The Inn at Willa Bay: A Willa Bay Novel

by Nicole Ellis

  She couldn’t stop the giggle that bubbled up at the thought of Shawn needing anyone’s help to cross a street. “I only meant that you seem young.”

  “I’m forty.” His jaw clenched, and the humor left his eyes. “And I’ve seen way more than anyone should have at this point in their life.”

  He stared at the ground for a moment, and she sobered. Being in the military during times of war couldn’t have been easy. Not for the first time, she wondered how he’d hurt his leg.

  “Anyway.” He trained his eyes on her and smiled to lighten the mood. “I should finish up here so I can drive down to see my dad.”

  She nodded. “Good luck.” She returned to her car, climbing inside as the mower’s engine roared back to life.

  Good luck? She cringed. Why had she said that? Shawn’s sudden retreat into himself had taken her by surprise. He’d seemed so easygoing whenever she’d seen him before, but although he’d attempted to hide it at first, there had been pain in his eyes when she’d commented on his age. He was definitely an interesting man, and she wouldn’t mind getting to know him better.

  Zoe drove the few miles to the Lodge at a slower speed than normal, hoping to put off seeing Pearson. She’d spent some time with him since he started, but he’d primarily been holed up with Joan as he learned her job. The more Zoe learned about him, though, the less she liked the man. Unfortunately, she didn’t really have a choice if she wanted to keep her job.

  When she arrived at the Lodge, Pearson was in the gardens conferring with Joan. He caught sight of Zoe, and made a point of checking his watch before shooting her a disapproving look.

  Zoe’s teeth pressed together so hard that her jaw hurt. She didn’t have a set schedule and would be at the Lodge for at least twelve hours that day. She didn’t need her new boss acting like she was shirking her responsibilities. Ugh. Her “new boss.” Bile burned her throat at the thought of working for Pearson when Joan left in a week.

  Zoe pasted a bright smile on her face. “Good morning. I’m going to go over the checklist for the Damson wedding this afternoon. I’ll be in my office if you need me.”

  “I wanted to review some of the event contracts with you today,” Pearson said. “When will you have time for that?”

  She mentally calculated her schedule. The Damson wedding started at noon and they’d be out by four. The next event didn’t start until six, but she’d need to be on the ground by five-thirty at the latest.

  “Does four-thirty work for you?” she asked.

  He frowned. “I was hoping to do it earlier.”

  Joan stood behind Pearson her face hidden from his sight as she mouthed the words I’m sorry to Zoe.

  Zoe briefly closed her eyes and nodded at Joan, then refocused her attention on Pearson. “I’m sorry, but with two big weddings today, I’m booked solid until then.”

  “If you’d gotten to work earlier, you’d have plenty of time to get everything done that’s required for your job.”

  Zoe’s jaw dropped, mercifully giving her teeth a break from the tension. She blinked at him. “Excuse me?” Had he seriously implied that the sixty-plus hours a week she spent at the Lodge weren’t enough?

  Joan touched Pearson’s arm to get his attention. “We work a flexible schedule here because the events we manage don’t always happen during the day.”

  He narrowed his eyes at Zoe. “That may have been true in the past, but an efficient workplace operates on a set schedule. Clients need to know that we’re available for them during business hours. I need to know that you’re here, doing your job. If one of us has to stay late for an event, that doesn’t affect our set work hours.”

  Joan looked like she was going to say something, but she settled for shaking her head and sighing under her breath.

  “Is this something George asked for?” Zoe asked. “He’s always been happy with how we managed our time in the past.” Pearson had only been there for a few days, and she already disliked him more than anyone she’d ever met.

  Pearson’s steely gaze made her insides boil. “I am in charge of event planning, and I think this will be a vast improvement on how things operated in the past.”

  Joan bristled noticeably, and Pearson gave her an oily smile. “No offense, of course. I’m sure you’ve done the best you could here.”

  Joan crossed her arms in front of her chest. “I’m going to grab a cup of coffee. Zoe, would you like to join me?”

  “Sure. I’ve got to keep energized since I’ll be here until late tonight.” She wanted to give Pearson a piece of her mind, but Joan was giving her an out that could save her job.

