“That’s what we do here.” Liza shrugged. “We give people a comfortable place to sleep and plenty of good food. And a little peace and quiet,” she added.
Before Judy could reply, Claire appeared again, carrying a tray of dessert dishes. She served Judy, Zach, and Liza and poured the iced tea into tall glasses decorated with sprigs of fresh mint and thin lemon slices.
“Wow … this is … outrageous,” Judy said between mouthfuls of crumble. She pointed at her dish. “I bet it has a million calories, but I can’t resist. You really made this?” She stared up at Claire in disbelief.
Claire nodded. “And the ice cream. Though it got a tad frosty in the freezer. It’s best right out of the churn.”
“Tastes fine to me,” Zach said. He looked over at Judy, and they seemed to silently agree on something.
Once the crumble was finished, which didn’t take very long, Liza gave the pair a tour of the inn, downstairs, and then the upper floors. Judy seemed genuinely pleased by the size of the rooms and the decor. She made a lot of notes and Zach took photos. She even picked out rooms for Charlotte Miller and Nick Dempsey, mentioning a few items the stars liked to have handy: favorite brands of bottled water, organic dried apricots, ginger tea, and chocolate-coated Oreos, chilled in the refrigerator.
“I’ll e-mail a complete list,” she added. “Don’t worry about that now.”
Liza forced a smile. She did worry about it. They didn’t exactly live on a desert island; there was a well-stocked general store, and stores in Cape Light and beyond were easily accessible. But it was hard to shop by such specific brands. She could only imagine one of the stars having a hissy fit because she’d bought the wrong brand of dried apricots.
But look at the upside, Liza, she coached herself. A full house for several days, great publicity, and such excitement. There were definitely more pluses than negatives to this situation.
Judy and Liza talked a bit more about the business end, the rates for the rooms and meals. Liza offered a group discount, and they agreed to confirm everything by e-mail once Judy got back to her boss, who was with the crew in Cape Light.
“This is going to be great,” Judy said, shaking Liza’s hand as she left. “I can’t wait to come back … and get more of this crumble.”
“I look forward to seeing you again. Claire will have more crumble ready and waiting,” Liza promised. She watched as their white Land Rover drove off. Then she stood by the door a moment, feeling a bit stunned and wondering if she had just imagined the whole thing. Were the cast and crew of a real movie actually coming here? It was just too unbelievable.
“Are they gone?” Claire asked quietly.
Liza turned to see her standing by the stairway.
“Yes, they left. But they’ll be back,” she quickly added. “And we have a ton of work to do before they get here.”
Claire’s pale eyebrows rose a notch or two. “How long will that be?”
“Two days.” Liza waited for her reaction. “That’s their schedule right now. They’re coming to the island to shoot some scenes on the beach in two days. So that’s our deadline.”
Saying it aloud, she honestly could not believe she’d agreed to this. But there it was.
Claire, in her usual way, seemed unfazed. “That is soon. How many will there be?”
“A full house. Some of the rooms will be doubled up, in fact.”
“Yes, I’d imagine they would be,” Claire said calmly. “We might need those cots in the attic. Maybe Daniel can help get them down. It will be nice to entertain a big group. Your aunt loved to see the inn filled to the brim. One of her favorite things was to put out the ‘NO VACANCY’ sign. I love to see a full table. That’s what we’re here for, don’t you think?”
Liza nodded. “Absolutely.”
Trust Claire to look on the bright side and not complain about the work. Liza was thankful to have her help, as always, and the blessing of her positive perspective.
“Having all those movie stars with us is a bit intimidating, though. I hope the inn is up to their standards.”
Claire smiled calmly at her. “We don’t have all the bells and whistles, that’s for sure. But I think the inn offers something rare and special in its own way. We can’t try to be something we’re not, Liza. We can just try our best to entertain them in our unique style.”
When Liza looked at it that way, she had to agree. Just let the inn be the welcoming, peaceful place it had always been. That was the best strategy, even for hosting Hollywood.
