by Cindy Bell
“Thanks Mary, I'm looking forward to it,” Wes said before hanging up the phone.
“See,” Suzie said with a smile. “He's making dates with you, he's obviously interested.”
“Or he wants to let me down easy in a public place,” Mary pointed out.
“If he does, he's an idiot,” Suzie said as she pulled the car into the long driveway at Dune House. The beautiful old structure rose up regally against the sky. Where it stood perched above the beach it looked like it had a bird's eye view of the entire town. Suzie stared at it for a moment, still amazed that it belonged to her. She and Mary had turned it back into its former glory as a bed and breakfast, and the business was steady. But that wasn't why Suzie loved it. She loved it because it was something that she and Mary had created together. She glanced over at Mary and smiled as the woman fumbled with her purse and the door handle of the car.
Mary was one of the kindest, gentlest people she knew. Luckily, she was best friends with Suzie, who would defend her against anyone who tried to hurt her. Mary had a far more gentle approach to things than Suzie, so sometimes Suzie felt as if she needed to step in and be a little more forceful in order to shield her. Of course that had led to a few disagreements between them. But as she watched Mary walk up towards the front entrance of Dune House, Suzie felt that familiar surge, the need to protect her. Suzie only hoped that she was being paranoid.
Chapter Two
After returning to Dune House, Suzie spent a little time tidying up her room. She and Mary both lived in the B & B. Suzie had decorated each room in a different style. They each had their own theme. She was constantly redecorating her own room. Her most recent theme was nautical with shells, old maps, and vintage pictures of beach paradises. It made her feel a little closer to her boyfriend, Paul, who was often out on the water as he was a professional fisherman. However, the sand mural she had been attempting to create had turned into a complete disaster, which included sand being stuck in between the wooden slats of the flooring in her room.
Suzie was working on getting the sand free when she heard the sound of the doorbell ringing. She had locked up because they did not have any guests, and they were not expecting Warren Blasser until later in the evening. When she reached the door the person outside had already rung the doorbell quite a few more times. She peeked through the windows that framed the door and saw a man standing outside. He was short in stature, a little on the heavy side, and wearing a nice suit. Suzie didn't recognize him and so she guessed that he was not a local. She unlocked the door and opened it.
“How can I help you?” she asked in a friendly tone.
“Do you have a room available?” the man asked breathlessly as he stepped inside. Suzie regarded him skeptically. They didn’t often get guests on the spur of the moment as they usually called ahead to reserve a room. However, there were several rooms available, so she decided it couldn't hurt.
“Sure,” she said. “Let me just get some information from you and we'll get you all set up.”
“Great,” he said as he followed her to the front desk. “I'm sorry to just show up, but my other reservation fell through.”
“Are you visiting Garber?” Suzie asked as she opened up the registration form on the computer.
“Passing through,” he replied. She looked up at him again. She was fairly cautious about her guests. This man seemed a little sketchy, but he spoke politely and his eyes seemed kind enough.
“Your name please?” she asked.
“John,” he said quickly. “John Richardson,” he added. Suzie typed the name into the computer.
“How long do you think you will be staying?” she asked.
“Probably just the night,” he said. “Maybe two,” he shrugged a little. “I’m paying cash so I’ll pay for the first night now.”
“Okay,” Suzie smiled warmly as he handed her the money. “My name is Suzie, if you need anything. We offer breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Of course there are many wonderful local restaurants.”
“Thanks,” he nodded. “My room?”
“You'll be in room seven,” she said and handed him a key. “I'll show you the way.”
“Thank you,” he said.
“Did you want to get your luggage?” she asked.
“I don't have any,” he replied vaguely.
Suzie considered asking him why he didn't have any luggage, but she didn't want to be too nosy. She led him to the room which was on the second floor. She opened the door for him.
“The phone will dial to the desk if you need anything,” she explained.
“Great,” he nodded. “I really just need some rest.”
