Chapter 9
Chapter Nine
The next day, they were back in the coffee shop preparing for movie night. TJ moved tables while Lila and Mary arranged chairs. Lila was surprised at how quick Mary could move and marveled when the woman caught a chair that nearly tipped over.
“Be careful,” Lila warned.
Mary laughed. “I’m always bumping into things, ye know, but I do all right. At least I don’t fall over.”
“Let’s hope not,” Lila muttered. The last thing she needed was for someone to break a hip. Would they sue Tilly and Jack? She pushed the thought aside and kept working.
Once TJ finished with the tables, he set up the big projection screen they’d fetched from Tilly and Jack’s garage. Everything was ready now: a freezer full of ice cream, plenty of pie, and the borrowed industrial-sized air popper.
It was enormous. Lila had never seen anything like it. Doc, Grandma, and Paddy were crowded around it, examining the bag of kernels. She figured they could handle it, so she didn’t interfere.
Customers began trickling in, grabbing seats and ordering coffee while others waited for the popcorn or a slice of pie.
“All right,” Paddy said, rubbing his hands together. “This should be fun. Doc, open the bag.”
“The idea,” Grandma said. “Is to pour the kernals into the thing, plug the contraption in, and off it goes. We need a big bowl, or a bucket,” she added, looking around. “And a scoop to fill the bags. What were we selling them for again?”
“We weren’t. It’s free,” Mary said, joining them.
Irene and Wilfred came through the door just then. “Well, will you look at this,” Irene patted her purple hair.
Wilfred groaned at the action.
“Oh, stop your griping,” she shot back. “It’s a needed necessity.”
Lila wasn’t sure what that meant and didn’t ask. Instead, she checked that they had everything they needed. “Are you ready to go?”
“As ready as we’ll ever be,” Paddy said cheerfully. “Go on, take care of yer guests and get the movie started.”
Lila set up the laptop at one of the front tables while the old crew argued over the popper.
“Put a few more kernels in,” Irene insisted. “The machine can handle it!”
Lila heard the metallic clink of kernels raining into the machine. She smiled and shook her head. TJ was right. They were adorable… and terrifying.
“Somebody plug it in!” Paddy called.
“I’ll do it!” Wilfred said.
The popper whirred to life.
“Wow, look at it go!” someone cried. Then came the first pop… another… and another… until the sound filled the café.
“Land sakes, it’s exploding!” Grandma shrieked.
“Take cover!” Irene yelled.
“Somebody shut it off!”
Lila dashed from the table to the front counter. Popcorn was flying everywhere. They’d forgotten to put the top part of the popper on. Hot kernels pinged off the counter and walls while fluffy popcorn rained down like snow.
“Oh my gosh!” Lila cried. “Turn it off! Quick!”
“How?” Irene shouted, shielding her face.
Lila yanked the cord from the outlet. The popper sputtered to a stop, but a few last kernels shot out before the chaos ended. The floor, counters, and half the front room were strewn with popcorn. “Oh, for heaven’s sake…”
“Don’t worry, child, we’ll clean it up,” Grandma said cheerfully. “Come on, everyone. Darn faulty machine! This goes on top of it!” She held up the missing top.
They all stared at her.
Paddy’s bushy eyebrows shot up. “Well, what do you know? That’s what was missing!”
“Okay, everyone,” Irene said briskly. “Let’s clean this up and have another go.”
Lila wanted to pull her hair out, and almost did, until TJ’s hands gently stopped hers.
“It’s all right, sweetheart,” he whispered near her ear. “Let them handle it.” He drew her back from behind the counter.
Nearby, customers were laughing, some taking pictures, others sampling popcorn off the counter.
“This is going to be great, Lila, you’ll see,” one man said.
She nodded, half dazed. “It’s been an interesting week, but we’ll get through it.” The words sounded more like she was trying to convince herself than him.
“Lila.” TJ turned her toward him. “It’s all right. They made a mistake, so what? We’ll make another batch. There’s plenty of popcorn left.”
“I know, it’s just…” She sighed. “This is a business. They’re treating it like it’s their house.”
“Is that so bad?” he asked. He brushed a stray lock of hair from her face.
Her breath caught. The simple touch sent a little flip through her stomach. “Well… I guess I can get used to it. Thank heavens Tilly and Jack aren’t gone too long,” she murmured.
“You gonna be okay?”
She looked up at him, charmed by the warmth in his voice and the lilt of his accent. “Yes, I’ll be fine. I just get uptight, that’s all. Maybe I’m the one who needs a vacation.”
He glanced toward the others, who were laughing and tossing popcorn at each other. “They’re having fun. Besides, everything doesn’t have to be perfect.”
