Welcome to Moonlight Harbor

by Sheila Roberts

  “True. And when it comes right down to it, friends are worth more than any amount of money. Still,” she added wistfully, “I’d sure like to have both. Maybe I should play the lottery.”

  “There’s a good way to throw away your money,” Tyrella said in disgust.

  “Oh, but if I won... Mega Millions is up to fifty-two million, but I’d settle for Lotto. That’s up to eight.”

  “I’d settle for a million,” said Annie.

  “What would you do with that million?” Patricia Whiteside asked her. Patricia, herself, was looking elegant in white slacks, wedge sandals and a red top accented with a red-and-white polka-dot scarf. Patricia didn’t need to win the lottery. She was doing fine.

  “I’d buy myself a food truck and sell wraps and croissant sandwiches and cookies,” Annie said.

  “And I’d give you the recipe for my oatmeal ones,” Aunt Edie told her.

  “I’d quit dishing up ice cream and make wind chimes and cute ice cream dishes decorated with shells,” Nora said, “and hit all the arts and crafts stores from here to Seattle.”

  “You love your ice cream business,” Edie said in surprise.

  “Yes, I do,” Nora admitted. “But I’m tired of being on my feet all the time, and I want more time to be creative. In fact, maybe I won’t wait to win that million. Maybe I’ll turn the business over to the boys and let them get plantar fasciitis. Beau and Beck are already managing the fun-plex. They could handle the parlor, too.”

  “You could open up an arts and crafts store here,” Jenna said. “I’d sure love to do something like that. In addition to managing the Driftwood,” she quickly added lest her aunt worry she was planning on defecting.

  “Is that what you’d do with a million?” Courtney asked her.

  Jenna shook her head. “I don’t know what I’d do with a million. In fact, I don’t know if I’d even want a million. But I’d love to come up with enough money to put a roof on our motel. If I could find money for that and a few other things we need I’d be one happy camper.”

  “You will,” Tyrella assured her. “I’m praying about it. That money’s gonna come. I don’t know from where, but it’s gonna come just when you need it.”

  “Can you pray me a big win in the lottery while you’re at it?” Courtney asked, making Tyrella frown and shake her head. Tyrella obviously didn’t believe in gambling.

  The party broke up around ten and Jenna spent the next hour chatting with her sister via text, then went to bed. The next morning the sun was shining and she could see blue waves curling their way to the beach. Her first client—the mayor!—was coming at ten. She had time for a beach walk.

  She donned shorts and flip-flops and made her way through the beach grass to the sandy shore. The air was so clean down here. She greedily gulped it in, then took off her flip-flops and started down the beach barefoot. What a gorgeous morning! What a beautiful scene! How could a woman not feel positive, hopeful even, on a day like this?

  Speaking of beautiful, here came Seth, jogging her way. He was something to watch, those leg muscles flexing, arms pumping. Not a spec of fat on the man.

  He slowed down at the sight of her, a sure sign he was going to stop and say hello. “Don’t stop on my account,” she called.

  “Not planning on it,” he called back. He caught up with her, turned her around and started moving her his direction. “Run with me.”

  “I don’t run,” she explained as her klutzy feet struggled to keep up. That afternoon in the parking lot had been an exception.

  “Sure you do. Everybody runs. You ran as a kid, right?”

  “Yeah, playing tag. But that was a long time ago,” she said, gasping for breath.

  He on the other hand was having no trouble breathing. “Gets your heart pounding.”

  “It’s pounding.” Right about out of her chest. She pulled up, bent over and sucked in more air to her poor, starving lungs.

  He, too, stopped. “After all the work you’ve been doing I’d think you’d be in great shape.”

  “I guess you’d be wrong,” she said. “The only way I ever plan to run is if a bear is chasing me.”

  “I heard someone spotted one over on Razor Clam last week,” he said. “Better stay in shape,” he added with a wink.

  “I’ll stay in shape my way. You stay in shape yours,” she said.

  “Okay, suit yourself. But there’s nothing like a morning run on the beach.”

  “Or a walk,” she said. “And don’t come haunting me if you keel over dead.”

