Island Thyme Cafe (Madrona Island Series Book 3)

by Andrea Hurst

  Jude had heard enough and wanted them out of her café. She returned behind the counter ready to say something, but as soon as they saw her, they changed the subject abruptly.

  “Are you finished?” Jude asked, staring at their empty coffee cups.

  The AD seemed to look right through her. “No we’re not,” he said. “I believe we have reserved the place until 10:00.”

  At least Kate had the decency to look down at her cup rather than engage in the rude eye contact this man was now making.

  Jude removed their cups and slammed them down in the sink. Her jaw clenched as she fought to hold back a threatening storm of tears.

  She motioned for their new waitress, Carol, who was bussing tables, to join her. “Can you handle the counter too for a few minutes?”

  Carol nodded. “Sure thing, we’re still not open for a few hours, so take your time.”

  Jude walked slowly through the dining room, trying to hide her frustration. She opened the sliding door that led to the deck and stepped outside into the chilled morning air. Their words had cut through her gut. If a heart could drop, hers plummeted into a dark, familiar pit. Despair, her once constant companion, returned to its residence in her mind. The mood swing was so fast and insidious that Jude had no time to put up barriers.

  Betrayal stung like no other wound for her. She’d told Ryan all her deepest secrets, and in return he’d supposedly told her his own. But obviously not all of them. The other day at their picnic he’d told her it was long over with Peyton, and he only had eyes for Jude. But what else was he not telling her? Years ago, she’d trusted Mitchell, only to be dealt a devastating blow. “Never again,” she’d promised herself, “Never trust a man fully.” But she had.

  Jude looked over the wooden railing to the water below. The searing tears were winning over her resolve not to cry. She turned and raced up the stairs to her apartment to beat the outburst of tears that followed. She locked the front door behind her and leaned against it for support.

  “Why am I so stupid?” she yelled at the ceiling as she dropped into a chair. Images of her crumbling marriage filled her mind. She’d been left alone with a young child, and so afraid. The tears built as her body trembled. “Even my own daughter abandoned me for a father who never loved her.” And now, she had no choice. She had to let Ryan go. She would be alone again. But safe, ever so safe. She buried her head in the throw pillow and let the tears come. Even as she cried, she knew she was indulging self-pity. But sometimes a good cleaning out was needed before a new direction could be forged.

  She felt rung out. “Pull yourself together,” she told herself. “Deal with the problem, like you always have. Face on.”

  Jude dried her eyes and fixed her hair before going back down to the kitchen. Was it only an hour ago that she had wanted to race into his arms? Ryan was alone when she got there with no Lindsey in sight.

  “Where’s Lindsey?” she asked Ryan.

  “She went out for a walk,” he said. “She’s been doing quite a bit of that lately. I figured that was good for her, get up, have a long morning walk, maybe get some exercise or meet some friends.”

  Jude put her hands on her hips. “What about her working?”

  “She wakes early, helps me, then takes off.”

  “And you didn’t think to tell me this?” Jude asked.

  Ryan looked confused. “It seemed fine.”

  His innocent smile reminded her of a little boy. But then the image of him on the deck with Peyton flashed across Jude’s mind. She glared at him. “It would to you.” “Is something wrong? Do you need me to . . .”

  “Never mind,” Jude said. She headed out the back door, leaving Ryan in mid-sentence.

  What was Lindsey up to? Jude had assumed her daughter’s mornings were being spent in the kitchen. It was time to investigate; her talk with Ryan could wait. She took a few steps uptown, unsure of where she was headed, before spotting cameras at the end of Front Street. The scene was set with a thriving farmer’s market, and all the townsfolk, families, and kids were milling around. No wonder the sidewalks were so empty. Everyone was down there.

  Jude saw Grandpa John sitting on the bench in front of Tea & Comfort. He must have been in half the movie. It would be fun to all watch it together when it was released. She walked over to where the guards were stationed at the edge of the set and watched for a little while. She really hadn’t seen much of the shooting outside the café.

