by Nicole Ellis
24
Celia
Celia sat in the dining room of the rehabilitation facility with Cassie, drinking coffee and eating donuts.
“These are good, but next time I visit you, I’m going to bring you some of the coffee cake I make at the Lodge,” Cassie said. “I know how much you like it.”
“Thanks, I’d love that.” Celia smiled. She did love coffee cake and ate at least one piece of it every time Cassie brought it to church for refreshment time. She observed her young friend. Cassie had been through a lot in the last few years, with her divorce and all of the challenges of being a single parent with young children. Through it all, Cassie had maintained her customary positive attitude – but something seemed different now.
“Can I get you some more coffee?” Cassie touched the handle on Celia’s cup.
“Oh no, dear. I’ll be floating if I have any more.” Celia finished the last bite of her powdered-sugar donut and daintily dabbed at her mouth. “How are you doing? How is work? And the kids?”
Cassie sighed and looked into her coffee cup. “Work’s been better. With Lara back in town, George has decided that it’s not a good idea for me to make the cakes for my side business in the Lodge’s kitchen.”
“Oh no.” Celia leaned forward. She’d never been a big fan of the Camden family. “What are you going to do?”
Cassie smiled softly. “Luckily, Debbie has kindly offered to let me use her catering kitchen, but that’s only temporary. I’m hoping to be out of there in a few weeks, so I don’t intrude on their space for too long.”
“Are you going to find another kitchen to rent? Or start your own bakery?” Celia asked.
“I’m not sure.” Cassie sighed. “I hadn’t really given much thought to opening my own bakery, but I guess it’s something I could consider in the future. It costs so much money and time to start, though, and I’m strapped for both as it is.”
Celia nodded her head slowly. “That’s understandable. You’ve got a lot on your plate.”
Excited voices entered the cafeteria, and Celia turned around to see who’d arrived. Zoe, Shawn, and Meg were approaching her table, all of them grinning from ear to ear. And were Shawn and Zoe holding hands?
Celia smiled as they neared. “Hello. Did you come to join Cassie and me for some coffee and cookies?”
“We might do that,” Zoe said. “But we came to talk to you. The three of us have a proposition.”
“Oh? What is that?” Celia asked. From the anticipatory looks on their faces, she had a feeling she already knew.
“You know none of us want you to have to move from the Inn, right?” Shawn asked.
“Uh-huh.” Celia watched them keenly, interested to hear their plan.
“Well, the three of us came up with an idea of sorts.” Zoe spoke animatedly. “We’d like to buy the Inn property from you and renovate it. With how much Willa Bay is growing, I think it could be a hugely successful resort and event center. My brother is willing to loan us the money to buy it from you at fair market value.”
Shawn took a seat next to Celia. “The best part is that you could stay in your current bedroom and be the Inn’s host.” He looked up at Zoe. “Of course, we’d be there to help with managing the place, but you could make guests feel at home when they arrive.”
Meg turned to Cassie, who’d been watching them intently, her expression a mixture of joy and sadness. “Cassie, we’d love for you to join us, if you’re interested.”
Cassie smiled. “Thank you for thinking of me. Celia and I were just talking about what I can do in the future, but I don’t think owning an inn is the best fit for me.”
“Oh.” Zoe’s smile sagged. “It would be so much fun to do this together. Think of all we could do with it.”
Shawn searched Celia’s face. “What do you think?”
“Hmm …” Celia’s pulse quickened. How would they take her response? She loved all of them and didn’t want to disappoint them. “I’m going to have to turn down your offer.”
Shawn sighed. “But if you don’t come up with the tax money by next month, the county is going to sell the house out from under you.” He ran his fingers over the top of his hair, a gesture that reminded her so much of Artie. “We don’t want to force you to sell the Inn to us, but this seemed like a good option. With Zoe’s project management skills, Meg’s restaurant knowledge, and my love of craftsmanship, we could make it viable again.”
