Sweet Tea Sunrise

by Rachel Hanna

  “Look, I'm sorry I startled you in the hallway. And I'm sorry I saved you from hitting your face, although I'm not sure why I should be sorry for that. But I'm not sorry I can't stand Cooper."

  She turned around, one hand on her hip. "Well, then it's a good thing you're only here temporarily, isn't it? After all, I'm sure you have places to go and people to see. No need to worry about my life or what's going on with me once you've left. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some work to do." She pointed at all the things on the floor.

  Travis leaned down to pick something up. "Let me help you…"

  "No! Just go, Travis. Please."

  He stood up, slowly, and looked at her. There was a hurt on his face she hadn't expected.

  “Okay. I'll go. But I hope one day you'll give me a chance to explain some things to you. I think there are a lot of things between us that need to be said."

  He walked toward the door and just as he was shutting it, looked back at her one more time, his mouth moving to speak. She spoke before he could.

  “Breakfast is at seven AM. Pancakes and bacon tomorrow."

  He nodded and shut the door behind him.

  Evie reached across the table to grab the syrup. Kate lightly swatted her hand.

  "Where are your manners? You don't reach across my plate!"

  Evie rolled her eyes like the teenager she was. "Sorry, your highness. Can I have the syrup, if you please?" she said with a fake British accent.

  Kate shook her head and passed the syrup to her daughter. Sometimes she didn't know where that child got her sassy attitude. She didn't remember being that way as a teenager. Her parents would've had her head on a platter if she’d talked back to them.

  "Cut her some slack," Mia said, smiling. "After all, she starts school on Monday. New school, new friends, new place. How are you feeling about it?"

  She shrugged her shoulders. "I mean, it's just school. Nothing important."

  Kate slapped her hand on the table lightly. "Young lady, you better take it seriously. If you don't, there's absolutely nothing else I can do but homeschool you. Is that what you want?"

  Evie laughed. "That is absolutely not what I want. I tried to get you to help me with my math last year, and I literally saw your eyes start to tear up.”

  Kate looked at Mia. "Math is hard. Have you seen the way they teach them nowadays?"

  Mia giggled. "I guess it's one of the perks of not having children yet. No math homework to worry about," she said, carrying her plate over to the sink.

  The first part of breakfast had been interacting with the guests, but now that everybody had gone on with their day, the three of them were able to sit down for breakfast alone.

  "So, what's your plan for this fine Friday afternoon?" Mia asked as she rinsed off her plate.

  "Well, Cooper wants to take me on a hike. And then I think we're getting dinner in town later."

  "What about you Evie? Any big plans?"

  "Oh yes. First I'm going to watch TV, then I'm going to stare at my phone and then I'm going to go to sleep." She stood up and walked over to put her plate in the sink. Mia pointed at it, reminding her to wash it off and put it in the dishwasher.

  "Don't worry, Evie. I'm sure you're going to meet lots of new friends next week. You'll have a full social calendar before you know it," Mia said, ever the optimist.

  "I don't care. I've never been a person who needed a lot of friends."

  It made Kate sad to hear her say something like that. She absolutely needed friends, but she had put up such a wall over the years after being abandoned by her father that she wanted everyone to think she didn't need anyone.

  "Hey, sweetie, you're more than welcome to come hiking with me and Cooper. He wouldn't mind at all," Kate said.

  She shook her head. "No thanks. Honestly, I'm looking forward to spending the night binge watching a show. I'll probably be asleep before you get home."

  "Be asleep? That early?"

  "I have to get ready for school, don't I? I'm going to organize my backpack, check in on social media and then go to sleep early. "

  "But you have the whole weekend. Why would you go to sleep early tonight?" Kate asked.

  “Because I'll probably be tired after binge watching TV. You know how I am. My eyes get exhausted and I'm out like a light."

  "Plus, she probably needs to start going to bed early to get her body ready to wake up on Monday morning," Mia said, winking at her.

