Chapter 10
CHAPTER 10
E vie had just finished making a pot of coffee when she heard a knock at the door. Smiling as she went to answer it, she was certain she’d find Randy standing there.
And he was, with a warm smile and a paper bag in his hand.
“Good morning,” he greeted her cheerfully. “I know you said to come over this morning and we’d open another item from the Christmas box. I brought some fresh peach scones from The Sweet Shoppe. Thought we could have breakfast together out on the porch.”
The aroma of freshly baked scones wafting from the bag made her stomach rumble. She laughed as she opened the door wider. “Breakfast together is getting to be quite the habit.”
As Randy stepped inside, she noticed how at ease he seemed in her grandmother’s cottage. It struck her how much of a fixture he must have been in Nana’s life.
“The porch sounds lovely,” she said, heading to the kitchen to grab mugs and plates. “Let me just get these, and we can head out there.”
Balancing the mugs and plates, she led the way to the porch and set the items on the table. The morning air was a bit chilly, so she went back in and grabbed her Nana’s favorite wrap. Settling it around her shoulders, she headed back outside, pausing a moment to take in the view. It never disappointed.
“This is perfect,” she said, settling into one of the chairs. “It’s so peaceful out here in the mornings.”
“It is peaceful. Miss G and I would often have coffee out here.” Randy placed the bag on the table and began unpacking the scones. “And they’re still warm.”
As he handed her a scone, their fingers brushed briefly, and a little flutter started in her chest. She pushed the feeling aside, focusing instead on the delicious treat in her hand.
“So,” Randy said, relaxing into the chair beside her, “ready to unwrap another item from the box?”
She nodded, taking a sip of her coffee. “I am. It’s been surprisingly therapeutic, going through these items. Like I’m getting to know a different side of Nana.”
“She was a remarkable woman,” he agreed. “Always full of stories about the island and its people.”
As they enjoyed their breakfast, she found herself relaxing into an easy conversation with Randy. The gentle clink of coffee mugs and the soft sound of the waves provided a soothing backdrop to their chat. It felt natural, sitting here on the porch, sharing stories and laughter. The cottage was beginning to feel more like home to her.
But it wasn’t home, she reminded herself. She had a place back up north. And she really needed to get back there and find another job.
Her fingers tightened around her mug as she considered the reality of her situation. Not many high-tech jobs here on Belle Island, so it was silly to think she could live here. She glanced around at the lush greenery and listened to the sound of waves, feeling an unexpected tug of longing.
Live here? Permanently? Where had that thought come from? She blinked, surprised by the direction of her thoughts. But it was a silly notion anyway. She pushed it away, focusing instead on the last of her delicious scone.
As they finished their meal and sat sipping their coffee, the conversation lulled into a comfortable silence. She found herself stealing glances at Randy, wondering what he was thinking. He leaned back in his chair, looking completely at ease.
Finally, she set her mug down with a soft clink. “I guess it’s time. Let me go get the box.” She stood and stretched slightly before heading inside. When she returned, she set the box on the table between them, her fingers lingering on its worn edges for a moment before she pulled away.
“Go ahead. Pick one.” He nodded toward the box.
She stared into the box, her fingers hovering over the various wrapped items as she debated which one to choose. Why did it seem like such a big decision? She finally made up her mind and took one out. She gently untied the twine and unwrapped the tissue paper to reveal a small, carved box. As she opened the lid, a tinkling, melodic waltz filled the air.
She listened, entranced, as the delicate melody of “The Skater’s Waltz” filled the air. The familiar tune brought back memories of Nana playing it on her old stereo, the music floating through the cottage on lazy summer afternoons.
When the tune stopped, she passed the music box to Randy, watching as he examined it closely. His eyes lit up as he turned it over. “Look, it’s engraved. To Lula, all my love. Fred. 3/2/1908.”
“Oh.” She leaned closer to see. “1908? It’s over a century old. I wonder who Lula and Fred were.”
He pulled out his phone. “Let’s see what we can find online.” But despite his efforts, searching for Lula and Fred on the island yielded no results. Even the date didn’t bring up any significant events.
“I’m not sure we can solve this one,” he said as he set his phone down.
She let out a sigh. “We were on a winning streak, but it’s unrealistic to think we’d find out the significance of all these items.”
“Maybe, but even if we don’t know all the details, it’s clear Miss G saw something special in each of these items. That’s what really matters, isn’t it?”
“Yes, you’re right. That’s what matters.” She was still disappointed they couldn’t figure out the story behind the music box though.
Randy handed the box back to her. “You know, hearing the music, it reminded me. There’s the Christmas dance tonight at the town center. It’s our official kickoff for the Christmas Festival. Would you like to go?”
“Oh, that sounds like fun.”
“It’s kind of a chance for everyone to dress up fancy for a change.”
“Oh, I didn’t bring anything nice to wear.”
