by Nicole Ellis
“Oh.” Celia sat back in her chair and sipped her coffee. “That is quite a pickle.”
“Yep.” Meg picked up the photo of Davina’s family and focused on it. They looked so happy, sitting together in front of the gazebo. Life must have been so much easier in those days.
“Are you going to call them back and tell them you can’t do the show?” Celia asked.
“I don’t know.” Meg set the portrait down and buried her head in her hands.
Celia put her arm around Meg and hugged her close. “What do you want to do?”
Meg laughed sharply. “I wish I knew.”
“Do you want to go with Theo?” Celia asked. “It’s a big commitment to go with him for a few months. I wouldn’t want to do something like that without strong feelings for a man.” She peered at Meg. “Do you love him?”
Love hadn’t been something Meg had considered before. She and Theo had always kept things casual, but was she ready to take their relationship to the next level? And even if she was ready, was going away with him worth giving up the morning show appearance? He had demonstrated his commitment to her by visiting her in the hospital, but was that enough?
Meg stared blindly at the photos in front of her. “I don’t know.”
It wasn’t just about Theo and the boat trip. Thinking about the night she’d spent in the hospital had brought up the memory of seeing the man in the hallway and wishing it was Taylor. He’d been so supportive of her dreams for the barn and now he’d lost the restaurant he loved—and it was all her fault. Now, while he was hurting, she was being offered a chance of a lifetime to share her passion for cooking on live television. How was any of this fair?
16
Tia
Tia parked in front of the fourplex apartment building she’d lived in for the last six months, got out of the car, and popped open the trunk to retrieve her groceries. She’d finally had a day off, and spent it running errands, including getting her hair cut for the first time since she’d moved here and long-overdue grocery shopping. The contents of her refrigerator were down to a few squishy tomatoes and a pack of sliced deli ham. With her busy work schedule, she’d been living on cheap fast food and leftovers that clients didn’t want after events. It may not have been an ideal diet, but she was saving money.
She’d splurged a little at the grocery store and bought her favorite mint chocolate-chip ice cream to enjoy out on her small balcony as an after-dinner treat. They were entering the second week of September, and the summer weather was still going strong in the Pacific Northwest. Temperatures were forecasted to reach the high seventies that afternoon. Usually, she’d tidy up her apartment on her days off, but she’d been so busy lately that she hadn’t had time to make much of a mess, so she intended to make good use of her free time by sitting on her balcony with a big bowl of ice cream and a good book.
A soft breeze ruffled Tia’s hair as she opened the trunk of her sedan to retrieve her groceries, and she brushed it back with one hand, marveling as her fingers slid through the thick strands with ease. The hairstylist had chopped off several inches, leaving it to swing in a neat line just above her shoulders. The new style made her head feel lighter, and had somehow eased some of the built-up tension in her neck.
She rubbed her hand along the nape of her neck. Until she’d taken the opportunity to relax today, she hadn’t realized how much stress she’d been under with the Inn’s grand opening and all of the events they’d hosted in the last few weeks. Working as an event coordinator during the busy summer season wasn’t easy, but she wouldn’t have traded it for anything.
She plucked the grocery bags from the trunk and carried them to her front door, the canvas handles digging into her fingers. She carefully set them on the ground, unlocked her front door and stepped inside. Before she could turn back to grab the groceries, a realization stopped her in her tracks.
Dread gnawed at her insides as her brain tried to come up with a rational explanation for the water squishing up over the tops of her leather sandals. The carpet in her entry hall was as soggy as the towels she’d thrown in the tub after the plumbing fiasco at the Inn’s grand opening. She took a deep breath and continued down the hall. Things didn’t get any better as she went further inside.
Had she left the water running in the bathtub? She darted into the bathroom. A quick glance around revealed no open taps. Unfortunately, though, water was streaming from places it shouldn’t have been. It rippled down the walls and dripped from the light fixture above, plopping onto Tia’s head like fat raindrops from a thundercloud. The ceiling bulged ominously, and Tia backed away.
She ran into the living room, her feet making sucking sounds every time they came into contact with the floor. The ceiling in there was dry, but a few inches of water had accumulated on the floor, soaking the legs of her coffee table and the base of the couch. She flung open the bottom drawer of her desk, searching for the file with her landlord’s information. Her meticulous record-keeping was coming in handy. She found what she was looking for and waded into the kitchen.
It wasn’t any drier in there, so she sat on top of her two-person breakfast table, resting her feet on one of the oak chairs while she called the property management company.
“Hi, may I speak with Donald Denalian please?” Her gaze strayed to the water pooling on the scratched linoleum floor in front of the stove and she grimaced.
The receptionist transferred her to his office. “This is Donald, how may I help you?”
“Hi, this is Tia Ortiz. I live in the fourplex on Fifth Street.”
“Oh yes,” he replied pleasantly. “Of course. What can I do for you today?”
“I have a bit of a problem.” She looked out at the living room, where the water level seemed to have risen at least a few inches in the last five minutes. It was way more than a bit of a problem. “My apartment is flooded. I think it’s coming from upstairs.”
“Flooded?” He asked in alarm. “How much water is there?”
