by Rachel Hanna
“How’s your food, pretty lady?” Harry asked, winking at her across the table. They’d traveled two towns over to try out a new seafood restaurant right by the ocean. She loved hearing the seagulls squawking overhead, and the smell of sea air was always a welcome aroma. She never got tired of living by the ocean.
“It’s scrumptious, doll,” she said, winking back. They were sickening, even to her sometimes, but she loved it. No one would ever replace Johnny, but Harry was in a league all his own. A retired airline pilot and former Marine, he was a man’s man, just like Johnny had been. He was also very handsome, with silver hair, broad shoulders and that rugged look one would’ve seen in an old cigarette ad. But he also had a heart of gold, and he treated her like she was his most prized possession.
“Tell me again why we had to travel almost half an hour away from Seagrove?”
She smiled. “My friends are a bit…”
“Nosy?”
“You could say that. They love me to pieces, but they worry. And the last thing I want is for them to be worried about me.”
She thought back to how she’d told a little white lie to Julie and Janine the other day. Pretending she was dating multiple men had been a spur a the moment decision. It was better for them to think she was having the time of her life dating lots of fellas than know she was falling hard and fast for a man she’d met just a few weeks ago.
“Are you embarrassed of me?”
She waved her hand at him. “No! Of course not. I’m just not ready for them to meet you.”
“I thought we were getting kind of serious, Dix,” he said, a slight frown on his face.
She reached across the table and squeezed his hand. “Darlin’, you’re the first man who has ever captured my heart since Johnny died. This is all new to me. I haven’t felt this way about another man in my life.”
Harry also had a Parkinson’s diagnosis, but his medications were working well at the moment. Still, he had plans to take Dixie on trips around the world while they both still had their health. They wanted to go to Ireland and Scotland to dig into Dixie’s ancestry. They wanted to see Alaska together on a cruise. There were so many things to do while she still had life left in her and a new partner to enjoy things with again.
“I’ll be as patient as you need me to be,” he said, smiling at her.
Dixie’s heart skipped a beat, and not because it was getting older and less efficient. Nope, this was love, and she was as scared as a cat in a room full of rocking chairs.
Chapter Six
Julie stood out on the deck Dawson had built and marveled at the scene in front of her. Residents from the island and the mainland had all come together to celebrate the opening of The Inn at Seagrove.
She was so proud as she watched Dawson work the crowd, going from person to person, shaking hands and giving hugs. The smile on his face warmed her heart. As he shook yet another hand, he smiled at her and waved from across the deck. She gave him a wink, letting him know it was okay that he was socializing while she sort of took a back seat, opting to stand near the dessert table to get the first crack at Lucy’s peach cobbler when the time came.
“Great party, huh?” Janine said from behind her.
“It really is. Dawson hired a party planner from town, and I think she did a great job. Did you see the buffet?”
“Yes. I ate most of it,” Janine said, shoving a stuffed mushroom in her mouth. As tiny as she was, William leaving had caused her to start eating a lot more food than Julie had ever seen her eat before. Julie swiped the last mushroom from Janine’s hand and popped it in her own mouth. “Hey!”
“I’m hungry.”
“Then go eat and stop lurking like some weirdo.”
“I can’t. I don’t want to leave this peach cobbler.”
Janine laughed. “Just take some now.”
“It’s rude. Everyone is still eating lunch. It’s like cutting the wedding cake before the bride and groom get to the reception.”
“Hey!” Colleen walked up with Tucker on her arm.
“Hey, you two. How’s it going?” Janine asked.
“Just enjoying the party. This place looks amazing. Dawson has done a great job getting it ready.”
“I know. I’m so proud of him. Did you see the renovated kitchen?”
“Yes. It’s beautiful. And this deck is awesome. I mean, look at the view!”
“How are you, Tucker?” Julie asked.
He chuckled. “I’m fine, thanks. Don’t worry. I won’t propose to any of you and steal the focus of today’s festivities.”
“Tucker…” Colleen groaned. “He thinks these proposal jokes are funny, but they aren’t!”
Tucker laughed. “Sorry, dear.”
“We’re going to go get some pasta salad. Want anything?” Colleen asked.
“Hey, see if they have more stuffed mushrooms,” Janine said. Julie rolled her eyes.
As Colleen walked off, Julie looked at her sister. Her eyes were a million miles away, like she was searching for William in the crowd. He’d only been gone a few days, but she could tell Janine wasn’t herself.
“Have you heard from him?”
Janine sighed. “No.”
“Why don’t you call him?”
“What’s the use? I can’t be in a serious relationship with someone in another state who may never come back to live here. We want different things.”
“Seems to me you want each other,” Julie said, taking a sip of her sweet tea.
“We do. But, I love it here. I finally found my home, and I don’t want to leave. William doesn’t feel the same way.”
“I’m sorry, sis,” Julie said. She didn’t really have any answers for Janine. If Dawson left, she’d feel the same way.
“Thanks. Listen, I’m not really in a party mood. Can you tell Dawson that I’m so proud of him, but I need a little alone time?”
Julie rubbed her arm. “Of course. He’ll understand. Call me if you need me.”
