Sunrise on Cedar Key (13 page)

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Authors: Terri Dulong

Tags: #Romance

BOOK: Sunrise on Cedar Key
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“That's great. Especially about Chloe. I still can't get over what Parker did to her. I mean, she could be difficult, but still ... she gave him the best years of her life, and look what he did in return—she's left completely alone. Sometimes life's a bitch, huh?”
“Yup, it sure can be. But it also beats the alternative,” I said, thinking of Miss Dixie.
As I hung up the phone, a brilliant idea occurred to me and I hoped I could make it happen.
16
I
flipped the page of the calendar on the desk to November. I had been spending more and more time in my loft office, but Blue Moon Knitting Retreats was now booked through the end of May. I got up and walked to the coffeemaker to pour myself another cup, glancing at the clock. Just after five. Lucas would be arriving shortly.
I had continued helping him at the coffee café on weekends because he still hadn't found anybody to replace me. I loved spending time with him, but my own time was becoming more limited due to the increase in the knitting retreat business.
“I'm here,” I heard him say, and looked over the railing to see him enter the carriage house. The excitement I always felt when I saw him hadn't declined at all in the past two months.
“Thanks for coming over. Come on up. Would you like some coffee?”
He laughed as he bounded up the stairs. “I think I've had my quota for today, but thanks. You said you wanted to speak with me about something?”
“Yeah,” I said, sitting on the daybed and gesturing for him to join me. “I had an idea. Now I want you to be honest with me if you don't think it's a good one.”
“Okay,” Lucas said, his expression showing he was clearly interested.
“Well, you know my friend Suellen in Brunswick ...”
“Yes. I met her a few times when she dropped by my bookshop there.”
Right,
I thought.
She was there checking you out so she could decide if you were suitable for me,
but of course I refrained from telling him this.
I nodded. “Well, I'm afraid Suellen is out of a job.” I went on to explain her situation.
“So you'd like me to consider her as your replacement?”
“Yeah, and of course I'll be the one to train her with the coffee machines and everything. She's very dependable and a good worker. I don't think you'll be sorry.”
“I trust your recommendation,” he said, and then that slow, sexy smile crossed his face. “But I won't lie—I'll miss you there.”
I leaned forward to place a kiss on his lips. “I'll miss you, too, but we'll just have to spend more time together away from the bookshop.”
“It's a deal,” he said, running his hand down the side of my face. “So she's planning to move to Cedar Key?”
I laughed. “Well, Suellen doesn't know it yet, but yes. She's single, her one daughter is off to college, she loves visiting here—I don't think it'll be a problem at all for her to relocate.”
“That's great. Seems you've worked it all out.”
“Thanks so much, Lucas. I think Suellen will be pretty excited about this.”
 
