“Do you need help?” Penny asked.
“I should be okay. All I have to do is load the boxes of food into my truck.”
Barbara placed her cup on the table. “We can give you a hand with that. Remember to ask John for the list of events the church is running. I’ll add them to our website so our guests know what’s happening in Sapphire Bay.”
“I’ll ask him to email you the information.”
“And could you check the volunteer roster?” Penny asked. “I think I’m supposed to be on the main reception desk tomorrow night.”
Diana looked at her sisters. “Food, events, and the volunteer timetable. Is there anything else you want me to do while I’m there?”
Penny frowned. “There’s something else I need, but I can’t remember what it is.”
“Send me a text when you remember.” Diana followed Barbara into the kitchen. The more things her sisters asked her to do, the less time she’d have to think about the visit from her ex-husband. After divorcing Derek, she thought she’d never hear from him again. Unfortunately, she was wrong.
Chapter 3
Ethan handed one of the teenagers in his art therapy class a tube of orange paint. “Here you go, Paul. Try this.” The sixteen-year-old took the paint and squirted it onto the fine mesh in the screen printing frame.
Considering Ethan knew next to nothing about art, he was amazed at how well the class was doing. But most of the credit didn’t belong to him. Wyatt and Natalie, two artists who lived in Sapphire Bay, had helped him design a series of workshops for the teenagers he counseled.
Not only were the young people having fun, they were enjoying each other’s company and forming new friendships.
Take Paul for instance. He’d come to Sapphire Bay with his mom from Detroit. They had family close by but, from what Ethan had learned, they weren’t making Paul and his mom’s lives any easier. Every hour Paul spent away from his chaotic extended family was valuable. It gave him a chance to breathe, to see how other people lived—a chance to be a teenager.
Carefully, Paul pulled the squeegee down the frame, coating the mesh in orange paint.
“Good job.”
Paul glanced at him. “I spoke to my Grandma yesterday.”
The love-hate relationship between Paul and his family was a trigger for a lot of his behavioral issues. “How did it go?”
“Okay. She wants me to visit her for the weekend.” He wiped down the blade and added more paint to the mat. “Mom and I are going hiking, so I said I’ll call Grandma instead of going there.”
Ethan was surprised by Paul’s response. Until now, he’d blindly accepted any invitation to spend time with his grandmother, regardless of what he knew would happen. “Your mom will be happy you’re spending time with her.”
“Grandma can rub everyone the wrong way. I figured it was better if I stay away, then no one will get angry.”
Cassidy, one of Paul’s friends, pointed to the tubes of paint. “Can you pass me the yellow one?”
After handing her the paint, Paul slowly lifted up the screen printing frame and removed his print.
Cassidy grinned. “That looks awesome. You should sell it at the art show. Lots of people will want to buy it.”
“I made it for Mom.” Blushing something fierce, Paul rushed to the sink under the window.
Cassidy looked at Ethan. “I did it again, didn’t I? I keep embarrassing Paul and I don’t know why.”
“It’s okay to tell someone they did a good job.”
“Why does he blush each time I speak to him?” she whispered.
Ethan glanced across the room. “You should ask Paul.”
“For real?”
She seemed shocked by his suggestion. “He won’t mind.”
“But that would be weird.”
“Try it. You might be surprised by what he says.”
Still looking unsure, Cassidy focused on her own screen print. “I’ll think about it,” she mumbled.
That was good enough for Ethan. “Your screen print is impressive, too.”
Cassidy’s smile was instant. “Thanks. It’s for my dad. He’s coming to Sapphire Bay this weekend.”
Ethan’s smile slipped.
“I know. I shouldn’t get my hopes up, but he promised. I’ve got a feeling this time it will be different.”
“I hope so. If he doesn’t come, you can—”
“He’ll be here,” Cassidy said confidently.
“But if he doesn’t arrive, call me.” The last time her dad didn’t show up, Cassidy had a meltdown. She’d run away, disappearing into the mountains with nothing but the clothes she was wearing.
The door to the meeting room opened and a woman with blond, curly hair poked her head around the frame.
“Oops, sorry.”
Ethan crossed the room. He thought Diana would still be with her family. “It’s okay. Have you come to join us?”
She shook her head. “I’m looking for Pastor John. Andrea thought he was here.”
“He left half an hour ago. How are you feeling?”
“Better than when you last saw me. If you see John, can you tell him I’ve left three boxes of cookies and cakes in the kitchen?”
At the sound of food, six teenage heads spun toward Diana.
“Are they for us?” Cassidy asked.
Diana’s eyes lit with laughter. She must have heard the hopeful note in the teenager’s voice. “I’m not sure who they’re for, but I could bring a plate of cookies to your classroom.”
He could have sworn he heard every teenager’s stomach rumble. “Only if there’s more than John was expecting. I don’t want to take food that was supposed to go somewhere else.”
“You won’t be. Barbara added some extra cookies. I’ll be back soon.”
Ethan looked at his instantly hungry class. With only a few minutes left before their therapy session ended, it seemed like a good time to clean up. “Has everyone finished their screen print?”
