Welcome to Moonlight Harbor

by Sheila Roberts

  “Determination is a good thing,” Vanita said.

  Jenna sighed. “Not when it comes to seeing her dad. He’s not interested.”

  Celeste’s brows drew together. “Seriously?”

  “Don’t look so surprised,” said Jenna. “You know what he is.” Self-absorbed and immature.

  “But that’s a new low.”

  “He claims he can’t take her right now. He needs time to...whatever.”

  “I take it Sabrina doesn’t know.”

  Jenna shook her head. “I keep putting her off. At some point he is going to want to see her. He’s a jerk but he’s not totally heartless. Anyway, what did you tell her?”

  “I told her no,” said Celeste. “It really wouldn’t work out this time. Somebody would need to bring her back and Mom’s working. Once we get home I’m taking off for two weeks in Icicle Falls.”

  “And it’s not with me,” put in Vanita. “I’ll give you three guesses who she’s going with.”

  “The cop?” Jenna guessed.

  “That would be the one. I think this is it,” Celeste added. “He’s so...strong. He’s going to teach me how to shoot a gun,” she added.

  Jenna remembered her encounter with the pepper spray. “You’re liable to shoot yourself in the foot.”

  Celeste made a face. “Very funny.”

  “I wasn’t joking.” Jenna regarded her sister. Celeste was cute and fun and bubbly. And she tended to rush into things. “Isn’t this moving along kind of fast? I mean, you haven’t been going out all that long.”

  “Long enough,” Celeste said.

  Jenna couldn’t help thinking about how quickly she’d rushed into marrying Damien.

  “You sound like Mom,” her sister added, which told Jenna that their mother had reservations, too.

  “I just don’t want to see you get hurt.” Learn from me, little sister.

  “Don’t worry. I’m not planning on racing down the aisle.”

  That didn’t mean she couldn’t get her heart broken.

  “I really think I love him,” Celeste said softly.

  “As long as he loves you back,” Jenna told her.

  “What’s not to love about her?” Vanita put in.

  True. Celeste was all heart. Jenna hoped this latest romance bloomed into something serious. It would be nice if at least one of them could find true love.

  Aunt Edie came back down the stairs, resplendent in a black dress spattered with big, red roses that she’d accented with a red scarf and red flip-flops adorned with a miniature red bouquet of silk red carnations that covered most of her slightly crooked toes.

  “How do I look?” she asked.

  “Hot,” Celeste said. “You look smokin’, Aunt Edie.”

  She did look cute, like the kind of little old lady you’d want to hang out with. Which, of course, was exactly what she was.

  Aaron showed up shortly after, along with the paper’s photographer. He had plenty of questions for Jenna. How long had she been in Moonlight Harbor? What had brought her down?

  I needed a life. “I had a chance to come and help my aunt bring this wonderful, old motel back to its former glory.

  “What makes the Driftwood Inn so special?” Aaron asked.

  My aunt.

  “We were one of the first ones here,” Aunt Edie said, answering for her. “There’s a lot of history here. A lot of people have made happy memories at the Driftwood Inn.”

  “And we want to make more,” put in Jenna.

  “What are you going to do with your winnings?”

  “We’re going to finish renovating, starting with a new roof.” Jenna said. And we’re going to finally get to stop worrying.

  “You’re pretty lucky,” Aaron said. “Winning all that money.”

  Jenna looked at her sweet aunt, her sister and good friend, thought of her wonderful mom and grandparents, of the great life she’d had growing up. All those blessings far outweighed the bump in the road that was Damien.

  “Yes, I am,” she said.

  “Okay,” Aaron said at last, “how about a picture of you and your aunt in front of the motel?”

  “I’m ready,” Aunt Edie told him.

  Next to her aunt, Jenna looked boring in her denim skirt and black top. But that was okay. She had no problem with her aunt outshining her. This was Aunt Edie’s moment.

  They were saying goodbye to Aaron and the photographer when Seth arrived. “You look nice, Mrs. Patterson,” he complimented Aunt Edie as he got out of his truck.