  Kate guessed that made some sense, although her daughter had never offered to go to bed early. Maybe she was finally maturing a bit.

  "Well, I'll bring you some dessert anyway. At least you can have it tomorrow after lunch. Cooper said the restaurant has amazing blueberry cheesecake."

  "That sounds good. I'm going to go sit in my tree and do some journaling for a while," Evie said, as she walked toward the front door. She had her backpack slung over her shoulder.

  "Okay. Just don't go far and don't go near that creek…" Kate called.

  Evie turned around. "I know, Mom. I'm not going to do anything stupid."

  As she walked out the door, Kate struggled to believe her. She worried that when she met new friends at the high school, she’d find her self in trouble all over again. But she had to let go and give her some room to make a new life. How she did in school would greatly affect whether they would ever go back to Rhode Island or finally decide to make their permanent home in Carter's Hollow.

  Chapter Six

  Mia stood in the kitchen, doing what she did best - cooking. She was working on making a batch of her mother’s peach cobbler, somewhat for the guests but also to put into the freezer and reheat at a future date. It was a time intensive process to get it right, so she hoped that the frozen versions would be as palatable as the fresh.

  Everybody had gone out for the day, Kate and Cooper were on their hike, Evie was in her tree somewhere and Sylvia and Jack had driven a couple of towns over to visit the home where he’d grown up.

  Mia still didn't know much about him or his wife, and she wasn't sure they would ever come back in the future. Repeat guests were an important part of the B&B, and she valued them greatly. People became like family over the years, and it made her feel less alone now that her mother was gone.

  Still, this couple seemed to have secrets, from the outside world and maybe even from each other. She didn't quite understand what was going on between them. Maybe they were trying to save their marriage in some kind of a last ditch effort. Maybe they were just unhappy. Maybe Jack was cheating on Sylvia or Sylvia was living a secret life.

  Or maybe she just read too many mystery novels.

  Still, she enjoyed having the place to herself most afternoons. It gave her time to think and clear her head. Of course, she didn't have a whole lot to think about lately other than the fact that she had seen Travis with his shirt off and a towel wrapped around his waist. Or the fact that he had put those very strong arms around her and broken her fall. Or the fact that he had told her she had a pretty face, something she hadn't heard from a man in a very long time.

  She would be very glad when he left. Because of her love of his parents, she kept allowing him to stay there, but she wasn't sure how much longer she could do it. She only had a certain amount of strength.

  She wrapped the last peach cobbler and put it into the freezer while popping the other one into the oven. The smell immediately started to permeate the room as it heated up. Every time she smelled it, she thought of her mother.

  There were so many memories of her standing in the kitchen with her momma, mixing the dough and pouring the peaches out of the canning jar. For a long time, her mother made it with fresh peaches from the area. But then she started canning her own, and those were just as good. In fact, they often tasted a lot sweeter.

  Thankfully, she still had a lot of those canned peaches in her pantry, but one day soon she would start to can her own just like her mother did. She would start to take over and do the things her momma taught her, although sh
e wasn't sure if she'd ever measure up.

  Many times, she thought about the fact that she didn't have a daughter of her own. She didn't have any kids at all, and that made her sad. If there was one thing that Mia had always wanted, it was to be a mother. And now, in her thirties, it wasn't looking very likely. She wanted someone to share these things with, someone to pass those family stories and recipes on to one day. Maybe it would just be something she could give to her niece, Evie. But it wasn't the same.

  "I remember that smell." She turned around to see Travis standing there, his hands in his jean pockets. How he managed to look so casual and so much like a catalog model at the same time was beyond her. His hair was slightly tousled and a little bit wet, his button up shirt untucked on one side, just messy enough to make him look handsome.

  "Oh. I didn't know you were here."

  "I just came in. Did a little fishing this morning."

  She smiled slightly. "I don't remember you doing this much fishing when we were growing up."

