14
Matt yanked a weed from one of the gardens that flanked the front door of the inn and added it to the growing pile in the bucket beside him.
Tempted as he was to let Paige take on this job too, she’d have her hands full helping Andrew at the inn and waiting tables. And it didn’t take any special skill to pull weeds. Only elbow grease and sturdy knees.
As he reached for another interloper hiding among the hydrangeas, his cell began to vibrate.
He wiped his palms on his jeans and pulled it out.
Kay.
Finally.
He stood, pressed talk, and put the phone to his ear. “Is Cora okay? All of my calls this afternoon rolled to voicemail.”
“She’s doing fantastic. I just noticed the three missed calls. It can be hard to get a signal in the hospital, and I—”
A loud crash drowned out her words.
Matt frowned, tracking the progress of a pelican cruising by overhead. “I missed the last part. What was that noise?”
“I came down to the cafeteria for lunch, and someone dropped a full tray of plates. Let me try to find a quieter place.” As he waited, the background buzz of conversation gradually faded away. “Are you still with me?”
“Yes.”
“I ducked into a small waiting room near the cafeteria. It’s vacant at the moment, but I don’t know how long that will last.”
“First, tell me about Cora.”
“She’s up and walking. She was already halfway down the hall with an aide when I left to get lunch. The doctors think she may go home Friday, which will be better for both of us. I slept in a chair here Monday night, but Cora insisted I go back to the duplex last night.”
“Smart. You won’t be much help to her after she goes home if you’re exhausted.”
“That’s what she said. I know you and I need to talk, but I may have to call you back in an hour or so. I’m meeting someone for lunch in the cafeteria. Do you remember Liz Norman?”
He ran the name through his memory. Came up blank. “No.”
“I knew her in high school, but after Mom died and Liz went to college, we lost touch. Long story short, her mom is here recovering from heart surgery. I ran into her in the hall yesterday. She owns a nursery, so we talked flowers and plants. It was a welcome break from the hospital stress—not to mention all the stress back in Oregon. Anyway, we decided to have lunch together today.”
“I may be able to relieve some of your Oregon-based stress. Why don’t I give you the highlights now and fill in the details when you call me back after your lunch date?”
“That works.”
He launched into a rapid-fire overview of both meetings.
Kay didn’t say a word until he finished. “My head is spinning.”
“I hear you. And that was the short version. I do need your input ASAP on several questions. Are you okay with me hiring Andrew, and do you agree we should offer him and his wife a place to stay for the duration to help make up for his low labor charge?”
“Yes. The rooms are empty anyway.”
“What do you think about the name Vienna suggested?”
“I love it—and all the other ideas you rattled off. I know my bank balance will be on fumes, but if her occupancy rate information is correct, I should be able to begin replenishing the coffers fast. Do you feel confident about her research and expertise?”
“One hundred percent. She’s an experienced pro.”
“Then let’s pull the trigger. But we should compensate her for her work. It’s not fair for her to do this for free, despite the rationale she gave.”
“We’re on the same wavelength. Let me think about how to address that.” And see if Andrew took him up on the offer to move into the inn. If Kay hadn’t had an issue with the Thompsons staying there, it was doubtful she’d balk about adding another guest who was providing gratis services.
“I’ll noodle on it too and call you after lunch.”
“In the meantime, I’ll email you the decorating links Vienna left with me. That’s more your bailiwick than mine. If you have a few minutes while you’re at the hospital, you can browse through them.”
“Your timing is impeccable. Cora tends to doze off, and the book I’m reading isn’t very compelling.”
“One more question. This one about food.” He told her what Vienna had said and relayed a few of the menu examples she’d offered. “How close is that to what you were planning to serve?”
For the first time in their conversation, there was a pause before she responded.
“It’s fancier. I did prepare menus and test dishes at home, and the previous owners left a few favorite recipes, but nothing along the lines of eggs Benedict. And I wouldn’t know where to start with a charcuterie board.”
This could be a problem.
“We may have to find someone to help out in the kitchen.”
“That will eat into profits—pardon the pun.”
“According to Vienna, food matters to guests at upscale inns. Big time.”
“Well, I can work on developing and testing higher-end menus once Cora goes home to recuperate.”
But she didn’t sound all that enthusiastic about the task.
Wonderful.
Another potential glitch to worry about.
“Call me later and we’ll talk more.” He swatted at a persistent bee. “I’ll go ahead and give Andrew and Vienna a thumbs-up.”
As they ended the call and he slid the cell back into his pocket, Matt propped his hands on his hips and surveyed the gardens that had quickly succumbed to weeds in Kay’s absence.
Without TLC, nothing flourished. Gardens. Inns. Pets.
Hearts.
The garden and inn, he should be able to fix. And every beloved pet he treated got an abundance of TLC.
His heart was a different story.
Cora might be right about someone in Hope Harbor lifting his spirits, but it wasn’t a long-term fix.