  The farmer’s market looked unbelievably real. It was obvious to Jude that all of the local farmers with their produce were stationed at the carts and make-shift stalls built for the film. It looked like a typical, lazy summer day in a small coastal town, unexpectedly still and quiet until the directed yelled, “Take one. Action.”

  All at once the scene came alive. Everyone started chatting and sampling the goods as they walked through the street market. A young couple on bikes rode down the Main Street hill followed by their two kids and a shaggy dog.

  Jude wasn’t sure what was going to actually happen in this scene until she saw the lead actor, Michael Medford, come walking down the sidewalk with Peyton. He didn’t look well. His face was dead pale. Peyton supported his weight as he stumbled along toward the pier where their sailboat was docked.

  As the camera zoomed in, Peyton spoke, and Jude could see the sound boom moving in silently just above them to catch the dialogue. This must be the scene where she dragged him out of the hospital to take him back onto the yacht to finish the deadly deed. Jude watched as they shot the same scene three times. The director finally yelled, “Cut! That’s a wrap.”

  At just that moment, Jude caught sight of Lindsey sitting with some crew members in front of one of the make-believe storefronts. As Jude walked over closer, she realized Lindsey was sitting right next to Peyton. They were chatting away with another man who Jude did not recognize. Who was he? Jude thought back to the original town meeting. She believed he was the person that organized everything. What was his title? And just what was her daughter doing here in the thick of it all?

  She could feel her skin burn. Just how many mornings had this been going on? She saw Peyton and Lindsey laughing and the man writing something down. It looked as if her daughter was about to sign something. That was all she needed to see. Jude stamped through the set, across the fake farmer’s market, and over to where they were sitting.

  “Good morning,” she said, looking straight at Lindsey.

  Lindsey looked shocked. “Good morning, Mom.”

  “And just what’s going on here?” Jude said. “Ryan said you were out for a walk.”

  “Oh no,” Peyton said, her sharp, shockingly white teeth peeking under her smirk. Obviously, she had caught the drift right away. “Lindsey’s been helping us every morning. Didn’t you know?”

  If Jude could strangle that woman, she would. “No, actually, I didn’t know,” Jude said, looking at Lindsey.

  Peyton looked adoringly toward Lindsey, and then turned to Jude to gloat. “Your daughter is wonderful. She’s so supportive to me. Our producer raves about how fantastic she is with the catering. She even took some publicity shots for us with her camera.”

  “What do you mean, the catering?” Jude said, hating the look of triumph on Peyton’s face.

  The other actors around them started to disperse, probably wanting to avoid the conflict. But the assistant with the contract remained.

  “Lindsey helps us out with the food choices on the set. She’s been invaluable,” Peyton said, watching Jude’s every move. “We were just discussing how she might be able to come with us when the action shifts to San Juan Island.”

  Rage moved through Jude like a torpedo searching for a target. She had to squelch the impulse to grab Lindsey by the hair and drag her away. Instead, she looked over at the man holding the contract. “I don’t know who you are, nor do I care. But you need to be aware that
my daughter is under twenty-one, and I am her legal guardian. So before she signs anything, or agrees to anything, I think it would be best—

  “Mom, stop,” Lindsey said. “I don’t have to be twenty-one to work in the USA, even here on this little island. You only have to be eighteen.”

  “Is that right? We’ll see about that. Don’t forget that Ryan is counting on you in the kitchen,” Jude said. Peyton’s glare brought her to a dead stop. The last thing Jude wanted was for Peyton to see just how uncomfortable she was. Sweat pooled at her back and her heart picked up speed. She could tell the woman was enjoying every moment of this little exchange.

  “Don’t worry, Lindsey,” Peyton said, “I’ll talk to Ryan. I’m sure he will be reasonable. In fact, he told me the other day how well you were doing. I’m sure he can spare you.”

  Jude’s face flushed hot. The other day? Peyton and Ryan had been talking in the last few days? Did Ryan know what was happening all along? Had he lied to her?

