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She let herself be pulled off the bed. “You’re right. Let’s go enjoy ourselves. Then I’ll come back and I just need to put my head down and survive their visit.”

  “When are they coming?”

  She grabbed her beach bag as they left the bedroom. “Tomorrow…”

  Robin and Charlotte headed for the beach. When they arrived, Robin waved to Sara who was already there, setting up a space on the beach. She dropped her bag beside the blanket Sara had spread on the sand. “It’s been forever since we’ve had a beach day.”

  “I know.” Sara nodded. “I’ve been so busy setting up my new business and you’ve been busy helping Aunt Lil at the inn.”

  “We used to come to the beach a couple of times a week, if not more.” Robin tugged on the last corner of the blanket, spreading it smooth.

  Sara opened a cooler and dug out ice-cold sodas for them. “We’ve been busy, but I’m glad we made time today.”

  Charlotte plopped onto the blanket. “And I’ve been busy… doing nothing.”

  “Don’t say that.” Robin shook her head, worried about Charlotte’s frame of mind after the call with her mother. Charlotte’s parents had always been hard on her. Always compared her to Eva, their golden child, and never recognized Charlotte’s talents. “You’ve totally redone the two cottages for the inn. They turned out wonderful.”

  “Aunt Lil loves them,” Sara added. “She’s still a bit miffed you wouldn’t take payment for all the work you did. You should take the money she offered. You know she’s going to find a way to pay you anyway. She’s almost as hard to win an argument with as Robin is.”

  Charlotte shrugged. “I enjoyed it. It’s not like I was doing much of anything else.” She picked up a shell and dragged it through the sand, making a small indentation in the warm white grains.

  Sara frowned. “What’s up? Where’s the real Charlotte? Who is this sad imposter?”

  Robin sat down beside Charlotte. “Her folks are coming to town.”

  “Oh, that’s not good.” Sara sank down beside them. “When?”

  “Tomorrow.” It was hard not to miss the forlorn tone of Charlotte’s voice.

  “How long are they staying?”

  “Too long. A week.” Robin wrapped her arm around Charlotte’s shoulders and gave her a hug. “But we’re not going to let them do their usual number on Char this time.”

  “Right.” Sara nodded vigorously, her wavy curls bobbing in the breeze.

  Charlotte looked out at the water. “I just want to click my ruby slippers and have the week be over.”

  “How about if Sara and I run interference?”

  Charlotte looked doubtful. “I’m not sure if that will work. You know my parents. They are pretty persistent with their opinions.”

  “Wait until they see your new work. These new paintings are fabulous.” Sara handed a soda to Charlotte.

  Charlotte popped it open and took a sip. “I’m not sure nostalgic paintings are really something that would impress my father.”

  “Hmph. We don’t care what your father thinks. They are wonderful. Emotional.” Robin held a hand up against the bright sun rays and looked out to the water. “I think what we need is a dip in the ocean.” She jumped up, tugging on Charlotte’s hand.

  Sara jumped up, too. “Race you.”

  With that, the three of them raced to the water, leaping into the waves, splashing each other and laughing. Just like they’d done when they were young girls.

  Robin watched as Charlotte relaxed as they goofed around in the water. It was pretty hard to stay stressed out when playing in the waves with your two best friends.

  Ben walked in the back door to the kitchen at Charming Inn. Jay stood by the oven, pulling out a tray of something that smelled delicious. He was wearing one of his ever-present t-shirts with a slogan. Life Begins After Coffee. Ben would have to agree with that one.

  “Whatcha got there?”

  “Cookies. I made my secret recipe sugar cookies.” He nodded to a batch cooling on a wire rack.

  “Which you’ll share with your best friend, right?” Ben reached over and swiped a cookie.

  Jay rolled his eyes. “But, of course. Gotta feed the starving bachelor.”

  Ben leaned against the counter, munching the warm cookie. “These are the best sugar cookies ever.”

