“When you feel like it, we have refreshments in the sitting room,” she said brightly. Allie gestured across the hallway to indicate the sitting room and secretly hoped their attractive guest would spend plenty of time mingling. Bryce thanked her and went upstairs to his room. Allie’s eyes happily followed him until he turned toward his room at the top of the stairs.
2
Night of Celebration
When Brenda and Mac walked into the busy coffee shop, there was one available table. Jovial voices drifted toward them and Mac led her to where the famous captains sat drinking their coffee. Brenda was at last introduced. The first man, Captain Scully, sported a bushy, white beard and looked like the epitome of the salty fisherman she was sure he was. Before she could turn to the other two men, Captain Scully took her hand and shook it vigorously.
“I could tell you some stories, young lady,” he said. “Maybe we’ll have time to do that when this race is over.” He laughed in a deep-throated tone. “This man next to me is old Captain Pratt. He doesn’t know it yet, but I’m going to beat him this year.”
Captain Pratt was quick to retort. For a few minutes, he relayed a couple of incidents that caused Brenda to laugh in merriment and shudder in fright at his daring escapades in former races. It was obvious that Captain Pratt was not afraid to take risks or to do whatever it took to win any contest. His red hair was tinged with streaks of grey and he had fierce emerald eyes that sank deep beneath his brow, though they were still bright and merry. A lifetime of faint freckles covered his face and arms.
“And this man next to me is Captain Eddy. As you can tell by now, our boats all hold our own names. He’s the owner of the Eddy just as I own the Pratt and Scully owns the Scully.” He laughed good-naturedly.
Captain Eddy was the more reserved of the three. He shook Brenda’s hand firmly but she felt that his grasp was gentle. He smiled at her and she sensed he was a man of few words compared to the other two. His strong physique told of living a life on the seas.
Once introductions were made, Captain Scully interrupted himself as he began to tell another uproarious story, saying “You must come tour our ships, Miss Brenda. If you are interested, there will be time for that before the races tomorrow.”
“Now, now, Captain Scully, who are you dragooning onto your crew today?” A voice spoke up and they turned to the scraping of a chair. A man with thickly muscled forearms and a lean, muscled physique pulled the chair up next to the table and sat down.
“I’m Wally Doyle, shipwright and builder of boats since probably before you were born. I’ve wanted to meet Randolph Sheffield’s niece ever since you came to Sweetfern Harbor. I was glad he left the bed and breakfast to you. We all miss Randolph.”
Brenda thanked him and then asked, “Did you build all of their boats?”
“I sure did. These three are like brothers and so the boats they’re racing this year are identical. They wanted matching boats to begin with, but I decided it would be a fairer race if none of these rascals could say one boat had some kind of advantage over the other, too. They can be such vicious competitors when it comes to these boat races. You’ve never seen such a pack of old biddies clucking over whose pie will win at the county fair as these three worrying over the silver cup!” He laughed at his joke and slapped Captain Eddy heartily on the back.
Captain Eddy shook his head and smiled. Pratt made a joke about making sure he would go over every inch of the vessel again to make sure Wally did a good job. Scully laughed loudly and stated he had no worries along those lines. The three of them started ribbing each other over the details of long ago races and they all laughed easily together. It was obvious to Brenda they enjoyed a deep comradeship between them. More tourists and locals entered the shop and it seemed like everyone wanted to stop by the table and say hello to the captains and wish them luck in the race. Brenda and Mac excused themselves and ordered coffees to go. As they went to leave Morning Sun Coffee, they stopped by to thank Scully for the invitation to tour the boat. The other two captains chimed in to welcome them onboard as well.
“They are quite a group,” said Brenda as they stepped back out onto the sidewalk and into the fresh ocean breeze of Sweetfern Harbor. “I’m looking forward to touring their boats. I’ve never been on a racing sailboat.”
Mac smiled, saying “Captain Scully invited you because they all believe that if a beautiful woman steps onto the deck of a boat it will bring the captain good luck.”
