Deep Autumn Heat (11 page)

Lexie tried to quell her racing mind. She should really be working on her crab cake recipe. What on Earth had prompted her to choose that dish? Well, it would be impossible to
cancel now that Seb had reissued his challenge in front of half the town … and called in a camera crew.

Lexie shook her head. Lately it seemed as though all her witty retorts went out the window when Seb was around. She couldn’t even see straight, let alone think straight when he was in the room.

As she pondered the mystery that was Sebastian Grayson, the telephone rang in the kitchen.

“Sorry, Emma. I’ll be right back,” she said as she walked to the back and picked up the receiver on the old wall phone.

“LMK, Lexie speaking,” she answered. No response, just silence. Was someone there listening to her talk or had the line just gone dead? “Hello? Hello?” she repeated. “Hello?” She clicked the hook a few times, got no response, and finally gave up. It must be the line, she decided. The old phone had been giving her trouble for days. Replacing the phone on the hook, she walked back to the dining room, debating whether to call the repair guy or just upgrade the whole darn thing to a digital phone.

When she reached the counter, Emma finally looked up at her and smiled. “This is perfect. Exactly as we discussed.”

Lexie smiled. “Great!” she responded, whisking the paper away and tucking it into a manila folder that contained the rest of the materials she’d prepared for the wedding. “All right,” she said, pulling out another piece of paper and pushing it toward Emma. “Now for the fun stuff. Given your description of what you wanted, here’s my vision of your wedding cake. Remember that this is only a draft. I can change anything you want.”

Emma bent over the paper and studied it for a long time, her gaze lingering over the clean lines of Lexie’s drawing. Finally, Emma looked up and smiled. “It’s perfect. You completely captured the elegance and modernity I was hoping for.”

Lexie broke into a grin. “You were pretty specific about what you wanted. You won’t be disappointed, I promise!”

Emma took her hand. “I know we won’t be. And we spoke about doing different layers in different flavors. You can still do that?”

“Of course. Just tell me what flavors you want and I’ll make it happen.”

“Well, since I love lemon and James loves chocolate, we’d like to do the two biggest layers in those flavors.”

“Definitely. And for the top?”

“Your coconut, of course.”

Lexie smiled. “And I’ll cover the whole thing in white fondant, satin ribbons, and fresh flowers. It’ll look great.”

“Wonderful. I’m so excited that you’re doing the catering for us!”

“Well, I’m thrilled that my first wedding cake is going to be for you and Jimmy. And about the other desserts—we’re still going retro with the pecan squares and the lemon bars, right?”

“Absolutely. No need to compete with your cake.”

“Well, the other sweets will be delicious, too.”

“I know they will.” Emma lowered her big blue eyes for a moment, and when she looked up, they were shining with tears. “Oh, Lexie, I can’t believe this is happening so quickly.”

Lexie covered Emma’s hand with her own. “I’m not one to get all sentimental, but he’s a wonderful man and you’re going to be very happy together.”

“I just never dreamed this day would come. Talk about opposites attracting.”

Lexie smiled. “Look, I’ve heard the stories. He might have had a wild streak in high school, but now he’s a businessman and a model citizen. And you? You single-handedly kept the Inn running while Kate was getting chemo. In my mind, you’re two good people who were lucky enough to find each other.”

Emma laughed and gave a slight smile through her tears. “More like he found me and drew me out of my little shell.”

Lexie laughed, too. “All I’m saying is that regardless of what’s in your past, you’ve
moved on. Jimmy isn’t a wild man anymore, and you’re not the wallflower librarian you thought you were. You both grew up, and you’re more similar than you realized.”

“You are a good friend, Lexie.” Emma sat back and wiped away her tears.

“I try. Now if only I could get my own affairs in order.”

Emma looked at her sideways. “Are you talking about Seb?”

“How do you know about me and Seb?”

“This is Star Harbor,” Emma said with a shrug. “The whole town is talking about how he rescued you that night on the Green.”

“Oh, good grief.” Lexie crossed one arm under her chest and leaned her head onto the palm of her other hand. “All I need is to be grist for the Star Harbor gossip mill.”

“Seriously, Lexie? You were attacked, Seb came to your rescue and drove you home, and you’re worried about gossip?”

Lexie raised her head. “I suppose I’m being a bit ungenerous, but that’s not all. He’s come by the restaurant a couple of times.”

