The Tea Shop on Lavender Lane (Life in Icicle Falls)

by Sheila Roberts

  “I hope everything works out for you,” the older man said. He handed her his business card. “If you ever need anything.”

  What she really needed was a trip back in time and a chance to turn down catering Samba Barrett’s party.

  Her suitcase took forever to appear on the baggage carousel, and after seeing her lose her balance trying to grab it and nearly landing on the carousel herself, Bailey’s former seatmate came to the rescue and pulled it off. Not an easy feat, considering how big it was and how much she’d crammed into it. He then reminded her...if she needed anything.

  She thanked him and hurried off before he could offer to escort her and her suitcase and carry-ons to her car. Where were Sammy and Cec?

  She was about to call when she spotted them. She waved, and they came running to hug her. Oh, those hugs felt good.

  “Welcome home,” Samantha said.

  “I’m so glad to see you guys!” When a girl felt beaten down, there was nothing like family to help her get back on her feet.

  “We’re glad to see you, too,” Cecily told her.

  “Mom’s home putting the finishing touches on dinner, and we’re under strict orders not to get sidetracked shopping in Seattle,” Samantha added, “so let’s get out of here.”

  Great idea. She could see her pal from the plane approaching. She gave him a little wave and started for the parking garage at a quick clip.

  “Don’t tell me. Let me guess,” Samantha said. “You picked up a friend.”

  “Actually, I thought he’d be perfect for Mom,” Bailey began.

  “Don’t be matching Mom up,” Samantha said sternly. “She’s not ready for another man.”

  “I think she is,” Bailey insisted. After what Samantha had gone through cleaning up the business mess left behind by their mother’s last husband, Bailey understood her sister’s reluctance to see their mother find a replacement. Still, Mom deserved to be happy. “What do you think?” she asked Cecily. Cec had been a matchmaker. When it came to love, she was an expert. Well, except for when it came to herself. Why her sister was still single was a mystery to Bailey.

  “I think it’s really good to have you back,” Cecily said diplomatically.

  “And just in time,” Samantha put in. “We could use help in the office.”

  The office? Was she serious? “I can’t type. Remember?” Bailey reminded her. “Anyway, I don’t know if I want to work in the office.” That probably sounded ungrateful. After all, Samantha had paid for her ticket home. And Sweet Dreams Chocolates was the family business.

  They were at Samantha’s car now. She turned and stared at Bailey as if she’d announced she was going to run off and join a cult.

  Bailey’s face sizzled, and she hung her head. She was a terrible ingrate. But she still didn’t want to work in the Sweet Dreams office.

  Samantha opened the trunk and deposited Bailey’s suitcase. “Okay,” she said slowly. “What do you want to do?”

  Be a caterer. But after what had happened, she was finished with that. “I don’t know,” she admitted.

  “You’ve got to do something,” Samantha said.

  “You’ll think of something.” Cecily gave Bailey another reassuring hug. “You just need some time to find your feet.”

  Yeah. So there. Gosh, Sammy could be so bossy sometimes.

  “You will,” Samantha agreed. “And whatever you need, we’re there for you.”

  “I’ve got what I need—you guys,” Bailey said, forgetting her momentary irritation and looking gratefully at her sisters. Even though her older sister was bossy, there was nothing she wouldn’t do for her family. And Cecily was always so supportive and sweet. Bailey was lucky to have them both.

  Her sisters spent the ride back home filling her in on everything that had been going on in Icicle Falls.

  “Bill Will has a new girlfriend,” Cecily told her.

  “Oh, who?” Bailey asked. Billy Williams, affectionately known as Bill Will, was one of the town’s characters. He worked on a nearby guest ranch and spent a lot of time hanging out at Zelda’s or The Red Barn. Everyone liked Bill Will, but he wasn’t the brightest bulb in the box, so he often got passed over in favor of smarter men.

  “Ashley Armstrong,” Samantha said in disgust.

  “Hey, I hear she’s finally getting serious about going back to school,” Cecily added from the backseat.