Brenda laughed. “I didn’t know that. Then I guess I’d better go onto all three of them to be fair.” She was beginning to feel the excitement of the upcoming race. The town was alive with expectation. She overheard several conversations among the tourists and locals that they passed by, and it seemed like many were making bets on the winner.
It was a beautiful day for their walk, but when Brenda and Mac reached the bed and breakfast again, she saw that he had become pensive. She wondered what was on his mind and was ready to ask him when he spoke. His words were unexpected.
“Bryce Jones is a flirt. He’s an old friend but he has a reputation. Don’t let him get to you, Brenda. If you have any trouble with him, I want to know it. He won’t hold back and is known to make some women uncomfortable with the way he comes across.” He kissed her.
“Mac...you know you have nothing to worry about. I’ve seen how flirtatious your friend is, but he’s nearly fifteen years younger than me! Surely he has many irons in the fire.” Mac laughed at her joke, but she could see that he was still troubled.
She purposefully didn’t mention the fact that Bryce wasn’t hard on the eyes. She only had eyes for Mac, but somehow she doubted that Mac was in the mood to discuss Bryce’s romantic problems. His friend obviously had no problem getting dates, but perhaps keeping a woman close to him was another issue. She said farewell to Mac and tried not to think too much about his strange behavior around his friend – or about the ring still locked safely away in her apartment upstairs.
Brenda still had a lot to do and was busy for the rest of the day with her guests. By early evening, all the guests had checked into the inn, and everyone had gathered in the sitting room for some coffee before dinner. The group was comprised of people of various ages and occupations and they were engaged in lively conversations. Brenda tapped a teaspoon against her coffee cup to get their attention.
“Good evening, everyone. Thank you for coming to the Sheffield Bed and Breakfast, we are all so pleased to have you here as our guests for the Sweetfern Harbor sailboat races. Just to let you know, there are two options for dinner tonight. You may choose to have dinner in the dining room here, or we can provide you with a complimentary ticket to the annual seafood dinner hosted by Morning Sun Coffee taking place tonight downtown. It is a fun night and almost like a street festival, so if you like a crowd or a party, it’s definitely for you.”
Allie added that Molly Lindsey, the housekeeper’s daughter and owner of the coffee shop, had hired an Irish band to perform as entertainment. A traditional New England seafood buffet would be spread across a long table at the end of the shop with tables set up on the sidewalk and the street outside, which was cordoned off specially for the event. Brenda knew how delicious the seafood in Sweetfern Harbor was. She had never eaten fish as fresh as every bit she had enjoyed in this town.
“I understand the band will play fiddles,” said Brenda. “There will also be a well-respected singer with the group.” She turned to Phyllis. “Perhaps you can tell us more about your daughter’s plans for the dinner event?”
Phyllis beamed as the gathered guests listened to her, rapt. “Molly expects the three captains to be there. You must meet them. The man who built their boats will be there, too. Wally Doyle’s expertise in boat building is world renowned and he lives right here in Sweetfern Harbor.”
The enthusiasm of the employees swept through the guests. The young couple stated they wanted to go but may not stay into the night, since they had the baby along. Allie pulled them aside whe
n the group dispersed and told them she would be glad to watch the baby if they wanted to stay longer. It was agreed they would decide once the night moved along.
As it turned out, all the guests opted for the celebration at Morning Sun Coffee. They were in high spirits when they left the bed and breakfast to walk down to Main Street. Even from Sheffield House up the hill, the Irish music could be heard floating over the rooftops. Revelers were dancing in the street and bistro tables and chairs lined the sidewalk against the other shops. Brenda felt excited, too, as she would be free to attend the event now that her guests had all departed. Mac drove up to join her and escort her down to the seafood dinner, the merry sounds echoing through the little town announcing that the night was just beginning.
“How in the world does Molly manage to serve so many people from her shop?” Brenda asked as they walked.