  “That’s what my grandma always said.”

  “So why are yours better than anyone else’s?”

  “If I told you my secret…”

  “I know, I know… you’d have to kill me.”

  “No, I was going to say if I told you my secret my grandmother would kill me.”

  He laughed. “Well, we don’t want you killed because where would the inn be without their famous chef?”

  “I’m not sure I’m quite famous.”

  “You don’t think the crowds that come to the inn for meals are coming for the view, do you? You can get a great view all over the island.”

  Jay shrugged off the compliment. “So, how was your business trip?”

  “It was too long to be on the road. Glad to be home.”

  Jay slid the cookies from the baking sheet to the cooling rack. “Back to pester me and steal cookies.”

  “Yep.”

  He and Jay turned at the sound of someone entering the kitchen.

  “Hey, Lil.” Jay greeted the owner of the inn. “Ben here is eating into your profits.”

  Lil Charm beamed a welcoming smile. “Ben’s always welcome to sample your wares, especially after he got us such a good deal on the boat we finally got to replace our old one.”

  “Ha, see? Lil loves me.” He swiped another cookie. “Hated to see your old boat go. She was a beauty, but I’m afraid repairs to her were going to keep getting more and more expensive.”

  “We love the used boat you found for us. I do like a nice cruise around the bay.”

  He munched on his second stolen cookie.

  “I’m gonna ban you from my kitchen if you keep that up.” Jay waved a spatula.

  “I just came in to say the girls are going to all be eating here tonight in the dining room. They’re at the beach having a girls’ day and I suggested they end it with dinner here.”

  “I heard Sara moved back here.” Ben eyed the cookies, wondering if he could swipe another one when Jay wasn’t looking.

  “Sara came here when I had my fall.” Lil tapped her cane on the floor. “I’m about ready to lose this silly cane though.”

  “Not quite yet.” Jay frowned.

  “Soon,” Lil countered.

  Jay set the cookie sheet into the large stainless sink and grabbed a cookie himself. “And Charlotte and Robin moved into a place at Bayside Bungalows.”

  “I know, I ran into Charlotte last night at Lighthouse Point. Hadn’t seen her or Sara in years.”

  Robin, Charlotte, and Sara. The dynamic trio. They’d been inseparable when he’d gone to school with them. They’d all hung out in the same group of kids in high school—though that had been over twenty years ago—then everyone had drifted apart, going to college or moving away for jobs. It was good to see the three girls, at least, were still close friends.

  “I better run. I promised Mom I’d stop by. No offense to your cooking, Jay, but she wants to take me to Magic Cafe, and I never turn down a free meal.”

  “You want to meet me later at Lucky Duck for a beer?”

  “Sure. Sounds great.” He turned to Lil. “Glad to see you’re up and doing well.”

  “Don’t encourage her. She’ll throw her cane away.” Jay shook his head.

  “It would already be gone if you and Sara didn’t nag me all the time.”

  “I’m outta here. I’ll let you two sort that out.” He slipped out the back door and headed down the sidewalk.

  After a quick five-minute walk, he was at his childhood home. He climbed the familiar steps up to the back door and opened it. His mother turned at the sound of him entering and a wide smile spread across her face. She hurried over and gave
him a big hug. He wrapped his arms around her.

  “I’m so glad to see you.” She stepped back and looked him over from top to bottom as if checking to make sure he was okay.

  He grinned. “I’m fine, Mom. And really glad to be home.”

  “It seems like forever since I’ve seen you.”

  “Well, I’m back now. And you’re treating me to Magic Cafe. What more could a man ask for?”

  “You probably have better things to do than spend the evening with your mother.”

  He shook his head. “Not that I can think of.”

  “Let me just finish up these dishes. Will only take a minute. I do hate to come back to a messy kitchen.”

  He lounged against the counter while his mother finished her chores. “Why don’t you come by the marina tomorrow? There’s a really nice new yacht we’re working on.”