Chapter Two
THE Gilroy Farm stood just beyond the fence that bordered Liza’s property. Heavy rain in the morning had tapered off to a steady drizzle. Liza considered driving but felt silly taking her car just to go next door. Dressed in her yellow slicker with the hood up, she walked through the trellised passage in the fence, now covered with blooming roses. Then she followed a path through the outlying meadow that led to the big barn and a smaller shed, which housed the farm’s retail shop.
Her friend Audrey Gilroy would most likely be in the shed at this time of day, selling cheese, fudge, skin lotion, and soaps, all made with goat milk. Audrey and her husband, Rob, also grew lavender, which took up an entire field beside the barn, a wide purple wave of blossoms. Audrey had told her they were selling the blooms this summer as fast as they could grow and dry them.
The Gilroys had both quit jobs in Boston to move to the farm. The place had been vacant, the buildings run-down. But now, only a few years after they purchased it, the buildings were in perfect condition, and the fields and gardens flourishing with flowers and vegetables.
The herd of frolicking goats—who often escaped to Liza’s property—were nowhere in sight. The goats must be hiding in the barn, Liza thought. They didn’t like the rain very much and made a real racket in a thunderstorm.
Liza entered the shed that served as the farm’s shop and found Audrey sitting at a side counter, making lavender wreaths. Her long red hair was neatly braided, a few strands hanging loose around her face. Dressed in a cotton T-shirt, baggy shorts, and high rubber boots, Audrey looked like she had been working hard this morning. Her tall, sturdy build seemed to fit the typical idea of a farm woman. But Audrey was also a registered nurse and kept up her practice, volunteering at the island’s medical clinic.
But the farm was her true love and she had many creative ideas for the shop, including the lavender products. Today the air was filled with the wonderful scent, and Liza took a deep, calming breath before saying hello.
Audrey turned and smiled. “Hey, Liza. What a nice surprise. This isn’t your usual shopping day.”
“My usual day? When is that?” Liza asked curiously.
“Thursday. Or sometimes, Friday morning. Before your weekend guests check in. Didn’t you ever notice?”
Liza laughed. “No, I didn’t, but I think you’re right. We’re getting a big crowd in tomorrow, and I’ve got a huge order for you. I hope you can fill it.”
Liza handed Audrey the list she and Claire had made of items they needed from the farm. She watched as Audrey’s eyes widened. “Who are you expecting? Napoleon and his army?”
“Almost. You know that movie crew that’s in town? They’re shooting a few scenes on the island, on the beach just below the inn, and they’re using the inn as a home base. We have to feed them, pamper them, house a lot of them overnight. The works,” Liza concluded happily.
Audrey’s mouth hung open a moment. “Get out … Really?”
“Really.” Liza nodded quickly, feeling like a bobblehead doll.
“Even Charlotte Miller and Nick Dempsey?” Audrey’s tone changed in pitch a bit, giving the hunky movie star’s name special reverence.
“Even Charlotte and Nick,” Liza quipped, feigning familiarity. “Though the big stars aren’t staying overnight. They’re just using rooms to rest and freshen up between takes and review their lines, that sort of thing.”
Audrey gave her a look. “You’re starting to sound like you
’re in the business, Liza. They haven’t even arrived yet.”
Liza shrugged. “What can I say? We’re all bitten by the Hollywood bug. Except for Claire,” she added with a grin.
“Claire has a built-in immunity to any bug like that.”
Audrey glanced at Liza’s list and began gathering the items, laying them out on the wooden countertop to be wrapped and packed. “When the Hollywood stars gasp with awe and delight over our goat cheese, please direct them this way. I’d love to see the farm mentioned in one of those celebrity interviews. Maybe I’ll be sending packages to the West Coast in dry ice, special delivery.”
“It’s very possible. I can just see it—Gilroy Farm, Goat Cheese of the Stars.”
“Very good. But you did have a former life in advertising.”
“Can’t deny it. Though I’ve tried to better myself since those dark days,” she teased back. Liza picked up a grainy cracker from a plate and tasted the free sample Audrey had set out, which was a tasty herb-infused cheese. As she watched her friend move about the shop, Liza sensed something dragging at her spirits. “So, what’s new with you guys? How’s it going?” she asked. Liza didn’t want to come right out and ask the obvious question. But it suddenly hung in the air.