Janine nodded as she walked toward the path home. Julie knew she’d find her sister snuggled up with a pint of ice cream by the time she got home later.
“Hey,” she heard Dawson say from behind her. He slid his arms around her waist and kissed her neck. “I didn’t expect this many people to show up. I hope we have enough food.”
She turned around and smiled. “Don’t worry. Lucy probably has food in the fridge that would be enough to feed all of these folks three meals a day for the next week.”
Dawson laughed. “Yeah, she does kind of overcook, doesn’t she?”
“So, when does your first guest arrive?”
“This evening at six. Kind of a late check-in, but at least we’ll have everything cleaned up from the party by then.”
“Any idea who the mystery guest is?”
“Lucy handled all of the reservations, actually. No idea who my first guest will be, but I’m excited to welcome him or her. They will be staying in Granny’s room. We call it the Seagrove Suite. It has an attached bathroom and a nice sitting area.”
“This is all so exciting,” Julie said, beaming up at him.
“Thanks for being here.”
“Where else would I be?”
“There’s the man of the hour!” an older man said, slapping Dawson on the back. “Your grandmother would be grinning from ear to ear if she saw all this.”
“Oh, hey, Dr. Carlson. How’ve you been?” Dawson said, turning his attention to the man.
Julie smiled and waved as she walked away, wanting to give him space to chat with his old friend. Of course, that meant walking away from the peach cobbler, which made her uncomfortable.
In the back of her mind, all she could really think about was her daughter, Meg. She’d opted not to come to the grand opening because she just wasn’t feeling up to it. Still, she had hope that the new hormonal therapy and group counseling sessions would help Meg get back on her feet and enjoy being a new mother.
“Ain’t this a great party?” Dixie sai
d, walking up beside her, a glass of wine in her hand.
“Are you supposed to be drinking that with your medication?”
Dixie’s head went back a bit, and she rolled her eyes. “Sugar, I’m like a hundred years old. I doubt a glass of wine every once in a while is gonna make much difference.”
Julie laughed. “First of all, you’re not that old. And secondly, I’m worried it might interact with your meds.”
She waved her hand. “Nah, it’s fine. I’m only having one glass because I’m a lightweight, and I just might dance on that table over there if I have another one.”
“Then let’s definitely keep it at one glass,” Julie said, laughing. The mental image of Dixie on a table gyrating to the easy listening music playing at the DJ booth was a bit more than she could handle.
“I see Dawson’s schmoozing it up pretty good. Maybe he should go into politics one day.”
“Yuck. I doubt he’d ever want to do that.”
“Probably true. He’s done some great work here, hasn’t he?”
“Yes. I’m really proud of him.”
Dixie smiled. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen two people so in love.”
“What about you and Johnny?”
Dixie sighed. “Those were good times.”
“Have you heard from William?”
“He called me this morning. Just told me he was settling in and got there safely.”
“Janine’s a wreck.”
“I bet. I don’t know what my son was thinking. Seagrove is his home, but he sure fights it. There’s nothing wrong with living a small life and loving it, ya know?”
Julie smiled. “I know better than anyone. My so-called big life almost sucked my soul out of my body. Living here has turned me into the person I always wanted to be.”
Dixie rubbed her arm. “Fate brought me the daughter I never thought I’d have.”
“And it brought me the stand-in mother I always wanted.”
Dixie chuckled. “Better not tell your momma you think that. She’d come down here and challenge me to a fight.”
That was probably true. SuAnn definitely didn’t like anyone taking the limelight away from her. She loved her mother, but having a nice, safe distance between them made for a much better relationship. The holidays would be coming soon, and she’d have to invite her, but she had plenty of time to prepare for that.
“Well, I’d better get on home and take my meds,” Dixie said, handing the rest of her glass of wine to Julie. “Don’t let this go to waste, ya hear?”
Julie laughed and nodded. “I’ll be sure to finish it off before I dig into that peach cobbler in a minute.”
As she watched Dixie walk toward her car, she looked around at all of the people on the deck and the beach and thought about this new life she’d built on Seagrove Island. Nothing could’ve prepared her for how her life had changed. Never in her wildest dreams had she thought of all of this, but God had blessed her in ways her mind couldn’t have imagined a little over a year ago.
Dawson watched as everyone filtered off the property and back into their cars or golf carts. It had been a long day filled with fun and conversation, but he was ready to settle in for the night and meet his first guest when they arrived.
“I think everything went great,” Julie said as she helped Dawson fold up the last of the tables.
“I think so too. I was surprised at how many people showed up.”
They leaned the table against one of the many large oak trees. “Well, I wasn’t. Everybody loves Dawson Lancaster, especially me.” She put her arms around his waist and laid her cheek against his chest.
“I love you too,” he said, pressing his lips to the top of her head. Her hair smelled like strawberries. She looked up and kissed him. Her breath smelled like peach cobbler. Dawson chuckled.
“What?”
“Exactly how much peach cobbler did you end up eating?”
Julie smiled slyly. “I plead the fifth.”
“So, are you sticking around to meet my first guest?”