  “I don’t think I can. I’m pretty busy tomorrow.”

  His mother was never busy. She just didn’t like coming to the marina much anymore after his father had died. She used to work in the front office occasionally and handle some of the paperwork, but that had all stopped.

  He wished he could convince her to get out of the house more. He was worried about her. The extent of her outings each week was a trip or two to the grocery store and church on Sunday. She’d pulled back from the couples she and his dad had been friends with, unwilling to go to things alone.

  “Okay, I’m ready now.” She put down her dish towel and grabbed her purse.

  They walked outside, and she carefully locked her door. He helped her into her years-old but still serviceable car and drove to Magic Cafe, hoping to have a nice dinner and make her smile and laugh. She used to always laugh. Sing in the kitchen. Walk all over the island.

  He darted a look at her. She was staring out her window, watching the scenery. His mother was much too young to be this… old.

  Chapter 3

  “Hey, Willie.” Ben slid onto a barstool at Lucky Duck after dinner with his mom.

  “Ben, back in town, I see. The usual?”

  Ben nodded. Willie grabbed a cold mug and filled it with a local craft beer. Ben had missed that, too. His favorite beer, sitting here at Lucky Duck, hanging out with Jay.

  He’d had a nice dinner with his mom at Magic Cafe, then taken her back to her house. The house was really too big for her now. It was the house he’d been raised in, and his mom just rattled around in the four-bedroom house, all alone. He’d tried to convince her to move into something smaller, or even move to the new retirement community on the island. She had some friends who had moved there. Or people he used to consider her friends before she’d become the hermit she was now.

  But she wasn’t ready to give up that house and all the memories it held. It was directly on the beach, and she did love to sit out there with her morning coffee and watch the world awaken. He’d taken over doing most of the repairs around the house and helped out when he could. She was still part owner of the marina, so she had that income coming in plus his father’s life insurance money, so it wasn’t like she had to downsize. He just worried about her living there all alone.

  He took a swig of the beer. “Thanks, Willie.”

  “You bet.” Willie turned to greet another customer.

  Ben looked around the room, waved to a few people he knew, and turned back to the bar. Before long Jay slid onto the stool beside him.

  Willie brought Jay the same local beer. “So, how was dinner with your mom?”

  “Fine. She’s glad I’m back. Lonely, I think.”

  “You should see if she’d join one of the groups at the community center.”

  “I should. Not sure what kind of groups they have going there, though.”

  Jay nodded at a group of people coming into the tavern. “There’s Noah. You could ask him.”

  Jay’s expression changed, his eyes lighting up, as Robin, Sara, and Charlotte entered with Noah. Ben shook his head, wondering if his friend was ever going to ask Robin out. He waved to the group and they headed over.

  He jumped off his seat and gave Sara a hug. “I hear you’re back in town.”

  “I am.”

  “Want to join us? Why don’t we all grab a table? That work for everyone? I’d love to catch up with you.”

  They moved to a table in the corner of the bar and Ben didn’t miss that Jay ended up sitting next to Robin. Sara and Noah sat beside each other, their hands resting together on the table. Charlotte took a seat beside Ben.

  Willie sent a waitress over for drink orders. Soon they were talking about high school escapades and whatever happened to this person or that person. Jay and Noah were a bit left out on the high school reminiscences but sat and listened to the stories.

  Ben finally turned to Noah. “So… I’m hoping to get my mom out of the house more. Maybe she could join one of the groups at the community center?”

  “What does your mom like to do?”

  “She…” What did she like to do? It seemed like her whole life had been about raising him and his brother and taking care of his father. “She… knits? Likes to read?”

  “We have a monthly book club, and there’s an active knitter’s group that meets up a couple mornings a week for coffee and knitting.”

  “Maybe I can convince her to join one of those.”

  “I’ll see if I can get one of the members of those groups to call her and invite her,” Noah suggested.

