the door. Suzie was surprised by the bobbed hairstyle she had chosen. It suited her, and made her eyes shine.
“Surprise!” Suzie shouted, signaling everyone to jump up from behind the furniture. Mary gasped and jumped backwards a few feet.
“What have you done, Suzie?” she roared. “Benjamin, Catherine?” she cried out. “Oh my babies!” she said happily and rushed over to them. She smothered them in hugs and kisses. Suzie couldn't stop smiling. Until she heard Wes shuffle in behind her.
“It's about time,” she said to him sharply and fixed him with a glare.
Wes shot back a harsh look. “I'm sorry, I got held up.”
“Wes! Do you see what Suzie has done?” Mary said, laughing with joy.
“I'm sorry I was late,” he said. “Here, I brought you a present,” Wes was still eying Suzie with some annoyance.
“Thank you,” Mary said sweetly. Suzie noticed Benjamin watching Wes closely, before he whispered to his sister.
“Open it,” Wes insisted. “I can't wait for you to see it.”
Mary smiled and began carefully unwrapping the gift. Inside the paper was a wooden box, with intricate designs on the sides.
“It's beautiful,” Mary said.
“No, no, you have to open the box,” Wes grinned.
Mary raised her eyebrows and lifted the lid on the box. Inside was what appeared to be a painting of the outside of Dune House, framed by the clear blue sea.
“It's a puzzle,” Wes blurted out. “I know how much you like them, so I thought you might like this.”
“I do,” Mary said with a gasp. “It's perfect, Wes,” she hugged him tightly.
“I'm glad you like it,” Wes said proudly. “I really wanted it to be a surprise and it was quite an adventure to get it done. I had to hunt down some real artists, and you know how unreliable they can be.”
“Is this what you've been keeping a secret?” Mary asked with surprise.
“Well, I thought it would be a simple present at first, but there was a lot more to it than I expected. I'm sorry that I've been so preoccupied, I just wanted it to be a surprise.”
“It is,” Mary said warmly. “A beautiful one. I don't think I've ever had a more wonderful birthday,” she admitted. Suzie felt a sense of warmth wash over her. It had been touch and go for a while, but it seemed the party was going to be a success.
Once the party was in full swing Suzie felt a sense of relief. She could see that Mary was having a wonderful time with Wes, Catherine, and Benjamin. The rest of the guests seemed to be enjoying the food and beverages as well as the company. Suzie stepped out onto the porch to grab a breath of fresh air. She heard footsteps just behind her.
“A chance to be alone,” Paul said as he slid his arms around her. “You did a great job, Suzie.”
“I never could have done it without you,” Suzie said with a grim smile. “This party was almost a disaster.”
“It could never be a disaster with you in charge,” Paul said firmly. “You gave her a great birthday, Suzie.”
“She deserves it,” Suzie said with a fond smile.
“So, now that Wes and Mary are lost in romance again, maybe we could try for some of our own?” he suggested.
“That sounds like a lovely idea to me, Paul,” Suzie replied. She smiled as he pulled her close.
The End
Copyright © 2015 Cindy Bell
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Chapter 1
Gray stretched out before Suzie. The overcast morning left the ocean without its sparkle. Suzie wrapped her arms around herself in a light hug to block out the morning chill. She loved the moments just after dawn when only the fishermen were out and the quiet was only interrupted by the crash of the waves against the sand. It was not long ago that she had taken a leap and changed her life. She could honestly say that it was the best decision of her life. The shared responsibility of Dune House with her best friend, Mary, had brought a sense of purpose and freedom that she hadn’t expected. After one last deep breath of the crisp, salty air Suzie turned and walked back towards the majestic house.
It was a grand, old house, and its many rooms welcomed guests from all over the world who wanted the quaint bed and breakfast experience that Dune House offered. When Suzie first inherited it, it needed a lot of work and remodeling. Now, it was once again the gem that shone over the town of Garber. Suzie was almost to the side door that led through the dining room when she noticed a shadow along the exterior wall. She paused and watched as the shadow became more defined. From the distance where she stood she could see the outline of a figure. Suzie narrowed her eyes.
Although Mary did wake up early she tended to stay in the house or sit on the porch. She did not think that it was likely that Mary would creep around the side of the house. Suzie began to follow the shadow. In her past as an investigative journalist she always had a knack for spotting trouble. This looked like trouble. She walked around the side of the house and saw the back of a man’s head. He leaned heavily on the wall and attempted to peer through the window of one of the first floor bathrooms.
“Excuse me? Just what do you think you’re doing?” The man straightened up and turned to face her. She recognized him right away. “Maurice? What are you doing?” Maurice lowered his eyes.
“I’m not doing any harm. I promise that, Suzie.”
“You can promise it all you want, but that doesn’t explain why you’re peering in one of my bathroom windows.”
“No one’s in there.”
“Thank goodness. What are you doing?” She raised an eyebrow.
“I just wanted to see if that beast had arrived yet.”
“Beast?” Suzie shook her head. “You’re not making any sense. Did you forget your meds today?”
“Ha ha.” Maurice jabbed his thumb towards Dune House. “You’ve got Priscilla Kane staying here. I know you do. How could you let her stay?”
“I have no problem with Priscilla.”
“Well, you should.” He crossed his arms. “Her plans are going to affect all of us.”
“Maybe. Maybe they will change things for the better. Why a person stays at Dune House is not my business. If they want to book a room, they can have a room, and they are welcomed just like any other guest.”
“I think that you need to be more concerned about the way that things are going for this town. The locals have accepted you, but that can change.”
“Are you threatening me, Maurice Lungdley?” Suzie’s bright blue eyes squinted at the corners. “Because that’s a very dangerous thing to do.”
