Page 43 of A Room By the Sea

“I’m glad you’re in my life, Grandma,” Michelle said earnestly. “I need someone as wise as you to give me good advice like that. As much as it does scare me, I think I can find it in my heart to hope for a love like that one day.”

“One day?” Elaine teased. “Not soon?”

Michelle shrugged, wrinkling her nose comically as if to say, “I know, don’t tease me.”

“How do you feel about Theo?” Elaine asked her.

“Theo scares me,” Michelle said. “And he makes me more nervous than ever lately. Is that love?”

“I think it can be,” Elaine said. “But don’t let me pressure you into anything. Just because you want love doesn’t mean you want love with Theo. Listen to your heart and have the courage to take the steps you think you should.”

Michelle nodded. “Right now, I feel like I don’t know what I really want, and I don’t want to make any big decisions until I feel like I do know.”

Elaine smiled at her granddaughter. “I think that’s fair. I think you’ll know how you feel soon, if you’re being honest with yourself and taking the time to listen to your heart.”

“Thanks, Grandma. Whatever ends up happening, it’s not like I need romance in my life in order to be happy. Right now, I’m simply appreciating the fact that I’m surrounded by strong women who have vision.”

Elaine chuckled, appreciating the compliment. She squeezed Michelle’s hand. “Good for you.” She noticed the time on her watch and double-checked it. “Speaking of having vision for the future, as soon as lunch is over, I need to go to Townsend’s and talk with Shep about the menu for the grand opening of The Birchwood House.”

“Sounds good. Good luck.” Michelle laughed. “Should I call for Mom?”

“No need, I’m right here.” Audrey appeared in the kitchen doorway a moment later, smiling. She was wearing an oversized blue blouse and torn jeans, and judging by the streaks of dirt on her knees, she appeared to have been gardening. “I followed the glorious scents of tuna and cheese.”

Laughing, the three women settled down to their meal together. The food was delicious, and the sandwiches were still hot and packed with flavor. The salad was light and refreshing, and the iced tea had just the right amount of tang. Although their conversation topics stayed cheerful, Elaine could tell that both Michelle and Audrey were feeling a little troubled. She knew that Michelle was still figuring out her emotions and her plan regarding Theo, and she guessed that Audrey felt weighed down by the news that people in town suspected that Evan would play favorites when judging the business contest.

It really is a shame that the article was printed, she thought, pressing her lips together. I wish Audrey didn’t have to deal with that kind of speculation, especially not now when she’s just taken the brave step to officially start dating Evan.

She knew that she didn’t want to back off on improving The Birchwood House in the slightest. There may have been rumors about The Birchwood House, but she wasn’t going to let them bother her. She would continue to make the hotel the absolute best that it could be, and she felt confident that people would soon realize that it absolutely deserved to win the contest, regardless of how Evan or anyone else voted!

I’m not going to let this situation stunt the fulfillment of our dream, she thought, taking another sip of her glass of cool iced tea. We’re going to make this grand opening a spectacular event, and we’re going to make the hotel into a haven for everyone who comes here to rest.

Smiling, she thought of the visit she was about to pay to Shep. She wondered how her curmudgeonly friend would greet her, and she found that she expected to be delighted to see him regardless.

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Shep glanced up at Elaine, wondering what exactly it was that she smelled like. Was she wearing a perfume? Or simply a hand lotion? Or had she used strongly scented shampoo?

If it was a perfume, he’d never be able to figure it out. Perfumes had always bewildered him, and he knew they were mixed together using all kinds of scents. It was like baking—creating something whole from many small measurements—but it was an art he absolutely did not understand.

Definitely lavender, he thought. And something sweet. Honey? Or perhaps lilies?

Elaine looked up at him, smiling. She had been in the middle of jotting down notes in that well-organized notebook of hers, and she seemed completely unperturbed by the fact that he’d been looking at her.

Shep, however, was perturbed. He felt himself turning pink, and he fixed his eyes intently on a point just over Elaine’s shoulder.

“What is it?” she asked after a beat, turning around.

“Nothing, I—I thought I saw a fly.”

“Oh goodness.” She laughed breezily. “We can’t have that! I’m sure you’re very good at swatting flies. Not that any ever come in here—but if I was a fly, I’d take one look at you and bolt.”

Shep grunted. He had no idea what to make of her statement. Part of him felt thrilled that she’d complimented him, and he wanted to assure her that he was, as a matter of fact, extremely good at swatting flies. He wasn’t sure how much of her words had been a compliment, however. Had she also been implying that he looked so mean and scary that flies flew away from him? He knew Elaine wasn’t a mean person, so she hadn’t meant to insult him, but he wondered if her words had revealed that she found him intimidating.

That can’t be true, he decided a moment later. She seemed entirely unintimidated by me.

Earlier that day, when she’d arrived in the shop to go over the menu for The Birchwood House’s grand opening, she’d been courteous enough not to barge into his kitchen, but she’d called his name loudly from the front of the shop to announce that she was there. He’d been in the middle of whipping up a batch of pink frosting, and he’d nearly spluttered into the bag of powdered sugar. He didn’t understand why she hadn’t simply asked Iris to let him know that she was there. Iris always knocked quietly. Shouting seemed highly unnecessary.

He had to admit, however, that he didn’t really mind it. If someone else had shouted in his shop, he would have felt irritated. Elaine had such a nice voice, however. Her tones sounded warm and welcoming, as if she was calling him inside for dinner⁠—