“To eat?”

“Not quite,” Lexie said wryly. “He came by last week to shadow me in my kitchen.”

“Really? What an honor!”

“I didn’t see it that way. He ate my food, flirted with my staff, and was generally a huge pain in the—”

“Okay, okay, I get it,” Emma said laughingly as she cut off Lexie in mid-sentence.

“And he challenged me to a cooking contest, and—”

“Wow!” Emma interjected. “Another honor. Seb must think a lot of you if he challenged you in the kitchen.”

“He’s challenged me elsewhere, too. I don’t think it’s an honor.”

“I’m sorry he rubbed you the wrong way,” Emma said sympathetically. “I don’t know him that well, but from what I’ve heard, he comes on strong and can be a bit rough around the edges. But he’s been nothing but kind to me.”

Lexie snorted.

Emma held up her hand to signal that Lexie should listen. “James told me that even though Seb didn’t have much when he was first starting out, he sent home money to their mom every month so she’d have enough to live on.”

“Really?”

“Really. And he’s always been really supportive of Theo’s writing. His exploits aside, he loves his family. He takes care of them. From what I’ve heard, Seb likes to push flirtation to its limits. But he wouldn’t have challenged you professionally if he didn’t respect you, too.”

“I’m not so sure about that,” Lexie muttered.

Emma smiled warmly at her. “Well,
I
certainly respect you.” She glanced at the antique clock on the wall. “Oh, my gosh, is that the time? I really have to get going. James will be wondering where I am.”

“I’m surprised he didn’t come tonight.”

“We had so little time to plan the wedding, we decided to divide and conquer,” Emma said, as she scooped up her purse. “Tonight, he was figuring out the table arrangements with the florist in Falmouth.”

Lexie opened the locked front door. “I have a hard time picturing Jimmy agonizing over flower arrangements.”

“I know. I’m sure he’s frightening the poor woman half to death,” she said. “He can be quite intimidating.”

Both women laughed. Emma’s fiancé was even bigger than a certain chef who’d been getting under Lexie’s skin lately.

“You’ll be okay getting to your car?”

“Fine, thanks. The gas lamps are all lit. And thanks again for helping us with the food. It’s going to be fabulous.”

“Yes, it is!” Lexie smiled as she saw Emma to the front door.

“And you’ll have to tell me when your cooking challenge is taking place.”

“I’m not sure I want anyone watching,” Lexie muttered, taking a quick glance at Julie and Cameron, who thankfully didn’t seem to be listening.

“I’ll respect your wishes, but I’d love to see you and Seb in action.”

“I’ll think about it,” she said, as Emma stepped out of the door.

Lexie waved and watched as Emma walked the block to her car, then she carefully shut the door. Rubbing her hands, which were cold and tingly from the outdoors, she walked over to her friends.

“Sorry to bother you, ladies, but I have to lock up for good.”

“Oh, wow! Is it nine-thirty already?” Cameron asked, her long black hair swinging as she finally looked up from her book. “I’ve got to get back to Boston tonight. I promised my parents I’d attend some fundraiser with them tomorrow.”

“What a life,” Lexie joked. The Stahls were members of Boston’s elite inner circle. Yet despite her family’s wealth and connections, Cameron had been responsible for her own success. Her first boutique, located on Boston’s Newbury Street, sold upscale home accessories, tasteful women’s clothing, and objets d’art that went fast with the Beacon Hill and Cape Cod sets.

“How’s business?”

“Star Harbor has been a good fit for my second shop. I’m glad I’m here.”

“I’m impressed with how well you managed the building permit issue with the town board.”

“Thanks.” Cameron smiled, showing off perfect white teeth. “I pride myself on my diplomacy. Believe me, it wasn’t easy to keep my cool when they’d jerked me around too many times to count. But I needed the permit, and I finally got it.”

“Had some issues with permits myself. I’ll bet you handled yours a bit more … tactfully,” Lexie said. “I’m not noted for my subtlety, in case you haven’t noticed by now.”

“Well, there is more than one way to skin a cat.”

“You said it.” She turned to Julie. “Are you working tomorrow?”

Julie shook her head, her sandy-blond ponytail flicking from side to side. “Nope, no
clinic hours. I have a lot of paperwork to do, though, so I’ll probably go into the office for that. Insurance forms are the bane of my existence!”

