Chapter Five
Published.
Hitting that small button feels a lot larger than the act itself. I just published my first travel article on my own without the large name of my old magazine behind me.
Refreshing the analytics on the post will be my life for the next few days. The photos came out stunning, showcasing all the best parts of Hemlock Cove that I love so much.
Closing my laptop, I gear up to leave my warm cabin and head over to the inn for some lunch before my meeting with Tommy about Easter and spring planting.
I enjoy working the farm with him much more than I do working the inn.
I just need to tell Liam that, a conversation I’m willing to continue putting off.
Walking through the front door I’m met with Ma at the check-in. “Hey, Ma. What are you doing here?”
“Oh you know, Liam has Hunter doing another new job. Violet is baking, and Emma is at home with Olivia because she’s running a fever. So they had to call in the old broad who can’t figure out the new system.” She walks out from behind the counter and pulls me in for a tight hug.
“My girl is sick?”
“Just a little fever. I think it’s those darn one year old molars.” She shrugs and goes back to the computer. I know she’s just leaving it open to make Liam feel better that she’s using his new system.
“Maybe I need to pay her a visit with some popsicles then. And probably a toy.” My niece has me wrapped around her finger, along with all her other uncles.
“Don’t you dare. You know Emma is trying to keep her away from sugar.” She smiles at me. “But if you do, grab some of those colored marshmallows she loves so much from Mimi K.”
“You got it, Ma.” I wink at her. She likes to pretend in front of Emma, but behind her back she’s as bad as all of us.
“What are you doing today?”
“Just grabbing some lunch before I head over to Tommy’s.”
She levels me with a stare as I walk over to the kitchen and disappear to find some lunch. When I return, she’s sitting at the table waiting for me.
“When are you going to tell your brother that you don’t like working here?” she asks.
“What?”
“Don’t lie to me about this inn to save my feelings. You know I just want to see my babies happy. And I know you published your first blog without telling a soul in this family.” She turns her phone, showing me my first article.
“You know for someone who claims to not know anything about technology, you sure seem pretty savvy.” I chuckle, digging into my sandwich.
“Emma showed me how to sign up for your newsletter. And follow you on that Instapost.”
“Instagram, Ma.”
She waves me off. “Whatever it is, I watched all your videos while you were in Hemlock Cove. Those Pierson brothers really drew in a crowd with the ladies.” She waggles her eyebrows.
“Ma. No. Seriously?”
“I’m old, boy, not dead.” She raises a brow, daring me to continue. “I loved the article you wrote. It made me want to go there and I’ve been there a hundred times.”
“I’m hoping it does well. The town could use some tourist income.” I roll up my trash and toss the papers into the can like I’m playing basketball from the three pointer line.
“You’ll do great. I know it. I saved some of the photos. Could you make one my background?” She hands her phone over, opened to one of me standing on the coast.
I had set up my tripod, wanting to get some photos with my face for the blog. Research shows that social media does better when they get to know the face behind the account. Something that will take some getting used to. I don’t like to be in front of the camera, preferring to be behind it.
“Sure, Ma.” Taking her phone, I set it to her home screen, keeping the one of all us as her lock screen. “I knew I was your favorite.”
“Oh shush.” She smiles. “Just don’t tell any of your siblings.”
I stand up, kissing her on the top of the head. “I’ve got to go meet Tommy. I’ll see you later, okay?”
“Have fun, baby. And don’t waste too much time telling your brother that you don’t want to work here anymore.”
Pushing the door closed, I set out to walk the path through the woods that we cleared for Christmas when we did a large Christmas light show with the Petersons.
It was a huge hit and pulled people in from all over when they saw the Petersons social media for the farm and the inn’s.
Emma is a social media queen and I’m thankful for her guidance starting out with my own.
Clearing the tree line, I see Aubrey playing outside with Lily. I haven’t been able to stop seeking the woman out since that night we had dinner. But she’s harder to find than a needle in a haystack. Today though, luck is on my side.
“Hey, ladies. What a pleasure to run into you today.” I approach them, but Aubrey pulls Lily close to her and begins backing away at first. Before she realizes who I am, I see the fear flash across her face.
An undeniable fear that I’ve seen before.
Stopping dead in my tracks, I wait for her to indicate in any way that she’s comfortable with me continuing to.
”Hewwo, Coopa.” Lily waves frantically at me from her mother’s arms.
While her mother has been hard to find, Lily is often out in town with Aggie or over at the inn for a cookie. Her favorite cookie, that I had the forethought to grab when I got my sandwich and kept it safe in my pocket.
“Hello, Ms. Lily May. I have something for you if your mom says sugar is okay?” I look at Aubrey whose heart rate seems to be slowing down.
She nods her head and I hand the cookie over to the little girl who might have me wrapped a fraction of the amount my niece is around her own finger. When I’m working out in the barn taking photos for a staged wedding, she has found me a few times to practice her ballerina moves on the shiny floor.
I’m not sure if Aubrey knows, but I have a feeling if she did, she’d be stopping it.
“Are you here to meet with Tommy? He asked me to join you guys but someone wanted a little outside play time.” She ruffles the pompom on top of her daughter’s winter beanie.
“I am. Could I walk you guys to the house with me?”
“Yes, Coopa! I want you to cawwy me up!” Lily jumps in front of me, pointing at my shoulders.
“A piggy back ride? You got it, princess.” She giggles wildly as I pick her up and throw her over my head to rest on my shoulders.
“Oh, Lily. That was a bit rude to make Cooper do that without asking him politely. We need to ask people for things we want, not demand them, remember?” Aubrey admonishes.
”I sowwy, Coopa.” She pats my head for effect.
“I don’t mind, princess. You can have a piggy ride whenever you want it.” I laugh, reaching up to hold her hands so she stops tipping backwards as I walk and to protect my neck from her squeezing.
Aubrey meets my gaze and whispers, I’m sorry. Shaking my head in response, we fall into step together as the Peterson’s barn with their office comes into view.
“Mommy, I pway wif the piggies?” Lily asks when I drop her down to the ground to go through the door.
“You ask Uncle Tommy, and remember what we talked about, they’re just babies so we need to use gentle hands with the piglets.”
Lily nods and runs off to find Tommy.
“I’m sorry. She’s—”
“A perfect angel.” I cut her off. “If I didn’t want to do it, I wouldn’t. She’s perfectly fine, do not apologize for your daughter who loves life.”
A faint smile crosses her lips and I can’t help but to wonder who ever made this woman feel the need to apologize for her child being a child.