She stepped back and scrunched her nose. “Do you need me to? It’s just that Janine didn’t seem like herself when she left earlier, and I kind of want to get home and make sure she’s okay. I also want to call and check on Meg…”
“No worries, Julie. You’ve been my rock today. Thank you so much for being here.”
“Of course! I wouldn’t have wanted to be anywhere else.”
He gave her one last hug and kiss before watching her walk down the road toward home. Seagrove Island was the safest place on earth, as far as he was concerned, but he still watched her until he could see she was nearing the end of her driveway.
“I gathered up all of the tablecloths and put them in the wash. Room’s ready for the first guest too.”
“Thanks, Lucy,” Dawson said, looking around the deck. “I’m going to take these tables to the storage barn, and then I’ll be inside. If the guest arrives early, just let them know I’ll be right there.”
“Got it, boss,” she said, with a laugh. Dawson knew Lucy was really the boss around there, and he was so thankful for her. Without his beloved Granny to keep him on the straight and narrow, Lucy had been a godsend to him. He couldn’t imagine running the inn without her.
He walked down behind the house and put the tables into the barn. As he turned back, he saw a car pulling into the driveway. He’d also had some gravel brought in and spread on the side of the house to create a small parking area. It only held four cars, but it was enough for the inn.
By the time he walked through the back door and into the house, he could hear Lucy talking in the foyer.
This was it! His first guest and hopefully the beginning of a successful business. For some reason, he was a bit nervous, but he took a deep breath and pushed the swinging door from the kitchen, which led into the dining room.
For some reason, the voice sounded vaguely familiar to him. As he walked through the dining room and saw his first guest, he was stunned. Oh, this wasn’t good.
“SuAnn?” he stammered as he stared at her. Looking unaffected, she forced a smile.
“Oh my. Aren’t you Julie’s… friend?” she said in her typical condescending tone.
“I’m her boyfriend, yes,” he said. Lucy looked back and forth between them.
“Don’t you think boyfriend sounds a little juvenile, dear?”
Dawson, took in a deep breath and counted to three in his head before speaking. “Welcome to The Inn At Seagrove. Julie didn’t tell me you were coming for a visit.”
She chuckled. “She doesn’t know I’m here. Please don’t tell her. I plan to surprise her and Janine tomorrow.”
“I… uh… I really don’t think I can keep a secret like this from her…”
She furrowed her eyebrows. “Now, Dawson, you wouldn’t want to ruin an old woman’s long planned surprise for her daughters, would you?”
This woman was one of the most cunning he’d ever met, and he was certainly no match for her. What harm could it do to let her surprise Julie and Janine the next day? After all, he didn’t want to call Julie and interrupt her evening with drama. Better to let her spend time with Janine and check on Meg without more problems.
"Fine. I'll keep your secret tonight, but you better let your daughters know that you're here tomorrow or I will."
SuAnn painted on a smile. "Thank you. And I'm very happy to see that you're so protective of my daughter. You know, she hasn't been on her own very much in her life. She needs someone watching out for her.“
Dawson could feel his blood start boiling. He pasted on a smile to match hers. "I can assure you that Julie doesn't need me to protect her. She's a very capable and smart woman, and I'm lucky to call her my girlfriend."
SuAnn made a grunting noise and then looked down at her suitcases. "I know this place isn’t exactly a fancy hotel, but do you offer services to help me get these bags up to my room?"
He figured it probably wasn't the best move to attempt to s
trangle his first guest. "Of course. You're going to be in the Seagrove Suite, our best room. As our first official guest, we wanted to make sure that your stay here was as pleasant as possible."
"Well, that is certainly appreciated. I'll follow you."
He picked up her bags, wondering why she seemed to have brought everything she owned, and walked up the stairs. She followed behind him, saying nothing, which was probably a good thing because nothing that ever came out of her mouth seemed to be nice or appropriate.
He turned left down the hallway to the last room on the left. It overlooked the ocean and was bigger than the other rooms. In fact, it used to be two bedrooms, but years ago they had removed the wall to create a suite. Dawson had never moved into it, opting to keep the bedroom he had slept in as a child. It was the smallest one, but it held a lot of memories. He just couldn't think of turning that into a room to rent out, so even now he kept it for himself.
"Here we are." He opened the door and turned on the lights. He had to say that he was pretty proud of the decor. Julie had helped him pick out the colors and the bedding.
SuAnn walked in behind him, setting her overnight bag on the floor next to the vanity. She walked around the room slowly, saying nothing for a change. She peered out the window, touched the bedding and then turned around, with another fake smile on her face.
"Well, it's certainly very quaint. But, I think I'll enjoy the view."
Quaint. Code for small and not nearly fancy enough.
"I definitely think you will. Lucy is finishing up dinner right now, so if you’re hungry, you're welcome to join us in the dining room."
"Actually, I think I will. I'm famished after such a long trip. Just let me freshen up and then I'll come down."
He nodded his head and closed the door behind him before walking down the stairs. He had to admit, he had hoped she'd say no, opting to stay in her room for the night. But she didn't. In typical SuAnn fashion, she was going to insert herself into dinner and make everyone uncomfortable. And by everyone, he only meant himself and Lucy.