  “Thank you,” she said. “We just had our picture taken for the paper. They’re going to do an article about Jenna. She won eighty thousand dollars at the casino last night.”

  Seth’s eyes popped wide. “No shit. Oh, sorry, Mrs. Patterson.”

  “Don’t be,” she said. “And yes, no shit.”

  “Looks like you can get a new roof now,” he said to Jenna.

  “And maybe even a few other things we need,” she added. Oh, yes, she was one lucky duck.

  “I guess I’d better get busy and power wash the place, then, so we can start painting,” he said. “Paint and a new roof and you’re good to go.”

  “And new mattresses for the beds and new linens and probably some new flooring in the worst of the bathrooms,” Jenna said. Everything had seemed so overwhelmingly impossible only two days ago. Now the sky was the limit. Well, sort of. They still had a bank loan to pay off and a petri dish swimming pool to fix. But this unexpected infusion of cash would get them started in the right direction.

  “It’ll get there,” Seth assured her.

  “Meanwhile, we need to celebrate,” Aunt Edie said. “Let’s have a beach fire before Celeste and Vanita have to leave tomorrow. Seth, you can join us, can’t you?”

  “Thanks for the offer, but I can’t. You have fun, though.”

  “Well, next time, then,” Aunt Edie said. “I’m going to go inside and bake some cupcakes,” she said to Jenna, and hurried across the parking lot to the house.

  “Your aunt’s stoked,” he observed.

  “The place means so much to her,” Jenna said. “Now it’s going to finally get fixed up again. Uncle Ralph would have been happy, too.”

  “Pretty unusual, winning all that money.”

  “Which means it was meant to be.”

  “I guess you’re right,” he said.

  “You’re going to be missing a major party tonight,” Jenna told him. “Whoever she is, she must be something special to keep you away.” Was she fishing for deets? No.

  Yes.

  He made a face. “Yeah, right.”

  “So you didn’t have plans for tonight?”

  “I have plans to not crash your family party.”

  “You think it will be only family? I can guarantee you, Aunt Edie’s going to invite half of Moonlight Harbor.”

  He shook his head. “Family and old friends, that’s how it should be.”

  “New friends don’t count?”

  He turned and started for his room. “See you later, Jenna.”

  “Celeste and Vanita will be disappointed with no eye candy there.”

  “Invite the house peddler,” he called over his shoulder.

  “Maybe I will,” she called back.

  In fact, maybe she should. She pulled out her cell phone and made the call.

  “Sounds fun,” Brody said. “I’ll be there to feed you s’mores.”

  Not only was Brody there. So was Pete, Tyrella and Nora, along with her husband and Caroline. Naturally, everyone brought something to contribute to the feast. Brody brought wine coolers, Nora brought the makings for s’mores, Tyrella brought chips and pop and Pete...brought himself.

  The men built a bonfire that was a pyromaniac’s dream and, as everyone roasted hot dogs, Aunt Edie r
eminisced about the past. “You know, Ralph didn’t know a thing about building when we first came down here, but he figured he could learn. We both did. I helped put on the roof, and I got pretty good with a hammer. We had so much fun painting the place and ordering all the linens. And let me tell you, we were so excited when our first guests pulled in. It was a mother and father and two little boys. And you know, they came back every year until the father got a job in Nebraska. I even got a Christmas card from them that first year. Then there was the professional wrestler. He showed your Uncle Ralph a few moves. It was all fun and games until Ralph broke his nose.”

  “Good old Ralph,” said Bill. “He was a character.”

  “Yes, he was,” Edie said, and her smile turned wistful.

  “Who else stayed here?” Jenna asked, wanting to turn her aunt’s thoughts in a happier direction.

  “Let me think. Oh, yes, there was the bride who locked herself in the bathroom on her wedding night. The poor thing.”

  “Why did she do that?” Sabrina asked.

  “You’ll have to ask your mother later,” Aunt Edie said.