Celia decided to not leave them hanging. She grinned widely. “I know all that. That’s why I talked to my lawyer about selling half of my interest in the Inn to you all, and putting the other half of it into a trust with a life estate. When I die, the trust will be disbursed to your partnership and Shawn’s sister, Jessa.” Celia eyed each of them in turn. “If you’re still interested, I’ll call my lawyer and tell her to draw up the papers.”
“Wait.” Zoe’s tone was incredulous. “You’d thought about all of this already?”
Celia chuckled. “I started thinking about it as soon as I woke up from my accident. I realized I needed to start relying on my friends and family a little more.” She grinned. “I may be old, but I’m not senile. I think you’ll make a wonderful management team for the Inn, and I’m happy to stay on as the official welcome wagon for guests.”
Meg nudged Zoe. “And we thought we were so smart, huh?”
Zoe laughed and met Celia’s gaze. “I’m sorry if I underestimated you. I should have known better. But are you sure you want to gift it to us?” She rested her hand on Shawn’s arm. “Shouldn’t Shawn and his sister inherit the property in full?”
Celia looked fondly at Shawn. “I’m excited to share what time I have left with Shawn and Jessa – if she’ll have me – but you girls have been my family for as long as I can remember. I know you’ll take care of the Inn for me.”
Zoe, Meg, and Shawn looked at each other and nodded in agreement.
“I think we’re going to take you up on your offer.” Shawn leaned over and hugged her, filling Celia’s heart with happiness. It had been so long since she’d allowed herself to hope for a future with Andrea’s family, that it seemed like a miracle to have it come true.
“I think this calls for a group hug,” Cassie said. “I’m looking forward to seeing what you all can accomplish at the Inn.”
They all gathered in near Celia and embraced her. The other patients and staff at the rehabilitation center stared at them, but Celia didn’t give a fig what they thought. The people surrounding her with their love were her reason for getting up in the morning – and now she knew for sure they would be there for her in the future, whatever it may bring.
Zoe
“This place is beautiful,” Charlotte exclaimed as she stepped out of the car onto the lawn of the Inn at Willa Bay. “I can’t wait to see what it looks like once you’ve renovated it.”
Zoe smiled. “I know. I’m looking forward to seeing it too.” She assessed the property with the eye of someone who’d never been there before. The buildings weren’t in great condition, but it wasn’t hard to imagine them at their finest, with guests playing croquet on the lawn or enjoying a cup of tea on the porch. She eyed Luke anxiously as he exited the car. “What do you think?”
He scanned the house and grounds, then locked eyes with Zoe. “I think you’ve got your work cut out for you, but if anyone can make this place shine again, it’s you.” He shaded his eyes with his hand. “Is that a gazebo over there? Hey, Charlotte, want to come check out the view?”
Charlotte nodded. “I want to see everything.” She sighed. “I’d love to paint the Inn while I’m here. With the varying blues of the sky and bay, and all that green grass, the colors are breathtaking.”
“We’ll make sure to leave time for you to paint.” Luke reached his hand out to Charlotte. She twined her fingers through his, beaming as she continued viewing the grounds. “Zoe, we’ll be back in a bit. I just want to see a few things first.”
“No problem. Dinner should be ready
in about thirty minutes.” Zoe turned and went up the steps to the porch.
Inside, Shawn was wrapping bacon around some asparagus. He lifted his head and peered around her. “Are they here?”
“Yep. They wanted to see the exterior of the Inn before dinner.” She took the lid off of a pot on the stove, releasing a cloud of steam and the scent of boiled potatoes into the air. They broke apart when poked with a fork, so she turned off the burner and drained the water from the pot. With a hand mixer, she blended them into a creamy mash with a splash of milk and a hefty portion of butter.
“Did Luke seem to like it?” Shawn asked. His voice held a tinge of concern.
Zoe chose her words carefully. “He thinks it’s a big job. Charlotte was impressed though.” Her future sister-in-law’s exuberance for life and positive outlook was good for Luke. He’d always been very serious, even as a child, and Charlotte was exactly what he needed to gain some balance in his life. “Luke’s not going to back out on the deal though. You don’t need to worry. He already gave his word, and he’s not one to renege on a commitment.”