“Well, you'll get plenty of that here,” Suzie said with a warm smile.
“Wonderful,” he said. He stepped into the room and closed the door behind him. Suzie lingered for a moment outside the door, then headed back down to the first floor to finish checking him in. When she reached the first floor, she ran into Mary who was nervously straightening her skirt.
“You look beautiful,” Suzie said as she walked up to her.
“I feel frumpy,” Mary admitted with a sigh. She brushed her auburn hair back from her eyes and frowned. “Who ever thought dating at my age was a good idea?” she asked.
“At your age?” Suzie clucked her tongue. “Mary, don't let your birthday get to you. You are a beautiful, amazing woman and Wes is lucky that you even look in his direction.”
“That's sweet of you to say, Suzie, but I don't know that he feels the same way,” she bit into her bottom lip. “Things are so different now. When we were young if someone dated you, they dated you, only you, and there weren't all these questions to think about. I have no idea whether we are even really dating. Are we exclusive? Are we friends? What does he expect?”
“Wow, wait a minute,” Suzie said and rested her hands lightly on Mary's shoulders. “You need to take a breath. Dating is supposed to be fun, remember?” she asked as she looked into her eyes.
“To be honest, Suzie, I'm about ready to call it all off,” Mary frowned. “Maybe I'm just being paranoid, but it seems like Wes is losing interest.”
“Maybe you need to give it a little time, Mary,” Suzie suggested. “You and Wes haven't been dating that long. He doesn't seem that confident with romance either,” she pointed out. She took a breath and then looked into Mary's eyes. “Not every man is going to be Kent, Mary, I promise.”
“You can promise, but that doesn't mean it's true,” Mary shook her head. “Maybe it was foolish of me to think I was ready to start another relationship.”
“Not foolish at all,” Suzie insisted. “Just try to relax a little and see what happens. Talk to Wes about it, ask him to define what is happening between the two of you. He's probably just as nervous as you are.”
“Maybe,” Mary took a deep breath. “I think you're right. I'll talk to him about it tonight. It can't hurt to ask, right?” she smiled a little.
“Good,” Suzie nodded. “If he gives you a hard time, just send me a text, and I'll hunt him down,” she offered.
Mary grinned at her. “I think you actually would.”
“Oh, you know I would,” Suzie said and hugged Mary gently. “You look gorgeous,” she said again. There was a light knock at the front door. The door pushed open, and Wes stepped inside. He was wearing a nice gray suit, and for once he had shoes on instead of cowboy boots. His silver-black hair was combed neatly. His expression was as difficult to read as ever.
“Evening ladies,” he said as he stepped inside.
“Hi Wes,” Mary smiled a little. Suzie raised an eyebrow and stared at him. He stared back at her for a moment. He looked a little confused and then smiled at Mary.
“You look stunning,” he said warmly.
“Thank you,” Mary replied. He stepped up to her and offered her his arm.
“Ready to go?” he asked. He cast a wary glance in Suzie's direction.
“Yes,” Mary said and wrapped her arm around his. “Thanks, Suzie,�
� Mary said.
“Just remember what I said,” Suzie said. “Text me.”
“I will,” Mary laughed.
“It was nice to see you, Suzie,” Wes said and offered her a polite nod.
“You, too,” Suzie replied but she didn’t smile. Wes stared at her again as if he was trying to figure out why she was being abrupt. Then he shook his head and began leading Mary out of Dune House. Suzie overheard him murmuring to her.
“What was all that about?” he asked.
“Oh you know Suzie,” Mary said warmly. “She's always looking out for me.”
Suzie smiled at her friend's words. After the door closed behind the two she set about preparing for their next guest's arrival.
Chapter Three
Not long after Mary left, there was another knock at the door. Suzie had just finished pouring herself a cup of tea. She left it on the counter as she walked towards the door to answer it. Unlike the earlier guest, the person waiting outside did not repeatedly ring the doorbell. Suzie opened the door and smiled at the man who stood outside. He was tall and very thin. The type of body that she would describe as willowy. His hair was thin and wispy, light brown in color. He had a long nose, and thin lips arranged in a serious expression.