And I was right.
“You're kidding me! You want me to come and work at Lucas's coffee café? I could live on Cedar Key? Be there all the time with you? We could be best friends again like when we were kids? No more just seeing each other once a year? We could share each other's secrets and we wouldn't have to ...”
“Whoa! Hold on and slow down, Suellen,” I told her, laughing into the phone. “Let me get this straight—you think you might be interested?”
I heard her laughter matching mine.
“Gosh, no, whatever gave you that idea? Of
course,
I'm interested! I can hardly believe this is happening. It was bad enough with Miss Dixie dying, then I lost my job, and in the past week I've had no luck at all trying to find a new one.”
“Well, girlfriend, you have one now if you want it.”
“I accept. When can I start?”
“That's entirely up to you, but the sooner the better. I'm getting swamped with work for the knitting retreats.”
“Well, let's see ... Miss Dixie's attorney told me to honor only the bookings through the middle of the month. I've called all the others, explained the circumstances, and the attorney is refunding their deposits. So it looks like I'll be free to leave here in about two weeks. How's that sound?”
“Perfect! You'll be here in time to share Thanksgiving with us. I can't wait. Oh, and you can share my apartment until you find your own place. I have the extra bedroom.”
“That would be fun and one continuous pajama party, but I can afford to get my own place. Nothing fancy. Just a small cottage to rent. So ya think you could find me something before I get there? Then I could arrange to have my furniture delivered and wouldn't have to put it in storage. I'll take you up on your offer, though, and spend a night or two at your place till I get settled in.”
“Sure. I'll start looking around for you. Aunt Maude will be so happy that you're coming.”
“Wait till I tell Ashley about this. She won't believe it, and she'll be so excited for both of us.”
I smiled. “And now she'll have to come here to visit you, which means I'll also get to see my goddaughter.”
“Oh, hey, what's the latest update with Lucas? Anything new to report? And how's Chloe doing?”
“You sure you're not just coming here to get all the current updates on my love life?”
Suellen laughed. “Well, you have to admit, it's a hell of a lot more interesting than mine is.”
“Not much to report, but maybe by the time you arrive I'll have something new to share with you. And I do believe Chloe has a new male interest in her life.”
“Get outta here! Chloe?”
“Yup, and you should see the transformation she's made—lost some weight, new hairstyle ... she's looking pretty chic.”
“I'll be damned. Gee, maybe there's hope for me after all. Who's the new guy?”
I laughed and went on to explain about Cameron Marshall. “Thing is, I think she's a bit shy. She's wanted to invite him for dinner but hasn't done so yet. He takes her out for coffee, and she drops by his jewelry shop, but so far it hasn't progressed beyond that.”
“Well, I hope that goes well for her. After what Parker did, she deserves a little pleasure in life—may he rot in hell.”
That was one of the things I loved about Suellen. She told it like it was.
“I know. Listen, I've gotta run. I'll share the great news about you coming with Lucas and I'll tell Aunt Maude. I'll give you a call when I find a rental I think you might like.”
“Sounds great. Love you. Oh, and Grace ... thank you.”
“The pleasure's all mine. Love you too,” I said.
 
