A Spot at Starlight Beach (Spotted Cottage #3)

Eighteen

Their Lottie flyer came together seamlessly. Liam sat, watching Mackenzie as she worked, feeling as useless as the spare chair at their table.

She clicked away, pausing only to bite at her nails, conducting a symphony only she could hear.

Within half an hour, she ran back to the cottage to print copies, leaving Liam sitting there, stunned.

“I don’t know if I’ve been much help,” Liam said.

Eliza set a teapot on the table next to him. “You’ve been a huge help. You’re a calming force. Mackenzie needs that. Without you, she might’ve committed a crime by now.”

He laughed. “She wouldn’t.”

Eliza raised her eyebrows.

“Would she?” he asked.

The front door jingled open and Patty walked in, followed by a slight woman with brown hair and Mackenzie’s gray eyes.

“Aunt Addy!” Eliza ran over, colliding into a hug.

“Eliza!” Addy said. “It’s beautiful in here! Patty told me what you’ve done with the place.”

“I’ve just been helping out,” she said with a shrug.

Patty waved a hand. “Nonsense. You brought my tea shop back to life.”

Should he get up? Excuse himself? Liam didn’t need to be part of this family reunion, but he couldn’t stop staring at Adelaide. The family resemblance was jarring.

“Your table is set, ladies.” Eliza waved a hand. “Mackenzie should be joining us as soon as she’s finished with her rampage.”

Patty chuckled.

Liam tore his eyes away and stood from his seat. “I should be going. I don’t want to impose on your tea party.”

“What is that!” Patty gasped, pointing over his shoulder.

He turned around. It was just the painting he’d made of the tea shop – the one without Mackenzie’s figure against the sea. That version was safely tucked away in his room.

“It’s a gift,” Liam said. “Eliza thought you might like it.”

She walked over to the canvas, lifting it up with both hands. “Liam! This is gorgeous. You are so talented. Russell knows how to pick his friends.”

He looked away. “Ha, right. Enjoy your tea.”

She grabbed him by the arm. “Adelaide, this is Russell’s artist in residence, Liam.”

He nodded. “Nice to meet you.”

“That painting is really lovely,” Adelaide said, looking up at him with Mackenzie’s eyes.

“Thank you.” He took another step toward the door. “I should probably get back to—”

The front door flung open and Mackenzie pushed through. “Okay, I printed fifty copies. Do you think we can do fifty houses today?” she asked, then stopped. “Wow, Granny. Where’d you get that painting?”

“Liam gave it to me.” She held the canvas up, beaming. “Isn’t it beautiful?”

She tilted her head ever so slightly. “It is.”

Eliza covered her mouth, laughing. “It was sitting next to you the whole time you were working and you didn’t notice it.”

Mackenzie winced. “Oops.”

Liam reached for the flyers, gently taking them from her hand. “Mackenzie, why don’t you enjoy tea with your family and I’ll get started on polling people.”

Her brow furrowed. In this light, her eyes were slightly more green than her aunt’s. As variable and mysterious as the sea…

“Are you sure?” she asked.

He nodded. “I’ll report back soon. I think you’ll be relieved at the results.”

“Make sure you use all the talking points I wrote out,” she said. “If they have any questions, they should ask me. Maybe name drop Russell if things aren’t going well.”

“Noted.” He smiled. “Enjoy your tea.”

He reached the door and Mackenzie spoke again. “Sorry I missed your painting earlier. It’s stunning.”

“Oh, thanks. It’s nothing special, but I’m glad your granny likes it.”

“No, it’s really beautiful. I think I’m just blind to beauty right now.” She smiled and shrugged. “Sorry.”

He was staring again. He looked down. “You’re on a mission. It’s understandable.” Liam turned to the door. “I’ll talk to you soon.”

“Thank you! And good luck!”