“May I help you?” Suzie asked.
“Yes, my name's Warren Blasser,” he replied in an even tone. He spoke as if each word was carefully selected. “I was told there would be a room here for me.”
“There is,” Suzie smiled warmly. “Welcome, please come in,” she stepped aside so that he could walk in. He had a small overnight bag as well as a soft-sided briefcase. “How was your drive?” she asked as she walked over to the reception desk.
“It was fine,” he said with a slight shrug.
“Would you like anything to eat or drink?” she offered as she opened up the registration form on the computer.
“I had something along the way,” he explained. “Really, I'd just like to rest up a bit.”
“Okay, well I'll get you right to your room then,” Suzie offered as she tapped in some of his information on the computer. “My name is Suzie, if you need anything,” she added. “We provide breakfast, lunch, and dinner,” she continued.
“I'm not much for breakfast,” the man explained as Suzie began to lead him towards the stairs. She noticed the way his eyes were roaming over the interior of the house. “Just some coffee will be fine.”
“Certainly,” she nodded. “I'll make sure that there is a fresh pot.”
She paused at the bottom of the stairs. Warren had stopped in the middle of the living room area. His gaze was settled on the light fixtures.
“Remarkable,” he said in a whisper. “Are these original to the house?” he asked.
“I believe so,” Suzie nodded. “We had to do some rewiring of course.”
“Of course,” he nodded and continued to study them. “I am always so pleased to see people take the time to preserve the past,” he said. “There's so much that is just swept away, without people ever noticing the value in what they are bulldozing.”
“That's true,” Suzie smiled a little. “We tried not to do that too much here.”
“I can see that,” he said with appreciation. “So much is lost already to natural disasters and the destruction of wars, it makes such a difference to put in a little extra effort to let things remain as they are. I've seen many old homes turned into bed and breakfasts or restaurants, and the owners practically gut them,” he cringed at the idea.
“Hopefully that will never happen here,” Suzie said. “I personally think that the structure and design of an old home holds many secrets, things that the people of the time when it was built didn't write down, but are still conveyed through the things they built and how they built them.”
“Exactly,” he said with a breath of relief. His hand lingered on the railing as they began to go up the stairs. She noticed his look of disappointment.
“Unfortunately, some things had to be replaced for the sake of safety,” Suzie explained. “I wish the original structure could have lasted forever, but I wouldn't want any of my guests to be hurt either.”
“Some things can't be avoided,” he agreed. “At least you haven't plastered the fireplaces with plasma televisions or cut out skylights to appease the tourists.”
Suzie laughed at the idea. “That would be a little absurd wouldn't it?”
“You'd be surprised,” he said as they paused outside the room that he was staying in. “I once stayed in a bed and breakfast that boasted it was built in the civil war era. They had a spa bath, a television that hung from the ceiling and was nearly as wide as the bed, and heated floors. I'm not sure what any of that had to do with the civil war.”
“Me neither,” Suzie laughed again. She was enjoying her talk with Warren. It wasn't often that she had the chance to pick the mind of a history buff. She opened the door to the room for him. She had chosen it specifically for him. It was the room she had designed to be an 'antique' room. Everything used to decorate the room was purchased locally from antique shops, estate sales, and roadside stands.
“How beautiful,” he said with a secretive smile as if he knew that she had chosen it just for him. Suzie walked over to the curtains and drew them apart, revealing an uninterrupted view of the sea.
“Amazing,” he breathed as he walked towards the window. Suzie thought he was talking about the view, but his eyes were locked on the intricate wall hanging beside the window. Suzie smiled to herself. Warren Blasser was certainly proof that beauty was in the eye of the beholder.
