Chapter 13
Chapter Thirteen
First thing Monday morning, Ariel’s cousin descended upon Island House Inn.
“Caleb, I’m here to solve your problems.” Slender, dark-haired Josie’s powerful voice echoed around the mostly deserted lobby.
If confidence counted for anything, Josie was the person he needed as his assistant.
With his office door open, Caleb gestured toward the lobby and three band members attacking the breakfast bar. “When the Grand sprung a water leak, we filled this wing. Apparently, this is the new normal.”
“Ariel told me you need marketing and staffing help. I specialize in both.” Josie glanced around the near-empty room.
“Great. Let’s get you settled in. You can share my office.”
“Okay if I wander around on my own and check out the hotel first?”
“Suits me fine.” Because, while his staffing problems were high on his list of priorities, his urgent need today was to decide what to do on his date with Ariel tonight.
Dating Stephanie had been easy—dinner and any movie rated G or PG. Dates with Ariel held challenges, since public places were out.
Caleb pulled his phone from his pocket and texted Blake.
Caleb
Come over for a free breakfast before work and give me some advice?
Blake
Always ready to tell you what to do, Boss.
Blake wasn’t half as funny as he thought.
When he got to Caleb’s office, dressed for work in gray knee-length shorts, a light-blue Poncho shirt, and black hiking shoes, his shoulder-length, curly hair made Caleb want to grow his own hair out. If Granddad wouldn’t come unglued, he would.
Blake shut the door behind him. “I have to open the store in half an hour, so what can I help with?”
Might as well get right to the point, as awkward as it seemed. “I have a date with Ariel tonight.”
“About time. Where are you taking her?”
Caleb blew out a breath, pushed back his chair. Crossed his ankle over his knee. “That’s the problem. Typical first-date venues don’t work when you take someone as well-known as Ariel.”
Blake nodded. “What does she like to do?”
“I think her life basically revolves around music and work.” He thought for a moment. “She likes antiques.”
“Not helpful. What about a movie? Since she likes antiques, does she watch the classics?”
Caleb drew a blank. “Like what?”
“You’ll have to ask somebody else. I’m a documentaries guy. You could ask her aunt.”
“I’ll pass.”
“Ask a friend?”
He thought about that. “She’s close to her cousin Dani Stone.”
“Dani knows everything that goes on here. But you’ll want to make it special somehow, not just stream the movie onto the TV in her suite.”
When Blake left, Caleb called Dani and explained his dilemma.
“Easy. She loves Cary Grant movies. Arsenic and Old Lace is her favorite. Plus it’s good for a first date because it’s a comedy/romance. Dark comedy, but funny.”
“Comedy is better than a romantic movie?”
“Laughter can make a first date less awkward.”
Dani asked about Miss Dahlia’s emergency, and after Caleb explained the situation, he hung up and gave some thought to Blake’s remark about making their date special.
Then he remembered their meal together during her first night on island. Whenever I eat outside, I feel as if someone gave me a present.
Caleb made some calls, then met with Marcus, the chef, to plan the meal.
Half an hour later, from his office desk, Caleb caught sight of Ariel near the breakfast bar, reaching for a slice of sourdough, her damp hair flowing down the back of her light-yellow dress.
Uncle Augo’s dachshund, Lucy, followed, her toenails playing little staccato taps on the wood floors.
Poor little dog must be lonely with her master gone.
In need of more coffee, Caleb met Ariel in the lobby. Picked up Lucy, who snuggled her nose in the crook of his elbow.
Ariel’s beautiful smile of encouragement touched his heart.
The smile the entire country and much of the world knew and loved.
The one that proved her public image true—Ariel Sullivan was the same sweet woman onstage and off, with a crowd or with just one rather ordinary man, in the pew or down on her knees, retrieving the table knife she’d just dropped under the breakfast bar.
At that moment, he knew he’d never find another woman like Ariel.
One who could take his breath away with a silly grin as she stood and brushed dust from her knees.
One who knew when he was in over his head, somehow sensed his panic from across the room, and grounded and calmed him.
One who’d even softened the heart of his cranky, bossy, hard-to-please grandfather.
For all the terror the realization sent to his heart, Caleb knew that if she left before he told her how he felt, he’d regret it the rest of his life. Because he had a feeling that if he let her go, he’d never see her again.
Or maybe in passing, if she came home to see her family or play another concert. But the connection they’d shared since her first day here? He’d never find that back.
He had no intention of that happening. “Pick you up at your suite at eight?”
Her eyes sparkling, Ariel gave a quick nod as her toast popped up. She added her usual peanut butter and butter, then gave him a little finger-wave as she carried her breakfast toward the parlor.
Caleb took a moment and walked around the quiet lobby, imagining the entire hotel filled with great old furniture, guest rooms full, happy customers enjoying the lobby fireplace and the parlor, uplifting songs by Miss Dahlia and Ariel piping through new lobby speakers.
Noise and beauty and good music instead of icy silence and dreary surroundings and gloom.
The gloom…
It was more than dark clouds and downturned lips. Gloom stuck to people, sucked the life out. Made them grouchy.
Maybe gloom helped make Granddad grouchy. The gloom of a mostly empty hotel. Of a grandson he didn’t understand.
Of a generations-old legacy slipping through shaky, wrinkled fingers.
Suddenly, Caleb had enough silence and emptiness. He strode into the parlor, where Ariel sat sipping her iced tea at one of the big tables.
“Have any of those CDs you carry around?”
“Five or six.” She opened her purse and pulled out an assortment of their albums. “What would you like?”
