Chapter 11
Chapter Eleven
Sullivan finished dressing after his shower, thinking about how Piper had offered to go shopping with him for a pair of jeans. It was just one of the sweet things about her, wanting him to fit in the Bay. He decided he would take her up on it. It would be just another excuse to be in her company.
He cut through the diner since he hadn’t done so in days, waving to Neville and giving Nellie a kiss on the cheek.
“We haven’t seen much of you lately,” Nellie said.
Shrugging, he said, “Been busy. Work. Friends.”
The old woman smiled at him. “I’m glad to see you making friends in the Bay, Sullivan. I can’t wait for Zane to get here so that I can spoil the two of you together. Where are you off to?”
He saw no reason to hide his plans from her and said, “I’m having dinner with Piper Roberts and her parents. I met her through Keaton and Layne, and we’ve really hit it off.”
“Why, that’s wonderful, sweetie. The Roberts are such a wonderful couple and have given so much to this community. I haven’t seen Piper since she’s been back, but I hear she’s going to be running the Bay Breeze.”
“At least through Labor Day. She’s not quite certain what she wants to do after that.”
Nellie’s brows knitted together. “It was terrible, what happened with Jack and Lark. I’m glad Layne has been able to lean on her friends in such a time of heartache.”
Sullivan knew Nellie referred to the murder/suicide of Layne’s parents, the reason she had inherited the B&B.
“Well, I’m off,” he said, heading to his car.
It had been drilled into him that as a guest, a person always brought a hostess gift.
Since he didn’t know a thing about Mrs. Roberts, he decided to stop by and pick up some flowers.
He didn’t know a female who didn’t like a pretty bouquet.
Then it hit him that he had overheard Piper mentioning him bringing wine to dinner this evening.
As he turned into the parking lot where he could buy both, he dialed her number.
“Hey, you. Are you on your way over? You usually text.”
“You said something about making sangria tonight, and I was going to be responsible for the wine. I just stopped at the supermarket to pick up a bottle or two.”
He entered the doors and headed toward the wine and beer aisle.
“It’s a grocery store in Texas, Prepster. Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered. I stopped by and picked up the things I needed to make the guac, plus everything for the sangria. Just head my way instead.”
“Will do,” he said, changing directions and moving toward the floral section.
His eye was drawn to a beautiful bouquet of what was labeled Mexican petunias and daisies in a vase of water.
The mix of purple and white flowers appealed to him, so he claimed it and went to the checkout.
It proved tricky balancing the large vase as he drove to the Bay Breeze, though.
When he arrived, he rested the vase on the floorboard of the passenger’s seat and bounded up the steps, ringing the doorbell.
Piper answered the door, looking beautiful in a lightweight cornflower sweater which brought out the blue of her eyes. What got his attention more, though, was the pair of faded jeans which molded to her hips and legs like a second skin.
“Come on back. I’m just gathering up everything to take in the kitchen.”
Sullivan enjoyed walking behind her, the sway of her hips hypnotizing him.
She opened the door to the fridge and removed a glass bowl capped with a lid and a bottle of lemon juice.
Setting down both on the island, she retrieved a fork from a drawer and opened the lid, sprinkling a bit of the juice on top of the dip and stirring it briskly with the fork before replacing the lid.
She held up the fork to him, and he opened his mouth, tasting the dip, which had a wonderful smoothness to it.
As she placed items into two canvas bags, he said, “You say you didn’t know how to cook, but this dip is better than anything I’ve eaten in a restaurant. You also knew exactly how to make Texas Trash.”
She scooped up one bag and handed it to him as she claimed the other for herself, motioning him to leave the kitchen.
“Making dip is not what I’d consider cooking. It’s like making popcorn in a microwave. Nothing to it. Although I do think you’d like my Texas caviar dip.”
“I’m afraid to ask what’s in that because I’m guessing it’s not the caviar I know,” he joked. “Why did you add the lemon juice?” he asked, curious about that as she locked the front door and they headed toward his car.
“I like to mix up guac a few hours before serving it so the flavors really settle well. Avocados have the tendency to turn slightly brown, though. Lemon juice brightens the color back up and makes the guac look more appetizing.”
They reached his car, and he opened the door, saying, “Watch out. I’ve got flowers on the floorboard. “You’ll need to hold those on the way over.”
Sullivan took the canvas bag from her and placed both in the backseat of the car as Piper got in and brought the flowers to her lap.
“These are gorgeous. Apparently not for me.”