“I know.” She exhaled, watching Grandma try to balance a broom on her hip while scooping popcorn into a dustpan. “I just told Tilly and Jack I’d take care of everything, and I want to prove I can. Maybe one day I’ll have a shop like this, minus the current chaos, that is.”
TJ chuckled, bumping her shoulder lightly. “Give it time. You might miss these folks when they’re gone.” He slipped an arm around Lila and guided her toward the laptop. “Here, I’ll help you finish setting up. Once they get a batch done properly, they can bag it and butter it.”
“Yes, you’re right,” she said on a sigh.
“That’s my girl.” He gave her shoulder a playful shake.
They finished arranging everything. This time, the air-popper and its operators behaved themselves. Soon the scent of melted butter filled the café as they scooped popcorn into little bags and passed them around. Customers added toppings, retook their seats, and settled in for the movie.
Lila finally relaxed enough to sit for a moment.
TJ appeared with a small bag of popcorn. “For you,” he said.
“Thank you.” She smiled and took it, her shoulders easing for the first time all evening.
The lights dimmed, the movie started, and laughter rippled through the room. Even the elderly crew sat enthralled.
“Wow,” Irene whispered. “That screen is huge!”
“It sure is,” Grandma agreed. “Too bad the others aren’t here to enjoy this.”
“Oh aye, but somebody has to run the inn,” Paddy said.
When the movie ended, applause broke out. They cleaned up cups, plates, and crumbs, and Lila was bone-tired by the time the last customer left.
“Well, that was fun,” Grandma said as they headed for the door. “Let’s do it again! We need one of those contraptions so we can have popcorn when we watch TV at night.”
“Oh sure,” Paddy said. “Hey, Lila!”
Lila turned wearily toward him. “Yes?”
“Where can we get one of those air-poppers?”
“Stone’s Emporium,” TJ answered before she could. “They’ve got everything.”
“Oh, Stone’s, ye say?” Paddy looked at the others. “We haven’t been there yet, not since we arrived.”
“He’s right,” Irene said. “I wouldn’t mind paying a visit.”
“Do they have pictures of the original owners displayed?” Grandma asked.
“They did the last time I was in there,” TJ said.
“You like town history, Grandma?” Lila asked.
“Yes, I love it. We’ve been so busy between here and the inn, we haven’t gotten out much. I want to attend the Harvest Festival this weekend. We should bake pies for it. You can serve slices from the booth.”
“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” Lila said. “We’re just serving coffee and maybe a few pastries.”
“Well, isn’t pie a pastry?” Irene quipped.
Lila held up a hand. “We’ll discuss it tomorrow, all right? Thanks, everyone, you did a wonderful job. I appreciate it.”
“Ah, it was nothing,” Wilfred said. “We like working here with you. It’s fun.”
“Sorry about the mess,” Grandma added.
“It’s fine,” Lila said, forcing a smile. “Now let’s go home.” She locked up and watched them shuffle down the sidewalk together.
TJ stood beside her. “They don’t have a car?” he asked.
“No, I don’t believe so,” she said. “Maybe none of them have a driver’s license anymore.”
He frowned. “If they ever need a ride, tell them to let me know.”
“That’s very generous, thank you.” She gave him a tiny smile. “One of them, Doc, I think, mentioned they’re still looking for a house. I wonder if they’ve found one yet.”
“I’ve no idea. You should ask,” TJ said. “And take some time for yourself, you’ve been working too hard.”
“I can’t help it. I’m babysitting every day.”
“Lila,” he said gently, drawing her close. “Take it from me, these last eight years, all I’ve done is work. I haven’t had much of a life. You need to cut yourself some slack. And them. They’re trying their best. What harm have they done, other than make a few messes?”
Her heart squeezed. Did he think she was too hard on them? “I suppose you’re right,” she said softly. “I just worry too much. It’s a big responsibility taking care of someone else’s business.”
“I understand,” he said with a smile. “That’s why I offered to help. Well, technically, Grandma and Irene drafted me for half of it, but I don’t mind.”
She laughed quietly. “Because it keeps you away from your mother?”
“Exactly.” His grin turned sly. “If I stay home too long, she’ll have half the single women in town over for dinner. This way, I’m home but not home, if you know what I mean.”
“So, why is she trying so hard to play matchmaker?” Lila asked.
He gave her a look. “Because she doesn’t want me going back to Cornwall. She thinks if I find someone here, I’ll stay.”
“Well, maybe she’s right,” Lila said lightly, though her heart dipped. He isn’t staying.
“How am I going to find the right girl when I’m only here a couple more weeks? I don’t know what she’s thinking.”
“Maybe you’ll meet a nice girl in Cornwall,” she said then swallowed the lump in her throat.
He pulled a face and shrugged. “Yeah, maybe. Though my mother won’t be happy.”
Neither would I, Lila thought, but she only nodded.