  Pearson sighed, as though Zoe were the laziest person alive. “Come find me when you have time to go over the contracts. I’d prefer sooner rather than later.” He stalked away without giving them another look.

  When they were alone, Zoe looked at Joan, her eyes wide. “Wow. He’s a real piece of work.”

  Joan shook her head. “No kidding. Zoe, I’m so sorry to leave you with him. Maybe if I told George I’d stay he’d find something else for that jerk son-in-law of his to do.”

  Zoe’s heart filled with warmth, and she gave her boss a big hug. “No, you’ve earned your retirement. Travel the world with your husband and kiss those grandbabies. I’ll just have to figure out how to deal with Pearson on my own.”

  Joan’s lips trembled. “I feel bad leaving you. I’d thought he’d be an idiot in a worst-case scenario, but he’s shaping up to be a tyrant.”

  Zoe shrugged and said with forced cheer, “I’m sure I can win him over. Now, let’s get that coffee.”

  They went to the kitchen together, purposefully going outside and accessing it through the exterior entrance to avoid any chance of seeing Pearson in the staff hallway. Cassie was in the kitchen, baking the rolls for the dinner crowd.

  “What’s wrong?” Cassie asked immediately upon seeing their faces.

  “Pearson,” Zoe and Joan said in unison.

  Zoe laughed, a genuine smile spreading across her face. Now that she was safe in the kitchen with friends, she could momentarily forget her new boss’s vitriol.

  “That bad?” Cassie asked.

  Zoe said in a whisper, “He’s awful. He implied that I don’t work hard enough at the Lodge because I got in at ten today.”

  Cassie’s eyes widened. “You work harder than anyone I know.” She went over to a side counter and came back with a plate full of cookies, offering it to Zoe and Joan.

  “Thanks, Cassie. I’ll have one in a minute.” Joan walked over to the coffee pot and began filling two mugs.

  Zoe shrugged. “He doesn’t see it that way.” She bit into a shortbread cookie, letting the buttery crumbs melt in her mouth. Tears formed in the corners of her eyes and she blinked them away. “But I have to get along with him. Joan and I have always worked closely together, and that’s what’s needed in this job.”

  “That should have been your job when Joan left.” Cassie selected a peanut butter cookie studded generously with chunks of chocolate.

  “I agree.” Joan came up behind them and slid a steaming mug of coffee in front of Zoe. “I should say something to George.”

  “It’s too late. Pearson’s already working here,” Zoe said. “And nothing anyone says will change the fact that he’s George’s son-in-law.”

  “True.” Joan grimaced. “But at least I’d feel like I tried to make the situation right.”

  “And I appreciate that.” Zoe rested her hand on Joan’s back. “You’ve been an amazing boss and mentor, and I’ve learned so much from you over the years. Remember when I was a fresh-out-of-college know-it-all?”

  Joan laughed. “I remember. Maybe Pearson will grow into the job too.”

  Zoe scrunched up her nose and laughed. “I doubt it.”

  “So, you’re just going to accept working for him?” Cassie asked, sipping her own coffee.

  Zoe shrugged. “I don’t have a choice right now, but maybe my future isn’t at the Lodge.” The tho
ught was like a dagger to the chest. She’d invested so many years in the Willa Bay Lodge. What would it be like to start over somewhere new?

  Her Pops wasn’t getting any younger, and Luke had recently become engaged to his fiancée, Charlotte. With any luck, there would be nieces and nephews in a few years. In Willa Bay, she’d miss all of that. Her stomach clenched. Should she move back home to Haven Shores?

  “You okay?” Joan asked.

  Zoe set her coffee cup on the counter. “Yeah. Just thinking a little.”

  Joan patted her back. “Well, you deserve that.” She finished her own coffee. “I’d better check in with Pearson. He’s been alone for ten minutes – who knows how many people he’s alienated in that amount of time.”

  Zoe grinned. “Have fun.”

  Joan left, and Cassie peered at Zoe. “Are you really okay?”

  Zoe’s resolve to be strong evaporated, and a tear slipped from her eye. “I don’t know.”

