“Sounds good.”
~~~
“Well hello there, you two. It’s been a while since you’ve been in here.” Lila greeted them as they entered.
“Hey, Lila, something sure smells good.” Sharon answered for them both.
“You’re just in time for Hacienda Tuesday, girls. Pull up a booth and we’ll be right with you.” Lila smiled and placed a steaming plate of enchiladas in front of the Judge.
“Thanks,” Chelsea nodded and followed Sharon to the only empty booth in the place. Seems like the good people of Starsdale loved Hacienda Tuesday.
By the time they reached their seats, they’d spoken to at least ten people, some Chelsea knew, some she didn’t. Regardless, everyone knew her and greeted her like an old friend.
“I love this place,” Chelsea said quietly to Sharon when they were seated. “Everyone is so welcoming, now that they know I’m not crazy,” she grinned.
“Amazing how much of a difference that little tidbit can make,” Sharon grinned back. “But I know what you mean. It’s home, always has been. I can’t imagine living anywhere else.”
A shadow crossed Chelsea’s face as she thought of the life she’d left in San Diego. She’d enjoyed the city, but had never really felt a part of the community as she did here. As much as she wished that her mom was still with her, she was grateful for the other changes in her life. It was strange to know that had her mom not become ill, that Chelsea would probably have a very different life right now. She would likely still be with Preston, planning their wedding. Shivering at the thought, she suddenly understood the true meaning of the old adage, ‘every cloud has a silver lining.’
“Earth to Chelsea,” Sharon chided. “Hellooo.”
“Sorry, I just realized how different things could be right now. I’m very glad to be here.” Chelsea’s eyes lifted as the door to the diner opened and Mac stepped through. “Or at least I was,” she muttered.
“What?” Sharon turned in her seat and spied Mac and John, just as the older man raised his hand in greeting. “Oh, are you still dodging Mac?” she asked as she waved back.
“Trying to, but it looks like that’s over now. They’re coming over.” Pasting on a smile, Chelsea waved to the men.
“Hello there, Missy; fancy meeting you two here.” John greeted them when he finally made it to the table. Mac had not made it beyond the first booth past the door; old friends were keeping him occupied.
“Hi, John, would you like to join us?” Chelsea slid over to make room, silently hoping that Mac stayed where he was.
“Thanks, Missy. Lila’s got a full house tonight. I’d rather not wait on a seat.”
“No need, we’ve plenty of room.” Sharon smiled and slid over to make space for Mac, if he decided to join them.
“Sorry I didn’t make it to the site today,” Chelsea began, “but we needed to get some paperwork in order. You’re sitting with the proud owners of Cliffside Events and Cliffhangers Fine Dining.”
“Don’t forget about The Cliffs of Starsdale,” Sharon added, just as Mac stopped at the booth.
“Hey, Son, have a seat. We’re dining with the ladies tonight.” John beamed at his son.
Mac had no choice but to slide in beside Sharon.
“They were just telling me about the business names. Say it again?” John turned to Chelsea.
“The B&B is The Cliffs of Starsdale, primarily because there are other B&B businesses in California calling themselves The Cliffs. We had to make it different enough to be legal. The restaurant is officially Cliffhangers and the event business is simply Cliffside Events.” She spoke primarily to John, but she couldn’t help an occasional glance at Mac.
“Hmmm,” John mulled it over. “I like it. All three fit together, all three fit the scenery. Well done,” he added, patting Chelsea’s hand. “What do you think, Mac?”
“It’s good,” Mac said simply. “Nice job.” If he had to eat with his dad and his gold-digging lover, he would keep his part of the conversation to a minimum.
“Sorry it took me so long to get over here, folks. What can I get you to drink?” Lila bustled over, dropped four menus on the table and proceeded to fill their water glasses.
“You wouldn’t happen to have a bottle of champagne hiding back there, would you, Lila? These two are celebrating.” John smiled at his old friend.
“Why John Mills, you know I just might have something that will work. What are you celebrating, if you don’t mind my asking?” She directed her question to Sharon and Chelsea.
