Wow.
As Paige set a plate in front of her early Wednesday morning in the inn’s kitchen, Vienna’s jaw dropped at the artfully presented food with an edible nasturtium floral garnish.
“I hope everything’s okay.” Paige continued around the table to Matt and placed a plate in front of him too. “I’m a little out of practice.”
Vienna looked over at him. He was staring at his plate, apparently as stunned as she was.
“You haven’t lost your touch, honey.” Andrew rubbed his hands together. “This is what I call a birthday breakfast.”
Paige deposited a basket of blueberry muffins with streusel topping in the center of the table. “In case you’re wondering what all the food is, it’s eggs Benedict, roasted garlic rosemary potatoes, a raspberry compote over yogurt, and roasted asparagus sprinkled with parmesan cheese.”
Double wow.
After she got her eyeballs back in their sockets, Vienna sent another glance toward Matt.
He was still fixated on his plate, but as if sensing her perusal, he lifted his chin—and hopefully read her mind.
Could this be the answer to our food dilemma?
It could if everything tasted as delicious as it looked. And if Paige was able to figure out how to reconfigure her schedule at the Myrtle. And if they could convince her to help them out.
Lots of ifs there.
“This is amazing.” Vienna directed her comment to Paige as the other woman took her seat. “Where did you learn to cook like this?”
She gave a self-deprecating shrug. “No special training. I’m self-taught. I’ve always loved cooking and would have been interested in going to culinary school, but my parents wanted me to get a business degree. They thought that would lead to a more practical and higher-paying job. In the end, I didn’t do either.”
“That was my fault.” Andrew speared a piece of potato. “She married me instead, much to her parents’ regret.”
“But we’re mending our fences now.” Paige reached over and squeezed his hand. “And it wasn’t your fault. I chose you over school. I can always go back someday if I want to.”
“Or pursue a career in food.” He took a bite of the eggs Benedict. Closed his eyes. “This is great.”
“I may see if I can pick up a few catering jobs once we’re settled in, like I did in Portland until the company got busy and required all of my time.”
Catering jobs?
Yes!
The solution to their food problem at the inn could very well be sitting at this table.
Vienna worked her way around her plate as they all conversed. Every item had an intriguing blend of flavors, including the yogurt topped with compote.
“What’s in this, Paige?” Vienna lifted her yogurt-filled spoon. “It seems simple, but there’s a unique combination of flavors that gives it a zing.”
“My secret ingredients—a hint of lemon zest, a sprinkle of cinnamon, and a touch of ginger.”
“I second that.” Matt was already halfway through his meal. “Vienna, this is restaurant worthy, don’t you think?”
They were on the same page.
“Or high-end inn worthy.”
“Agreed.”
They both looked at Paige.
She stopped eating. “Is something wrong?”
“On the contrary.” Vienna cut another bite of her eggs Benedict. “It may be very right, if you’re willing and able to help us out.” She proceeded to explain their breakfast and afternoon snack challenge. “Based on this meal, you have the skill and the flair to give the inn exactly what it needs until we can find someone to take on the job permanently. Unless that would interest you too.”
“You mean, like . . . be the chef at the inn?”
“More or less. It wouldn’t be a full-time job. Just breakfast and the afternoon snack. Would the snack part be an issue? It should be fancier fare than chocolate chip cookies, though it would be nice to have those on hand too.”
“I used to do hors d’oeuvres for some of my catering customers. Like baked brie with a maple syrup and brown sugar topping, and avocado bruschetta, and crab salad tapas, and three-cheese crostini. Is that the sort of thing you’re thinking about?”
This was a miracle.
“Yes. Any and all of the above.”
As Paige’s eyes began to sparkle, Andrew took her hand. “Why don’t you do it? This would be right up your alley.”
“I’d love to—but what about the Myrtle? I made a commitment there to fill in until the regular waitress gets back from maternity leave.”
“Would someone be willing to switch shifts with you, like they did today?”
“I could ask.”
“It would be a lifesaver for us. Or rather, for Kay and the inn.” Vienna took a muffin and broke it apart. Nibbled a tender bite. Bliss. “These would have to be on the menu on a regular basis.”
“The thing is, we need an answer as soon as possible.” Matt took a muffin too. “With the opening breathing down our neck, we have to make arrangements fast. Vienna was thinking of having a caterer in Coos Bay provide the food on a temporary basis, but that’s not ideal.”