“It’s everywhere,” she said flatly. “I think the ceiling in the bathroom is going to come down soon.”
He sighed audibly. “Are you in the apartment now?”
“Yes.”
“Get out of there and wait for me. I’ll be to the building in less than ten minutes.” The phone clicked off.
Tia climbed down from the table and accidentally knocked her purse onto the floor. She snatched it up before the water could seep through the faux leather to the contents inside and hurried toward the front hallway. Before she got there, she stopped in front of her bedroom door.
She almost didn’t want to go in, afraid of what she’d might find. Slowly, she pushed on the half-closed door, displacing water in undulating currents as it swung open. It was about what she’d expected. When she’d leased the apartment, she hadn’t been able to afford a bed frame, so she’d left the mattress on the floor. Now it was an island, her flowered comforter poking out from the center of a lake.
Flinging the wet purse strap over her head so it lay securely across her torso, she opened her plastic nightstand and removed a few personal items, then retrieved a photo album and some framed pictures from atop the dresser. When she’d moved to Willa Bay, she’d only brought with her what she could fit in her car. She may not have owned much of monetary value, but she would be heartbroken to lose a lifetime of memories. She loaded her arms with as much as she could carry and hurriedly brought it out to the car, repeating the process a few more times to remove her clothes, laptop and other important items. On her last trip, she paused at the front door to take one last look at her apartment.
Whatever was causing the flood hadn’t stopped yet, judging by the sound of running water coming from the bathroom. The apartment was almost a total loss at this stage. There was no way she was going to be able to save any of the furniture, and she didn’t have renter’s insurance. With so few belongings, it hadn’t made sense to spend her already tight funds on insurance. But even used furniture had a price tag. It
may have been from Goodwill and not in the best of shape, but it had been her furniture—her home. How was she going to replace everything?
She put the items she’d removed from her apartment into her car and set the groceries in the front passenger seat. As promised, her landlord arrived within ten minutes of her call. She greeted him and he entered her apartment. He emerged a minute later and ran around to the side of the building.
When he returned to where she was standing, his face was grim. “A pipe must have burst in the apartment upstairs. I’ve shut off the building’s water.”
He pulled out his phone and called his office, barking orders to his staff to notify the other tenants in the building and to call an emergency plumber. When he’d finished, he walked about ten feet away from her and dialed another number. From what he was saying, Tia figured it was the insurance company, and judging by his expression, the news wasn’t good.
He shoved the phone into his pants pocket and turned back to her. “They’re not going to be able to get anyone out here to assess the damage until tomorrow.” He balled up his fists and closed his eyes briefly. “I’m sorry Ms. Ortiz.” I’ve had things like this happen before and it’s usually at least a month or two until the apartment is ready to inhabit again. He eyed her closed apartment door. “Is there anything you need to get out of there?”
She shook her head and gestured to the car. “No. I only had a few things and I’ve got them in the car already.” She looked toward her apartment. He’d confirmed her worst fears about the flood. Where was she going to live?
“Do you have family you can stay with for a few months?” he asked kindly.
“No.” She bit her lip. “My family all lives in Texas.”
He lightly snapped his fingers by his sides and his face contorted in deep thought. He sighed. “I wish I could help, but all of our rental units are full. It’s the same story all over town. This couldn’t have come at a worse time.”
You’re telling me, she thought. It wasn’t his fault though. She pasted a smile on her face. “You know, I’m sure I’ll be able to find something. Maybe one of my friends can put me up for a while.” Whether she could impose on any acquaintances in this town, she didn’t know, but she hoped to ease his distress.
He brightened. “Oh, good. I’m glad you have someone in the area. And I’ll make sure to let you know as soon as I find out a timeline from the insurance company.”
A white van with the words “Paulsen Plumbing” emblazoned across the side pulled up to the curb, and a middle-aged man with a slight paunch exited the vehicle. “Hi. Did one of you call for a plumber?”
Donald nodded and motioned for the man to follow him. “Come with me.”
Both men entered her apartment, and Tia took that as her cue to leave. She got into her car and turned on the air conditioning, then slumped in her seat. She’d been calm and in charge of the situation while she was busy calling the landlord and getting her belongings out of the apartment. Now that there was nothing left for her to do, her sense of control slipped. Next to her, condensation beaded on top of the half gallon of ice cream. If she didn’t get that into a freezer soon, it would also be ruined.
What she really wanted was reassurance that things would be okay, so she called her mom. She wasn’t convinced it was the best choice, but she needed to hear a familiar voice.
“Mom?” Tia asked, turning on the speakerphone and placing it on the dashboard when Marta Ortiz answered.
“Honey?” her mother asked. “Are you alright?”
“Kind of.” She sniffled as her face crumpled and the tears began to flow.
“Something’s wrong. What happened? Did you get robbed? I always said you shouldn’t be alone out there.” Her mother’s voice rose with concern, even as she admonished Tia.
“No, Mom. I didn’t get robbed.”
Calling her mom had been a bad idea. The apartment flood was just one more nail in the coffin of her independence. The car’s air conditioner kicked in full blast and she shivered. Turning the fan down, she leaned closer to the window to feel the sun’s warmth. Her head throbbed, either from the sudden change in temperature or from her reluctance to admit to her mother that she was now homeless. She sat upright and the pulsing in her head ceased.