  “Yeah, well, with her spousal maintenance about to dry up, she’d better,” Samantha said.

  “I think she’s trying to get her act together,” Cecily said. “I hope she does.”

  “I just hope Bill Will doesn’t get hurt.” Samantha looked over at Bailey. “Maybe you should go out with him.”

  Right. Bailey turned around and grinned at Cecily. “Would Bill Will and I be a match?”

  Cecily wrinkled her nose. “I don’t think so. I have a feeling there’s someone better waiting for you.”

  Brandon Wallace.

  “Brandon’s not in town,” Samantha said as if reading her mind.

  Just when her spirits had been lifting. Darn, it was hard to rekindle a romance when one or the other of them was always off somewhere. “Where is he?”

  “He moved to Jackson Hole,” Samantha said.

  “Jackson Hole?” What was there? “Why?”

  “Ski resort, of course.”

  “He’s got a girlfriend,” Cecily said gently.

  “A...girlfriend?” Brandon Wallace, one of the main reasons Bailey had decided she should, indeed, come home, had a girlfriend? “Are you sure?”

  Samantha nodded. “I’m sorry.”

  “How long has he had this girlfriend?” And why hadn’t anyone told her?

  “According to his mom, they met after he moved there in January.”

  “That’s not very long. Is it serious?” Bailey asked in a small voice. It couldn’t be in just a few months.

  “Olivia seems to think so,” Samantha replied. “She figures they’ll be engaged by Christmas.”

  What did Olivia Wallace know, anyway? Bailey sneaked up a hand to wipe away yet another tear.

  “You are way too good for him anyway,” Samantha said.

  “He was never right for you,” Cecily told her.

  And what did her sisters know?

  Seattle was far behind them now, and the mountains in the distance beckoned. Welcome home.

  Bailey scowled at them. Phooey!

  Chapter Five

  When Bailey walked into Muriel Sterling’s rented cottage, it wasn’t hard to see that her mother had gone to a lot of trouble to make her homecoming a celebration. A bouquet of tulips sat in a vase on the counter, along with a batch of peanut butter–chocolate chip cookies divided three ways and wrapped in pink cellophane and tied with pink ribbon—big-girl party favors. There was even a welcome-home present for Bailey, a signed copy of her mother’s latest book.

  “I thought it might be helpful,” she said as Cecily got busy pouring tea.

  Bailey read the title, which was in flowing embossed script. New Beginnings. Was that what you called this?

  She tried to look appreciative. “Thanks, Mama.” And then, before her mother could go into one of her soft-spoken pep talks, she changed the subject. “I smell mushroom lasagna.”

  “And garlic bread,” her mother added. “I hope you girls are hungry.”

  “Of course,” Samantha said. “We’ve been saving our appetites.”

  “No stop at a Starbucks on the way home?” their mother teased.

  “Well, we had to do that,” Cecily said with a smile.

  The next few minutes were spent companionably in the kitchen, the sisters munching on salmon pâté and crackers while they helped their mother get the food on the table.

  Once Mu
riel had said grace, Samantha raised her mug of chocolate mint tea. “Here’s to our sister. We’re glad to have you home.”

  “And to new beginnings,” Cecily proclaimed.

  Bailey’s smile faltered. She’d come home in disgrace, and the romance she’d hoped to rekindle with Brandon was happening with a different woman. How was that a new beginning? But she gamely recovered and passed her plate for her mother to fill.

  “I assume your sisters spent the ride over the mountains catching you up on everything that’s been going on around here,” Mama said.

  Bailey nodded, and again, she had trouble keeping the smile on her face. Her mother gave back her plate, and she spent a moment contemplating the food on it. She loved mushroom lasagna, but suddenly she had no appetite.

  A soft hand with a slight speckling of age spots covered hers. “Things really are going to work out,” her mother said.

  Bailey nodded once more. “I know. And I’m so lucky to have all of you. It’s good to be home,” she said, bursting into tears.