  “That would be great.” If he could just get her involved in something. She’d had time to grieve, and he knew she’d never get over losing his dad, but she still had so much life to live. He wanted her to have the best one possible.

  He turned to Charlotte. “So did you girls have dinner at the inn?”

  “We did. We officially decided we had the best day ever. We haven’t had a girls’ day like that in forever.”

  Her blue eyes shone. He remembered when they were studying genetics in high school and they’d learned how rare it was to have red hair and blue eyes. Charlotte had been a high school celebrity in that class.

  “So are you still painting?”

  “I am. I’ve just… I don’t know how to describe it… changed my technique some since I’ve moved back here. I’ve been painting beach scenes and a few of downtown Main Street.”

  “I’d love to see them.”

  “Oh, they’re not really ready to be seen. I’m still working on them. It’s so different than what I did before.”

  He could hear the uncertainty in her voice. She’d never been very secure in her belief in herself, he remembered that. But then she’d lived in the shadow of her ever-so-popular, one-year-older sister.

  Robin leaned closer. “Her work now is fabulous. Don’t let her tell you otherwise. I want her to show them to Paul Clark.”

  “That’s a great idea.” He nodded.

  “They aren’t ready.” Charlotte’s words left no room for debate.

  Not that that would stop Robin. “I’m right though. You should show them to him.”

  Ben grinned. Hard to win an argument with Robin. Everyone in town knew that.

  “I should probably call it a night. My family’s coming to town tomorrow and—” Charlotte shrugged. And what? She needed a good night’s sleep to face them? Maybe she could sleep through their entire visit…

  “I’ll go, too.” Robin stood.

  “No, you don’t have to leave. Stay and have fun.”

  Ben stood. “I’m beat. I’ll walk back with you. You know, now that we’re neighbors.”

  Robin sat back down by Jay. “Okay. I won’t be long, though.”

  Charlotte and Ben headed outside and walked down Oak Street. They crossed over to the gazebo and headed down the bay side of the island. As they walked, Ben kept looking up at the sky.

  “What are you looking for up there? A shooting star?”

  “Nah, I just like seeing the stars. We’re lucky here on the island, aren’t we?”

  “We are.” Well, she had been unt
il she heard her family was coming to town.

  “So your family is coming to visit?”

  “Yes.” She knew her voice didn’t hold even a tiny bit of enthusiasm.

  He stopped and looked at her. “Things still rocky with your family?”

  She frowned. “How did you know things were strained?”

  He shrugged. “It was hard to miss some of your parents’ comments when we were younger. They were pretty hard on you.”

  “Let’s just say things haven’t changed much.”

  “Eva coming in, too?”

  “Sure is.” Ben would probably be happy with that. Everyone on Belle Island would be glad to see Eva. She was that person.

  “I’ll have to see if I can catch up with her, too, then.”

  Of course, he would. He’d probably be one of a long line of admirers holding onto Eva’s every word. “Yeah, you should do that.” Once again, not much enthusiasm in her voice.

  They continued their walk in silence.

  “Well, here’s my bungalow,” she said.

  “It was fun tonight. We should do it again.” Ben stood by her front door.

  “Sure.” He’d probably be too busy chasing down Eva. “Night, Ben.”

  “Night.”

  He crossed the courtyard and entered his cottage, and then she slipped inside and headed for her room. She kicked off her shoes and flopped on the bed, staring at the ceiling. This pity party she was throwing wasn’t really her thing… but she really, really was not looking forward to her family’s week-long visit.

  Chapter 4

  Sara stood by the reception desk at the inn. Her Aunt Lil was not listening to reason. “You should take it easy. You’ve been up since dawn and you’ve been on your feet for far too long. You don’t want to overdo it.”

  “You don’t want to tell me what to do, now do you?” Aunt Lil raised an eyebrow.

  “I just worry about you.”

  “Well, don’t. I’m healing just fine.”

  Sara looked around behind the reception counter. “Where’s your cane?”

  “I must have left it in my office.”