Because barring an unexpected change in plans, in three short weeks he’d be driving south to San Francisco, leaving behind the source of sunshine that had briefly brightened his shadowed heart.
While Paige stocked up on provisions in the small market at the edge of town, Andrew examined the front tire of the truck. Could be a pound or two low. He’d have to check it after it cooled down. They didn’t need to add a deflated tire to their list of woes.
As he straightened up, he scanned the mint-condition 1957 Silver Thunderbird parked two spots down.
Now that was a classic. You didn’t see many of those on the road anymore.
He strolled over, cataloging the distinctive features. Whitewalls on the tires, porthole windows on the sides of the white fiberglass convertible top where it dipped down in the back, tailfins, metal eyebrows over the headlights, oversized grill.
This was a car.
He leaned down and peered in the window. The T-Bird’s interior was also pristine, from the seats to the steering wheel to—
“She’s a beauty, isn’t she?”
As a voice spoke behind him, Andrew jerked upright and pivoted.
A man of indeterminate age with a Ducks cap over a long gray ponytail strolled toward him, toting a brown sack.
Wasn’t this the guy from the taco stand on the wharf?
“Charley Lopez.” He extended his hand as he approached.
Yeah. It was him. That was the first name on the stand.
He returned the man’s firm shake. “Andrew Thompson. Is this yours?” He motioned to the car.
“Yes.” He gave the car an affectionate once-over. “Bessie and I have a long history.”
As the man moved beside the car, the delicious aroma wafting from the bag activated Andrew’s salivary glands. It was the same enticing smell he’d sniffed on occasion at the wharf. The one that always tempted him and Paige to splurge on an order of tacos whenever they caught a whiff of them.
But their limited food dollars went further on pasta, beans, tuna, and eggs.
He angled away from the bag, back toward the car. “She’s definitely a beauty.”
“She wasn’t when I found her, though. She’d taken some hard knocks and was pretty battered and beat up. Most people would have written her off, but I looked inside, saw that the inner workings were sound, and decided to stick with her.”
Kind of like Paige had done with him, despite all the mistakes he’d made and the mess he’d created in their lives.
“She was lucky you came along.” He shoved his hands in his pockets.
“It worked both ways. I gave her a chance to shine, and she’s never disappointed me. She’s provided shelter in storms and taken me places I would never have gone on my own. The two of us have traveled many a memorable road together through the years.” He rested a hand on the tailfin. “It makes a big difference to have a car you can count on. Removes a lot of the stress from life.”
Andrew gave the T-Bird another sweep.
That was true about cars—and people.
What would he have done these past few months without Paige’s constant encouragement and support, despite his efforts to shut her out? Through it all, she’d stuck by his side. Loving him. Letting him know he could count on her. Trying hard to repair his aching heart and broken spirit, as Charley had repaired Bessie.
He studied the car again.
Could there be a lesson here for him? Unlike Bessie, he’d disappointed the person who’d stood by him. Repaid her care with well-intentioned aloofness as he tried to protect her from the loser she’d married.
But maybe it was time to believe in himself again. In them. To be grateful she hadn’t written him off despite the hard knocks he’d taken. To let her know he wanted to travel the road ahead with her. For always.
Another tantalizing whiff wafted his way, and his stomach rumbled.
“Sorry.” Warmth crept up his neck, and he backed off a few feet.
“Don’t be.” Charley gave him a wide smile. “I’ll take that as a compliment to my cooking. And speaking of food . . . if you haven’t eaten dinner yet, would you like these?” He lifted the bag. “One of the guys in the market asked me to drop an order off on my way home, but he left early. The baby he and his wife are expecting decided to arrive ahead of schedule.” He swung the bag back and forth. “If you don’t take them, they’ll go to waste.”
Andrew hesitated. In all the weeks he and Paige had pinched pennies, he’d never once considered taking any sort of charity or handout.
But if Charley was going to throw the tacos out anyway . . .
“Are you certain you don’t want them?”
“I’ve eaten my fill.” He held out the bag.
“Thank you.” Andrew took it. “I know my wife and I will enjoy these.”
“I hope so. Stop by the stand sometime when you’re on the wharf. I like to stay in touch with all the townsfolk.” He pulled out his keys, lifted a hand in farewell, and climbed into Bessie.
As the man pulled out of the parking lot, Paige came through the door of the market and crossed to the truck, juggling two bags of groceries.
Andrew joined her at the back and opened the tailgate, setting Charley’s gift on top.
“What’s that?” She deposited her bags, pulling out items that had to be iced as he reached in for the cooler.
“Tacos.” He told her about his encounter with Charley.
“You mean he gave them to us?” She stared at the brown bag.
“Yeah.”
“People don’t do that kind of thing.”
“I know, but he did. Should I have turned him down?”