  And now, in addition to losing her business and finding out that the man of her dreams had fallen for some other woman, she’d ruined her welcome-home dinner. Her big sister left the table, probably in disgust, probably wondering why she’d bothered to buy such an ingrate a plane ticket home.

  But, no, a couple of minutes later Samantha was back. She set a salted caramel on top of the lasagna. “Eat this,” she commanded.

  As if chocolate fixed everything. But Bailey obeyed and popped it in her mouth. It didn’t fix anything, but it did make her feel better.

  “Another toast,” Samantha proposed. “To the bitches who try to ruin us. May their chocolate supply dry up and their boobs fall off.”

  Here Bailey was aware of her mother frowning in disapproval, and despite everything she had to smile just a little.

  “Amen,” she said even as their mother murmured, “Really, Samantha.”

  Sammy grinned. “It made her smile.”

  For a moment. Bailey set down her mug with a frown. “I don’t know what I’m going to do.”

  “You’ll figure it out,” her mother assured her.

  She sure hoped Mama was right.

  * * *

  Cecily couldn’t help feeling guilty as she got ready for her date with Luke. Her little sister was barely home, and here she was, leaving her. Bailey had a naturally happy disposition, so she’d managed to rally during the dinner at their mother’s the night before. She’d been impressed with the changes Cecily had made to the condo after buying it from Samantha, approving the sunny yellow walls and the cream-colored leather sofa and chair. She’d gotten tears in her eyes when she saw the Welcome Home, Bailey sign Cecily had hung on the door, and she’d been delighted with her room.

  “This is almost as good as when we shared a room growing up,” she’d said with a smile. “I was always kind of sad when Mama and Daddy bought that bigger house and we each got our own room.”

  Cecily had diplomatically kept her mouth shut on that subject. She’d enjoyed having the privacy.

  “This will be fun,” Bailey had said, smiling brightly.

  But later that night Cecily had heard her crying.

  It was hard to come home feeling like a failure, but Cecily hoped that once some of the pain wore off, Bailey would be glad she’d decided to return. Meanwhile, she was going to have to keep working her way through the misery.

  “Are you sure you don’t mind if I go out?” she asked as she came into the living room.

  Bailey was parked on the couch with a can of pop, a bag of veggie chips and a stack of Oreos. She had the TV on and turned to the Food Network. Cecily looked to see what program she was watching, and Bailey quickly aimed the remote and killed it.

  But not before Cecily had seen what was playing. “Isn’t that Serve It Up?”

  Bailey pulled a chip out of the bag and studied it. “I was channel surfing.”

  “Uh-huh.” Just what her sister needed—to sit around watching a reality TV show about successful caterers. “Why don’t you come out with us,” she suggested.

  Bailey stared at her in horror. “On your date?”

  “Luke wouldn’t mind.” Well, maybe he would, but Cecily was sure he’d understand.

  “No,” Bailey said with a firm shake of the head. “I’ll be fine. Really.”

  “If you watch that show, it’s only going to make you feel worse,” Cecily cautioned.

  “I don’t think anything can make me feel worse.”

  Cecily remembered how she’d tortured herself watching The Bachelorette after breaking up with Fiancé Number Two. “Trust me,” she said over her shoulder. “There’s always something that can make you feel worse. Come on,” she urged. “Come out with us.”

  “No way,” Bailey said stubbornly. “I’ll be fine here. Really.”

  “Okay, then promise me you won’t watch Serve It Up.”

  Bailey heaved a dramatic sigh. “I promise.”

  The doorbell rang and Cecily went to let Luke in. She opened the door, and there he stood, holding a single red rose and wearing a smile. Luke Goodman wasn’t the handsomest man Cecily had ever dated. He certainly didn’t have the swarthy good looks of a Todd Black. But he had a strong chin and broad shoulders. Broad enough to cry on. Hmm. Maybe he and Bailey...

  “Hi,” he said and handed over the flower.

  “Thanks,” she said. “That was really sweet.”

  “I figured there was no sense bringing chocolate.”

  She opened the door wide and invited him in.

