by Kay Correll
“Are you sure? I don’t want to be a bother. We could close the inn for a few weeks or so.”
“Not a chance. Busy season is starting. I know you said you earn more than half your income at the inn during the busy season.”
“I do, but—”
“No buts. I’m going to stay and keep things going.”
“You know, dear, you don’t owe me anything.” Her aunt looked directly at her.
“I owe you everything. I don’t know what I would have done without you. But that has nothing to do with this. I want to help you.”
“You’re certain?”
“I am. Besides, it will be a nice break for me.” Okay, that was a bit of a white lie, but if it helped relieve Aunt Lil’s guilt, she was okay with bending the truth a bit. “And guess what? Charlotte came to town for a visit. She and Robin are going to help out at the inn.”
“Oh, that’s wonderful. Tell Charlotte to stop by here and say hi. I haven’t seen her in a long time.”
Neither had she, and that was just wrong. Best friends should keep in touch better, see each other more often. She always blamed it on how busy she was at work, but to be honest, that had been her choice. She was so intent on landing the promotion.
“I’ll tell her to stop by before you head to rehab. I’m sure she’d love to catch up with you.”
Aunt Lil had practically been an aunt to all three of them. From the early school years when Sara had moved here all the way through high school. Robin and Charlotte loved Aunt Lil as much as she did.
“I better head to the inn. I’m meeting Char and Robin. We’re going to get everything organized. Don’t worry about a thing.”
“You call me if you have any questions at all. Any. And Jay knows a lot about everything, too.”
“We’ll be fine.” She hoped they’d be fine…
She probably shouldn’t have insisted that they’d be fine.
“Sara, there you are.” Jay stood in the kitchen at the inn, a mop in his hands. “The dishwasher broke. Well, more than broke. It leaked all over the floor. I have that cleaned up. Mostly. But we’ll have to wash the dishes by hand until I get a chance to look at it. I’ll try to see if I can fix it after breakfast.”
Jay’s t-shirt proclaimed It’s a Golden Day, with a bright, smiling sun on it.
Ha. As if.
“So Robin and Charlotte are coming by to help this morning.”
“Robin is already here.” Jay nodded in the direction of the office. “She came in early this morning.”
She frowned. “She did? What about her job? I thought she’d go in there to work, then come here later.”
Jay shrugged. “No clue, but she’s here now. She’s an early riser, anyway.”
She looked at him. How did he know that Robin was always up early? When had he and Robin become friends? She thought they were just barely acquaintances. Of course, a lot had changed since the last time she’d been to town.
She grabbed a cup of coffee and headed to the office. “Morning. Jay said you’d already been here for a while.”
“Just a bit.” Robin looked up from the desk. “Jay gave me a list of things that need to be ordered, and I’m looking at old files to see where Lil orders things from. I’ve got a good list going. Want me to just order them for you?”
“Yes, that would be great.” She frowned. “Did you know two of the cottages are being renovated? I’m going to have to go check them out and see what’s left to be done.”
“Yes, Jay said they were working on two cottages.”
Sara looked at her friend. “So Jay told you, but not me?”
Robin laughed. “We were trying to find the right time to tell you.”
She grinned. “Good choice. I think if I’d heard that the first day, I would have… well, it doesn’t matter. It’s work that needs to be done.”
“What time do you think Charlotte will show up?” Robin leaned back in the desk chair and stretched.
“Oh, about noon. You know how she hates morning. Plus the time change from California to here.”
“I know. She kept wanting to stay up last night because it was early to her, but I was so tired and had to tag out.” Robin shuffled some papers on the desk.
“Yes, we stayed up talking for another hour after you left until I was ready to drop from exhaustion.”
“Maybe we should wake her up early so she doesn’t keep us up so late.” Robin grinned.
“You can try that, but I’m not. I’ve seen Charlotte when she gets up too early.”
Chapter 6
That afternoon Jay showed Sara, Robin, and Charlotte the cottages Aunt Lil was remodeling.
“This one and the one next to it. There’s still lots left to do.” Jay opened the door to the teal cottage. Aunt Lil had named each cottage by the color of their brightly painted doors. This one was her favorite, of course, because of the teal.
Sara stepped inside and looked around. No furniture, no window treatments and the walls in need of a fresh coat of paint.
Jay turned around. “I did get all the plumbing updated. New tile in the bathroom with new cabinets and counters.”
“Where’s all the furniture?” Charlotte asked.
Jay scrubbed a hand over his face. “New beds and mattresses were ordered. They’re stored in the bedroom of the yellow cottage. Oh, and nightstands.”
“I think I saw an order for lamps in the stack of papers I went through. I’ll check when I get back to the office.” Robin wandered over to the large picture windows. “We’ll need some window treatments.”
“Lil had blinds in here before. They were yellowed a bit, so she wanted new ones. If you get some, I can hang them for you,” Jay offered.
“I’ll measure for them and order them.” She could at least do that much.