  “Oh. She was afraid to have sex,” Caroline said knowingly. “I’m not going to be afraid. I’m going to have sex on my sixteenth birthday.”

  “We’ll see about that,” Nora told her, and Jenna determined to find a friend for her daughter who would be a better influence even if she had to put an ad in the paper.

  “You know, Pat Boone came to town several times to play golf,” Aunt Edie continued.

  “Did he stay here?” Jenna asked.

  “He did, one night. I got his autograph.”

  “Who’s Pat Boone?” Caroline asked.

  “He was a crooner,” Aunt Edie said. “Such a handsome man.” She sighed happily. “Who knows who we’ll have to come stay with us once we’re ready for business again. I can hardly wait to find out.”

  “Well,” Brody said, raising his bottle, “here’s to the future. Hope you get lots of movie stars and singers.”

  “I just want lots of paying customers,” Jenna said. She didn’t care how their guests earned their money just so long as they shared it with the Driftwood Inn.

  The party finally broke up at ten-thirty. “I have to open the store at eight,” Tyrella said, standing and stretching. “That means bed for me.”

  “We should go, too,” Nora said to Bill, and he nodded.

  “Do we have to, Grammy? Can’t I spend the night?” Caroline begged. “Sabrina can loan me her toothbrush.”

  Jenna wasn’t all that excited for Caroline to stay, but Aunt Edie said, “We’ve got extra toothbrushes.”

  “All right,” Nora said. “If it’s not an imposition.”

  “Not at all,” Aunt Edie said cheerfully, ever the good hostess.

  Jenna vowed to have a talk with her later and explain about the birds and the bees and fourteen-year-olds.

  “Come on, girls. I’ll help you get settled. My old bones have had enough of sitting on logs for the night,” Aunt Edie said, “and it’s getting past my bedtime, anyway.”

  Pete, too, decided he’d had enough, and gallantly offered Aunt Edie the use of his arm for balance.

  Brody made no mention of leaving, so Celeste and Vanita, Cupid’s little helpers, decided they, too, needed to go in, following the others off through the dune grasses. Then it was just Jenna and Brody.

  “Is it past your bedtime, too?” he asked.

  “Almost.”

  He scooted closer to her on the blanket. “Stay out a little longer.” He pointed to the sky. “We’ve got a full moon. I can stir up the fire.”

  He already was. Which meant it was time to go in. “Oh, I don’t think—”

  “Come on, Jenna, hang out a while. Give me a chance to seduce you.”

  His voice was teasing but she knew he was serious. “You’re a heartbreaker, Brody Green.”

  “Who keeps telling you this stuff?”

  “As if someone had to tell me?”

  “You’ve got to have figured out that I’ve got feelings for you.”

  “And you know I’m not going to rush into anything.” No matter how tempting. If she kept saying that to herself long enough, hopefully she could stick to it.

  “Who’s rushing?” he said, and nuzzled her neck.

  “Am I interrupting something?”

  The deep voice behind them made Jenna jump away from Brody with a squeak.

  He frowned at Seth Waters, who stepped over a log and settled on it. “As a matter of fact, you are.”

  “Sorry. Saw the fire and figured the party was still going. Jenna invited me.”

  “The party’s over,” Brody told him.

  “Yes, it is,” Jenna said, standing up. “Will you two douse what’s left of the fire?”

  “There’s not much left,” Brody said, sounding grumpy, and Jenna had to chuckle. “So, how about that dinner you promised,” he asked.

  Nothing like making a statement to the other guy. And putting her on the spot. “How about tomorrow night?” she offered.

  “Sounds good,” he said.

  She nodded and then scooted off to the house, anxious to get away from an embarrassing situation.

  “I thought you’d be out a lot longer,” Celeste said when she came into the bedroom.

  Celeste and Vanita were sitting on her bed, playing a game of pig with a pair of Aunt Edie’s dice.

  “Seth came out.”

  “Two good-looking men wanted to hang out and you just left?” Vanita rolled her eyes. “Honestly, all that pretty is wasted on you.”