  Cassie led her into Taylor’s office and closed the door. “Taylor won’t mind if we borrow his office, and I think you could use the privacy.”

  Zoe sat down in one of the extra chairs across from Taylor’s desk and angled it to face Cassie, who settled in the other one with her coffee. “I don’t know what to do. I’ve been working here for a third of my life. I haven’t seen my grandfather or my brother in way too long.” She leaned forward and put her hands over her face, allowing the peaceful darkness to calm her thoughts. She sat back up and looked at Cassie. “I always thought this was where I’d be forever.”

  Cassie laughed. “I know the feeling. Ten years ago, Kyle and I were madly in love. Now look at us.” Sadness filled her face for a moment, but then she eyed the door to the kitchen. “But change isn’t always bad. Baking is something I’ve always loved, and now I get paid for it. If Kyle and I hadn’t divorced, I’d probably be at home right now, bored out of my mind while the kids are in school.” She looked straight at Zoe. “You’ll figure out where you’re meant to be too.”

  “I hope so.” Zoe put her feet up on the seat of the chair and hugged her knees to her chest. “Because I can’t see myself staying here and working for Pearson long-term.”

  “You’re not the only one who’s mad he and Lara moved back to town,” Cassie said.

  Zoe cocked her head to the side. “Why? What happened?”

  Cassie sighed. “George informed me that Lara didn’t like me using the Lodge’s kitchen for the cakes I make on the side.”

  “Oh no. I can’t believe he did that.” Zoe dropped her feet to the floor. “What are you going to do?”

  “I’m not sure.” Cassie looked down at her hands and rubbed the back of her knuckles. “Commercial kitchens aren’t easy to come by around here, and it would take forever to get the permits to bake out of my home – if I even had an oven that functioned consistently. George said I could use it for another week, but I’ve got orders for the next few months. I’m going to have to figure out something soon.”

  Zoe stared at her friend. She’d known Cassie even before her divorce, and she knew her friend counted on her cake decorating business to supplement what she earned at the Lodge. The gears in Zoe’s mind turned, trying to come up with a solution. Solving someone else’s problems was a welcome change from stewing about her own.

  “Wait. I have an idea. Could you ask Debbie if you could use her catering kitchen?” Zoe’s enthusiasm rose. “I don’t think they accepted many jobs for the last two years, so the space may be available for you to use.”

  Cassie locked eyes with her, and Zoe could see the wheels turning in her head. “That’s definitely an idea. I’ll check with her when I get off work.”

  Zoe stood, feeling better than she had since she’d arrived at the Lodge that morning. “Speaking of work, I’d better get to it.” She grimaced. “I wouldn’t want Pearson to have any more ammunition to use against me.”

  They exited Taylor’s office, and Zoe walked over to the door that led to the staff hallway. “Thanks for the talk, Cass.”

  Cassie smiled brightly at her. “Of course. And I should be the one thanking you. I can’t believe I didn’t think about Debbie’s kitchen before.”

  “Glad to be of service.” Zoe waved at her and pushed the door open, silently wishing that the hallway would be empty. It was, although she could hear Pearson talking with Joan in her office a few doors down. Zoe scurried into her own office and shut the door.

  She tried to focus on her work, but she could still hear Pearson, and his voice intruded on every thought she had. She pushed her chair back and stretched her legs, surveying her office. She’d always loved working at the Lodge, but maybe it was time for a fresh start somewhere else.

  13

  Shawn

  Shawn left Willa Bay about two hours after Zoe stopped by. Tacoma, the city where his father lived, was about a three-hour drive from Celia’s house. He couldn’t believe how much the Seattle metropolitan area had grown in the years that he’d been away in the Army. In the late morning, the traffic on Interstate 5 was manageable, but he wasn’t looking forward to the drive home in rush hour traffic.

  He’d finished mowing the lawn, but he’d have to edge the flower beds another time. It seemed like everywhere he turned, there was something else to do at the Inn. It gave him something to do, though, as he waited for Celia to wake up. He wouldn’t let himself think of the possibility that she might not come out of her coma.

  Unlike Zoe, he wasn’t under any misconception that Celia would be able to live alone at the Inn when she was released from the hospital. With the condition of her home, it just wasn’t safe for her. He wasn’t sure how he was going to convince Zoe of that though.