With heads nodding around him, Ethan checked the tables. “Let’s return the paint to the shelves and wash the frames and squeegees. You can leave your designs on the table. Pastor John will let them dry overnight, then carefully move them to the store room until our next session.”
The thought of fresh home baking galvanized the group of teenagers into action. And, unsurprisingly, by the time Diana came back, they were ready to devour the cookies.
Diana piled the plate high with cookies before returning to Ethan’s class. As soon as she opened the door, everyone’s eyes focused on what she was holding.
“Are they chocolate chip cookies?” a teenage girl asked.
“They are. Mom baked most of them for the opening of our inn.”
“The one on Honeysuckle Lane?”
“That’s it.” Diana sat the plate on a table. “Help yourself.”
It was just as well she stepped back. Within seconds, the table was surrounded by hungry teenagers.
“Thanks for sharing the cookies,” Ethan said from beside her. “I didn’t know the kids were so hungry.”
Diana laughed. “They’re teenagers. They’re always hungry. What have you been working on today?” Compared to when she’d left, the room was almost spotless. They must have worked super quick to clean everything before she came back.
Ethan pointed to a table on the far side of the room. “Come and have a look.”
She was impressed. The screen prints wouldn’t have looked out of place in a gallery. Some of them were abstract designs. Others had more familiar shapes. “These are amazing. I saw something like this in an art gallery in Bozeman last year. Are you going to frame them?”
“That was the plan. But they won’t be placed in a gallery or anywhere else unless the person who created them wants to share them.”
A young girl with straight black hair stood beside Diana. “I think Paul should put his screen prints in the art show.”
Ethan held out his hand. “Diana Terry meet Cassidy Holmes. She was one of the fi
rst people to sign up for my art workshops.”
“That’s because I like a challenge. Thanks for bringing us the cookies. They’re delicious.”
“That’s okay. I’m happy you like them.”
A boy with short brown hair joined Cassidy. “Why did you bring them to The Welcome Center?”
“My family and I officially opened The Lakeside Inn this afternoon. We baked far too much food and, instead of it going to waste, we thought we’d bring it here for everyone to enjoy.”
Cassidy frowned. “Do you own the inn?”
“My sisters and I inherited it from our grandma. Have you been there?”
“No, but I see it when I walk around the lake. It looks beautiful.”
“It is. You should come and say hello. I could take you on a mini tour.”
Cassidy looked uncertainly at Ethan. “Do you think Mom would mind if I visited the inn?”
“As long as you told her where you were going, she might not mind. You could always take her with you.”
Diana looked at Ethan and then at Cassidy. Something must have happened to make her worried about visiting the inn on her own. “You’re welcome to bring your mom. Our first guests will be here soon, so if you want to see each room, I’d suggest coming in the next day or two.”
Cassidy gave a firm nod. “I will. I’ll ask Mom tonight.”
Taking a business card out of her pocket, Diana handed it to the teenager. “Give me a call to let me know when you’d like to come.”
“Thanks for inviting us.”
“You’re welcome.”
The teenager returned to her group of friends and Diana sighed. “When I was Cassidy’s age, I was so shy I wouldn’t have talked to someone I didn’t know. Even if Mom came with me, I don’t think I would have visited somewhere like the inn.”
“Everyone’s different.” Ethan studied her face. “Why were you shy?”
Diana thought about her life and how she reacted in different situations. “I guess it was easier to let my sisters speak for me. I nearly always agreed with them, so it wasn’t such a big deal.”
“But?”
“It became a habit.” She looked down at her hands. “Sometimes you need to stand up for yourself. It would have been easier if I’d practiced a little more when I was younger.”
“You seemed confident when you walked into the room.”
“That’s because I was looking for Pastor John. I didn’t know you were in the middle of a class.” She looked at the teenagers and smiled. “It looks as though everyone’s enjoyed themselves.”
Ethan grinned. “That probably has more to do with your cookies than the screen-printing class. How are the plans going for your first guests at the inn?”
Diana leaned against the row of cupboards. “We’re almost ready. The only thing I have to do is work out an itinerary for a couple of tours. What are your favorite things to visit in Sapphire Bay?”
“When I first moved here, I fell in love with Main Street. With all the craft stores, art galleries, and eateries, it’s the perfect place to enjoy what Sapphire Bay has to offer.”
She bit her bottom lip. She hadn’t thought about adding tours of everyday things. Most of her ideas focused on things their guests wouldn’t find anywhere else. “If you were staying at the inn, would you appreciate someone taking you on a tour of Main Street?”
“Absolutely. Especially if you stopped at Sweet Treats and your mom and dad’s store.”
“Why would anyone want to visit the general store? I thought it would be a little boring for most people.” Diana enjoyed seeing the smile on Ethan’s face. She was surprised at how easy it was to talk to him, to be herself and not worry about what she said.
“The general store is a treasure trove of all things unique to Sapphire Bay. Where else can someone buy your dad’s world-famous apple cider?”
Her father would be thrilled to hear his cider described as world-famous, but it was far from perfect. Brewed at home with labels that came out of a printer, it was as homegrown as you could get. “The general store isn’t the most exciting place to visit.”