“Good.” Shawn came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. “I like him already.”
Zoe smiled, but it felt like pinballs were ricocheting off of her insides. This would be the first time Luke had met one of her post-high school boyfriends, and she didn’t have a clue how he’d react to Shawn. “To tell you the truth, I’m a little nervous about the two of you meeting.”
“It’ll be fine,” Shawn whispered into her hair as he lightly kissed the top of her head. “I’m a great guy. Everyone always likes me.” He stepped back and winked at her to let her know he was joking. “But in all seriousness, I’ll be on my best behavior.”
Zoe stood on her tiptoes and kissed his lips. “You’d better be.”
“Hello?” Luke’s voice came from the front door. “Can we come in?”
“Be there in a minute,” Zoe called out. She set the mixer by the sink and rinsed off her hands, drying them on a dish towel. “I guess this is it,” she said to Shawn before heading to the front door.
Charlotte and Luke stood on the porch together. Charlotte was still looking around, taking in every detail of the grounds.
“Come in, come in.” Zoe gestured to the living room off the entry hall. “Have a seat. Dinner’s almost ready, but I’ll go grab Shawn so you can meet him.”
“Good.” Luke’s voice was gruff. “I hope he’s as wonderful as you claim.”
Heat rose in Zoe’s cheeks, and Charlotte elbowed Luke in the side. “Luke! Be nice!” she hissed.
“Yeah, yeah.” Luke sat down on the couch with Charlotte next to him.
Zoe retreated to the hallway and steeled herself with another deep breath. Luke had always been critical of her boyfriends in high school, so she’d considered not telling him anything about her new relationship with Shawn. She and Luke didn’t see each other often, though, and she wanted to start her future off with full honesty. Besides, at some point, Luke had to approve of one of her beaus.
Shawn had just removed the roasted chicken from the oven when she reached the kitchen. She hung back for a moment, watching as he checked it with a meat thermometer, then slid it onto the plate. She loved watching him work – seeing the obvious care that he put into everything he did, from carpentry to cooking.
“Dinner’s ready,” he announced with a smile.
“Do you have a few minutes to come meet Luke and Charlotte before we eat?” she asked.
“Of course.” He washed his hands and dried them thoroughly. “Let’s do this.” He followed her back down the hallway to the living room.
“Hi, I’m Shawn.” He stretched out his hand to Luke.
Luke looked him up and down, then rose to his feet and shook his hand. “I’m Luke. Nice to meet you.”
“And I’m Charlotte.” Charlotte shook Shawn’s hand as well. “Are you the one who’s responsible for the flowerbeds outside the house? They’re lovely.”
“Thank you,” he grinned. “I’ve been working on them for a few weeks. Some of the flowering shrubs are original, but I’ve planted some annuals, as well, for color.”
They chatted for a few minutes, then Shawn invited them into the dining room, where he and Zoe served dinner. During dinner, the conversation flowed freely, and the tension gradually dissolved from Zoe’s neck and shoulders. Shawn was relaying a tale about the house he’d renovated, and Luke was listening intently. Zoe bit her lip to control her relief. Her brother actually liked one of her boyfriends.
When they’d finished eating, Zoe pushed her chair back and gathered everyone’s plates into a pile.
“That was delicious.” Luke laughed good-naturedly as he leaned back in his chair. “I’m guessing it was Shawn who cooked tonight? I’m not sure my sister can make toast, let alone a big chicken dinner.” He looked at Zoe. “Remember when you were in high school and wanted to make an egg salad? You left the eggs on the burner so long that the water all boiled off and the eggs started melting onto the pot. I didn’t even know that was possible.”
“Haha,” Zoe retorted. “I’ll have you know, my skills in the kitchen have come a long way since we were kids. I made the potatoes you ate three helpings of.” She eyed him smugly, then smirked. “But Shawn did make the rest of the dinner.”
“Well, thank you for the excellent meal, Shawn,” Luke said. “How did you learn to cook like that?”
