Page 43 of The Birchwood House

“Good point, Michelle,” Audrey said, smiling at her. “We’ll figure it out. I have a feeling it’s the kind of thing that will just come to us—maybe sitting and thinking isn’t the best way to decide on the name of the mansion.”

“Fair.” Michelle took another sip of her coffee and then closed her laptop. She grinned. “I’m getting another cookie.”

“Get me one too, would you?” Audrey asked. “I’m just about done here.”

Soon all three of them were sitting around the kitchen table, munching their cookies in companionable silence. The room seemed to be electrically charged with excitement as they contemplated the opening of the mansion.

“I can hardly believe we’ll be able to open soon,” Elaine said, her eyes warm. “This house is going to be filled with so much life and laughter.”

“We’re going to have so much fun welcoming people into this house,” Audrey said, holding her mug of lavender honey tea tightly as if she was hugging it with her hands.

“We are,” Michelle agreed. “And it’s all thanks to Evan. He seems to be more enthusiastic about our plans that even you are, Mom.” She grinned slyly.

“He does?” Audrey said, her voice suddenly breathier than usual. “Why do you think that is?”

“Yeah, gee, I have absolutely no idea why,” Michelle said with charming sarcasm.

The flush of heat that spread up Audrey’s face said it all. She cleared her throat and took a long sip of her tea as if she was trying to hide her face from view.

Elaine held back a smile, feeling delighted by the signs that Audrey might be as interested in Evan as he seemed to be in her. She didn’t want to embarrass her daughter, however, so she decided to change the direction of the conversation. “We’re lucky that Evan was able to help you get everything squared away in time, Audrey. It’s nice that he’s so on top of things.”

Audrey wrinkled her nose. “He might be a little too on top of things,” she said. “He’s so aware of all kinds of obscure rules and regulations that I’m sure no one really cares about—honestly, I’m surprised he hasn’t said that the birch trees in the front yard might not be up to code. He was going on and on about something involving tree ordinances and a Coral Sands law thatwas established in 1902. I don’t know what that man is going to do next.”

Across the table, Elaine and Michelle shared a surreptitious look and smile. Elaine knew they both were hoping that whatever Evan did next, it had something to do with Audrey.

They went back to silence for a few moments, all three of them lost in their own thoughts. Elaine took another bite of her cookie, thinking to herself that next time she made the recipe, she might try throwing in white chocolate chips.

Michelle gasped suddenly. “I’ve got it!” She grasped the edge of the table, looking excited.

“Got what? A name for the mansion?” Audrey perked up.

“Yes.” Michelle nodded, then held up her hands to emphasize each word as she announced. “The Birchwood House!”

“I love that!” Elaine cried, immediately feeling the click that she’d hoped to feel when they’d found the right name for the mansion.

“Me too,” Audrey cooed. “It sounds elegant and inviting. And I’ve always associated this house with the birch trees, ever since I was little. I think other people will too.”

Michelle nodded eagerly. “And it’s a white house with black shutters, which is the same colors as a birch tree. All we need is a darling little sign out front and it will feel totally official.”

“I can’t wait to start marketing that,” Audrey said. “I’ve been holding off on making us a social media account until we decided on a name. I can’t wait to spam Instagram with pictures of the house, and of us getting ready for guests.”

Elaine smiled. Social media wasn’t really her area, and she thought to herself with a flutter of happiness that the three of them made an amazing team. She brought experience and knowledge of the house to the table, Audrey brought her unstoppable determination and understanding of marketing, and Michelle brought her enthusiasm, helpfulness,and whimsical creativity. Together they were a dream team, and she couldn’t wait to make The Birchwood House everything they were hoping it would be.

At that moment, they heard a distant knock on the front door.

“I wonder who that could be,” Elaine said, standing up. “I don’t think the handymen said they had another person coming to help with the windows.”

Michelle, a curious gleam in her eyes, went over to the kitchen window that offered a view of the front porch. “Well, speak of the devil,” she said, her tone gleeful. “Guess who it is?”

Elaine noticed Audrey blushing scarlet and felt confident that they were both guessing the same person. “I’ll open the kitchen door and call to him to come over here,” she said. “I’m sure he’s here to talk to one of us.”

“Hmm, maybe one of us in particular,” Michelle said with an impish grin.

Elaine shot her a look but couldn’t hold back a grin of her own. She stepped through the kitchen door and made her way along the porch until she could see Evan standing at the front door.

“Hello, Evan,” she said warmly. “We’re all in the kitchen. Feel free to come inside this way.”

“Oh, certainly.” Evan appeared a bit awkward physically, and he put his hands in his pockets and then took them out again as he approached Elaine.