  He walked closer and sat at one of the barstools at the breakfast bar. "You don't realize the things that you miss about home until you come back. Like that peach cobbler you have in the oven."

  "Yes, if I ever leave this place, that peach cobbler will go with me everywhere."

  "Do you think you'll ever leave?"

  That question took her back. He had asked her the same question so many years ago before he finally left. Her answer had always been no, and it still was. Just the fact that he was asking it again pushed her back into reality with a violent shove.

  "No. I would never give up my mother's legacy here. That hasn't changed, Travis."

  He nodded. “I figured as much. This place is in your blood, Mia. I can't imagine you being anywhere else."

  "Listen, this isn't going to be done for a while. But I'll be glad to save you some for dinner tonight if you'd like." She just wanted to get out of there. She took off her apron, wiping her hands on it before she put it back on the hook on the wall.

  "Actually, I was going to ask you something."

  "And what's that?"

  “Well, do you mind if I use the old canoe out there?"

  "The big one? Of course not. It hasn't been used in a while, so you might want to check it for any damage."

  “Right… Well… I was hoping you might go with me."

  "Go with you? To check for damage? I'm pretty sure you can do that yourself, Travis."

  "No," he said, smiling. "I wanted to know if you’d go out on the lake with me for a little while. I mean, the peach cobbler has to cook so is there anything else you have to do right now?"

  Her stomach churned, butterflies doing somersaults like they were Olympic athletes. "Travis, I don't think that's a very good idea."

  "You can just set a timer. I promise you I'll get you back so it doesn't burn."

  She stared at him. "I'm not worried about it burning."

  He paused for a moment and nodded. "Oh. You just don't want to go with me?"

  "Like I said, I don't think it's a very good idea. I mean, I'm letting you stay here but nothing has really changed…"

  "Mia, I'm not asking you to elope or something. I was just wondering if you might keep me company in the canoe for a little bit. For old time’s sake?"

  As teenagers, they were often out on the lake in one of the canoes. Some of her fondest moments with Travis were spent on the still waters underneath the beautiful mountain views. Often, they would stay out there for hours, laughing, drinking Coca-Cola straight out of the glass bottles and eating ham and cheese sandwiches that her mother had made them. Such simple times, yet such stirring memories in her soul.

  "I don't know…" She knew she should just say no. No was the right answer. Everything in her brain was screaming no over and over again. She could hear Raven’s voice echoing in her head. “Okay, I guess so."

  Travis looked surprised, but he grinned. "Really? Great. Let's go then!" She walked toward him, and he opened the front door, letting her out first like the Southern gentleman that he had always been.

  As they headed toward the water, Mia second-guessed herself a thousand times, but she just couldn't seem to make her feet stop. For some reason, she just needed to relive some moments with Travis Norton on that lake. Maybe it would give her closure, or maybe it would be the worst decision of her life.

  Kate didn't know why she had allowed Cooper to talk her into going on a hike. She wasn't the hiking type. She much preferred nice hotels, manicures and pedicures. But she found herself standing in the middle of the woods, crunchy leaves at her feet, and it wasn't so bad. It was hot and humid, but not so bad.

  And the company was even better. All she could think about every time she went somewhere with Cooper was when was he going to make his move? When was he finally going to kiss her? And why wasn't she making the move herself?

  Dating was difficult. She hadn't done it in a long time, and it hadn't gotten any easier. What were the rules, anyway? Why couldn't she just grab him, plant a big wet kiss on his lips and get it over with?

  "You seem lost in thought," Cooper said, as they stopped to take a breather and a water break.

  "No. Just enjoying the scenery and the company.”

  He laughed. "You know, you wouldn't have said that about me a few weeks ago. You weren't my biggest fan when we first met."

  "Well, let's be real. You were kind of a jerk."

  "Agreed. Sometimes my wonderful personality comes off a little bit abrasive. I get that."