Audrey and Rob had been trying to start a family for almost a year without much progress. Liza usually waited for Audrey to bring up the sensitive topic; she didn’t want her friend to feel pressured. But she sensed from Audrey’s expression there was some news on that front. And it wasn’t good.
Audrey walked over to the wooden counter where Liza stood and set down an armload of tomatoes. “I thought I was pregnant, but it turned out to be another false alarm. I was just really late.”
Audrey lowered her gaze and sighed. Liza’s heart went out to her. She reached over and squeezed her hand. “I’m so sorry, Audrey. What a roller coaster. It must be so hard to get all excited and then, it doesn’t work out.”
Audrey nodded. “That’s it, a real roller coaster. And it’s not just me. Rob is riding it, too. We get so excited then … crash again.” She took a long breath and squared her shoulders. “My doctor says we have time and shouldn’t get discouraged. It just takes some couples longer, you know?”
Liza nodded. “Sure it does. I’ve heard of women who take a long time to have a first child, and then have several more, one right after the other.”
“I’ve heard those stories, too,” Audrey answered with a small smile. “We’ll just take one for now. One healthy one. There’s a lot that can be done these days. I think we’re ready to figure out our next step. But we’re not quite sure what that should be.”
Audrey had been a nurse before coming out to the island to run the farm. She still practiced nursing, donating a great deal of time to the island’s medical clinic, where Liza’s friend Daniel also worked as an emergency medical technician.
“What does your doctor say?” Liza asked.
“He referred us to a specialist in Boston. He thinks that’s the best place for me to go and get more information. More tests and an evaluation.”
“I see.” Liza nodded. “That sounds like a good plan. It could be something very simple.”
“It could be,” Audrey agreed, but sounded as if she really doubted it would be a quick fix. Liza hated to see her friend feeling sad and defeated. It just wasn’t Audrey. The issue of having children was so momentous. Starting a family came so easily to some couples, Liza was sure they hardly appreciated the blessing. But when couples like Audrey and Rob struggled, it became clear that having a baby was truly a miracle and one of life’s greatest gifts. Liza hoped that the problem would soon be solved for her friends. She knew they would make wonderful parents.
“I’ll say a prayer for you,” Liza said finally. “Let me know when you have to go to the city. I can come with you if Rob is busy here or you need company.”
Rob was very supportive of Audrey, and the couple had a great marriage. But Liza knew that there were days when at least one person had to be on the farm, for the animals or the cheese-making and other responsibilities.
Audrey squeezed her hand. “Thank you, Liza. That’s sweet. I’ll keep you posted.”
As Audrey tallied up the order, the conversation turned to other topics—the rainy days that were starting to seem endless, with more predicted for the rest of the week.
“Will they still film the movie in the rain?” Audrey asked as Liza prepared to go.
“I don’t really know. They did say they take long breaks so we need to be prepared for a lot of downtime. It’s hard to say. I think we’re pretty well stocked if they stay in.”
“I’d say you were. Can you even carry all that stuff home on your own?”
Liza looked at the pile of packages and considered the rain. “I’ll be okay. I’ll just grab what I can carry in my bags for now and come back later with the car.”
“I can give you a lift back.”
“No, don’t do that. You need to stay at the store. You might miss customers,” Liza insisted. “It’s not far and I’m already wet.”
“Yes, you are,” Audrey agreed. “I have an even better idea. Why don’t I bring the rest over tomorrow?” Audrey’s grin was mischievous. “What time do you think they’ll get there?”
“They told me eight sharp.”
“Great. I’ll be there at eight fifteen.” Audrey fluffed her long red hair and batted her eyes, making Liza laugh. “I can hardly wait to meet Nick Dempsey.”
Liza had a feeling that half the population of the island and Cape Light village felt the same. The female half. How could she deny her best friend this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity? “I’m sure he’ll be excited to meet you, too. Especially when he tries the cheese.”