“I could ask the server who switched with me today if she’d keep doing that until the other woman comes back. If she says no, I could call the Myrtle and see if they think anyone else might be willing to exchange shifts.”
“That would be fantastic.” Vienna continued to eat her muffin. Maybe the tastiest one she’d ever had. Every bit as good if not better than the breakfast sweets at the inns in her former company’s collection.
The talk shifted to other topics during the remainder of the meal, and at the end Matt handed Andrew an envelope. “What’s a birthday without a present?”
Andrew wiped his mouth on his napkin and took it. “Thank you.”
“Or at the very least a card.” Vienna withdrew an envelope from the purse she’d hung over the back of her chair and handed it over too.
She and Matt must also have been on the same wavelength about recognizing Andrew’s special day.
The birthday boy opened hers first, read the sentiment she’d penned, and smiled. “Thank you, but I think I was the lucky one the day I got this job.” He set her card aside and picked up Matt’s.
From her seat, Vienna could see two folded pieces of paper inside as Andrew flipped it open.
One of them was a check. No doubt from Matt’s coffers, not Kay’s.
What a thoughtful and generous gesture.
Andrew opened the check. Blinked. Angled it for Paige to see as he shook his head. “I can’t take this.”
“Yes, you can.” Matt sipped his coffee. “It’s not polite to refuse a birthday gift. It’s also a token of my appreciation for all your hard work here. You were a lifesaver. Besides, the other enclosure is the real gift.”
Andrew set the card on the table and opened the other piece of paper. Raised his eyebrows at Matt after he skimmed it.
“That’s the contact information for BJ Stevens Nash, who owns the local construction firm.” Matt set his mug back on the table. “She came by Sunday and poked around. To say she was impressed with your work would be an understatement. She’s staffing up for a big project, and she asked me to let you know she’d like to talk to you about possibly coming on board.”
“Oh, Andrew!” Joy suffused Paige’s face. “What a wonderful birthday present! I knew Hope Harbor would give us a second chance. There are opportunities here for both of us.”
“I don’t have this job yet.” Andrew waved the piece of paper with BJ’s name on it. “And you may not be able to change your shift at the Myrtle.” Despite his caveats, excitement and enthusiasm and hope filled his eyes.
“I’m not worried. I have good feelings about this. After what happened in Portland over the weekend, anything is possible.”
“True.” He gave her a quick kiss and pushed back his chair. “That was a fantastic start to my birthday, but now it’s back to work for me—after I call BJ.”
“Can I help you with the cleanup, Paige?” Vienna stood too.
“No, thank you. I have it covered. I’ve been cleaning as I cooked, so there isn’t much to deal with.”
“In that case . . .” She turned toward Matt. “Before you dive into whatever is on your to-do list today, could you spare a few minutes? I have something I want to discuss with you.”
“Sure.” He rose. “It’s a beautiful morning. You want to sit on the terrace?”
“Or walk down the beach. After that huge breakfast, I wouldn’t mind burning off a few calories.”
“I hear you.”
After they both thanked Paige again for the meal and wished Andrew another happy birthday, he followed her out.
Since her dinner with Mom on Sunday, her mind had been in a whirl over the idea of a change in ownership for Sandcastle Inn and a permanent move to Hope Harbor.
And the more she’d played with the idea, the sweeter it had sounded.
The possibility that Matt might make a similar move was icing on the cake, but even if he didn’t . . . even if nothing ever came of the voltage between them . . . Hope Harbor wouldn’t lose its appeal. The town was idyllic, her mom lived here, and she’d be her own boss at a world-class inn.
That was a win all around.
The time had come to explore the possibilities with both Kay and Matt.
“Can you believe a cook of Paige’s caliber was right under our noses all these weeks?” Matt fell in beside her as she struck off up the long stretch of sand. “It’s almost like a miracle.”
“I know. And lots of other mind-blowing stuff has been happening lately too. Like a well-established vet thinking about leaving his big-city practice behind to open an office in Hope Harbor. And a very ambitious hotel professional getting involved pro bono with a floundering inn and falling in love with it—and the idea of being her own boss.”
Matt stopped walking.
She did too.
“What are you saying?” His expression was difficult to read as he turned toward her.
