Welcome to Moonlight Harbor

by Sheila Roberts

  “We’ll be hiring soon,” Jenna told her. “I could use someone to work the reception desk in the evenings.”

  “With an evening job I could sew during the day,” Courtney said thoughtfully.

  “Where would you sell your clothes?” Tyrella asked.

  Courtney’s mouth drooped. “Good question. I can’t afford to rent space.”

  “I’ve been thinking of adding a little boutique shop at my place,” Patricia said. “Maybe we can work something out if your fashion show goes well.”

  “A boutique at the Oyster Inn? Whoa,” Courtney said in awe.

  “Poor Susan,” Tyrella said. “She’ll be out of business in a month.”

  “Not necessarily,” said Aunt Edie, who was wearing a pair of twenty-five-percent-off pink slacks from Beach Babes. “A lot of women like her clothes.”

  “There’s room for more than one clothing store here,” Patricia said easily.

  Talk about the upcoming festival continued. It seemed everyone had something planned for it.

  “Ellis and I are making a dunk tank,” Tyrella announced. “A dollar a pop to try and sink the members of the city council. I can think of a lot of people who will pay for a chance to do that.”

  “I’m going to have a booth and sell my caramel corn,” Annie said. “And Emma’s going to help me.”

  “The church women are doing a bake sale and the youth group is selling Belgian waffles,” Patricia reported. “The other churches are having booths, too. Oh, and Nora’s Bill is making us a giant thermometer so we can show how much money we raise.”

  “How’s that going to work in just one day?” Jenna asked Nora.

  “I don’t know,” she said. “He’s in charge of that. I’ll have my hands full selling ice cream.”

  “We can’t thank you all enough,” Aunt Edie said, misty-eyed.

  “Edie, we all love you,” Patricia said to her. “And really, we should be thanking you for inspiring us. It’s important to pull together, and everyone benefits when we do. Anyway, our town can use a facelift and we may as well start with the Driftwood Inn.”

  Shiny penny pretty, thought Jenna. Maybe the mayor had something there.

  * * *

  Plans continued to move forward. Once again, the Driftwood Inn made the news. How the money was lost was handled diplomatically and the focus quickly switched from the recipient of the funds to the new festival’s mission statement, which was to help deserving Moonlight Harbor businesses prosper.

  “Was this your idea?” Aaron asked Jenna.

  “I wish,” she said. “No, all the credit goes to Tyrella Lamb for coming up with the idea and our chamber of commerce members for supporting her. Without our local businesses, this never would be happening.”

  * * *

  Happen it did. Come the first Saturday in August the town was once more alive with a party atmosphere. Stores were offering sales, and next to each cash register sat a giant donation jar painted with a blue moon and a starfish (one of the Friday night group’s craft projects) and a little card explaining the purpose of the festival and featuring an old photo of the Driftwood Inn in its prime. Visitors were happily stuffing dollars in those jars.

  They were also strolling from booth to booth on the pier at the end of town, downing ice cream sundaes and floats, Belgian waffles, elephant ears, gyros, and Annie’s caramel corn, purchasing seascapes and metal fish sculptures from local artists and picking up brochures from Beach Dreams Realty and other businesses such as Top Dog Roofing. Brody had shamed Herbie into donating the labor for the new roof and then rewarded him with a free information booth. Nearby, the carnival rides were doing a brisk business, squeals and loud music filling the air, while overhead the seagulls chaperoned.

  Moonlight Beach was also a hub of activity with horseback riding, street acrobats and belly dancers. Courtney’s fashion show was a success and Jenna and Sabrina came away with new outfits.

  Celeste and Mel and Vanita came down, and so did Brittany and her family. They all took turns watching over Aunt Edie, who was seated in a special booth filled with pictures and memorabilia from the Driftwood Inn’s glory days, including the highly prized Pat Boone autograph.

  “I think we’ve got a success on our hands,” Brody said to Jenna as they took a root beer float break. “Looks like you’re going to have the money you need.”

  “If my ex doesn’t hear about it.”

  “Not to worry. You submit the bills and we’ll pay them from the fund.”

  “That’s a great idea.”

  “Hey, it protects all of us. That way we can give an accurate accounting of where the money’s going and our recipients don’t get accused of misspending. Don’t want you running off to Vegas,” he said with a wink.

  “I think my gambling days are through.” At least until the spousal support orders have been lifted.

  The party continued until midnight on the pier with the carnival rides still going. By the time Jenna and company got back to the house Aunt Edie was looking tired.

  “But it’s a good kind of tired,” she said. “Thank you all for coming. And thank you, dear girl,” she added, patting Jenna’s cheek.

  “It wasn’t me,” Jenna told her. “You can thank your friends here at Moonlight Harbor.”

  “I never would have dreamed...” Her aunt looked out the kitchen window to where the night was starting to chew away a moon ready to wane. “People are wonderful.”

  Yes, for the most part, they were.

  Welcome to the Driftwood Inn

  To Do:

  Put ad in paper

  Put up announcement on the Driftwood’s Facebook page

  Get punch makings and balloons

  Be grateful and celebrate!