  He saw Bailey camped out on the couch and gave her a nod and a friendly smile. No chemistry there, Cecily could immediately tell. “Hi, Bailey,” he said. “You home visiting?”

  “No,” she replied. “I’m...home.”

  “Yeah? Did you come back to work at Sweet Dreams?”

  “No. I...” She bit her lip. “I’m...I’m not sure yet what I’m going to do.”

  He nodded, taking that in. “Well, it’s good to see you. Welcome back.”

  “Thanks,” she said and frowned at her can of pop.

  “We should get going,” Cecily said. “Are you absolutely sure you don’t want to come with us?” she asked in one last attempt to get her sister out and having fun. She was aware of Luke next to her, blinking in astonishment.

  But he recovered quickly. “Schwangau has a killer new menu.”

  If she’d had any doubts (which she hadn’t), here was proof positive that Luke Goodman was a super nice man. Yes, for once in her life she was being smart about love.

  Bailey passed on the offer and shooed them on their way.

  “So now we have all the Sterling sisters back in Icicle Falls, huh?” Luke said as they walked to his car.

  “It looks like it. Of course, she’s not exactly home because she wants to be.”

  “I know.”

  She glanced at him in surprise. Although why should she have been surprised? It was a small town, and, for all she knew, Luke had even contributed to Bailey’s legal war chest.

  “Hey, I check out the magazine covers when I’m waiting in the checkout line, too,” he said. Then, as though he’d read her mind, he added, “Yeah, I kicked in a few bucks for the cause.”

  Once inside the car, which was a hybrid, she smiled. Luke’s head practically reached the ceiling. “Do you ever get claustrophobic in this?”

  “I did at first,” he admitted. “But it’s good for the environment and good for the budget, so I adjusted.”

  It seemed that he’d had to adjust to a lot of things, probably the hardest being the loss of his wife. How did he manage to stay so cheerful? Wired the same as Bailey, obviously. Those two should have been a match.

  But there was no understanding the heart. After all,
she shouldn’t be the least bit interested in Todd Black.

  She wasn’t, she told herself. Not anymore.

  “I think, in the long run, your sister will be glad she came back here,” Luke said.

  “Now you sound like Samantha. According to her, Icicle Falls is the center of the universe.”

  He smiled. “Isn’t it?”

  “Well, there are other places in the world,” Cecily said.

  “But not like this one.”

  She laughed. “Just how many other places have you seen?”

  “Seattle.”

  “Well, there you go.”

  “Paris.”

  The Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, the perfume factories! Paris was a city Cecily had always wanted to visit. “You were in Paris?”

  Now his smile wasn’t quite so happy. “My wife and I went there for our honeymoon.”

  “Oh.” Cecily tried to think of something else, anything else, to say, but couldn’t.

  “I have great memories of our time in that city, but it has more to do with her than the spots we visited. I have this theory. Any place can be great if you’re with people you care about.”

  Oh, melt. This man was too good to be true. “So, that’s why you like it here?”

  He nodded. “All the people I care about are right here in Icicle Falls. Plus, I like rock climbing and hiking and fishing. And chocolate,” he said, giving her a wink. “And the family who owns the chocolate company.”

  “You’re sucking up to the wrong woman. Samantha’s the one in charge,” Cecily pointed out.

  “Yeah, but there’s only one Sterling woman I’m interested in,” he said.

  Suddenly, out of nowhere, a tiny zing hit her. Luke Goodman had just hit her zing-o-meter. Maybe not as hard as Todd but she definitely felt it. Maybe, if she gave him a chance, he could hit it even harder.

  * * *

  Okay, Bailey told herself, you can’t sit around all night watching TV and eating junk food. Well, she could, but if she ate any more Oreos she was going to end up looking like a cookie jar.

  So what? Cookie jars were cute. Everyone loved cookie jars. She popped another Oreo in her mouth.

  If Mama could see her now, she’d say it was a waste to be eating store-bought cookies when she was such a good baker. Yeah, homemade was better.