  He chuckled, then was off again.

  She stood for a moment, watching him go. Yep, the beach was sure beautiful in the morning.

  By the time Jenna had finished her walk and showered Aunt Edie had bacon and eggs frying on the stove. Sabrina was nowhere in sight. No surprise. Teenagers excelled in sleeping away a morning.

  Once Jenna was showered and dressed, she did check in on her girl, kneeling by the bed and giving her a kiss on the cheek.

  “What time is it?” Sabrina mumbled. She was splayed out across the bed, one foot sticking out from under the covers.

  “Almost ten. Are you planning on getting up anytime soon?”

  “There’s nothing to do.”

  “The library will be open in an hour. Or you could do some sketching at the beach.”

  “When are we going to dye my hair?”

  “This afternoon, after I’ve finished with my clients. Meanwhile, see if you can find something to do besides lying here like something dead washed up on shore.”

  “You’re always wanting me to do things,” Sabrina complained.

  “That’s because there’s so much to do in life. You don’t want to miss out on anything.”

  Sabrina grabbed her pillow and pulled it over her head. “I won’t cuz there’s nothing to do here.”

  Jenna wished she could have a moment with nothing to do. “Well, I can think of something. You could pick up your room, Miss Piggy.”

  Sabrina clamped the pillow more securely over her ears. Jenna gave her foot a playful tickle, then left to start her day.

  She’d gotten the massage table warmed up and her towels ready to go when her first customer, Parker Thorne, the mayor of Moonlight Harbor, arrived.

  Parker was a compact woman who looked to be in her early sixties. No hint of gray in the mayor’s brown hair, though, and it was cut short and stylish. She had a toned body that proclaimed her a devotee of the gym, and a kind of friendliness that felt a little on the slick side.

  “We’re all so happy that Edie has help now,” she said to Jenna. “It will be wonderful to see her little place all fixed up again.”

  “We hope to get there,” Jenna said as she worked on Parker’s shoulder.

  “I’m sure you will, and that will be a boon for both yourselves and the community. It’s nice when everything looks shiny penny pretty,” Parker continued.

  Shiny penny pretty?

  “It leaves a good impression on our visitors.”

  Ah, and right now the Driftwood Inn was looking more like a penny someone had set on the railroad track to get squished by a train. Jenna frowned and concentrated on not letting her hands dig too deeply into the mayor’s oh-so-trim, shiny-penny-pretty bod.

  But she couldn’t resist saying, “I can see how it might be a challenge for some of the businesses to stay shiny penny pretty when it’s hard to get a loan.” Hmm. Maybe the mayor could talk to good old Sherwood at the bank.

  “Yes, that is a challenge. Some of our businesses struggle. It’s difficult when so many visitors are seasonal.”

  “Maybe we should try and find a way to get them to come down more throughout the year,” Jenna suggested.

  “Oh, we’re working on that,” Parker said breezily.

  “Yeah? What’s being done?”

  �
��We have all kinds of plans in the works.”

  Very comforting. And very evasive. Jenna wasn’t so impressed with the mayor of Moonlight Harbor.

  But she liked getting paid, and she was happy to take the woman’s money.

  She was also happy to take money from one of the cops who’d come to rescue her from her fake burglar. It turned out Officer Mushroom’s name was Frank Stubbs. Poor man. At all of five-five, he probably took plenty of teasing over that.

  It turned out Frank was single. “Been on my own for the last three years, ever since the wife and me split,” he said, and groaned as Jenna worked a knot out of his back. “Man, you’re good.”

  “Thank you,” she murmured. Then, before he could get any further into discussing his single state, or hers, she asked, “How long have you been on the force down here?”

  “Too long. I’m ready to hang up my handcuffs and spend my days fishing. Well, on second thought, maybe I’ll keep the handcuffs,” he added with a chuckle.

  Oh, yes, Frank was a witty one.

  “Sounds like a great life. Fishing, that is,” Jenna added.

  “It is. You can’t go wrong living at the beach. But my old place gets lonely. It needs a woman’s touch.”

  And here it came. Jenna braced herself.

  Sure enough. “Are you seeing anyone?”