Shawn shrugged. “I’ve been an Army bachelor for most of my life. If I didn’t make my own food, I had to eat in the mess hall. Anything I made had to be better than the slop in some of those places.” He took a long sip of water.
“Would anyone be interested in a walk down to the beach?” Charlotte asked. “The sun should be setting soon, and I’d like to get some reference photos so I can paint a picture of the Inn at sunset when I get home.”
“I’d love that,” Zoe said. “Let me clear the table and then we can go.” She picked up two of the water glasses.
“We’ll help.” Charlotte handed Luke the stack of dirty plates and grabbed the empty mashed potato and asparagus bowls.
Shawn picked up the large oval platter he’d served the chicken on and carried it into the kitchen, leaving only the cups on the table for Zoe to get. They made short work of storing everything away, then put on their coats and went outside. With the sun down, the temperature had dropped into the low fifties.
“I don’t know why, but it always surprises me how fast it gets cold when the sun goes down.” Zoe stuck her hands in her pockets and shivered.
Shawn wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close to keep her warm. They all made their way down to the beach, stopping to sit on the log Zoe had sat on a few weeks before. The sun sank lower on the horizon until it disappeared below the surface, painting the sky with streaks of pink and violet.
Charlotte snapped photos in quick succession. “I’m going to head down the beach for a few minutes to see if I can get a picture of the cottages in the last bit of light.” She jumped up from the log and walked along the sand, and Luke jogged after her.
When they were alone, Zoe turned to Shawn. “This wasn’t too bad, right?”
He smiled softly at her. “I think it’s going well. Your brother and Charlotte seem like good people.”
“They are.” Zoe glanced at Luke and Charlotte, who’d stopped down by the water to photograph some seagulls wading in the shallows.
Shawn looked over at them, then gazed into Zoe’s eyes. “You know, I’m really glad I met you. It may not have been under the best of circumstances, but I couldn’t have asked for a better outcome.”
“Me too.” She smiled up at him.
He turned slightly on the log to face her, caressing her cheek with one hand while wrapping his other arm around her waist, then kissed her sweetly on the lips. She leaned into it, resting her hand on his back. A light breeze rippled the air around them, but she was warm and content being there with him.
When the
kiss ended, she kept her arm around him and nestled her head against his shoulder. From here, she had a clear view of the gazebo high up on the bank above them, the fading white paint glowing in the light of the moon. A contented smile spread across her face. Maybe there was a chance for her dream wedding in the gazebo, after all.
Epilogue
Cassie
Cassie sat on a beach log and gazed up at the Inn at Willa Bay. It was Memorial Day weekend, and renovations were in full swing. Zoe, Shawn, and Meg planned to open the Inn for reservations by the end of August.
While Meg had opted to stay in her job until they were ready to take on the huge project of turning the old barn into a restaurant, Zoe had happily bid farewell to her position at the Lodge. She and Shawn were currently clearing away blackberry bushes that were encroaching upon the trail that ran along the embankment above the beach.
They were working side by side tearing out the prickly vines, and obviously enjoying each other’s company. Cassie watched as Shawn struck an amusing pose with the rake, and Zoe stood on her tiptoes to kiss him, the sound of her joyous laughter floating all the way down to the beach.
Cassie grinned. After meeting Shawn, Zoe seemed to have changed. She’d always been career-driven, but he’d helped her to achieve some balance in her life. Now, she was happier than Cassie had ever seen her.
“Cassie?” Kyle said.
Cassie turned to face him. “Is Jace done taking pictures of the island?”
For Jace’s tenth birthday, he’d requested a small family picnic at the beach instead of a big party. He’d always had a special interest in sea life, so when he’d suggested a picnic at the beach, Cassie had been all for it. Since the local parks would be jammed with people over the holiday weekend, Zoe had offered Cassie the use of the Inn’s beach and grounds. Although the tidelands technically couldn’t be divided into private property, the Inn was at least a mile away from the Willa Bay Beach Park, and people seldom ventured out that far.