“I’m sure anything you wear will be fine.”
Spoken like a true male. Maybe she’d have time to go shopping. At this rate, she was never going to get Nana’s cottage sorted out.
Randy stood. “I should go get some work done. I’ll pick you up about seven?”
“Sure. And thanks for bringing breakfast. The scones were delicious.”
“Thanks for sharing the opening of another piece from the Christmas box.” With a quick wave, he clambered down the porch steps and jogged over to his cottage.
She picked up their dishes and carried them inside, then brought the Christmas box in. Maybe she should head into town to try to find a dress to wear.
She sighed, knowing she was procrastinating on what she needed to be doing. She really, really needed to do something—anything—toward sorting out the cottage first.
She’d been avoiding Nana’s room, but she couldn’t avoid it forever. Now seemed like the time. Squaring her shoulders, she headed into Nana’s bedroom. The closet. She’d start there.
She stepped into the closet as sunlight from the far window partially illuminated the space. She flipped the switch, and soft light filled the rest of the area.
With a deep breath, she began sorting through the clothes, carefully folding tops and slacks into a box. “Someone will appreciate these,” she said out loud to no one, imagining Nana’s approving smile at the thought of her clothes finding new homes.
As she worked, her eye caught on something tucked away in the corner. She moved some clothing to reveal a package underneath. Curious, she reached for it. Her breath caught as she read the gift tag. “To Evie,” it said in Nana’s elegant script, followed by a short message: “When I saw this, I just knew you had to have it. Merry Christmas, Nana.”
With trembling fingers, she unwrapped the gift. Silky fabric spilled out from the festive green wrapping paper revealing a stunning red dress. She held it up, the fabric soft against her skin, and felt a lump form in her throat. It was perfect for the Christmas dance. Almost as if Nana had known she would need it. She hugged the dress close, feeling a connection to her grandmother that transcended time and space.
Randy stood at Evie’s front door, adjusting his tie yet again. He realized he hadn’t felt this nervous—or hopeful—in years. The air was thick with possibility and the scent of saltwater as he smoothed his tie one last time.
Why was he so nervous? He was simply taking Evie to the Christmas dance. That was all.
And yet, when he knocked on the door, his breath caught in his throat as he waited for her to appear, and he had to wonder if she could hear his heart pounding from inside the house.
The door swung open and his neatly planned world tilted on its axis. Evie stood framed in the doorway, a vision that stole his breath away. A soft red dress hugged her curves and shimmered softly in the porch light. Her dark hair was swept up, exposing the elegant curve of her neck. A few loose tendrils framed her face. Her eyes seemed to sparkle with an inner light, reflecting the Christmas lights strung along the porch.
He swallowed. Hard. “Wow, if that’s what you call not bringing anything nice to wear…”
Her lips curved into a gentle smile that made his heart skip a beat. “It’s a Christmas present from Nana. I guess she bought it early but never had— She didn’t get a chance to give it to me. I found it when I was cleaning out her closet. It’s a beautiful dress, isn’t it?”
He opened his mouth to speak, to tell her how great she looked, but the words caught in his throat. All he could do was stand there, drinking in the sight of her, feeling like the luckiest man on the island.
He finally pulled himself together. “It’s beautiful. You ’ re beautiful.” The words just came out before he had a chance to stop them.
An adorable blush swept across her cheeks. “Ah… thank you. You look good too. Handsome, I mean.”
He was glad he’d decided to wear the one suit he owned instead of his sports coat. After adjusting his tie yet again, he held out his arm. “Ready?”
She nodded and pulled the door shut behind her. She took his arm, and a spark of electricity jolted through him. Trying to ignore it, he helped her into the passenger seat, struggling not to let his nervousness show.
As he drove, she exclaimed excitedly about the various decorations around the town. The white lights adorning Belle Island Inn. The wreaths on the lampposts. The twinkle lights at the gazebo.
“The town looks like it should be on a Christmas postcard. It’s so festive and pretty.”
“Belle Island does like its Christmas season, I admit.”
He parked the car, and they got out. A sense of pride swept through him when she took his arm. He undoubtedly had the most beautiful woman at the dance by his side—not to mention she was smart and easy to talk to. He wasn’t sure how he’d gotten so lucky.
“Look, there’s Tally. Let’s go say hi,” Evie said as they entered the dance.
He led her over to where Tally was standing, looking festive in a dark green dress with a pretty Christmas pin on it.
“Evie, dear. You look lovely.” Tally hugged her. “Glad you could come to our Christmas dance.”
“Thank you,” Evie beamed. “Nana got it for me.”
“Well, it certainly suits you.” Tally turned and waved, and Julie came up to them. “Julie, have you met Evie? Genevieve’s granddaughter.”
Julie held out her hand, and Evie shook it. “No, I haven’t. Nice to meet you.”