  Thanks to the success of the Blue Moon Festival, the Driftwood Inn reopened on Labor Day weekend. It sported a new roof, new vinyl and shower units in all the bathrooms and new mattresses and bedspreads on the beds. Ellis West and Brody and Seth had set the fence around the pool to rights and drained it, then a pool specialist had been brought in to repair the cracks. A local artist had painted a mural on the bottom—a mermaid swimming under a full moon. Best of all, the bank had finally been paid off.

  Aunt Edie and Sabrina baked dozens of cookies and Sabrina and her friend Marigold, whose family was staying at the inn, worked the open house party, moving among the guests with trays of treats. When they weren’t flirting with the cute boy who’d come down with his family.

  Thanks to word of mouth and a Groupon special, the Driftwood Inn was at full capacity, and Jenna’s family and friends were all packed into Aunt Edie’s house, with sleeping bags and army cots everywhere. Courtney, who had left Beach Babes to come work nights for Jenna, was at the reception desk, checking in a family while Jenna mingled with everyone.

  “The place is adorable,” Brittany told her, taking in the driftwood and tasteful netting with its giant starfish on the outside wall of the office building and one corner of the motel. “And I love the blue with white trim.”

  “I like the mermaid in the pool,” Vanita said. “So cute! And the rooms are darling. Well, room,” she corrected herself.

  The only room open for viewing at the moment was Seth’s, which he’d allowed Jenna to use as her display model. Pete’s was locked and off-limits.

  Seth was still staying, but he and Jenna had renegotiated, and he was now a paying resident. Of course, she’d cut him a deal and he hadn’t protested too much.

  His was one of the sandy beach rooms, with brown carpet and a beach mural on one wall. Sabrina’s picture of a moonlit beach hung in the bathroom and more of her pictures graced the walls of all the other rooms. Several guests had already raved over the cute lamps and decorations in their rooms and she smiled and thanked them and kept the fact that they were consignment store finds to herself.

 
Aunt Edie—dressed in a long flowing skirt and a top that Courtney had designed for her, accented with a scarf trimmed with blue sea glass and tiny shells (a Courtney creation)—was mingling with the guests and beaming and looking ten years younger. Pete, who’d actually shaved for the occasion, stood next to her, wearing slacks, sandals and a Hawaiian print shirt.

  One of their guests, a middle-aged woman, came up to Jenna, gushing, “Our room is so cute. I didn’t know they even made orange carpet anymore.”

  “Neither did I,” Jenna said with a smile.

  “Well, it’s very clever the way you made it work,” said the woman. “I guess this place just got renovated?”

  “It did.”

  “You did a great job.”

  Jenna looked to where Seth stood, drink in hand, talking to Ellis West. As if sensing her gaze on him he turned and smiled at her and she smiled back. Brody was relaxing on one of the office couches, keeping Patricia company. He raised his glass in salute to her.

  “We did a great job,” she said.

  More guests came in to register, this time a family with two little boys and a girl who looked to be about Sabrina’s age. “This is a quite a celebration you’re having,” observed the mom.

  “It’s quite a life we’re having,” Jenna replied happily.

  “Well, dear, you did it,” her mother said a few minutes later, hugging her. “You found the rainbow in the storm.”

  “It wasn’t easy,” Jenna said, “but it looks that way.”

  “I’m glad for you.”

  “Me, too,” said Celeste, who had come to stand on the other side of her. “After everything you’ve gone through you finally got your happy ending.”

  “No,” Jenna said with a grin. “My happy beginning.”

  * * * * *

  Some Moonlight Harbor Favorite Recipes

  Whenever people gather, whether it’s at someone’s home or around the campfire, food is a big part of the fun. Here are a few favorite recipes some of your new friends in Moonlight Harbor thought you might enjoy.

  Best Baked Beans

  Courtesy of Wilma Spike

  Ingredients:

  1⁄4 c. salad oil

  2 c. chopped onions

  1 lb. lean ground beef

  1 c. ketchup

  2 tbsp. prepared mustard

  2 tsp. vinegar

  Salt to taste

  2 1-lb. cans pork and beans in tomato sauce

  1 1-lb. can red kidney beans, drained

  Directions:

  Heat oil in pan. Add onions and simmer until golden brown. Add hamburger and brown. Drain and then add remaining ingredients. Pour into bean pot or casserole dish and bake at 400°F for 30 minutes. Makes 8 servings.

  Tyrella’s Key Lime Pie

  Courtesy of Robin Claney

  Ingredients:

  1 9-in. prebaked graham cracker pie crust

  6 yolks from large eggs

  1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk

  3⁄4 c. lime juice

  3 tsp. grated lime peel

  Directions:

  Beat yolks in medium-size bowl until they thicken and turn light yellow. (Don’t overmix.) Add condensed milk and mix well. Then add half the lime juice. Once thoroughly mixed add the rest of the juice and the grated peel. Pour into the pie shell and bake at 350°F for 12 minutes. Cool, chill and serve with whipped cream.