  “It was awkward.” Jenna plopped on the bed next to her sister. “Can I play?”

  “Have you got some quarters?”

  “You’re playing for money?”

  “That’s how you play the game. Remember? Anyway, you just won eighty thousand dollars. Can’t you spare a few quarters?” Celeste teased.

  Jenna went to her purse and dug out three quarters. “This is all I have.”

  “The way your luck’s been running, it’s all you’ll need,” Celeste said.

  She was wrong. Jenna lost her quarters in the first five minutes. “Looks like my luck has turned.” She wouldn’t be going back to the casino anytime soon.

  “It’s turned in a good way when it comes to men,” said Celeste. “You’ve got sexy man overload.”

  “They both seem really nice,” said Vanita.

  “They are.”

  “So, which one are you going to pick?” Celeste asked.

  “Neither. I think one heartbreak in a lifetime is enough.”

  “You can’t give up on love, sissy,” Celeste said to her. “One of those men could be the perfect man for you, your chance to be happy again. And I want that for you.”

  “We both do,” Vanita added.

  “I know. Don’t worry. I’m going to be happy.” And the best way to do that was to protect her heart.

  “At least go out with them a bit, have some fun,” Celeste said. “You can do that. And who knows where it will lead?”

  Surely not where things had eventually led with Damien. Except Brody was a player. She’d figured that out early on. And Seth?

  There’s more than one kind of prison.

  Seth’s words came back to remind her that he wasn’t in the market for a serious relationship. He was probably damaged for life, and any woman who fell for him would wind up damaged, too.

  Don’t worry, heart. I’ll watch out for you.

  She hoped she could keep that promise.

  Chapter Eighteen

  To Do:

  Pick up extra copies of the paper

  Pay bills

  Pinch myself again

  Celeste and Vanita left Tuesday morning, Vanita needing to get back to work the following day and C
eleste anxious to get ready for her trip with her new man. Sabrina watched them go with a frown.

  “I could have gone back with Aunt Celeste and Grandma or Daddy would have brought me back,” she said to Jenna, her tone accusing.

  Of course it was Jenna’s fault that this latest plan had fallen through. “We’ll get back. Don’t worry.”

  “We won’t,” Sabrina predicted. “We’re gonna be stuck here forever.”

  “Yes, they’ll find our sun-bleached bones on Moonlight Beach.”

  Her daughter saw no humor in that remark and flounced back into the house, probably to eat more of Aunt Edie’s coffee cake.

  Jenna sighed. She didn’t blame Sabrina for getting impatient. This was getting ridiculous.

  What was she waiting for, darn it all? She’d get the roofers started and then she and Sabrina would go back to Lynwood for a visit. And if Damien wanted his next check he could come pick it up...from his daughter.

  She pulled out her phone, looked up the number for Top Dog Roofing and gave Herbie a call. “How soon can you start?”

  “A couple of weeks,” said Mr. Top Dog.

  “That long?” Somehow, she’d envisioned him and his crew coming right over with their nails and shingles.

  “We’re busy in the summer. Everybody wants to get their roofs fixed before winter sets in. Don’t worry, though. We’ll make sure you get the Driftwood watertight before the next big storm,” he promised.

  Okay, roof repair scheduled. She gave herself permission to take a break. She’d surprise Sabrina and take her back home for the Fourth of July. They could leave early in the morning and stay clear through the weekend. After that afternoon, she didn’t have any massages lined up for the rest of the week, anyway. She smiled at the thought. Come morning she’d be Good Mommy, the best mom in the world.

  Until the next time her daughter was mad at her.

  She did some bookwork, made some calls. Once she finally came in for lunch it was to find her daughter long gone. “She said she was going over to Caroline’s,” Aunt Edie reported.

  “At least she’s telling people where she’s going now,” Jenna said. “I hope she can find some other friends to hang out with soon, though.”

  “Yes, I agree,” said Aunt Edie. “That one’s a little...”