  “Lindsey, did Ryan know that you’ve been coming over here and helping?”

  Lindsey looked Jude straight in the eye defying her mother to doubt her. “Yes, of course he did.”

  Jude was pretty sure her daughter was lying, but for that moment she didn’t know who was lying anymore. She just wanted out of there. “All right. It’s time to get back. Ryan needs you to help prep for lunch.”

  Lindsey turned to Peyton. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  Over my dead body, Jude thought.

  They walked back to the café in silence. Lindsey scuffed her feet along the sidewalk and huffed. “You embarrassed me, Mom.”

  Jude could only sigh. She didn’t know what to say. In fact, if she was honest, she just wanted to take Lindsey and shake some sense into her. “I didn’t mean to embarrass you, Lindsey, but it’s time you realized that I’m your mother and your guardian for the summer. Anything you do here, you need to run by me. And you’ve made a commitment to Ryan, to work with him in the kitchen for the duration of the summer. So that is where you belong each day.”

  “Fine. But as I remember you kind of forced me to work in your kitchen. And I could make money working on the film.”

  Jude stopped and looked at her daughter. “I thought you liked the work. Do you want to quit? Is that it?”

  Lindsey shook her head. “No, I mean yes, I do like it, and no, I don’t want to quit. I just like working for them too. Peyton is helping me learn the business.”

  I bet she is, Jude thought. But her motives were plain to Jude. Peyton had no interest in Lindsey except as a way to get to Ryan.

  “For now, I want you to stay away from the set.”

  Lindsey walked begrudgingly behind Jude to the cafe and let the back door slam behind her when she entered.

  Ryan glanced over when they entered, but Jude ignored his questioning expression. She didn’t want to even look at him, much less talk now. But how could she not? She took a deep breath to compose herself, hoping she would come off saner than she felt.

  She met Ryan’s eyes. “Did you really think she was taking a walk?”

  Ryan looked confused. “Of course.”

  Lindsey scooted in next to him, eyes wide. “Remember Ryan, I told you that I was helping Peyton out with a few things.”

  Ryan froze, looking between the two women. “No, I don’t really remember you saying anything about that.”

  Lindsey, hands on her hips, looked like a little girl having a tantrum. “Peyton said she told you.”

  “Not true, I haven’t spoken to her,” Ryan said, firmly stepping away from Lindsey.

  The room spun as emotions overwhelmed Jude. There was enough staff working today that she could walk out and take a day off, and that’s just what she planned to do. She needed to get out of this kitchen, get away from everyone, be by herself, and pray for some clarity.

  “I need to leave for a while.” Jude said.

  “Everything all right?” Ryan asked.

  Jude looked right at him and said, “I don’t know, you tell me.” He looked surprised, but only for a second, then he frowned. Jude wondered what that look was. Guilt? Worry? Sadness? She didn’t care right now.

  Her daughter was sitting and writing notes at the counter. More work for Peyton?

  “Lindsey, aren’t you supposed to be helping Ryan out?”

  “I am,” she said, “He asked me if I would write down some recipes for the cookbook, and that’s what I’m doing.” Lindsey’s expression was fierce. “Is that okay with you?”

  Jude turned to Ryan, “Are you working on a cookbook?”

  Ryan nodded. “Jude, I didn’t want to tell you until I was sure that it was definitely going to happen. I wanted to surprise you.”

  “Well today has certainly been full of surprises,” she said.

  Ryan continued. “I’ve been thinking about putting together a book proposal. One of my old chef friends told me that his agent’s looking for some new work. He suggested I come up with an outline and said he’d pass it along to him.”

  “I see,” Jude said. “Don’t you think you might have mentioned this to me sooner?”

  Ryan took a step closer, but Jude backed away.

  “I was going to sit down and talk to you about the idea as soon as we had a minute and I had something more concrete to show you. Lindsey is keeping track of everything. I was thinking of featuring some recipes from Island Thyme Café. That would promote the restaurant too. What do you think?”