  "And I don't think you liked me very much either," Kate said, taking a long drink of her water.

  "You're wrong about that. I knew from the first time I met you that I liked you."

  "Oh yeah? And why is that?"

  "I think it was because you're so different than the other women around here. I love southern women, don't get me wrong. But there was an edge about you, and I felt like you could take me. I guess that's why I was testing you."

  "Oh, you were testing me, were you?" she said, poking him in the chest.

  "Maybe a little."

  "Well, so far I think you passed the test pretty well. But if you get me lost in these woods, I'm going to have to take off quite a few points."

  He chuckled. "Don't you worry, ma'am. I've never gotten lost in these woods. I know my way around them like the back of my hand. And that's why I wanted to bring you to this place."

  She looked around. They were in a completely nondescript area of the woods, the trail barely visible below their feet. "I'm feeling kind of lost right now, Cooper. No offense, but this place isn't all that special."

  “You haven't seen anything yet. Come on," he said, reaching out his hand. She loved when he held her hand. His was big and firm and a little bit rough. The few men she had dated in Rhode Island didn't have hands like that. Brandon's hands had been more feminine than hers, in fact.

  They walked down a slight hill, and then took a turn down another trail. It felt like he was getting them more and more lost, and everything looked the same to her. Then she started hearing the sound of water.

  "Are you ready for this?" he asked.

  "I don't know. Am I?" she responded, laughing.

  He helped her down a much steeper area and then she saw it. There was a huge rock waterfall, but it was smooth. It looked like God had made a water slide down the edge of a mountain that landed in a beautiful pool below. She’d never seen anything like it. It seemed so magical out in the middle of nowhere, and nobody was there.

  "Wow! What is this?"

  "This is a natural water slide. When we were kids, we would all come here on Sundays after church and spend hours sliding down this rock into the pool below. The water is pretty cold, no matter what time of year."

  "Are we going to get in?" she asked, incredulously.

  "Of course we are! Why would I bring you here and not get in?"

  It dawned on her that he’d told her to wear clothing that she didn't mind getting a little messed up. So she wore so
me khaki shorts, an old navy blue T-shirt and her most comfortable sneakers. Of course, she hadn’t realized he wanted her to careen down a mountainside into a pool of unknown water. What was it with mountain people?

  "You have to be a crazy person to think that I'm going to slide down the side of a rock. Do I look like I'm a daredevil?"

  Cooper smiled. "Don't worry. I've done this a million times, and I've only seen a few people get hurt."

  She stared at him, her mouth hanging open. "Is that supposed to make me feel better?"

  He walked forward and put his hands on her upper arms. Maybe this was the moment…

  "I would never, ever let anything bad happen to you, Kate. Okay?”

  For some reason, that made her feel better, even though she knew it was very likely she was going to bonk her head on the rock and forget who she was for the rest of her life.

  "Fine. But if I get hurt, you have to make sure that Evie gets a big settlement from whoever owns this property."

  He laughed. "Done."

  She followed him to the top of the rock. Surprisingly, nobody was there, but it was probably because it was the last weekend before school and parents were keeping their kids home to get ready for the year ahead.

  She was glad to have the place to themselves. It was magical and romantic, and floating in a pool of water with Cooper didn't seem like such a bad idea.

  In her late thirties, she never expected to be falling for somebody all over again. She hoped he felt the same way, but they hadn't had very many deep conversations about it. Dating in her thirties was certainly different than dating in her early twenties. Back then, it had been with an eye toward marriage and building a family. That certainly hadn't worked out like she had planned.

  “Okay, you're gonna wanna put your phone and anything else you don't want to get wet over here on the rock. Nobody's out here, so we don't have to worry about anything getting stolen."

  She did as he said, taking her phone and her keys out of her pocket and placing it on a big smooth rock under an overhang. She also took off her shoes and pulled her hair up into a messy bun on top of her head.