“No way! I’ve been dying to try those since the first day we smelled them. Let’s eat in the truck.”
They finished stowing the food at warp speed and retook their seats in the cab, but before he could open the bag, his cell began to vibrate.
One glance at the screen, and his appetite stalled. “It’s Matt Quinn. I guess he talked to his sister.”
The phone buzzed again.
Paige took the bag from him. Crimped her fingers around the top. “Let’s hope this is a celebration meal.”
Steeling himself for whatever news the man was about to share, he punched the talk button and greeted him.
“Hi, Andrew. It took me all afternoon to connect with my sister, but she agreed that it’s a go on the job.”
He swallowed. Gave Paige a thumbs-up. “That’s great news. When would you like us to start?”
“ASAP.”
“Would tomorrow be too soon?”
“Today wouldn’t be too soon—but tomorrow is fine. I do have one issue to discuss with you. Both Kay and I are uncomfortable with the low labor cost.”
“Please don’t be. Paige and I are fine with the number. Our needs are simple, and that amount will pay our bills until we get established.”
“Nevertheless, we want to be fair. I realize you’d prefer not to increase your bid, so I have a proposal that will help salve our conscience. I know you’re new to town. If you don’t already have more permanent lodging, we’d like to offer you a room at the inn while the job is in progress. Of course you’d have full access to the kitchen and laundry facilities too. I’m also prepared to give you an advance on the labor if that would be helpful.”
It took a moment for Andrew to digest the man’s offer. “That’s very generous, Mr. Quinn.”
“Make it Matt.”
“Let me talk to Paige. May I call you back in an hour or two?”
“No hurry on my end, but I hope you’ll take us up on this. Kay and I will both feel guilty if you don’t.”
“I’ll pass that on to Paige. Thank you again.”
As they said their goodbyes and he ended the call, Paige leaned forward, brow pinched. “You didn’t take any more money, did you?”
“No, but he made a counteroffer.”
When he relayed it, her eyes widened.
“You mean he offered us a free place to stay in that fabulous inn?”
“It will be a construction zone while we’re there, but yeah. We wouldn’t have to worry about rent for a month. Or trek to public bathrooms. Or take showers in state parks. It would give us breathing space to save up money for an apartment.”
She sank back against the cushions. “Is this town for real? First free food, now a free place to stay. It seems too good to be true.”
“I know. But the smell from that bag is real, and the inn isn’t a figment of our imagination. We’ve been there. I think the stars are finally beginning to align for us.”
“No complaints from me about that. We’re due for a break. I think we should stay there, don’t you?”
“As long as you’re comfortable with the arrangement.”
“Anything would be an improvement over a tent, and with the long hours we’ll be working, it will be more convenient for us to be on-site.”
“I’ll call him back after we eat our tacos. It would be a crime to let them get cold.”
She dug into the bag and passed him a packet wrapped in white paper. Took one for herself. “After we settle into the inn tomorrow, I’ll drive into town and check with the Myrtle Café. If our luck holds, they’ll have a part-time opening for a server.” She smiled. “Things are looking up, Andrew.”
“Yes, they are. No thanks to me.”
“What do you mean? You got the job.”
“We got the job—and we wouldn’t have known about it if you hadn’t insisted on putting that ad in the bookstore.” He touched her cheek. “In case I haven’t told you lately, I think you’re an amazing woman. I’m sorry I’ve been so down . . . and distant. It’s just that I always wanted what was best for you, and I was beginning to think that wasn’t me.”
Her features softened. “It’s always been you, Andrew. Please believe me about that.”
“I’m beginning to. And I promise not to shut you out anymore. To be here for you, heart and soul. I appreciate how you stuck with me these past few months, and I promise you can count on me from here on out.” His mouth curved up. “Like Charley counts on Bessie.”
Her face went blank. “Who’s Bessie?”
“Long story. I’ll tell it to you sometime, but right now we have tacos to eat and a camp to pack up . . . and maybe a private celebration to have in our tent. If you’re in the mood.”
Her irises began to glisten. “I’ve been in the mood since the day we left Portland and set out on this journey.”
“The journey isn’t over yet.”
“Doesn’t matter, as long as we’re together. But you know what? I think the literal journey may be over. That this is destined to be our new home.” She squeezed his hand, her eyes alight with hope. “Now let’s have dinner so we can move on to that celebration you mentioned.”
He followed her example and dived into the best tacos he’d ever eaten.
And though the cab of a truck in the gravel parking lot of a small grocery store at the edge of a tiny town didn’t have the ambiance of the famous French Laundry restaurant down the coast in California, he wouldn’t trade it for a million bucks.
Because sharing it with Paige was as close to paradise as he’d ever get this side of heaven.
So going forward, he’d give this job his all, let news spread about the quality of his work, and hope nothing went awry that would sabotage the fresh start they hoped to make in this seaside town filled with goodness, generosity, and kindness.