“She enlists the help of every business owner in town. They all spare one or more of their employees to help her. Jenny told me she will switch off throughout the evening with one of her helpers in the flower shop. Molly clears everything in her kitchen to make room for extra food. The local appliance store lends extra refrigerators and a freezer for the event.”
“Every space in her kitchen must be used in that case,” Brenda marveled, shaking her head in amazement at Molly’s ingenuity. Mac agreed. “Speaking of the flower shop...I haven’t seen your daughter recently. How is she? I hope we run into her at some point.”
“She’s been very busy in the flower shop. Jenny’s Blossoms has really taken off since William Pendleton started getting more events going. He knows how to draw crowds in. It’s hard to believe how much this town has thrived since he took this upon himself. He sure blossomed after his wife died.”
Brenda’s thoughts switched to her housekeeper, whose romance with William had thrived once he had become a widower. Phyllis and William were a well-known item around town and she hoped they would tie the knot soon. Now that Phyllis had shared the news of Molly’s engagement, maybe there would be a double wedding with mother and daughter sharing their special days.
“You’re off in a cloud,” said Mac. His teasing eyes brought Brenda back to the revelry around them. “We’d better hurry or every table will be filled.”
“If the dinner is as delicious as I’ve heard I won’t mind if I have to stand up and eat.”
They waved back to old friends who greeted them as they passed and stood at the end of the line that wound a half block from the coffee shop door. Brenda spied Allie’s mother, Hope Williams, going through the alley into the coffee shop. She carried a large box that Brenda knew contained either dessert pastries or some other delectable morsels from her bakery, Sweet Treats.
“After we finish with our dinner, I promised Molly I would help with some of the clean-up in her kitchen,” Brenda said. “I have a feeling she’ll be there late into the night getting things back in order.”
“I’ll go along with you and help as much as I can. There are more cops on duty tonight, but it won’t surprise me if I get called for something.”
“Do you have to worry about a lot of crime during the celebrations?”
“So far we’ve just had minor incidents. Usually it has something to do with too much drinking.”
Finally, the line moved and they made it inside. The three captains’ voices could be heard in the crowd. Wally was with them and they were in high spirits, bantering back and forth with one another. With large plates of food in hand, Brenda and Mac searched for a place to sit down, and found none available.
“Come on out here with us,” said Captain Scully, spotting their looks of dismay. “We have dibs on a large table at the end of the block.”
They followed him gratefully the short distance and Brenda saw the Reserved sign on the table that had kept the other guests at bay.
“Come on over here, young man,” said Scully. “There’s room for one more here.”
Brenda turned quickly when she recognized Bryce’s voice behind her.
“I have to be the luckiest guy in the world,” he said with a smile as he walked up with his plate full. “I see that empty chair waiting just for me and it’s next to a beautiful lady.”
Several comments were made by Scully and Pratt that Bryce was indeed lucky. Brenda smiled back at him but moved her plate closer to Mac and shifted to make room for Bryce. Brenda couldn’t help but wonder if some of the earlier tension would show itself between Mac and his old friend.
As she looked around, she realized why the captains chose this spot. They were near the little park where a large wooden dance floor had been set up. The band was tuning up and soon the music began. Crowds drew closer, some balanced their plates while they ate and others chose their dance partners. The captains’ large table soon filled with hungry friends all chatting and watching the dancers. Brenda stated she had never eaten such delicious seafood. Everyone agreed. Bryce pushed his plate back when Brenda took her last bite.
“While Mac is finishing up, how about you and I get out there on that dance floor?” said Bryce.
Brenda looked at Mac and back at Bryce.
“I’m finished,” said Mac simply, putting his fork down. “The first dance is mine.” He looked at Bryce like a dare.
“Since I asked her first, I’m sure she will give me the honor,” Bryce replied with a flashing look in his eyes.
