Chapter 15
CHAPTER 15
Lizzie woke up before Jack, and not wanting to disturb him, grabs a sweater, puts on her slippers, and quietly exits the room.
As she makes her way downstairs she can see it’s a gorgeous, sunny day. The snow has stopped, the sky is blue, and it looks like a postcard.
They’d sat in front of the fire for a couple of hours last night, eating the feast of the snacks Jack and Rusty had laid out, making plans for the future as they snuggled by the fire. But, being the responsible types they were, they’d then spent a good 45 minutes tidying, and had cleaned everything up, leaving the living room in pristine shape.
“Well, you’re up early,” Rusty says, coming into the room carrying a tray laden with breakfast items he put on the buffet. Lizzie joins him to help set things up. “Are congratulations in order?” he asks, smiling a knowing smile at her. “I sure hope so after all the work we did!” he jokes.
She lifts her left hand up, and sassily twirls her hand back and forth. “Yes, I said yes!” she beams, doing her best ‘ Single Ladies put a ring on it’ posing. “Thank you for helping make it such a special night. It was truly magical and the most romantic thing that’s ever happened to me, that’s for sure. I really appreciate you helping make it so special.”
Rusty puts his hands up. “Hey, it was all Jack, I just provided some crackers, cheese, and charcuterie,” he laughs. “Oh, and the 2010 merlot.” He hugs her. “I’m so happy for you two, you make a fantastic couple, and an amazing team. There’s not going to be any stopping the two of you. I very much look forward to seeing all you create together.”
Rusty hurries back to the kitchen to get another tray, this one with some mugs and a small carton of half and half. Lizzie starts helping him get the coffee station ready. She pours the cream into a pitcher he has put out, and then suddenly thinks, wait, they’re the only ones at the inn.
“Rusty, is all this just for us?”
“Yeah, and the staff. When no one is here we sometimes have a group breakfast. We won’t get in your way, though, we’ll eat in the kitchen.”
Lizzie bursts out laughing and shakes her head, “Who do you think we are? The Crawleys at Downton Abbey ?” She can’t stop laughing. “We would love to have breakfast with you, and whoever else is here. You will not, I repeat not relegate yourselves to the kitchen! Though I cannot guarantee when Jack will wake up, he’s been working so hard, I tiptoed out so he could sleep.” No sooner does she say that, when he appears.
“You know I can’t sleep past 8,” he says, giving her a kiss. “Morning, Rusty. I see you have met my fiance,” he teases. “I have been dying to say that word ever since we got engaged,” he looks at his watch, “Ten or so hours ago.” He goes to the sideboard where the coffee is, “You want some?” he asks Lizzie as he pours a cup.
“Yes!” she walks over and takes the mug from him.
“Did you tell your parents yet?” Jack asks, pouring himself a cup. “Rusty, you want some?” Rusty nods, walks over and Jack hands him a coffee. When they’ve all got their coffee they sit down on two sofas facing each other.
“I did not,” Lizzie says. “Did you call yours?”
Jack shakes his head, takes a sip of coffee and sits back on the couch. “This is really good, Rusty, thanks. Nah, I think I’ll wait until we get back. I’m kind of enjoying our little bubble here. Once we get back to Cranberry Harbor you know it will be all over town in two minutes, and we won’t have any privacy about anything. I’m kind of enjoying this just being us. And Rusty of course,” he says laughing and raising his mug to Rusty.
“I am honored to be the only other person in the know,” he says. “Though I did post it on all the inn’s social media accounts,” he teases. “It’s good PR for us, ‘come get engaged at the Cape’s End Inn,’ posted with a photo of the two of you I took in secret. You’re cool with that, right?” he says as he laughs.
“Oh totally cool,” Lizzie says. “If it’s not on the ‘Gram it didn’t happen, right?”
Jack laughs, “‘The ‘Gram?’ I think you should never utter that word again.”
“Yeah, as soon as I said it I thought it sounded very stupid coming out of my mouth. Maybe if I was 14, but yeah, even in jest it sounds dumb.” She gets up to pop a bagel in the toaster. “You want anything you two?”
“I feel like I’m really imposing being here,” says Rusty, starting to get up.
“No!” Jack and Lizzie both say, not meaning to yell, but they kind of do.
“Whoa!” Rusty says, sitting back down. “Alright, I guess I’m staying!” he laughs.
“I didn’t mean to yell,” Lizzie says, apologetically, “It’s just we love seeing you and having you here.” After she puts some cream cheese on her bagel she sits down. “We had our lovely evening last night, and we’re enjoying hanging out with you.”
“Agreed” says Jack, getting up, and surveying the breakfast offerings on the table. He chooses a small Greek yogurt, a banana and some granola that he pours into a bowl. He brings them all back and assembles his breakfast on the coffee table in front of them.
“Your selection looks much healthier than mine,” she says as she takes the last bite of her bagel. “All carbs and fat.” She gets up and puts a hard boiled egg in a bowl and comes back to the couch. “Protein,” she says, as she takes a bite.
While they sit by the fire, which Rusty adds some wood to, a few more employees come in. They hesitate to join in, but the three of them encourage them all, and soon it’s a lovely party.
“I’m suddenly aware that we’re the only ones in pajamas,” Jack says. “Usually at least half the folks sitting here are equally attired, this feels a little weird.”
“Eh, we don’t care, in all honesty I didn’t even notice,” says Katrina, the woman they just met who’s in charge of housekeeping. “You wouldn’t believe some of the outfits we’ve seen,” she says, looking at her fellow employees with a knowing glance.
“Oh my god, that couple who came down in their underwear who needed to tell us they sleep naked and therefore had no pajamas-” Rusty says.
“And you went and got them two robes out of the dryer,” says Katrina.
“Okay, so my flannel pajama pants and t-shirt aren’t looking so bad now,” Jack says, mock-wiping his brow.
“Oh no, you two look positively dressed to the nines compared to many!” says Rusty. He stands up and cautiously looks at Lizzie and Jack, “I’m not leaving because I feel I’m interloping, I have to actually get to work. Okay?” he teases.
“Yes, you have spent an adequate amount of time with us, you have permission to leave,” Lizzie says, smiling at him. “Thank you, Rusty, for this, and well, for everything.” She gets up and gives him a hug. “You helped make this a very memorable time.” She kisses him on the cheek.
“Aw, shucks, tisn't nothing, ma’am,” he hugs her back. “So happy to have gotten to be part of something so special.”
And with his exit, everyone else gets up as well.
“I have to say I feel kind of lazy,” Lizzie says, watching them all head off.
“Uh, when was the last time you took a day off? Not an hour to get a haircut, or do an errand, but an actual whole day off?” Jack asks her.
“Um,” she sits on the couch and thinks. “I honestly can’t remember.”
“Well there you go, you have nothing to feel guilty about.” He leans back on the couch and puts his arm around her, and she sighs a sigh of relaxation. “That’s it, you can do this, I know you can!” he jokes.
She snuggles in closer to him and hugs him. “I could get used to this,” she says. “Is this what married life will be like?” she says, laughing.
“Exactly. Every single day!” Jack replies.
“Good, then I’m all in,” she says.
“You weren’t before?” Jack says, mocking concern.
“I was mostly all in, but this clinches it.”
“Well good, it does for me too,” he says, squeezing her tightly. “Anything you want to do today?”
“I think I’m already doing it,” she says. “But maybe in a little while we can go for a walk?”
“Good idea.” Jack says. “But not yet,” he says, hugging her again.