“We finalized our business agreement today, gave them names and everything.” Sharon winked at Chelsea. They hadn’t discussed sharing the news with the town just yet, but now is as good a time as any.
“Them? There’s more than one?” Lila’s interest level peaked.
“Yes, there’s three, actually,” Chelsea told her. “You know about the B&B, I’m calling it The Cliffs of Starsdale.” She waited for that to sink in.
“The Cliffs of Starsdale, sounds elegant. I like it.” Lila smiled widely at news to pass on to anyone who would listen. “But what are the other two?”
“We’re opening a small restaurant there as well, we named it Cliffhangers.” Sharon held her breath, hoping that Lila wouldn’t feel threatened.
“A restaurant? How fine. This town needs somewhere else to eat. I don’t mind telling you that I’d love to have someone else serving me for a change.” Lila looked so pleased with the news that Sharon and Chelsea both gave a sigh of relief. “Cliffhangers, sounds real nice. What’s the third one?”
“We’re also opening an event business, you know like for weddings and parties and such? We’re calling it Cliffside.” Sharon sat back, glad that the news was out, glad that Lila could be the one to share it.
“My goodness, three businesses, all at one time. Why, you girls are gonna put Starsdale on the map for sure, yes siree.”
“Lila, order up,” Henry boomed from the kitchen.
“Hold your horses,” Lila called back. “How soon do you think you’ll be open for business? The reason I ask is that my niece, Sally Ann, is pregnant and I want to throw her a baby shower. May as well make it a fancy one, out by the cliffs.” She winked at John, her eyes sparkling with juicy gossip.
“Not for a few months,” Chelsea began, then looked to John. “Right?”
“Maybe two, give or take. Shouldn’t be much longer than that, especially if Mac hangs around to help.” He looked at his son.
“I’ll be here,” Mac growled, not appreciating being put on the spot.
“Sally Ann is pregnant? How wonderful!” Sharon exclaimed. “We’d be happy to host her shower. Thanks, Lila.”
“For what, letting you do all the work? It’s my pleasure, Sharon.” Grinning, she walked to the kitchen, a definite spring in her step.
“Well, I guess the whole town will know about us before long.” Sharon chuckled, her eyes shining.
“Best advertising there is, the Lila Gazette.” John quipped, laughing along with her.
Chelsea smiled and met Mac’s gaze; his polite smile did not reach his eyes.
“The ink’s barely dry on the contracts and we’ve already found our first customer. I’d say that’s a good sign.” Sharon noticed the strain that suddenly appeared on Chelsea’s face, but said nothing.
“Couldn’t ask for a better one,” John agreed, his happiness for the girls overshadowing the sudden pain in his side. “I’m glad to hear that you’ll be helping out, Son. Does that mean that you’ll be going back and forth to Sacramento?”
“Probably, but it’s doable.” Mac stated, not wanting to discuss his business with Chelsea around. The less she knew about his life, the better.
“I haven’t had a chance to tell you that I really love the changes you made to the B&B plans.” Deciding to ignore Mac’s obvious dislike for her, she forged ahead. “Having eight bedrooms makes it almost an Inn. It will certainly help to make it more profitable. And I love the laundry room and
the big window in the kitchen. All of it, really. It’s perfect.”
“Glad you think so.” Mac nodded, then looked away.
Lila bustled back to the table, balancing four beers in frosty mugs.
“This is the best I could do. We’re all out of champagne.” She laughed at the thoughts of them ever having champagne. “And they’re on the house. Best wishes on your new ventures.” She placed the beers on the table with a flourish. “Now, what’ll you have to eat tonight?”
~~~
I’m going to ask Lila for her black bean salsa recipe,” Sharon stated as she and Chelsea walked to the car.
“I know, it was pretty special. But doesn’t Henry do the cooking?”
“Yes, but the recipes are Lila’s. Henry might add to them every now and then, but he mostly sticks to her originals.”
“I never dreamed to find such yummy Mexican food up here.” Chelsea patted her stomach before putting the car in gear.