  Jenna was spared answering by a screech coming from the living room. “Get out!” cried Aunt Edie. “Get out, you horrible thing! Help! Help!”

  Jenna tore out of the room, leaving Frank to fumble for his pants. “I’m coming, Aunt Edie!” Why, oh, why had she tossed that pepper spray?

  Chapter Fourteen

  To Do:

  Attend church

  Take Aunt Edie to Beach Babes

  Have Nora and Caroline over

  Put up a No Cats Allowed sign

  Jenna arrived in the living room to see Roger flying for his life just as the same cat she’d seen hanging around outside leaped for him. Aunt Edie was in hot pursuit, trying to whack the cat with a pillow. A lamp had already been overturned. Roger flew off through the open door into the kitchen, squawking all the way with the cat in hot pursuit.

  “Stop that beast!” cried Aunt Edie.

  “Come here, kitty,” Jenna called.

  Kitty paid her no attention. Who wanted to bother with humans when you could catch a parrot?

  Jenna had barely gained the kitchen after the cat when Roger saw it coming and flew back into the living room again, nearly taking off Jenna’s face in his attempt to escape.

  She dove for the cat and missed, and it hissed at her and ran for the living room.

  Frank had donned his pants and was in the room. “I’ll get it,” he said, and tried to snatch the cat. It ducked under the couch and Frank tripped over a footstool.

  “Call the cops!” Roger squawked. “Call the cops.” He was on top of his cage now, and he used his beak to climb inside. “Call the cops! Call the cops!”

  Jenna rushed to shut the cage door and collided with Frank in the process. Chest bump. Both landed on the couch.

  “Sorry,” he muttered, and bounded back up, trying to get to the cat. Jenna hurried to the cage and shut Roger in.

  Meanwhile, Aunt Edie was back with the broom. She took a swing at the invader and caught Frank on the side of the head just as he was reaching for it, which landed him on the floor again.

  Finally, Jenna managed to grab the cat. It wasn’t happy and squirmed to get away, scratching her in the process. She let out a yelp and dropped it, but by that time Frank was on the job and succeeded in catching the animal and getting it out the door.

  The enemy vanquished and Roger safe, they all three collapsed on the couch, Frank wiping his brow, Jenna trying to get her breath and Aunt Edie sitting with a hand to her chest.

  “Aunt Edie, are you all right?” Jenna asked. Why was she holding her chest?

  She nodded. “I’m fine. It just gave me such a scare. I don’t know how that animal got in.”

  “I’ve seen it hanging around,” Jenna said. I fed it some tuna fish. She decided not to offer any extra unnecessary information.

  “It didn’t have a collar,” Frank said. “Probably a stray. Sometimes people dump their animals and leave,” he added in disgust.

  “How did it get in?” Aunt Edie asked, her voice tremulous.

  Jenna was sure she’d seen the back door open when she’d been in hot pursuit in the kitchen. She went and checked. Sure enough, it was still open, letting in a nice ocean breeze. Someone, probably Pete, hadn’t closed it properly and the wind had blown it open.

  “The back door was open,” she reported when she returned. “Pete—” she began.

  “Oh no. I shut the door after Pete when he was done with breakfast,” Aunt Edie said.

  That left only one culprit. Sabrina tended to be a little casual about things like closing doors and picking up after herself. That was going to have to come to an end, especially the door neglect.

  “Glad we got rid of the thing,” said Frank. “I hate cats. They’re sneaky.”

  Jenna liked cats, but there would be no kitty in residence at the Driftwood Inn, not as long as Roger was alive.

  She thanked Frank for saving the day, then saw him to the door. He launched into an invite to the Drunken Sailor, but she cut him off, claiming the need to make sure Aunt Edie was okay.

  It was hardly a manufactured need. She returned to where her aunt sat, twisting the agate ring on her finger, watching Roger, who was pacing back and forth on the perch in his cage muttering about whiskey and cops. “Ralph, Ralph. Where are you?”

  “Poor Roger. He’s so upset,” her aunt fretted.

  Aunt Edie didn’t seem to be doing too well, either. “Let me make you a cup of tea,” Jenna offered.