The two women hugged, and Liza set off through the meadow, lugging her purchases in two large canvas tote bags. As she sloshed through the muddy field and felt the raindrops drip down her face, she recalled that she’d often heard the movie business was a lot of hard work and not half as glamorous as it seemed. She was starting to see that was true.
RAIN continued to fall through the day and into the night. Thunder boomed and a flash of lightning lit up Audrey’s bedroom. She woke with a start, then sat up in bed, listening to an even louder rumble in the sky overhead and the goats braying out in the barn. Waves of windswept rain struck the house, and she jumped up to close the windows.
Out in the yard between the house and barn, she heard another sound. A dog barking, out there somewhere in the darkness. It stopped for a moment, then started again, frenzied and more insistent.
Audrey pulled the curtain back and looked out. She couldn’t see much at all. She was about to go back to bed when a bolt of lightning lit up the yard and she could see it clearly. A large yellow dog, huddled against the barn, pacing back and forth. It was drenched and looked very frightened.
She turned to her husband, his long, lanky body outlined under the sheet. He lay on his back, his head sunk in a pillow. All she could see was his brown curly hair and full beard. But his loud snores told her he was fast asleep. Once Rob dropped off, he could sleep through a locomotive running through the room.
“Rob? There’s a dog outside. It’s driving the goats crazy.”
“Hmm?” he seemed to respond for a moment, then turned on his side and fell back to sleep again.
No help there, Audrey thought. She was awake now. No sense in the both of them losing sleep. She pulled on a sweatshirt, pulled up the hood, and went downstairs. At the side door she found her high rubber boots and a flashlight. Moving quickly, she headed out toward the barn. The rain beat down, soaking her to the skin. Audrey felt a little nutty, out in the rain in her pajamas and boots but what else could she do?
She swung the light on the dog and it stared back at her, looking fearful. But its big tail wagged. Then a clap of thunder made it shiver and pace again. She almost thought it was going to run away. But instead, it ran toward her, then jumped up and put its big muddy paws on her chest
.
Audrey stumbled backward and dropped the light. “Get down! Down, dog!” Audrey pushed the dog’s paws off her sweatshirt, leaving long streaks of mud. The dog sat at her feet, staring up at her. Its tail beat the wet ground. Its eyes were wide with an eager expression, and it was panting a little.
She found herself giving in. “Okay, come with me. You must be lost. Do you have a collar?” She leaned over and checked the dog’s neck. There was a collar, but no tags. She slipped her fingers between the collar and the dog’s wet fur. Her first thought was the barn, of course. But she knew the goats would not like sharing the barn with a dog, and she didn’t know how the dog would feel about it either.
The dog seemed to have a nice disposition, but how much could you tell from just leading an animal across a rainy barnyard?
They reached the house and Audrey decided the screened-in porch was the best choice. She opened the screen door and the dog quickly ran inside. Audrey flicked on a low light. The dog was eagerly sniffing around, especially under the wooden picnic table where Audrey and Rob often ate in the warm months.
“You must be hungry. That figures. I’ll bet you need some water, too.”
Audrey went into the kitchen, careful to close the door behind her. She got out two plastic bowls and filled one with water. It was harder to decide what to put in the other. But she remembered a leftover container of potatoes and some cold chicken in the fridge and mixed it all together. She had no doubt the dog would devour the tasty people food but hoped it wouldn’t get an upset stomach. That was all she needed tonight.
When she came back out to the porch, the dog ran over to her, then quickly sat in an obedient position while she set the food and water down.
“Okay, go ahead. I guess you’ve had some training. Maybe that pounce outside was just a moment of desperation?”
She watched the dog inhale the chicken and potatoes, then lap up the entire bowl of water. The dog was a female, Audrey finally surmised, and much larger than it had looked from the window. She had a long wolfish muzzle and triangle ears, like a Labrador or a golden retriever. The dog’s coat was long and shaggy, like a retriever. But it was bigger and bulkier than any golden Audrey had ever seen, more like a Bernese mountain dog. It was obviously a mixed breed. Maybe a little bit of bear in there, too, she thought.
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