“Well, what is it?” Her mother asked impatiently. “You never call me unless something’s wrong.”
Tia clenched her jaw and breathed in the icy cool air flowing out of the vent in front of her. “A pipe burst in the apartment above mine and flooded my apartment. I’ve lost almost everything.”
“Okay, that’s it,” her mother said, as if everything was settled. “It’s time you admit that you can’t make it on your own. You need to come back home. If you’d like, I’m sure Dad would be happy to fly out there and drive back with you.”
“That won’t be necessary. I’ll be staying in Willa Bay.” Tia didn’t have a clue where she’d live, but she’d figure it out. She for sure wouldn’t be moving back to Texas.
“That’s ridiculous.” Her mother’s voice rang with indignation. “You don’t have a support system out there. You should be here with the rest of the family.”
“I have friends,” Tia said stubbornly. “I can make it on my own.”
“We’ll see about that,” her mother said.
“Yep.” Tia gripped the steering wheel tightly. “We will.”
“Tia, you know we love you, right?” Marta said. “We just want what’s best for you.”
“I know.” Even with the air conditioning running, the car was starting to smell like melted mint ice cream. “Mom, I’ve got to go. I’ll call you and let you know when I find a new place to stay.”
“Thank you,” Marta said stiffly before hanging up.
Tia knew very few people in Willa Bay, so she called Zoe, who always seemed to have the answers.
“Hey, how’s it going?” Zoe asked. “Are you having fun on your day off?”
“Not exactly.” Tia told her about the damage to her apartment.
“Oh no!” Zoe said. “That’s way worse than what happened at the Inn’s grand opening.”
“Yeah.” Tia looked at the backseat through the rearview mirror. All of her worldly possessions were in her car, just like when she’d moved to Willa Bay. “The landlord says I can’t move back in for at least a month, if then.”
“Do you have a place to stay?” Zoe asked.
“No.” Tia felt like she was about to cry again. “I was hoping you might have an idea.”
“I do,” Zoe said brightly. “You can come and stay with me, at least until we can figure something better out. My cottage isn’t big, but you can have the couch.”
Tia’s heart lifted. “Really? You’d let me stay with you?” It wasn't a permanent solution, but it was miles above where she’d been a minute ago.
“Of course,” Zoe said. “What are friends for?”
Friends. At the moment, that was the nicest thing Tia had ever heard. She looked over at the groceries.
“Do you by chance have room in the freezer for a half-gallon of ice cream?”
Zoe laughed. “There’s always room for ice cream.”
“Thanks, Zoe. I’ll be there in ten minutes.”
“See you then.”
They hung up, and Tia started driving, happy to know that she did have friends and a support system in Willa Bay.
17
Meg
“And then, after freezing it overnight, you end up with this.” Meg opened the canary-yellow freezer door in Coffee Talk Seattle’s demonstration kitchen and pulled out the icebox cake she’d made. She tilted the clear glass baking pan to the side to allow the live studio audience a glimpse of the rippled chocolate and whipped cream confection. Her efforts were met with oohs and ahs from the crowd. “Looks delicious, doesn’t it?”
The audience murmured in agreement.
“Well folks,” Demi Andle, one of the show hosts said. “We’ve got a treat in store for you today. Our lovely guest ch
ef was kind enough to make enough icebox cake for everyone!” Demi flashed a big TV smile, teeth gleaming brightly behind hot pink lipstick that matched her ruffled blouse.
The murmur turned into wild cheering, and Meg grinned widely. As they began serving dessert to the entire audience, row by row, she stepped off of the set, stopping in the green room backstage where she could see everyone’s reactions as they tasted the treat. Judging by their faces, her cake—or, rather, Davina’s cake—was a huge success.
Being in front of an audience had been both terrifying and exhilarating at the same time. She’d had a touch of stage fright when she’d first arrived, but Demi and her co-host, Charles, had made her feel as comfortable as though she were cooking at home for her family. Thank goodness she’d accepted the opportunity to appear on the show. It would be wonderful publicity for the Inn and her future restaurant.
However, it was an opportunity that had come at a cost. Meg had undergone hours of soul-searching as she struggled to choose between going with Theo to sail the San Juan Islands and staying in Willa Bay to be on the TV show and continue readying the barn for extensive renovations. In the end, she’d taken Celia’s advice to heart.
While she’d enjoyed spending time with Theo, she’d finally admitted to herself that he wasn’t someone she could see herself settling down with. After reaching that conclusion, she’d had a long conversation with him, and they’d come to the mutual decision to end their relationship. Looking back, it had been a surprisingly clean break, which further solidified her belief that he wasn’t the right man for her. Even with that certainty, she still missed his companionship.
“Meg!” Demi called out to her as she entered the green room. “You did a great job. The audience loved your cake and loved you even more.”
Meg felt a telltale blush work its way upward from her neck. She looked down at her feet, which were clad in white leather sandals she’d bought for the occasion, then forced herself to meet the show host’s eyes. “Thank you. I had fun today.”