“Nice to meet you. I’ve been enjoying having breakfast from your shop. We had the peach scones today. They were delicious.”
Julie smiled at the compliment. “I’m glad you enjoyed them. Always a customer favorite.”
Tally turned and looked at him expectantly. “Aren’t you going to ask Evie to dance? Shame not to show off that beautiful dress.”
He flashed a grin. “Yes, ma’am. I was just going to ask her. Evie? Would you care to dance?”
“I’d love to.”
She smiled up at him, and his heart thumped wildly.
Get a grip, buddy.
She slipped her hand in his as he led her out onto the dance floor. The cheerful Christmas song ended and a slow song started. He gently placed his hand on her waist, acutely aware of their closeness as they began to sway to the music.
She leaned her head against his chest and he almost forgot how to dance. Recovering, he held her against him, certain she could now hear his heart pounding against her cheek.
As the song faded away, Evie stepped back from his embrace and a sudden void swept over him. Her eyes sparkled as she looked up at him, her smile warm and genuine. “That was nice,” she said softly.
His heart raced, making it difficult to form coherent thoughts. “It… was,” he managed to say, his voice sounding strained even to his own ears. He cleared his throat, hoping to regain some composure. “Um, would you like some punch?”
The words tumbled out, and he inwardly cringed. Was he coming across as awkward and inexperienced? He hadn’t felt this nervous around a woman in years, and it threw him off balance.
“Yes, thank you.”
He made his way through the crowd to the refreshment table, his gaze continually drawn back to Evie. As she chatted animatedly with Julie, he marveled at how effortlessly she seemed to blend in with the island’s residents. There was something about her warmth and genuine interest that drew people in, making it look like she’d always been a part of their community.
With two glasses of punch in hand, he returned to the two women. “Here you go, Evie,” he said, handing her a glass. Then he turned to Julie, extending the other. “Julie, would you like this?”
Julie shook her head with a smile. “No, but thank you. I’m off to find Susan.” She gave them both a quick wave before disappearing into the crowd.
Randy turned to Evie as he took a sip of the punch. “Susan owns Belle Island Inn. You’ll have to meet her, too. She runs the inn with her son.” He found himself wanting to explain all the things about the island, the people, the places, in the hope that Evie would feel at home here.
And maybe even… stay here on the island.
There—he’d allowed himself to actually think the thought. But it was a silly one. She was here to clear out Miss G’s things. He hoped she at least stayed through the holidays though. And New Year’s. It would be nice to celebrate New Year’s with her.
He felt a gentle bump against his side and looked over at Evie.
“You still with me?” She smiled up at him.
“Yes, sorry. Mind wandering a bit. What were we saying?”
“How I should meet more people.” Her smile widened.“I feel like I’ve met so many people since I got here. Hope I can keep all of you straight.”
He winked at her. “Just remember, I’m the one who lives next door to you.”
“Ah, then I’ll probably remember you,” she teased.
They danced and chatted with people and he introduced her all around. She charmed everyone she met. As the dance ended, they headed outside into the night with a million stars thrown overhead.
She turned to him. “I had the best time.”
“I did too.” He just barely stopped himself from reaching out and sweeping one of those soft curls away from the face. The curls that had been taunting him all night. Instead, he opened the truck door for her and helped her inside, catching a glimpse of her long, lean legs as she settled into the seat.
He hurried around to the driver’s side and got in. He wasn’t sure how the front seat of the truck had gotten so small. He swore it had though. As though it was the most intimate space in the world with the low lights of the dashboard gently illuminating them.
They drove to her cottage in silence, with Evie engrossed in looking at all the decorations they passed. He pulled into her drive and came around to help her out. She took his offered hand and slid out, landing right against him.
She laughed gently. “Whoops. Hard to get out of the truck gracefully in these heels.”
He still had her in his arms. Right, he should probably let her go. Reluctantly, he stepped back. He followed her up the porch steps and stood by her side.
“Thanks for asking me. And introducing me to so many people.”
“So very many,” he teased. “Just remember which one I am.”
“Oh, I think I’ll remember you.” Her eyes locked with his.
A look that made him lose all rational thought. The world faded away as he found himself captivated by her lips, yearning to close the distance between his lips and hers.
His mind raced, debating whether he should take the chance and kiss her. The moment stretched out, electric with possibility.
Suddenly, Evie’s voice cut through his thoughts. “And early tomorrow we’re still on for delivering the cookies to the festival?”
He blinked, struggling to process her words.
“Randy?” she prompted gently.
“Yes, the cookies,” he managed as his thoughts snapped back to reality. “I’ll be over bright and early.”
“Okay. See you then. Night, Randy.” With a smile that left him breathless, she slipped inside, and the opportunity to kiss her vanished into the night.
Left alone on the porch, he felt the weight of the missed moment. But he’d see her soon. First thing in the morning. He whistled under his breath as he walked over to his cottage.