Suellen arrived on Cedar Key two days before Thanksgiving. The day before her arrival I was sitting in my great room attempting to finish up the baby sweater for Monica. A knock on the door preceded my sister calling out, “Are you home, Grace?”
“Come on in,” I answered back.
Chloe walked in and bent down to pat Annie before settling herself in the chair across from me.
“What's up?” I asked.
“Well ... I ... I asked Cameron if he'd like to join us for Thanksgiving dinner. You said Lucas was also coming, so I thought it might be a good time to have him here.”
My sister had finally decided to take some action. “Great. That'll be fun, and I'm sure Cameron was grateful for the invitation, rather than be alone.”
“He was. Well, he seemed to be, but mine wasn't the only invitation. He said a few other people had told him to come by for dinner and then he said he was confirming mine.”
“Right. That's just what people do on this island. Nobody lets anybody be alone on Thanksgiving, so dinner invitations are offered. Since he quickly accepted yours, I'd say he likes you, Chloe.” I noticed a doubtful expression cross her face. “You don't seem convinced.”
“Oh, yeah, he probably does. That isn't what I'm concerned about though,” she said, leaning over to run her hands through Annie's fur.
“Then what is it?”
She continued patting Annie, avoiding eye contact with me. “Well, I was ... wondering ... if maybe ... you could help me decide what I should wear that day. This seems like a date to me, and I haven't been on one of those in many years. I'm not sure what's appropriate.”
I stifled a giggle. My forty-eight-year-old sister was stressing about what to
wear
for a simple Thanksgiving dinner? But then it occurred to me that she was actually asking for
my
advice. Something she'd not done my entire life.
“Well, I'm planning to wear a dress or maybe a skirt and blouse, so you can't go wrong choosing that.”
“Right. Well ... I was wondering if you could come downstairs and help me look through my closet. I've considered a few items, but I'd like a second opinion.”
I smiled. And that second opinion was going to be mine.
“Sure,” I said, getting up. “Let's go.”
I walked into Chloe's bedroom to see various items of apparel spread out on her bed.
“I thought about this,” she said, holding up a rather dowdy-looking gray dress.
“Hmm, let's see what else we can find.” I walked over to the bed and began sorting through the clothes. “Oh, this would be really nice,” I said, holding up a pretty burnt orange dress. With scooped neckline, three-quarter sleeves, and ankle length, it was casual dressy.
“Oh, I don't know,” she replied hesitantly. “I'm not sure I've lost enough weight for that to fit me again.”
I passed it to her. “Try it on.”
Chloe slipped out of her jeans and top and pulled the dress over her head. It fit her perfectly.
“It looks great,” I said. “Seems all that extra walking paid off.”
She twirled in front of the full-length mirror on the closet door. A huge smile covered her face. “It
does
fit, doesn't it?”
“It certainly does. I think you found your outfit.”
“Thanks, Gracie,” she said, walking toward me and then pulling me into an embrace. “Thanks so much for helping me.”
I couldn't remember the last time my sister had hugged me. Amazing what a little bit of happiness will do for a person.
17
I
awoke Thanksgiving morning to the aroma of coffee and the sound of somebody tinkering in my kitchen.
I walked in to find Suellen removing sticky buns from the oven.
“Hey, keep this up and I won't let you move out of here,” I told her as I headed for the coffeemaker.
“Well, I have to earn my keep for a few days. Since we're having Aunt Maude's dinner at two, I thought the buns would be good with coffee this morning.”
I reached for one and sat down. “You thought right,” I said, then took a bite. “Oh, yummy.”
“Thanks.” She joined me at the table. “Annie's out in the yard. Hope it was okay to let her out there.”
“Fine. Like I said, I might not let you go.”
Suellen laughed. “I can't thank you enough for finding that adorable little cottage for me. It's going to be just perfect.”
“There was a method to my madness,” I told her. “Having you just one street away, I figured we can do lots of visiting.”
“You know we will, and I'll love living so close to you. Plus, I like the idea of walking downtown and not having to use my car. Monica lives in this area also, doesn't she?”
I nodded. “Yup, a short walk to First Street.”
“Where is she going today, or is she having Thanksgiving at her house?”
I laughed. “Do you honestly think Adam would let her be on her feet cooking all day? Nope. They're going to Dora's home for dinner. And Sydney, Noah, and Saren will also be there.”
“Oh, that's good. It's nice when families get together.”
“Well, I'm glad you could be here with us, Suellen. You're certainly part of this family.”
“I've always been happy about that. Oh, almost forgot to tell you—Ashley called me earlier. She and Jason arrived at his parent's home in Savannah last evening. She said the home is to die for and his parents have been very nice to her, so I think she'll enjoy spending Thanksgiving there.”
“That's good. Do you think this is serious between them?”
Suellen got up and placed her mug and plate in the sink. “I don't know. They've been dating about six months now, so I guess only time will tell.”
“Yeah, and she still has two more years of college. Is she still coming down here for Christmas?”
“Absolutely! And I can't wait to see her.”
The longing for that mother–child bond flowed through me again. “Oh, did I tell you? Aunt Maude also invited Rachel, her cleaning girl, and her son, Max, for dinner.”
“That was a nice thing to do, but then Aunt Maude wouldn't let anybody be alone today if she could help it. How old is her little boy?”
I smiled. “Max is six and really adorable.”
“And no father or husband in the picture?”
I shook my head. “Nope. She lives alone with Max and she still hasn't told us much about her background.”
I got up to let Annie inside and heard her say, “Yup, everybody has a story, don't they?”
 
