Chapter 21
Chapter Twenty-One
RHETT
T he weather was gloomy and the walk long, but the company made up for it. Ella had a story for just about every place in town. It was obvious she adored Whisper Cove. “And that little green space there used to be a miniature golf course,” she said as we passed a corner that was covered with winter brown grass and cement pathways for walking or riding a bike. There was a set of swings and a long winding slide in the middle of the corner park. “There was a big green brontosaurus right at the entrance to the golf course,” she continued. “The whole place was dinosaur-themed, and inside the kiosk where you paid for games and got your clubs and balls, you could also buy a half pound of mixed candy for three dollars. My sisters and I would pool our allowances and then walk down here, not to play golf but to buy candy.”
“What happened to the dinosaurs? Did they go extinct?” I asked.
She pointed at me. “Very clever. In a way, that’s what happened. The owners were an old couple, and they were looking for retirement. They stopped taking care of the place. The dinosaurs were made from wood, wire and plaster. First the paint started peeling. Pretty soon chunks of plaster fell off. The stegosaurus lost a bunch of those big fin things he had on his back. One day the brontosaurus at the entrance lost his head. Boom. Just fell off in front of a group of Girl Scouts. Probably scarred them for life. Bronty losing his head was the final straw. They closed the golf course, and the town paid to have it made into a park.”
We reached Juniper Road where most of the businesses were located. We passed a shop that had cardboard covering the windows. “This is Isla’s future bakery.”
“Looking forward to her baked goods. I guess your sisters are going to be competing for breakfast business.”
Ella stopped suddenly. I took a few extra steps before I realized she’d stopped. I looked back at her. “Everything all right?”
“What you said.” Ella seemed to be processing my words. “You’re right. I hadn’t thought of that, and I’m sure Aria and Isla haven’t either. Do you think they’ll become rivals?” There was true concern in her face.
“No way. You’ve told me enough stories about you and your sisters that I think we can say, without doubt, that your relationships are solid. And they won’t be rivals. Some mornings I wake up craving a pastry or a cinnamon roll and coffee and nothing more. Other mornings the only thing that will satisfy my start to the day is a plate of eggs and bacon. The customers will just have more than one option once the bakery opens.”
Ella smiled up at me. “You are quite wise for your years, Mr. Lockwood. What you say makes perfect sense.” She hooked her arm around mine. Something about the gesture felt so right, as if she belonged there at my side. “Now prepare yourself for a delicious lunch. I’m thinking a day like this requires, at the very least, a bowl of soup. Dex makes a delicious broccoli cheddar.”
“Sounds good. I just realized learning about Magnum Grimstone’s misfortunes has made me very hungry.” We reached Whisper Cove Café. The tables were half full. The café was cozy with a brick wall on one end—a massive hearth with a blazing fire—and strings of lights crisscrossing the beams on the ceiling.
Ella waved enthusiastically to her sister. Her older sister was taller with copper hair and light freckles. Like Ella, she was stunning but in an entirely different way. Her sister put down the coffeepot she was holding and walked across to greet us.
“Aria, this is Rhett Lockwood. He owns Grimstone Manor,” Ella said. “Rhett, this is Aria.”
Aria shook my hand. “It’s nice to be formally introduced.”
I felt a twinge of shame. “Yes, I’ve been in here, and I’m sorry if I came off rudely. I can be standoffish without trying. At least that is what my mom has told me many times.”
“Well, I’m glad to meet you now. There’s a table by the fire,” Aria suggested. A massive man who looked entirely out of place wrapped in a cook’s apron came out from the back. The guy was so tall his head nearly touched the hanging lights. He spotted the three of us still standing in the dining area discussing tables, and instantly, his brow furrowed, like that of a stern dad. He crossed his thick arms over a big chest as he reached us. His scrutinizing gaze fell right on me. I put on my most polite smile, but I wasn’t really in a smiling mood.
“Dex, this is Rhett Lockwood. He just moved to town and lives in Grimstone Manor, the old house on the hill.”