“You’re liable to find all sorts of things at Lila’s. She’s been cooking for longer than we’ve been alive. Before she settled down here, she traveled all over the states, worked in everything from five-star restaurants to back-water dives. You should get her talking about it some time. It’ll blow your mind.”
“Sounds like a fun way to kill a few hours,” Chelsea laughed.
“What’s up with you and Mac?” The question came from out of the blue.
“What do you mean? You know he doesn’t like me.”
“Well that’s obvious, but there’s something else there, too. I could feel him tense up, every time you looked at him. Which you did a lot, by the way. What gives?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I was trying to be polite, include him in the conversation, which was worse than pulling teeth, by the way. Didn’t you once tell me that he was charming? What a crock.”
“Why not just ask him what his problem is?”
“I was hoping that he would be gone before that became necessary, but it seems he’ll be sticking around. I really don’t want to work like this, avoiding him whenever possible.” Chelsea bit her lower lip as she drove.
“You shouldn’t have to. Just ask him, Chels. It’s probably some misunderstanding that you can clear up in no time. Or you could ask John about it. Maybe he knows something.”
“Speaking of John, did you notice that he seemed off tonight? Like something was bothering him.”
“He did seem quiet, and his face seemed pained. Maybe he’s having a bad day. It happens to the best of us and he’s not used to working like he’s been doing lately.”
“I hope he hasn’t taken on too much. I’d hate to think that I was the cause of his discomfort,” Chelsea frowned as realization hit. “Hey, maybe that’s the reason Mac doesn’t like me. Maybe he would prefer that his dad stay retired, maybe he’s worried about this job being too much for him. That’s something I can understand.”
“It’s possible, but John came to you, you didn’t seek him out.”
“Doesn’t matter. Mac could still see me as the reason for John doing the job.”
“John is a grown man; he knows better than anyone how much he can and cannot do. Mac is old enough to know that.”
“True, but reason doesn’t always come into play when we’re talking about someone’s parent. I could be wrong, but it would be nice to have an explanation for his hostility towards me. I can’t remember enduring a more uncomfortable dinner.”
“At least he’s pretty,” Sharon laughed.
“There is that,” Chelsea agreed, then frowned as she heard her phone buzz. “Who could that be? Will you check for me?”
“Sure,” Sharon agreed, then rummaged for the phone. “It’s Preston.” Her voice was flat.
“Dammit, let it go to voice mail. I wish he’d get a clue already. I’ve asked him not to call, but he refuses to listen.”
“When did you speak with him?” Sharon was surprised.
“A few days ago, by accident. I was at the B&B and didn’t notice who was calling. You should have heard him, sickeningly sweet. He wants to see me, acted like nothing had happened between us. What a jerk.”
“Sounds about right. Now that the hard part is over, he can swoop back in and help you spend your inheritance. Total asshole.”
“That man’s already gotten everything he’ll ever get from me. I know I dodged a bullet, so glad it’s over.”
“He left a message. Want to hear it?”
“No, I’ll delete it later, just like the others. Feel like some ice cream?” Chelsea changed the subject as she pulled the car into the drive.
“Um, sundaes, definitely. It’s a celebration after all.”
~~~
“Want to tell me why you dislike Chelsea so much?” John hit Mac with the question as soon as they left the diner.
“What do you mean?” Mac evaded.
“Don’t play dumb with me, boy. You couldn’t have been more obvious if you tried. What’s wrong with her?”
“Nothing’s wrong with her. I’m sure that she’s perfectly nice.” Mac did not wish to get into a discussion about his dad’s love life tonight, or ever, if he could help it.
“She is nice, and she’s doing something nice for this community. I thought you liked the project.”
“I do, you know it fits in my wheelhouse, preservation combined with green alternatives. It’s also a pleasure to work on something without City Hall breathing down my neck. I don’t miss those bastards, I can tell you.”
“So what is it? You act like an old bear that’s been woke up too soon whenever she’s around.” John’s words faded as a fresh stab of pain hit his side. This time, he couldn’t hide it.