  “That would be lovely. And please cover the cage. I think Roger needs a rest.”

  So did Aunt Edie. Heck, so did Jenna. She covered the cage, then hurried to the kitchen, nuked a mug of hot water in the microwave, then stuck in a tea bag of chamomile.

  “Thank you,” Aunt Edie said when she returned. She reached to take it and Jenna saw that her hand was shaking. “I know he’s just a silly old bird,” she said in a small voice, “but he means a lot to me. Ralph got him for me as an anniversary present for our fiftieth wedding anniversary. He’s—”

  “I know,” Jenna said, patting her shoulder. “He’s your baby. Don’t worry. We’ll make sure the doors are closed from now on. And I’ll see if I can find out who owns that cat.”

  “People shouldn’t let their animals wander around loose,” Aunt Edie said with a frown.

  “I know.” Boy, was she going to have a talk with Sabrina when she showed up.

  Which she did, ten minutes later, ready to turn her hair pink.

  “First, we need to have a talk,” Jenna said, leading the way to her room.

  “What did I do?” Sabrina asked as they walked up the stairs. “You knew where I was going. You said I could go to the library.”

  “Yes, I did. And you’re not in trouble.”

  “Then why do we have to go up here and talk?” Sabrina protested, following Jenna to her bedroom.

  So if you throw a fit you can do it without upsetting Aunt Edie. “I just wanted a moment of privacy.”

  “Great, I’m in trouble,” Sabrina muttered. “I don’t even know what I did wrong.” She plopped on the bed and scowled.

  “I wanted to talk to you about making sure you shut the door when you go out.”

  Sabrina didn’t deny her carelessness. “Sorry. But what’s the big deal?”

  “The big deal is that a cat got in and tried to eat Roger.”

  “Good. I hate that bird. He’s stupid.”

  “Sabrina,” Jenna chided.

  “Well, he is. And he’s mean.” She g
nawed her lower lip. “Does this mean we don’t get to dye my hair?”

  Was there any creature on the planet more self-centered than a teenage girl? “No, we’ll still do your hair. I promised we would and I’m not going back on my word. But I’m a little disappointed in your attitude.”

  “I can’t help it if I don’t like Roger. He bit me!”

  “I know you don’t like Roger. But you do like Aunt Edie, don’t you?”

  Sabrina caught her lower lip with her teeth again and nodded.

  “She loves Roger, and she was really upset when the cat tried to get him. She was almost in tears,” Jenna added. A little guilt once in a while never hurt, right?

  Sabrina’s eyes suddenly misted. “I’m sorry. I didn’t do it on purpose.”

  “I know. If you had you’d really be in trouble. And if something had happened to Roger Aunt Edie would have been heartbroken.”

  For all her grumbling and complaining and snotty moments, Sabrina still had a tender heart. “I’m sorry,” she said, and began to cry.

  Jenna sat down on the bed and hugged her. “I know, sweetie. Just be more careful in the future. Okay?”

  Sabrina sniffed and nodded.

  “Now, let’s go make you look awesome.”

  Awesome took the rest of the afternoon and by the time they were done Jenna was thanking her lucky stars that she’d never opted for beauty school. Good grief, what a lot of work.

  Sabrina was thrilled, though, and Aunt Edie, who’d been watching the process, complimented her on how pretty she looked. “Isn’t she pretty, Roger?” she asked the bird, who’d recovered enough from his ordeal to sit on his kitchen perch.

  “Roger’s a pretty bird,” he replied. “Give me whiskey.”

  Sabrina, happy with her new look and the world in general, even Roger, giggled.

  “No whiskey for you,” Aunt Edie told him. “But I’d better get some dinner going for us. Just look at the time.”

  “I think, after your stressful day, you should let Sabrina and me make dinner,” Jenna told her. She turned to Sabrina. “So, how about we run to the grocery store and pick up a frozen pizza and some salad in a bag?”

  Sabrina thought it an excellent idea, and preened her way up and down the grocery store aisles. She checked herself out in the visor mirror so many times on the way back that Jenna teasingly threatened to nickname her Narcissus.