“No, I’m not threatening you. I’m warning you. No one is going to be happy about you allowing her to stay here. It’s going to ruffle some feathers.”
“I don’t care if people are unhappy, I can let whoever I want to stay, stay. It’s my bed and breakfast.”
“Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
“Not that it’s your or anyone else’s business, but she has not arrived yet. She will arrive today. If I see you or anyone else hanging around here trying to cause trouble I will make sure that Jason is notified so the police can handle it. Understand?”
“Oh sure. It must be nice to have a cousin with a badge. You can grand stand all you want, but you know as well as I do that if this development happens in Garber our perfect little seaside town will be destroyed.”
“Maurice, go back to your motel and take care of your guests. Stop worrying so much about things you can’t control.” Suzie waved her hand through the air and headed for the door. She looked back once to be sure that Maurice walked towards the parking lot. As she stepped into the dining room her heart did flutter a little. Priscilla Kane was someone who held a lot of power, and she knew it. She and her business partner, Neil Runkin, were due to arrive later that day for check-in. Although Suzie did believe in what she had said to Maurice she couldn’t deny that she was a little anxious about Priscilla’s arrival.
“Morning. I made us some coffee.” Mary smiled as Suzie walked into the kitchen. Suzie took a moment to admire her friend. Though Mary was completely unaware of it she was a pretty woman with soft features and loose, auburn hair just touched with gray. She was only a few years older than Suzie.
“How are you this morning?” Suzie leaned against the counter.
“Not too bad. My knees are just a little stiff, but not too sore today.”
“Oh good.” Suzie smiled and accepted a mug of coffee.
“I’ll be even better once I loosen up a bit.” Mary winked at her. “I have to be. Wes is going to take me out tonight to one of his favorite restaurants, it’s German.”
“Oh, that should be delicious.”
“I’m looking forward to it. I already checked in on Priscilla and Neil’s rooms, they are all set.”
“Thanks Mary. You will not believe who was lurking around outside.”
“Who?”
“Maurice Lungdley.”
“Oh wonderful. So it begins.” Mary shook her head. “We’re not going to be the most popular people around here for allowing them to stay here.”
“Maybe not, but I think we did the right thing. I don’t have to agree with someone’s views or their intentions for them to have a room at Dune House.”
“I know.” Mary sighed. “I just hope that she’ll decide against using Garber as the location for her new, all-inclusive resort.”
“People will still want to stay in a quaint bed and breakfast.”
“I know, it’s not that. It’s just that Jude’s Café will become a chain coffee outlet, and the diner will be turned into a fast food place. It’s just hard to watch it happen.”
“Our town is strong enough to make it through.”
“Maybe,” Mary said. She gazed down into her cup of coffee. “I guess we will find out.”
Suzie walked through the dining room, the living room, and the front lobby to make sure that everything was as it should be. It was easy for things to get out of place when they had multiple guests. She straightened a few pillows and turned on some accent lamps to give the living room a cozy feel. Even though Dune House had been quite a surprise in her life she had come to love it. It was almost as if she never had a home until she settled there. Perhaps Paul was part of that, too. Just when she was certain that she would never need another companion he appeared in her life.
As Suzie stepped out onto the deck off the dining room to check on the seating there, she caught sight of a patrol car pulling into the large parking lot. Suzie pushed one of the chairs up against a metal table then brushed her hands off. She walked out to the parking lot just as a young man stepped out of the patrol car. In uniform Jason should have looked older, but to Suzie he always looked youthful.
“Morning Jason.”
“Hi Suzie. I just wanted to stop in and see how everything is going.”
“Fibber. You’re here because you know that Priscilla Kane and Neil Runkin are arriving today.”
“Okay, maybe.” He smiled. “I just want to make sure that no one is hassling you.”
“I’m fine, Jason.” She thought about mentioning Maurice, but she didn’t want to cause the man too much trouble. She knew that he was desperate to protect the future of his business and she assumed that he was harmless.
“Good. Well, you know I’m just a phone call away.”
“I know.” Suzie nodded.
“Is Paul in yet?”
“No, not yet.”
“Can you let me know as soon as he docks?”
“Sure. Is everything okay?”
“Yes, there’s just something I need to talk to him about.”
“Okay, no problem.” Suzie smiled at him. “Thanks for checking on me.”
“Always.” He smiled then climbed back into the car. As he drove away Suzie was reminded of how sweet it was to have family. When she returned to the bed and breakfast Mary met her in the dining room.
“Was that Jason?”
“Yes, he came by to check in on us.”
“Aw, how sweet.”
“It was.” Suzie grinned. “Priscilla should be here in a few hours.”
“I checked in on Stewart, he’s doing well and is going on a boat tour later.”
“Oh good. He’s so quiet, one of the best guests we’ve ever had.”
“I think he just prefers to be left to his own devices, which certainly makes our job less stressful.”
“Yes, it does,” Suzie agreed. “I don’t think Priscilla Kane will be quite as easy.”
“Nor do I. Her reputation is not exactly known as being low maintenance.”
“Well, we’ll be ready for her.” Suzie walked towards the front desk. “As long as she has everything she needs then she should be just fine.”
Mary nodded in agreement. “I’ll take one more look in their rooms to make sure everything is just right.”
“Thanks Mary.”
Chapter 2
As Suzie sorted through the paperwork at the front desk she thought about what they might face when Priscilla and Neil arrived. It was not exactly the easiest thing to deal with a demanding guest, but they were getting used to it and Suzie felt it would be worth it. If Priscilla and Neil were well taken care of she hoped they would mention it to their associates and that could draw more guests to Dune House. As she finished up the front door of Dune House swung open.