“The rooms all have a couple of side chairs and small tables, too. The ones in here before were pretty beat up so she got rid of them.” Jay frowned. “Lil usually goes to flea markets and antique shops and buys those. Then she paints them with some chalk stuff.”
“Chalk paint?” Charlotte’s eyes lit up.
“Maybe?” Jay shrugged.
“I could do that. I love to paint furniture.” Charlotte turned to her. “Let me do that for you. I’ll go out to find the pieces and I’ll paint them.”
“I’m not going to turn you down. That sounds great. I know nothing about painting furniture.”
“I’ll do shades of teal for this cottage, and shades of yellow for the yellow cottage. It will look great. I promise.”
Sara didn’t doubt it for a moment. Charlotte was crazy talented with all things artsy.
“I usually do the painting of the walls, too. But I’m a bit busy without Lil here.” Jay looked around the room.
“We’ll help paint,” Robin offered.
“I’ve never painted a wall in my life.” She looked at the faded walls. How hard could it be to paint them, though, right?
“Not a problem. We’ll show you how.” Charlotte grinned. “Looks like I have a lot of painting in my future.”
“At least the tile floors are still in good shape.” Sara looked at the floors, grateful that they at least were still useable.
“Lil wanted the grout cleaned on them.”
Of course, she did. Lil liked everything kept in perfect shape. “Okay, we’ll figure that out, too.”
Jay laughed. “I can do that.”
“What would we do without you, Jay?” Robin grinned at him.
He tossed her a lazy grin back. “I don’t know. I’m kind of the perfect guy to have around, aren’t I? All-around handyman and as a bonus, a cook.”
Sara watched the exchange between Jay and Robin.
Hm…
“If I could borrow the inn’s van, I’ll head out now and see what furniture I can find,” Charlotte offered. “And I could pick up the wall paint.”
“Of course you can use the van. Do you need any help?” Sara didn’t know where she was most needed. An
d as if to taunt her, her phone beeped again. Another text from Diane.
“I’ll go with Charlotte. You answer your boss. That’s her again, isn’t it?” Robin looked at her pointedly. “She texts a million times a day.”
“She does. But I really should answer this one, then finish up the proposal for her.”
“Okay, then. You do your work-work. Char and I will go shop. Let’s go.” Robin walked out of the cottage.
They all followed her out the door because no one ever argued with Robin.
Noah McNeil got up from his desk and stretched. He’d been here since early morning and had worked right through lunch, though that was typical of his days. Today they’d had a senior luncheon at the community center and tonight was the dress rehearsal for the youth play that was opening this weekend.
His job as director of the community center was a busy one, but then he loved keeping busy now that Zoe was gone. He missed her and hadn’t fully adjusted to life without her here. Nothing quite filled that empty space.
He pushed away his thoughts of loneliness. He really should consider getting a quick bite to eat. He wanted to stay and watch the dress rehearsal even though he probably wouldn’t be needed. He’d normally head to the dining room at Charming Inn since it was just a quick walk from the community center, but he didn’t want to chance running into Sara again like he had yesterday.
Not that he’d actually run into her.
More like hidden from her.
He would see her sometime. Rumor around the island was that she was staying here for a while to help Lil. But he wanted it to be on his terms.
He wanted to be prepared for it.
He wanted to figure out what the heck he was going to say to her…
Chapter 7
Sara didn’t sleep well that night. Early in the morning, she finally gave up and got out of bed, dressing quickly so she could walk out to Lighthouse Point to see the sunrise. Well, the reflected sunrise since she’d be facing west. But usually, the point didn’t disappoint.
She stepped outside, paused, and turned back. She slipped her cell phone out of her pocket and hurried back inside to leave it on the counter. A brief walk and a respite from Diane’s inevitable texts wouldn’t hurt anything, would it? She didn’t want the beeping phone to disturb the peace of the morning. While she was at it, she kicked off her shoes. Barefoot was always better. Nothing better than the feel of the soft sand beneath her feet.
The sky was just beginning to lighten as she crossed over to walk at the water’s edge. The waves were barely rolling in this morning. It amazed her that the gulf could almost look like a gigantic lake on some still mornings. A lone seagull flew by, then a flock of pelicans.
She headed up the beach to the lighthouse. When she got there, she walked right up to it and touched its well-worn brick exterior. “Hello, old friend. I’ve missed you.” Silly, but true.
She crossed the sand and walked near the water. She hadn’t ever really believed in the town’s legend that said if you make a wish at Lighthouse Point and throw a shell into the ocean, your wish would come true. That was silly. Nonsense. Just a ridiculous myth.
She eyed one shell that seemed to call to her.
Nah, that was silly.
She sank onto the sand and watched while the clouds over the sea began to brighten with rosy shades of delicate pinks reflected from the sunrise behind her. The fresh sea air filled her lungs. It was so nice to just sit and do nothing. When was the last time she’d done that?
She did feel a tiny bit guilty about leaving her cell phone back at the inn. But just a tiny bit.