  Aunt Edie’s Oatmeal Muffins

  Ingredients:

  1 c. oatmeal

  1 c. flour

  1 tsp. salt

  1 1⁄2 tsp. baking powder

  1⁄2 tsp. baking soda

  1⁄2 tsp. cinnamon

  1⁄2 c. brown sugar

  1 c. buttermilk

  1 egg

  1⁄2 c. oil

  ½ c. golden raisins

  Directions:

  Pour milk over oatmeal in a small bowl and let stand so the oatmeal can soak up the buttermilk. Sift dry ingredients into a bowl. Beat sugar and egg with the oatmeal mixture, then add to dry ingredients and raisins and mix. Spoon into lined or greased muffin tins and bake 20 minutes at 350°F. Makes 1 dozen.

  Aunt Edie’s Shrimp Soufflé

  Ingredients:

  8 slices of multigrain bread, diced

  2 c. shrimp

  1⁄2 c. mayonnaise

  1 onion, chopped

  1 green pepper, chopped

  1 c. celery, chopped

  3 c. milk

  4 eggs

  1 can cream of mushroom soup

  Grated cheese

  Paprika

  Directions:

  Cut up the bread and put half of it into a medium-size casserole dish. Mix shrimp, mayo, onion, green pepper and celery and spread over diced bread. Top with the remaining bread. Mix eggs and milk together and pour over mixture. Bake at 325°F for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and spoon soup over the top. Top with cheese and paprika. Bake for one hour. Serves 6-8.

  Blackberry Coffee Cake

  Ingredients:

  For filling:

  2⁄3 c. sugar

  1⁄4 c. cornstarch

  3⁄4 c. water or blackberry juice

  2 c. fresh or frozen whole unsweetened blackberries

  (if using frozen berries, thaw and use the thawed juice)

  For cake:

  3 c. flour

  1 c. sugar

  1 tbsp. baking powder

  1 tsp. salt

  1 tsp. cinnamon

  1 tsp. vanilla

  1 c. butter, room temperature

  2 eggs, slightly beaten

  1 c. milk

  For topping:

  1⁄4 c. butter

  1⁄2 c. sugar

  1⁄2 c. flour

  1⁄4 c. sliced almonds or chopped walnuts

  Directions:

  Make filling by combining sugar, cornstarch, water or juice and berries. Cook over medium heat until thickened. Set aside to cool. Sift flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon into a large bowl and add sugar. Cut in butter to form fine crumbs. Add eggs, milk and vanilla and mix until blended. Pour half of batter into a 9x13-inch lightly greased baking dish. Cover with filling and drop remaining batter by spoonfuls over that. For topping, cut butter into flour and sugar and stir in nuts, then sprinkle evenly over top of cake. Bake at 350°F for 45 minutes. Serves a dozen.

  Acknowledgments

  So many people helped me as I launched into this new series. I’d like to take a moment to thank them. (And bore the rest of you to tears.) First of all, a big thanks to Rachel McGraw, LMP, who graciously filled me in on how our muscles work and explained about the life of a massage therapist. Rachel, you’ve worked wonders on my aching bod. Thanks to Jed Sonstroem for all your legal input. You give lawyers a good name. Thanks to Tiffany Avery, general manager of the Ocean Shores Inn and Suites, for giving me a glimpse into what’s involved in running an inn at the beach. A big thanks to Greg Fritz at the Quinault Beach Resort and Casino for answering my many questions about gambling and slot machines. Speaking of, I had lots of help in that department. My buddy Alexa Darin shared many of her tips for winning. Jane Lines let me look over her shoulder as she played the slots. (Ah, Gerhardt, if you hadn’t talked me out of it I could have won three hundred bucks on her machine!) Thank you, too, to Missy and Crystal, security guards at the Quinault Beach Resort and Casino, who filled me in on what they do to keep everyone (and their money) safe. Thanks to Karen Schanberger for proofing my casino scene. Obviously, anything I got wrong about playing the slots is nobody’s fault but my own. And a big thank-you to Roger Spiese (aka Roger 2.0) for letting me turn you into a parrot. Roger, you’re a sport. Finally, thank you to my wonderful agent and pal, Paige Wheeler, and to my adorable and clever editor, Michel
le Meade, and all the staff at Harlequin MIRA who work so hard to turn my books into something I can be proud of!

  “Sheila Roberts makes me laugh. I read her books and come away inspired, hopeful and happy.”

  —Debbie Macomber, #1 New York Times bestselling author

  Don’t miss a single moment in the unforgettable Life in Icicle Falls series from Sheila Roberts.

  Catch up on the complete series today for heartwarming tales of small-town romance:

  Welcome to Icicle Falls (novella)

  Better Than Chocolate

  Merry Ex-Mas

  What She Wants

  The Cottage on Juniper Ridge

  Sweet Dreams on Center Street

  The Tea Shop on Lavender Lane

  The Lodge on Holly Road

  A Wedding on Primrose Street

  Christmas on Candy Cane Lane

  Home on Apple Blossom Road

  Starting Over on Blackberry Lane

  Christmas in Icicle Falls

  Complete your collection today!

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  ISBN-13: 9781488032851

  Welcome to Moonlight Harbor

  Copyright © 2018 by Roberts Ink LLC

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