“People come here to relax. They don’t necessarily want to try extreme sports or commune with nature. Have you noticed the number of vehicles driving through town each day? That will give you an idea of how popular Main Street has become.”
The teenage boy with short, dark hair came up to Diana. “Hi. I’m Paul. I have to go home, but thanks for the cookies.”
“You’re welcome.”
He glanced at the screen prints sitting on the table.
“Don’t worry,” Ethan assured him. “I’ll make sure they’re safe.”
Paul sent him a relieved smile. “Thanks. Is it okay if I collect my prints from your office on Friday?”
“Friday’s perfect. If you need them before then, just call me.”
Diana checked her watch. “I’d better go, too. I still have to figure out where I’m taking our guests.”
“I have an idea,” Ethan said. “The stores are open late tonight. How about I show you the places I’ve enjoyed visiting?”
“I don’t want to take too much of your time. I can—”
“I don’t mind. It will be fun to plan a few tours with you.”
She wasn’t sure whether Ethan was offering to help her because he wanted to or because he felt sorry for her. But, with their guests arriving soon, she really needed to work out what they were going to do.
“Okay. That would be great. What if I meet you at Sweet Treats at six?”
“Perfect. Sweet Treats it is.”
And before she could change her mind, Diana hurried out of the room. She had one hour to finish all the jobs she needed to do in town. If luck was on her side, she might even have enough time to go home and change before she met Ethan.
An hour later, Diana was hunting through her closet for a pair of clean jeans. “They have to be here somewhere. Are you sure they aren’t on the clothesline?”
Barbara shook her head. “There’s a pair of Katie’s, but that’s all.” She picked up a red dress that Diana had left on the bed. “What about wearing this? It’s soft and pretty—perfect for a first date.”
“It’s not a date.”
“When two single people spend time together, it’s called a date.”
“It might be a date if they want to get to know each other, but that’s not why I’m meeting Ethan.”
Barbara sat on the chair in Diana’s room. “While he’s showing you his favorite places, you’ll get to know each other. That’s why it’s a date.”
Diana looked over her shoulder at her sister and frowned. “Whatever you do, don’t mention anything about meeting Ethan with Katie or Penny. If I can’t convince you this is a casual meeting, they won’t believe me, either.”
“There’s a good reason for that.”
Ignoring her sister’s comment, she gave up searching through the closet. If she didn’t leave in the next ten minutes, she’d be late. And if Ethan didn’t wait for her, it wouldn’t matter what they called their meeting because he wouldn’t be there.
Barbara held out the dress.
“I don’t know why I’m taking fashion advice from you,” Diana grumbled. “You only wear trousers.”
“That’s because they’re more practical than floaty skirts and dresses. But if I met someone as dreamy as Ethan, I might change my mind.”
“If you like him, you should talk to him.”
Barbara grinned. “You’re not getting out of meeting him that easily. And even though he has gorgeous blue eyes and a killer smile, he isn’t my type.”
“I didn’t know you had a ‘type’.”
“Everyone has something they’re attracted to. I’m more of a sophisticated suit and Lamborghini sort of woman.”
Diana smiled at that. “Which is why you’re still single.” Taking the red dress off its hanger, she disappeared into the bathroom. “Have you heard anything from the Smithsonian?”
“Chl
oe Anders called Penny this afternoon. They’re still working through the authentication process and piecing together the information we’ve given them. She asked if we could send our great-grandparents’ dresser, journal, and chest to the museum.”
“That’s sooner than she first thought.”
“She’s hoping it will help her team work out how the letter made its way to Montana.”
Diana wanted it to do more than that. She was hoping the letter and the other belongings would provide an answer about the mysterious disappearance of her great-grandfather. It would be wonderful to know exactly what happened to him in the 1920s.
After pulling the red dress over her head, she looked in the bathroom mirror. Barbara was right. If Ethan had asked her on a date, the dress would be perfect. But it wasn’t a date. It was a friendly get-together to see some of the things he’d enjoyed when he first arrived in Sapphire Bay.
Opening her makeup bag, she hunted for her lip balm. “Has Chloe’s team discovered anything about our great-grandfather?”
Barbara stood in the doorway with a pair of high-heels in her hand. “I don’t think Penny asked her, but she’s scheduled another group meeting for next month. We could talk to her about him then. What do you think of these shoes?”
“Definitely not. For all I know, we might end up hiking on one of the trails around the lake. There’s a pair of sneakers in the closet. They’ll be better.”
“You can’t wear sneakers on a—” She stopped talking when Diana sent her a withering look. “Okay. You can wear whatever you like. Did I tell you that Mom’s looking through the library archives? She’s searching for information about where her grandfather might have gone to gamble.”
“I thought she’d already looked through their collection?”
Taking the high heels back into the bedroom, Barbara slipped them onto the shoe rack. “She was looking for information about his disappearance. Until we reread the letters in our great-grandmother’s chest, it never occurred to her to look for places he may have spent a lot of time.”
Diana picked up her best sneakers. They were a birthday present from a friend and one of the comfiest pairs of shoes she owned. “It might take her a long time to search through their collection.”
Summer At Lakeside Page 3