He leaned down and kissed her forehead before closing her door and walking around to the other side of the car.
“They’re for your mom. Her hostess gift.”
“You must’ve been a real hit with mothers,” she said.
As he started the car, he nodded. “I was. That was fifteen years ago, however. To be honest, I don’t think I’ve met a single parent since my early college years.”
She looked pensive. “So, you really haven’t seriously dated anyone.”
“Nope. I’m pretty much a workaholic. I also saw what a disaster Zane’s marriage was, and that has kept me in my single lane.”
“Oh, he was married?”
“Briefly. From the time we graduated from college, we lived together before Amanda came along.” Shaking his head, he added, “He moved back in three months after their wedding. It took another six months to cut all ties with her.”
“What went wrong?” she asked.
“What didn’t?” he countered. “It was destined to fail from the start. It’s the only time Zane has never listened to me.”
“I guess you two are the hot catches on the singles scene in New York.”
“We both go out some. Me a little more than he does. Zane travels quite a bit for his job. It’s not conducive for a permanent relationship. Since his brief marriage left such a bad taste in his mouth, I don’t think he’ll ever try marriage again.”
Sullivan knew the turns to make from their previous trip to the Roberts’ house earlier in the day, and they arrived in minutes.
He helped her from the car and collected the two bags and both fishing rods.
Since the garage door was open, Piper had them cut through the garage.
While he replaced the rods, she hung the boat key back on the wall and then opened the door leading into the kitchen.
Immediately, the aroma of something delicious baking filled his nostrils. He saw an attractive woman standing by the stove, stirring something in a pot.
“Hi, sweetie,” Mrs. Roberts said.
Piper set down the flowers and hugged her mother. “Hey, Mom. This is Sullivan Shepherd. He’s responsible for your lovely bouquet.”
“Why, thank you, Sullivan. That was a very thoughtful gesture on your part.”
“Nice to meet you, Mrs. Roberts.”
“Oh, please. Call me Ellen. I’m only Mrs. Roberts at school. Unfortunately, I can’t break Mila or Layne from calling me that.”
“Mom, they’ve known you since before they could count to five. It’s just a sign of respect. Besides, you know you’re a second mom to both of them.”
Looking pleased, Ellen Roberts said, “Well, it has been nice being able to help plan Layne’s wedding, with Lark being gone.”
Chief Roberts appeared in the doorway. He crossed the kitchen and offered his hand. “Good to see you again, Sullivan. I see you’ve met my better half.”
“Thanks for having me to dinner, Chief.”
Piper began removing things from the bags and set the dip in the center of the island. She took out a large bowl and dumped a bag of tortilla chips into it.
“Everyone sample the dip and see if I have enough garlic salt in it.”
All three willingly obliged, claiming a chip and dipping it into the guacamole. He bit into his and murmured, “Mmm.”
“Great job, honey,” the chief said. “Don’t mess with it. It’s fine as it is.”
“Anything I can help with dinner, Mom?” Piper asked.
“No, everything’s under control. All we need is for the sangria to be whipped up. My mouth is watering for a glass of it.”
Piper went to a cabinet and opened it, pulling out a punch bowl. “This is what you and I will use,” she told Sullivan. “Have you had sangria while you’ve been in Texas?”
“No. It’ll be a new experience for me.”
Together, they prepared the beverage, a new experience for him.
“Open the bottle of wine. It’s been chilling,” she said. “Corkscrew’s in that second drawer on the left.”
He opened the wine, noting it was a rioja.
“I like to use a Spanish wine,” Piper told him. “A dry red is perfect for sangria. I’ve used a pinot noir or a malbec before, but I lean toward a rioja.” She looked to her dad. “Would you grab some brandy, Dad? I knew you’d have a bottle open.”
“I do like a glass of brandy in the evenings,” he said, bringing it over and handing it to Sullivan, who looked to Piper for guidance.
“Start pouring slowly. I’ll tell you when to stop. There. That’s good.”
He stirred the spirits and added sugar and orange juice, blending the ingredients in the punchbowl. She had him mix in sugar and let it dissolve before she added the fruit she had cut up. Piper then dropped a cinnamon stick into the bowl and topped the sangria with slices of oranges and lemons.
“That should do it,” she said. “Bring the bowl outside for me.”
She opened the door leading back to the garage and led him to a second fridge. He placed the sangria inside, seeing the fridge was stocked with everything from beer to soda to bottled waters.
“And you say I’m rich. We didn’t have a second fridge reserved for beverages.”