“Well, come on by if you need a break.”

“I’ll do that,” she said, standing up and tucking her book into her bag. “Good night, Lexie.”

“ ’Night. Drive safe.”

She saw the two women to the front door and shut it behind them, hearing the firm click as the lock slid home.

Lexie appraised the dining room. Dennis must have left out the back door. She was alone in the quiet of her restaurant. The place was empty, all of the chairs stacked on top of the tables. The lights shone their artificial glare, keeping the black of night at bay, if only for a short while.

Lexie wasn’t surprised when Babs Kincaide, the weather-beaten proprietor of the Clam Shak, came strolling into the LMK on Tuesday, just after six in the evening. When she’d phoned Babs to ask her if she would judge the contest, the older woman had agreed and had promised her a visit at the LMK. Tonight, Babs was wearing a flowing blue-green dress, her shoulder-length white hair held back in a shell clip. The ensemble made her look ageless, regal.

“Babs,” she said, walking up to the older woman. “What a nice surprise. Did you close early tonight?” Lexie supposed the Clam Shak could be considered her competition, but only to a degree. The Clam Shak really was just that—a shack set on a boardwalk by the harbor where Babs served up fried clams and other seafood on paper plates. Tourists and locals alike loved it, and Lexie thought the food was very good, even if the menu was a bit limited. A woman of indeterminate age, Babs had been born and raised in Star Harbor, and the Clam Shak had been here longer than anyone could remember. Lexie treated them both with respect—they were fixtures of the town.

“Fall hours,” Babs said in her husky voice, her brown eyes crinkling up at the edges. Like many locals, Babs spoke with the typical Eastern Massachusetts accent; the letter “a” was broad in tone, the letter “r” was pronounced like “ah,” and sometimes even the letter “o” was spoken like “ah,” too. The first few months in town had been tough for Lexie as she sometimes struggled with the strange way people spoke, but slowly, and with Buster’s help, she’d gotten used to it. Besides, though Babs had a much thicker accent than pretty much everyone else, the older woman was so entertaining, Lexie would have done anything required to be able to understand what she was saying.

“So I guess you’ll be focusing on your art more, now that you have some free time?”

“That’s the plan. I’ve got some great ideas and the muse is calling.” Sculpture was Babs’s true love. The Shak was primarily a summer destination and in the fall, Babs reduced its hours. It would be closed all winter long beginning sometime around Thanksgiving so that she could
spend the off-season sculpting.

“Wonderful. I hope you had a good season.” Like many year-round Star Harbor residents, Babs made most of her income from summer tourists. The money would have to last her for the rest of the year.

“Pretty good this year, thanks. I’ll be in no hurry to open up again in April.”

“Well, great.” Lexie smiled, motioning for Babs to follow her. “I know you like to have a booth,” she said as she showed Babs to the one farthest from the door. “I’ll send Rachel by to let you know the specials.”

“Can you come back and talk to me after I order?”

Lexie nodded. She gave Rachel instructions to cover the tables, and while Babs placed her order, she grabbed a cup of hot water and a tea bag. She figured she might as well have something to sip while she and Babs chatted. As soon as she returned to the booth, Babs started in.

“You wanna tell me what’s up with you and Seb Grayson?” Babs wasn’t known for mincing words.

Lexie sighed. “I wish I could, Babs, but honestly, I don’t know.” She ripped open the tea bag and plunked it into the cup. While it steeped, she curled her hands around the warm mug.

“Well, lemme give you a word of warning, girl. Those Grayson boys are nothing but trouble. You shoulda seen ’em back in the day, raising so much hell you’d have thought Star Harbor was their personal playground. Their black hair flying in the wind as they raced through town in their cars, windows open. Or drinking late nights on the beach. They were always doing something bad. And all of ’em are too good looking for their own good, ’specially that Sebastian.”

“I thought Cole was the big troublemaker. And look at him now! He’s the sheriff of Star Harbor.”

Babs grunted. “Cole’s doing all right, I’ll give him that. But he changed the minute he left town.”

“And Val. He doesn’t talk much, but he certainly doesn’t cause trouble. In fact,” Lexie mused, “Val is more likely to break up a fight than to start one.” A hint of a smile crept up onto her face. “And Theo and Seb don’t even live in Star Harbor anymore. Theo’s in San Francisco and Seb’s in New York.”