  “I can’t really think about it right now,” Jude said. “I’m sure it’s a great idea. I’m glad you’re helping out, Lindsey.”

  “I’ve taken some photos too. I’m really good with that Nikon Dad got me last summer.”

  Of course her dad would have bought her some expensive camera. “I’m glad that you’re finding something to do here at the cafe. I just wish someone had told me.”

  Her daughter looked up, her eyes afire. “At least this is interesting for me. Maybe if my stupid boyfriend hadn’t dumped me, I wouldn’t be stuck here so long with nothing to do. At least if you let me go with the caterers to the next location . . .”

  Jude stood firm. “No, you’re staying here for the summer.”

  Lindsey crossed her arms across her chest. “You have no say over me.”

  Jude noticed Ryan’s worried expression. He looked over at her for a cue to step in, but this was her problem. She had known Lindsey was used to city life and might be bored on the island with less to do, but after their hike the other day she thought they were making progress. When Jude had seen her working with Ryan in the kitchen with her hair up and apron on, it had given her some hope.

  “I’m not trying to control you, Lindsey. I was hoping this summer we could enjoy some good times together again.”

  “Well, maybe you should have thought of that before you made Dad leave,” Lindsey said.

  Jude was stunned. Where had that come from? She walked over to her daughter. “You know,” she said, “Your dad left all on his own.”

  “He says you made him leave.”

  Jude just stared. She was not ready for another battle, but backing down under attack would not send a good message either.

  “Stop right there, Lindsey. I’ve always wanted what was best for you, even when you wanted to go live with your dad.”

  “I was going whether you wanted me to or not. You weren’t being fair to dad either. Taking me here to this island and not letting him see me.”

  Jude’s heart sank. Lindsey looked like a pouting child. “You don’t know the whole story,” Jude said.

  “And whose fault it that?” Lindsey said.

  Ryan started to speak but Jude cut him off. “Let’s talk about this later in private, Lindsey.”

  “You never have time to talk about it.”

  Lindsey was right there. Her daughter wa
s older now and hurting. “Think what you like,” Jude said. “At this point there’s probably nothing I could say to change your mind.”

  Jude walked toward the door, stopped and looked back. “So I assume you can both handle lunch without me, because I am heading out.”

  Chapter Ten

  Jude raced out of the kitchen, wondering if she’d ever return. The fatigue that clung to her lately would not let up. She hopped in her car and cleared the driveway, not caring where she went as long as it was away from the café. Away from Ryan and the oppressive movie people. If she saw one more person with a camera or a light or dressed in a costume in heavy makeup, she was going to scream. The turnoff heading toward the ferry caught her eye and she made a sharp left at the stop sign. Summer sunlight filtered through the towering pines and little yellow and pink wildflowers grew in the shade. The beauty calmed her as she drove. Thankfully, there were no tailgating tourists hurrying her to drive faster, so her mind began to slow.

  Lindsey’s words echoed in Jude’s head. Waves of nausea almost had her pulling the car over. Could she trust Ryan? Her mind screamed no, but her heart still held hope. His reassuring words dissolved before her whenever Peyton walked into the café. Peyton’s attraction to him was impossible to miss. Clearly she was a woman used to getting what she wanted.He said there had only been chemistry between them, not real love. But with all her beauty and charms, he no longer found her attractive. Peyton’s spell spread like a spider web dazzling her prey in its deadly snare. Every man in town swooned when he saw her.

  Sunshine Lane was coming up at the next turn. As if by instinct, Jude had driven to Lily’s house. She’d go there, have a cup of tea, and be with her dear friend. Jude followed the dirt road leading to Madrona Island B&B and parked her car on the gravel drive. There was not another car in sight, not even Lily’s. The place was deserted. Everyone was probably in town filming. Jude left the car and went to the front door to knock, just in case. No friendly face greeted her, not even a furry one. She collapsed onto the front porch swing, frustrated, and let the tears come.