Brenda sensed the tension was growing. “Both of you stop acting like schoolboys. I’ll dance first with you, Bryce, since you asked first. It’s only polite.” She smiled at Mac. “You and I will be next out there and we’ll show them how it’s really done.”
Dancing was something Brenda had enjoyed her entire life. Her father was quite the dancer and her mother had not been far behind him. They often danced at home when she was growing up, and as she listened to the lively Irish music, she could feel her feet itching to jump in.
“Well, Bryce, I hope you can keep up,” she said with a grin as they joined the dancing crowds.
Once or twice she caught Mac’s eye as they twirled around to the music. His face was impassive but his eyes were clouded with something she decided was jealousy. When Bryce pulled her closer than she wanted, she deftly stepped back from him while keeping time to the music. She smiled to herself when he missed a few steps.
The next piece was not as lively. Brenda was glad she saved that dance for Mac. He strode onto the dance floor and took her in his arms and she did not even see Bryce leave. She and Mac made perfect dancing partners. The crowd parted before them as if in admiration for the way they fit together.
“Aren’t you happy I saved the slow dance for you?” She smiled up at him, hoping the cloud of jealousy would pass.
“I can’t deny that.”
“Tell me how you learned to dance like this,” said Brenda, “I’m impressed, Mac Rivers.”
That got him. He smiled a little as if proud to show off for her. “I didn’t grow up knowing how to dance. But I soon learned in college that if I wanted to impress a girl at a party I’d better learn how. Once I took lessons I discovered I really liked it.” He laughed. “Kept those lessons a secret. I took them in private and not even my roommates knew I was doing that.”
“I don’t care how you learned. I’m just glad you’re good at it.” As they swayed and turned to the slow song, she leaned her head onto his shoulder for a moment and felt so happy she could almost forget about the ring that wasn’t on her finger at that moment.
They were both disappointed when the music ended. When they got back to their table, everyone congratulated them on their skills on the dance floor. Bryce was the only one who didn’t hand out any compliments. Brenda started gathering up the paper plates, and Wally, Mac and Bryce stood to help her. They carried the plates to one of the large trash bins and dumped them in.
“We’d better get back to Molly’s and help out as promised,” said Brenda as they returned to the table.
Mac turned to the captains and bid them goodnight. “We’
ll see you in the morning around nine if that works for you. We’re looking forward to touring your boats.”
Bryce started to follow them to Molly’s. But Mac’s look convinced him to back off and he sat back down. There were few empty tables in town, a testament to the seafood dinner’s success, and a mountain of pots and pans were waiting for them in the Morning Sun Coffee kitchen when they got there. By the time they finished washing up it was almost midnight. The evening had been a huge success and Molly and the rest of the workers received so many compliments that despite their tiredness, Brenda could see them glowing with contentment as Molly finally locked up the shop. The rest of the night would be enjoyed with dancing and impromptu parades in the streets, no matter how tired they were, because such a tremendous success deserved a tremendous celebration indeed.
3
Boat Race Complications
Brenda loved walking with Mac, especially in the nighttime. The smell of the ocean soothed her as they walked arm-in-arm down Main Street.
“This night always reminds me of Mardi Gras in New Orleans,” said Mac. In the distance, they could still hear the music playing for a few last, diehard dancers. “I went down there one year and it was an experience of a lifetime for me. I never wanted to go back for it, but it sure was a fun time.”
“I’ve never been down south at all. Maybe someday I will go down to the Florida beaches.” She looked at Mac. “I’m bushed and ready to turn in for the night. How about you?”
“I agree. I’ll walk you home. Be ready for me in the morning to pick you up for our boat tours. Does eight-thirty sound good?”
They agreed on the time and the closer they got to the bed and breakfast, the fainter the celebration sounds became. Mac stood inside the foyer with Brenda and took her into his arms for a farewell kiss before they parted. He held his lips on hers long enough to send shivers through her entire body and he still didn’t let go of her. She finally pulled from him a few inches.
Captain Dead Man Page 2