Page 38 of The Birchwood House

Michelle crossed her arms and braced them on the side of the cart, leaning over it. It was a few moments before she spoke, and Elaine had a feeling that Michelle was trying to choose her words carefully. “What if we’re doing all this prematurely?” Michelle said. “I mean, it’s still possible that the zoning won’t get approved. What if we can’t turn the mansion into a hotel legally after all? Then all this excitement and planning will go to waste.” She picked up the blanket that she’d just placed inside the cart. “Maybe we should put some of this back—maybe we should even put all of this back. Doesn’t it seem foolish to buy it before we know for sure the hotel idea is going to work out?”

Elaine gently took the blanket out of Michelle’s hands and placed it back inside the cart. “If we were in financial trouble, that would be different,” she said. “But we’re not. I can easily afford these quilts and blankets, and all the other things we’ve picked out. I understand that you’re feeling worried, sweetheart, but don’t think that way. I have a wonderful feeling about the future of the mansion. And I honestly believe that the best thing we can do right now is prepare ourselves for that future.” As she spoke, Elaine realized just how light her heart felt.

I haven’t felt this hopeful about anything in a long time,she thought.I just have this feeling that everything’s going to work out, and I believe it. I hope I can convince Michelle to let herself get swept back up into the excitement of things.

“I guess so.” Michelle sighed. “But should we stop with what we have so far and just head home?”

Elaine shook her head, her eyes dancing. “Definitely not. We still need new curtains for all of these rooms. Come on. Let’s go find some pretty curtains that will look delightful with the quilts that we picked out.” She saw her granddaughter hesitate and she chuckled. “Don’t worry, Michelle, I mean it. Based on the way Evan has been hanging around Audrey, I have a feeling that no code could get in the way of us opening up the mansion as a hotel.” She winked.

Michelle laughed. “Who would have thought that he’d been so interested in her after she splashed coffee all over his documents? What a meet-cute.” She shook her head. “I like Evan—at least, I think I do. I’ll have to kind of wait and see until I know him a little better, but he seems like a nice guy.”

“Oh, he really is.” Elaine nodded. “He can be kind of uptight, but he really cares about this town. Plenty of people have said that he’s the best mayor we’ve had since the very early days of Coral Sands.”

“Huh.” Michelle was thoughtful for a few moments, gazing into space. “I’m glad Mom went out with him, and I think it would be really great for them if things worked out and they keep seeing each other. I have to admit, though, I didn’t expect her to start seeing somebody so quickly.”

Elaine shrugged. “Sparks are sparks. There’s no perfect timeline for when someone is or isn’t ready to find love again.”

“Whoa, slow down, Grandma, nobody said anything about love—at least not yet! I know what you mean, but the whole thing does seem pretty hasty to?—”

Michelle stopped before finishing her sentence, and a scowl sprang onto her face. Her eyes became fixed on something over Elaine’s shoulder. Elaine turned around, confused, wondering what her granddaughter was looking at. A second later she let out a chuckle.

“Theo!” she said warmly as the young mechanic approached them. “Fancy meeting you here.”

“Hi, Elaine. Hi, Michelle.” Theo’s grin was impish, and there was a gleam in his eyes that implied that he was ready to start teasing. “What are you two up to?”

“We’re gathering supplies,” Elaine said. “We have plans to turn the mansion into a hotel. We came here to buy most of what we need to get the rooms ready for guests.”

“Wow.” Theo whistled. “That sounds like quite a project, but a fun one.” He turned to Michelle and pretended to bow. “You’re quite the innovative woman. Determined to keep extra busy, huh?”

Michelle rolled her eyes. “Feel free to be on your way, Theo. I am innovative and I am busy, and I don’t have time for you and your nonsense.”

Theo grinned, tipped an invisible hat first at Michelle and then at Elaine, and started to walk away.

“Have a good day, Theo,” Elaine called after him, wanting to make up for Michelle’s brusque attitude.

He half-turned and offered her a grin. “See you around, Elaine. I’ll see you around too, Michelle.” He waved and turned around a corner, disappearing from view.

“Not if I see you first,” Michelle muttered.

Elaine chuckled. She liked the light of interest that she’d seen in Theo’s eyes while he was looking at her granddaughter. “You know,” she said slyly. “It seems that Audrey isn’t the only one who captured a man’s attention immediately upon moving back.”

Michelle’s jaw dropped and she turned to her grandmother with wide eyes. “That’s not—Theo—oh, no, Grandma.” She shook her head emphatically. “That’s definitely not what that was. Theo is just a big tease. We never got along when we were kids and now he’s doing the same thing he used to do then—he just likes to push my buttons. For whatever reason.”

Elaine suppressed a grin, thinking to herself that she had a good of idea of what Theo’s reasons were. “Come on then,” she said. “Let’s finish getting the rest of the items on our list.”

“And hope that we don’t run into Theo on the way,” Michelle said, her tone almost a growl.

Elaine smiled to herself as they walked. She had a feeling that whatever was going on between Theo and Michelle, it was far from over.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Michelle stepped out of Fresh Pick Grocery and sniffed the wind eagerly. She could smell the homey aroma of baking bread on the breeze, along with the wild scent of the ocean and the sweet smell of a nearby flowering cherry tree.

What a beautiful day,she thought, rolling her cart toward her car. I never had fun going grocery shopping like this in the city.I always felt rushed. Today I just feel relaxed and excited about cooking all the recipes I bought ingredients for.

She hummed quietly to herself as she strolled toward her car. The cart made a rattling sound which seemed like a drumbeat accompaniment to the other sounds around her—people laughing and talking, the sound of the surf splashing against the nearby shore, and in the distance, church bells chiming the hour.

She reached her car and lifted the first grocery bag out of the cart. It was stuffed with fresh fruits and vegetables, and although it was heavy, she enjoyed hoisting it up into her arms. It gave her a whiff of apples and strawberries, and she smiled.