Dex was still giving me the evil eye as he nodded. “You’ve been helping Ella with her work?” He didn’t ask it in a friendly tone.
Aria rolled her eyes. “You two, take a seat.” She grabbed Dex’s arm to turn him around and lead him away, but it was a bit like watching a tiny tugboat try to drag an ocean liner. She cleared her throat to let him know he was done with his big, mean father act.
I half expected Dex to lift his hand and do the two-finger point between his eyes and mine to let me know he was keeping an eye on me.
Ella gave an eye roll of her own as we meandered over to a table that was close but not too close to the fire. “Just a minute,” she said with a sigh. She hurried to the back, but I could still see her as she gave Dex a quick hug. She returned quickly. “Sorry about that. Dex is very protective of all of us, and frankly, it’s kind of sweet.”
“Not so sweet when you’re on the receiving end of his scrutiny,” I said. “But I’m not mad. Intimidated, yes. I always considered myself pretty tough and a guy who could hold his own in a fight, but that guy—” I shook my head. “Would not want to face him down in a dark alley. Or anywhere, for that matter.”
Ella laughed. “He does take up a lot of space, but the man can make a quiche that’ll bring tears to your eyes.”
Aria returned with menus. “Sorry about ‘Atilla the Hun.’ He’s very protective.”
“It’s cool. I completely understand.”
“I’ll be right back to take your order. I highly recommend the broccoli cheddar soup,” Aria said.
Ella smiled smugly. “See, I know my soups. I’m going to pair a bowl with a bacon and tomato sandwich.”
I patted the menu. “That actually sounds perfect.”
The flames in the hearth warmed the café, and while it was cloudy and gray outside, inside the café, with its strands of lights and delicious aromas, was extremely inviting. “Your sister started this business all by herself?” I asked.
Ella beamed instantly. It was the same big smile she wore whenever she talked about one of her sisters. “And she was young, mid-twenties. She went into finance after college.” Ella shrugged. “Don’t ask me what that entailed. It all sounded so boring, as a younger sister I wasn’t the least bit interested in her dull business career. Then she realized she wasn’t interested in it either. Nonna, our grandmother, was an excellent cook and baker. Isla and Aria spent a lot of time in the kitchen with her.”
“Not you?” I asked.
“I was better at taste testing, especially when Nonna was baking cookies or cakes. But I loved writing. Even as a little girl, I’d draw out storybooks and then read them to my sisters. I’ve been working on—you know— that book , the book that will hopefully get me noticed in the literary world, but it’s hard. A lot harder than I imagined. My sisters have been so wonderful. They’ve been supporting me so I could pursue my dream, but I recently decided I needed to start supporting myself. That’s why I applied for a journalist position at online publications. I was lucky to get this job.” She reached over and placed her hand on mine. “That’s why I’ll be forever grateful to you. I’m not sure I would have ever discovered all this highly personal information about the Grimstones without your help.” She took her hand away, but I could still feel the soft warmth of her palm long after. “That said, I started the episode about Margaret, and I think it’s going great, but now I’m really looking forward to writing Magnum’s story.” She rubbed her hands together eagerly. “Think I’m going to like this whole journalist gig.”
“I’m kind of liking it, too. As long as you’re doing the writing. Ella,” I started and then realized I wasn’t exactly sure what I wanted to say. I knew one thing for certain—I wanted to see more of Ella. “I hope we can keep this going. I’m sorry. I’ve been in an anti-social bubble for far too long. What I’m trying to say—awkwardly—is I’m very fond of you—of your company. Meeting you has been good for me.”
Ella’s cheeks turned pink. “That’s good, Rhett. I feel the same way. I, too, have been inside a bubble for a while, a mostly empty bubble where I’m surrounded by fictional characters. My sisters call me the hermit, and they aren’t far off on that assessment. This has been good for me, too, and not just because of the story.”
Aria walked over to take our order. The conversation ended, but I was feeling pretty good about the way it went.