Her pulse picked up, and she drew a steadying breath. “You asked me the other day if I could see the appeal of living in Hope Harbor. I didn’t answer you then, because I’d never given it any serious thought. But I have in the days since, and the answer is yes. I love the town, and I love the inn. If Kay would be willing to let it go, I’d like to consider buying it.” Here came the put-yourself-on-the-line part. “My decision isn’t contingent on anything else, but it would sweeten the deal if that vet I mentioned also followed through and relocated here.”
He stared at her, and as the seconds ticked by, heat crept across her cheeks.
Mom must have been wrong.
Matt’s decision to share the secrets of his heart didn’t appear to be writing on the sky about his feelings for her after all. He must have simply reached a stage in his grieving where he needed someone to—
“Are you saying what I think you’re saying?” His inflection was tinged with caution . . . and hope.
Might as well go for broke.
“That depends on what you think I’m saying. If you think I’m saying I like you and am open to exploring a relationship that goes beyond inn business, your instincts are correct.”
A slow smile curved his lips. “One of the moving parts in my decision just clicked into place.”
Joy bubbled up inside her.
“I don’t know that I’ve ever been called a moving part before, but I’ll take it. However, that comes with a certain amount of pressure. As my mother advised me, a life-changing decision shouldn’t be based on a new relationship that could peter out. You should do this because you want to live here. What if nothing ever happens between us? I wouldn’t want to have to deal with a boatload of guilt if you upend your life for me.”
“Trust me, I know all about guilt—and I wouldn’t wish that burden on anyone. I like Hope Harbor. From my very preliminary investigation, it appears a vet clinic would fill a gap here. But there’s one piece of research I haven’t tackled yet.”
“What’s that?”
He slowly lifted his hand. Ran a gentle, tentative finger along the line of her jaw.
Her lungs locked.
“It has to do with electricity.” He fingered her hair. Tucked it behind her ear. Let his hand slide around behind her neck to cup her head.
Then he bent and guided her lips to his in a kiss that set off sparklers and fireworks and thunderous, ground-shaking reverberations. And did she somewhere hear the booming strains of Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture?
When he at last eased back, she clung to him. Otherwise, her shaky legs would have collapsed, and she’d have ended up face down in the sand.
“That was . . . incredible.” Her breath came in shallow gasps.
His respiration didn’t seem any steadier than hers. “Yeah.” He inhaled. “I don’t think there are any worries on the electricity front.”
“No.” She made a mighty effort to engage the left side of her brain. “But there’s more to a successful long-term relationship than that.”
“Agreed. For the record, I’m attracted to you for many reasons beyond the obvious physical ones. You’re an amazing woman, Vienna Price, and I can’t wait to get to know you better.”
“I feel the same about you. But what if Kay doesn’t want to sell? Or you discover the market here for a vet isn’t as promising as you thought?”
“I’ll call Kay this afternoon. To tell you the truth, I think she’ll jump at the chance to unload the inn. And if I find out Hope Harbor isn’t an optimal place for a vet clinic, a town like Coos Bay ought to be able to support another vet. That would be a very manageable commute.”
“So are we really going to do this?” Excitement and anticipation thrummed in her nerve endings at all the delicious possibilities ahead.
“I’d say we’re both leaning that direction—but we have an inn to open first. I don’t want to lose sight of that. If the blogger weekend doesn’t bring in the kind of bookings you’re hoping for, you may change your mind about buying it.”
“I don’t think so. The inn is a treasure waiting to be discovered, and I’m confident I can make that happen even if the initial promotion doesn’t do the trick. But I think it will. Besides, I have a huge incentive now to make sure Sandcastle Inn lives up to its promise.”
“It seems the two of us will be very busy for the next ten days.”
“I don’t mind busy if it leads to good results.”
“Neither do I.” He took her hand. “You want to head back?” He nodded toward the inn, only fifty yards away. “We both have work to do.”
“We didn’t get very far on our walk.”
“No, but we made huge strides elsewhere.”
At the warmth in his eyes, her heart melted.
That was true.
And as they started back toward the inn, she gave a contented sigh.
For who could have known that while she’d been refashioning the inn to represent fantasies and dreams and fairy tales and happily-ever-afters, she’d find herself poised to discover those very things herself in this tiny town on the Oregon coast?
Assuming all went well over the next ten days.