  The traffic slowed to a crawl as he neared Seattle. The Space Needle rose above the city with Lake Union sprawling at its feet. Sun glinted off the metal siding of the watercraft floating on the lake, including houseboats, pleasure boats, and commercial vessels. The air quality in this part of the freeway was diminished, with car engines spilling fumes into the narrow, almost tunnel-like passage through the skyscrapers of downtown.

  When the traffic broke free, he was well south of Seattle and closing in on Tacoma. His father lived in an older part of the city, close to Point Defiance Park, in a neighborhood composed primarily of Craftsman-style homes from the early 1900s. The tree-lined lanes hadn’t changed much since he’d lived there as a teenager, although he approved of the newish ordinance that eliminated parking on one side. As a freshly licensed driver in his mom’s new car, he’d accidentally sideswiped a vehicle parked along the crowded street. He’d spent way too many hours working off that debt.

  Finally, having parallel parked in front of his dad’s house, he got out of the car and stood on the grass median for a minute, stretching out the kinks in his arms and legs from the long drive. Jack Curtin’s cheery yellow house was two stories tall, with a half story above it in the attic – Shawn’s old room. Well-groomed flowering shrubs surrounded the porch. From the scent of freshly cut grass permeating the air, it appeared his dad had spent some time with the lawnmower this morning, just as Shawn had.

  Shawn climbed the four stairs to the front porch and rang the doorbell, feeling like a stranger in front of the home where he’d lived for many years. Heavy footsteps plodded along the hardwood floors in the entry hall, and the door swung open.

  “Shawn!” His dad pulled Shawn against his chest, hugging him tightly. “It’s been too long. How’ve you been?”

  Shawn smiled. It was good to be home. He’d moved so much that he’d never gotten too attached to any location, and while he’d loved Charleston, it wasn’t his home yet either. Home was where his loved ones were.

  Shawn stepped back to assess his father. “I’ve been good, Dad. How about you?”

  “I’ve been good too. My knee has been bothering me, but what else is new?” He chuckled and led Shawn into the living room next to the door. “The doc says I’ll probably have to get it replaced soon.”

 
; Jack wobbled a little as he made his way to the easy chair he’d had for as long as Shawn could remember, one Shawn’s mom had reupholstered several times. Although everything inside and outside of the house was neat and tidy, the living room looked exactly the same as it had when Shawn had lived there years ago. His father was getting older, and although Shawn had tried to talk him into moving to a smaller place that would need less maintenance and wouldn’t be so full of memories of his mom, Jack had refused.

  His dad leaned back in the chair and kicked up the footrest. “What brings you to Seattle? Did you finish up the house you were working on in Charleston?”

  Shawn nodded as he sat down on the couch across from his dad. “I did. The sale should close sometime next week.” He wasn’t sure how to ask about Celia, so he stuck with small talk. “How was your fishing trip?”

  His dad brightened. “Good. I caught four trout up at the lake one day, and six another day.” He laughed. “I’ve got so much fish in the freezer now I don’t know what to do with it all. Hey, do you want some?”

  Shawn grinned. “Maybe.” He looked at the picture of his mom on the side table closest to his dad. It was taken when she was in her early fifties, about a year before she died. She was lovely, with wavy brown hair to her shoulders and piercing blue eyes. He’d often been told he looked like her. He got up to take a closer look at the picture, searching for any resemblance to Celia.

  Shawn knew his dad was watching him closely, sensing something on his son’s mind. “So, I ask again, what brings you to Seattle? You seem troubled.”

  Shawn sat back down on the couch and faced his father. “Things are fine with me. I had a little time off and was looking for the next thing to move on to.” The tension in his shoulders was mounting with every minute he put off asking his dad about Celia. He leaned forward. “But that’s not why I’m here.”

  His dad straightened as though he recognized the seriousness in his son’s voice. “What is it?”

  “Do you remember that time I heard you and Mom arguing about someone named Celia? I must have been about nine or so.” He focused on his dad’s face. Would Jack tell him the truth about Celia, or had that secret died with his mother?