“There's a balcony,” she explained. “Just make sure you lock the door when you turn in for the night.”
“I will,” he said. He seemed to be enthralled by a small statue he had picked up off one of the shelves. Suzie was glad that he was enjoying the room.
“I hope you enjoy your stay,” Suzie said. “The telephone will dial the desk if you need anything.”
“Uh huh, thank you,” he nodded, obviously distracted. She stepped out of the room and headed back down the stairs to the first floor. She had some birthday planning to catch up on. Now that she had confirmed the flights for Benjamin and Catherine, Mary's son and daughter, she had to make sure the caterer was going to show and that the bakery was working on the cake. Suzie wanted everything to be just perfect for Mary. She only hoped that the gesture would show her just how special she was to Suzie. She had just finished the last of her phone calls when she heard a sound outside the door. She wondered if it might be another unexpected guest. When she checked the clock she saw that it was a little after seven. She walked over to the door just as it was swinging open. She felt a little fearful as she wasn't expecting anyone to just walk in. But when she saw Mary step through the door, her fear melted into sympathy.
“Mary, what are you doing home so early?” Suzie asked as she walked up to her friend. Mary closed the door firmly.
“He got a phone call,” she said in a tight voice. “He said it was an emergency and sent me home in a taxi before we had even gotten our order.”
“Oh Mary, I'm sorry,” Suzie said and hugged her. “Maybe it was an emergency, maybe it was work,” she suggested.
“No, it wasn't,” Mary said with certainty. “He was smiling, Suzie. I can't believe I let myself be so foolish as to believe that he would really want to be with me. I can tell you this much, I'm not going to be somebody's pet that they pick up when they feel like it. As far as I'm concerned Wes can go find someone else to send home in a taxi,” she spat out each word. Suzie had never seen Mary so angry, unless it was after a fight with Kent. Her heart broke for her friend that she was experiencing this kind of frustration again.
“Maybe…” Suzie started to say.
“No,” Mary said sternly. “Sorry, Suzie, but I don't want to talk about it anymore. I just want to go to bed,” she sighed and marched off to her room.
Suzie watched her go. Her blood began to boil as she thought of Wes. She had been wary of h
im from the start, but then he had seemed to reveal himself as a decent and thoughtful man. Now she felt differently. She wondered if all of the kindness was a smokescreen he had thrown up just to draw Mary in. Suzie was beside herself with anger. She wanted to protect her friend.
Suzie hesitantly walked up to Mary's room. She listened for a moment. She could hear Mary crying quietly. It was a terrible sound for Suzie to hear. It made her furious. She wanted to open the door and hold her friend tightly in her arms, but she knew better. Mary often liked to be left alone when she was upset. If she wanted company she would ask. Suzie frowned and walked away from her room. She went so far as to pick up her phone and dial Wes’ number. It went to voicemail right away as if he had turned off his phone. “Aargh,” Suzie growled in frustration and hung up the phone.
“Everything okay?” a voice asked from behind her. She spun around quickly to discover Warren standing behind her. She blushed, embarrassed that he had seen her so angry.
“I'm so sorry,” she said. “I didn't know you were there.”
“No need to apologize,” he said with a small smile. “We all have those moments. Is there anything I can do to help?”
Suzie smiled at him. She thought his offer was very sweet. “Thank you, but it involves matters of the heart, you know how that goes,” she laughed a little.
“Not really,” he admitted. “I've never been terribly interested in them.”
Suzie raised an eyebrow. “Well, lucky for you,” she said with genuine admiration. “They are very murky waters.”
“Indeed,” he nodded. “I was just going to take a walk along the beach. Would you like to join me?”
Suzie stared at him for a moment. The invitation was unexpected. She couldn't tell if he was just being friendly, or if he wanted something more from her. She wondered if she had done anything to give him the impression that she would be interested. She didn't think Paul would appreciate her taking an evening walk on the beach with a man she barely knew. Of course, she was a free woman.