I looked around Aunt Maude's dining room table and smiled. All of the people I loved and cared about gathered together to give thanks.
Chloe, sitting next to Cameron, looked positively radiant. The burnt orange dress had been a good choice, and from the look in Cameron's eyes, it appeared he thought so too.
My very best friend from childhood was chatting away with Aunt Maude and Rachel.
Lucas was having an entertaining discussion with Max about computer games.
A year ago I never would have thought this group of people would be together on Thanksgiving.
Aunt Maude's voice interrupted my thoughts. “Let's all join hands before we begin eating,” she said. “I'll say a few words, but it was always tradition when Chloe and Grace were children for us to say what we're grateful for today, so perhaps each of us can do that.”
I felt my hand being grasped by Lucas on one side and Suellen on the other.
“Lord,” my aunt said, “bless all of us gathered here together. Thank you for allowing me to be on this beautiful island, surrounded by loving family and friends.”
“Thank you for helping me to find my way here,” Rachel said.
“I'm grateful to be with my aunt, my sister, and all of you today,” Chloe replied.
Cameron nodded at all of us. “I'm thankful for a good life and to be a part of your celebration.”
Suellen smiled. “I'm beyond grateful for my new job, my new home, and both my old and new friends,” she said.
My turn. “It's been the best of times and the worst of times for me these past few months. I'm grateful to have all of you here, which proves to me that the good outweighed the bad.”
I felt Lucas reach for my hand. “I'm very thankful that, like many of you, I also found my way to Cedar Key. Life has many twists and turns, and I'm grateful for that.”
All of us looked at Max, who had been sitting quietly listening.
“I'm thankful that I get to eat turkey today, because I love turkey.”
Laughter broke out around the table.
“Well,” Aunt Maude said, “then by all means, let's begin eating.”
Following dinner, Lucas and Cameron joined Max in the garden to toss his ball while the females helped Aunt Maude in the cleanup.
I saw Rachel staring out the window at them as she dried a dish.
“Max seems to enjoy playing ball,” I said.
She pulled her gaze back to me. “Oh, he does. I sometimes feel bad that he has no male influence in his life.”
“I take it you're divorced,” Suellen said.
After a slight pause, Rachel replied, “Yes.”
“I know what that's like,” my friend went on. “I raised my daughter alone. It wasn't easy, but now looking back, I'm grateful he took off and left us alone. So Max's father doesn't visit him either ?”
“No. He hasn't seen Max in four years.”
“It has to be very difficult trying to raise your son with no help from family. Are you in touch with your parents at all?” my aunt inquired.
Rachel reached for another dish to dry. “No, I'm afraid not. My parents didn't agree with my choice of husband, and I guess they were right. They're up in New York—I haven't seen them or been in touch for eight years.”
Chloe and I exchanged a glance.
“Gosh, maybe after all this time they'd want to hear from you,” my sister said. “Especially since you're not with him anymore. They'd probably love to meet their grandson. Families can be very forgiving, you know.”
Rachel let out a deep sigh. “Oh, I'm sure some families can, but I doubt mine would be that way. I'm an only child. Grew up in a pretty strict Jewish family. Education was everything, and I ruined that when I dropped out of college just before graduation to marry Max's father.”
Suellen was right—everybody had a story.
“We certainly all do things in life that we regret,” I said. Here was this young woman with a lot of potential now cleaning for a living to support herself and her son. Yup, Lucas was also right—life had many twists and turns.
“Well,” Aunt Maude said, pushing the button on the dishwasher. “I do believe we did a great job, and we'll have dessert and coffee in a little while. Let's go join the fellows outside.”
I walked out to see Lucas laughing at something Max had said. He seemed to be enjoying himself tremendously, which made me wonder why he had not had children when he was married. It was easy to see that he'd make a great father.
I pulled up a chair to watch Lucas and Cameron tossing the ball to Max as Rachel sat down next to me.
“Thank you so much for inviting us here today,” I heard her say to Aunt Maude. “I honestly didn't know what I was going to do about cooking that turkey that Max wanted. The travel trailer doesn't have a kitchen equipped for large dinners.”
“It was my pleasure. I'm glad you could both come and share the day with us. I think Max is having a good time.”
After a few minutes, Lucas left the ball playing to Cameron and joined the women.
“All ready for your training session with Grace tomorrow?” he asked Suellen.
She laughed. “I sure am, and I have a feeling she's a tough teacher.”
“Right,” I said, a smile spreading across my face. “But I think you'll be a good student.” I had just finished joking with Suellen when we heard sirens getting closer.
“Oh, my,” Aunt Maude said, walking to the gate. “They're going down G Street. I hope it isn't anything serious.”
We watched as an ambulance and fire truck roared past.
“Well, how about we go inside for some of those delicious pies that I made,” she said, leading the way into the house.
 
Later that evening Suellen and I had settled down to relax with our knitting when the phone rang. I answered to hear Adam's voice.
“I'm afraid I have some bad news to share. Saren passed away this afternoon—we were all at Dora's house and he developed some chest pain. By the time the ambulance arrived, he was gone.”
“Oh! God! I'm so sorry. How's Monica and Sydney?”
“Pretty upset, but they were both glad they were with him when it happened and he wasn't at home alone. I'm sure they're also both happy that they found each other five years ago. Some people go through life never knowing their father and grandfather.”
I knew he was right, but I also knew that Saren Ghetti was going to be greatly missed, and not just by his family. The entire island would mourn his loss.

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