Noah took Cooper for a walk on the beach early most mornings. He felt bad that Cooper was stuck home alone while he worked most days, though he did try and bring him to the community center when he could. The old Australian shepherd was getting grey around the face and had lost some of the boundless energy he used to have, but he still adored his morning walks on the beach.
They headed across the sand, Cooper running in front of him to chase a bird. A game he played but never really worked hard at winning. Coop trotted back toward him.
Most mornings, if they had time, they went all the way to the lighthouse and back home. He glanced at his watch. They had time today.
He walked at the water’s edge, watching the sky brighten. The air was still cool, but he knew it would heat up soon and the humidity would crash down around them. But for now, it was perfect.
He missed Zoe tagging along beside him in the mornings when she’d lived with him. But, like all things, she’d moved on. He was happy for her, he was. But he missed her. This year had been a big adjustment when she’d moved away and taken a new job near Orlando.
A lone person sat on the beach in front of the lighthouse. Another early morning walker who’d probably paused to watch the sunrise. He briefly considered turning around and leaving them to their solitude, but Cooper had run ahead of him.
He hurried after the dog, hoping the beach sitter liked overly friendly dogs.
“Cooper, come here,” he called out, but Cooper either didn’t hear or ignored him.
He walked closer to the woman who had her arms wrapped around the dog, laughing as he licked her.
Good, at least she was a dog lover.
She looked up at him and he froze.
“Noah.” She knew she’d said his name but wondered if he’d heard it. Her voice was a whisper, barely audible over the gentle lap of the waves.
“Ah… um… Sara.” He stared at her.
She loosened her hold on the dog and climbed to her feet. The dog bounded over to Noah.
Noah.
Noah here on Belle Island.
“I see you’ve met Cooper.”
“Yes. What?” She paused, confused. “What are you doing here?” Here on her island.
“Cooper and I are out for a walk.”
“I can see that. But why are you here?”
He paused for a moment then swept his arm wide. “I live here.”
“Here? On the island?” He wasn’t making any sense. She stared at him standing there, looking just as handsome as ever, but in a more relaxed way. His tanned face and the easy way he ruffled his dog’s head were a bit incongruent with the precisely dressed, hard-driven coworker she’d known him as. And they’d often said neither of them would ever own a pet because they were too busy with work. Look at him now all friendly with his dog.
Clearly a pet.
“I moved here quite a few years ago.”
“Here?” She knew she was repeating herself, but why was he here? Her heart hammered in her chest, and she struggled to breathe.
He shifted his feet in the sand, petted Cooper again—his dog—then looked back at her. “I… you… well, you were always talking about Belle Island back when—you know—when we were dating. It sounded like a wonderful place, so unlike the city.” He looked out at the sea, then back at her. “There came a time I needed a bit of a break. I decided to come here and see what it was like. I mean you talked nonstop about how wonderful it was. I admit I fell in love with the island immediately.”
She frowned, processing his words. “So you just… moved here?”
“I did. Went back to Philadelphia where I was living. Quit my job. Moved here.”
“There isn’t much need for a big ad agency here on the island. What do you do here?”
“I run the community center.”
He might as well have told her he ran the zoo. A community center manager? He’d been all business first and obviously just as cutthroat as everyone else at their ad agency.
… along with being a sore loser when she got the promotion they had both been up for. Because he’d left without a word. He hadn’t been the man she’d thought he was.
She shook her head to clear her thoughts. All that didn’t matter now. But Noah being on the island was a complication she didn’t need right now. She wanted to stomp her feet like a toddler and have a tantrum and yell at him that Belle Island wa
s hers, not his. But she couldn’t do that.
But she wanted to.
“I heard about Lil. That’s a tough deal for her. I hope she heals quickly.”
“You know Aunt Lil?” But, of course, if he lived here on the island he’d know her. Everyone did.
“I do. She’s a great lady.”
“Does she know who you are?”
“She knows me.” He neatly sidestepped the question.
“But does she know about you and me? Us?”
“By the time I moved here, there was no us.”
No kidding. Because he’d just up and disappeared without a word. But she refused to ask him about it. She had some pride left.
“I better get back to the inn.” She paused, not that she owed him any explanation. “I’m helping Aunt Lil out at the inn for a bit.”
He just nodded.
She took one last look at his tan, chiseled face with a hint of a scruffy beard—that would have never happened back at the agency—and turned away from him. She hurried off down the beach, controlling her steps so it didn’t look like she was actually running away from him. She only allowed herself one quick glance back over her shoulder.
Noah and Cooper stood at the edge of the water watching her scurry away.
“Well, that was awkward, wasn’t it, Coop?”
The Aussie just looked up at him and wagged his tail. He’d been lucky to find an Australian shepherd with a tail. Most had their tails docked. Well, it was usually lucky. Sometimes Cooper used it to sweep everything off his coffee table in his exuberance.
“You had to choose that particular woman to go up to and love on, didn’t you?” He shook his head.
Sara got smaller and smaller in the distance as she hurried down the beach. She’d looked even better in person up close than she’d looked across the parking lot the other day. Though, her eyes looked tired. Not surprising with worrying about her aunt.