“What’s wrong, Dad?” Mac reached for John as his father stopped and leaned against the side of the truck.
“It’s nothing, just Lila’s enchiladas.” Straightening, but still in obvious pain, John drew himself up and opened the passenger door. “My constitution’s not as strong as it used to be for that hot sauce. You don’t mind driving, do you, Son?” Not waiting for an answer, John hefted himself up into the truck.
Mac stood by the door and watched his father. Something was obviously wrong, but it was just as obvious that he didn’t want to talk about it. Maybe it was the hot sauce, and maybe it was the conversation. Right then and there, he vowed to be more careful about showing his true feelings when Chelsea was around. He didn’t want to upset his dad, just protect him from the likes of Chelsea Bates.
“No, Dad, I don’t mind driving. Are you sure you’re okay?” Mac waited, wondering if he should take his father by Doc Arnold’s on the way home.
“I’m fine, nothing an Alka Seltzer or two won’t fix. Can we go now?”
“Sure, we can go.” Mac closed the door, still debating on a visit to the doctor.
“You didn’t answer my question,” John started as soon as Mac got into the truck. “What don’t you like about Chelsea?”
“I don’t know, Dad. Maybe it’s that she reminds me of someone in Sacramento,” Mac lied. “I’ll make a point to be nicer, okay?”
“I’d appreciate that, Son.” John’s voice was noticeably weaker.
Mac glanced sharply at his father. Sitting upright, eyes straight ahead, John looked anything but the picture of health.
~~~
“Are you working today?” Chelsea asked Sharon as she prepared to leave for the B&B.
“Yes, but not until four. Why?”
“I thought you might like to come out to the site. Mac was marking the boundaries for the event center when I left yesterday.” The doorbell rang just as Chelsea reached for her purse.
“Are you expecting anyone?” she asked as she headed for the door.
“Nope,” Sharon brought her coffee into the foyer.
“Flowers,” Chelsea whispered with a grin after peeking through the peephole.
“Always a nice start to the day,” Sharon grinned back.
Two dozen long stemmed red roses arranged
in a crystal vase greeted Chelsea when she opened the door. The delivery boy would not accept a tip, assuring her that it had already been seen to.
“You’ve been holding out on me,” Sharon chided as Chelsea placed the vase on the table.
“Not me, they must be for you.”
“Find the card.”
“Oh wow, they are for me.” Chelsea opened the small envelope, then dropped it like it was hot, her face falling in disgust. “They’re from Preston. How did he find me?”
“I don’t know, who all knew that you moved here?” Sharon asked, lowering her face to the fragrant buds.
“No one I can think of,” Chelsea worried her lower lip, ignoring the flowers.
“Well someone had to know. He didn’t just pluck my address from thin air.”
“Dammit. I really wish he’d just leave me alone.”
“So you keep saying.” Sharon picked up the card. “Says he’ll see you soon.”
“I know. The very last thing I want is for him to come here. What should I do?”
“Well, you could cut the flowers into mulch, send them back to him. But that would be such a waste,” Sharon sighed. “Or you could call him. Tell him in no uncertain terms to back the hell off.”
“I so don’t want to deal with this today.” Chelsea grumbled as she went for her phone. Punching in Preston’s number, she waited, her back to the roses.
“Preston,” she said when his machine answered. “I received the flowers, but I am not interested. Please leave me alone.” Disconnecting, she tossed the phone back into her purse.
“Short and sweet, that ought to do it.” Sharon nodded approvingly.
“You’d think,” Chelsea gave herself a mental shake. “I’d prefer not to see those again. Why not take them to your room, or to work?”
“Sure, thanks.” Sharon picked up the heavy vase and disappeared down the hall.
“So, do you want to come by the site?” Chelsea called after her.
“I’ll try. If not today, then definitely tomorrow.” Sharon called back.
“Okay, well, have a good one, if I don’t see you.”
“Thanks, you too.”
Killer Romances Page 45