“Anything that will chase away the melancholy in this place.”
Ariel selected one and gave it to him.
Caleb returned to the lobby, still carrying the contented dog, and stopped the dreary music someone had put in the player earlier. Inserted Ariel’s disc and turned it up. Her beautiful voice went a long way toward making this place feel more upbeat.
Even though he needed to replace this thirty-year-old, outdated sound system.
But for now, he had to leave for the ferry. For the mainland.
To prepare for his date with the love of his life.
Ariel had been wrong. She didn’t feel the least bit nervous about her first date.
At ten minutes till eight Thursday night, she relaxed on the couch, listening to CeCe Winans’s latest gospel hit.
Maybe she felt comfortable because they’d been spending lots of time together. And because they’d already had their first kiss. Regardless, she looked forward to this evening—a whole evening with Caleb—with anticipation rather than anxiety.
Thank the Lord for that.
A knock sounded, and she stood and turned off the music. Checked the peephole and opened the door.
Wearing dark-brown pants, an ivory shirt, and brown wingtips, Caleb held a pink depression-glass bud vase filled with pink roses, just like the one on their table for their not-a-date band supper only two weeks ago.
Caleb handed her the flowers. “When I told Aunt Annabelle we had a date, she insisted on giving you the vase from our table and roses from her garden.”
“It’s the perfect gift.” She set them on the side table and picked up her embroidered handbag while Caleb held open the door.
“I thought we’d have dinner here at the inn.”
“Great idea.” She grabbed her brass room key from her bag, stuck the key in her dress pocket, and laid down the bag. “I won’t need this. We’re eating in the dining room?”
“Close by.” Caleb gave her that heart-stopping smile of his and offered his arm, as he’d done in the lobby on her first day at his hotel. This time, she took it quickly—no hesitation.
They started toward the lobby and took the exit to the patio. He chose the table farthest from the door and pulled out her chair. Another of his Aunt Annabelle’s vases and pink roses sat in the middle.
She took her seat and gazed around at the empty tables. “Hard to believe no one else wants to eat outside on this beautiful evening.”
“Trust me, they did. I closed the patio to guests.”
Instead of menus, Blake brought out plates of barbecued brisket, corn pudding, biscuits with muscadine jelly, sweet tea, and coffee. Caleb took her hand and offered thanks, looking up toward heaven with her.
“Did I get the food right?” Caleb leaned toward her, met her gaze. “Marcus made it, so it should be authentic Southern.”
“I can’t believe you remembered all my favorites from my first day here. This is the nicest surprise. I don’t know when I’ve felt more special.” She tasted the brisket. “It’s just right.”
He sat back in his chair. “Good. I was a little nervous.”
She laughed. “I’m easy to please.”
“True. You roll with whatever happens and whatever your aunt wants you to do. Which is a great quality. But tonight, I want you to feel seen and heard. To step out of Miss Dahlia’s shadow and enjoy the evening.
” He took her hand. “You’re right—you’re special.
You have a lot of your aunt in you—you’re generous, smart, talented, and you love the Lord with all your heart.
I don’t want you to lose that. But you’re more than Dahlia Denton’s sidekick.
You’re Ariel Sullivan, here to touch the world. ”
Oh, she wanted to believe it.
Caleb picked up the dessert menu that lay on the other side of the table. “Choose whatever you want.”
She didn’t have to read far. “Crème br?lée, please.”
When Blake came back to clear the table, Caleb ordered her dessert and peanut butter pie with fudge sauce for himself.
He stood and took her hand as she got up, continuing to hold it as they crossed the lawn toward the courtyard. Then he reached for his phone, tapped the screen. That’s when she heard the opening notes to the title music from Arsenic and Old Lace.
Ariel turned to him. “That’s my favorite movie! How did you know?”
“Dani might have given me a hint.”
“Do we get to watch it in the courtyard?”
He smiled. “Do you want to?”
“Absolutely. I usually watch it every October thirty-first. It’s a treat to enjoy it in the summer too. I never get tired of this movie. Cary Grant is so funny, and it takes place in a great old house.”
“Grandfather-chic style?”
“Not exactly, but it feels as homey as your parlor.”
With the music sounding louder as they came closer, they entered the courtyard. There a giant black inflatable movie screen played the opening credits and animation.
“I never dreamed of seeing Arsenic and Old Lace on the big screen.” She stopped and looked into those beautiful brown eyes. Relished the knowledge that yes, Caleb Kennedy saw her. Wanted to give her an evening to remember. “Thank you, Caleb. No one has ever done anything this special for me.”
A light shone in his eyes, similar to the one she’d seen in her aunt lately whenever Mr. Augo looked at her. “I’m glad you think so, because you’re special to me, Ariel.”
A breeze blew in, and she pushed her hair behind her ear, taking in the courtyard.
Near the little brick porch off her suite sat an outdoor recliner for two, positioned on a red rug and adjusted to the perfect angle for watching the movie.
The attached tables held a covered mug and glass of tea.
“The courtyard feels like an outdoor living room.”
“Where we can see the stars.”
Blake brought their desserts as she relaxed in the soft recliner, surprisingly comfortable for outdoor seating, and leaned against the backrest.
Caleb joined her on the other side and took a bite of his pie before setting it on the table next to him. Ariel dove into her crème br?lée, breaking the brittle caramelized sugar and spooning out the custard beneath. She breathed a little sigh at the melding of crunch and creamy vanilla perfection.
“I can’t imagine a better date.” She set her dessert on her little table. “You spent hours putting this together. I’ll always remember it.”
Ariel lifted her face to his and laid her hand on his cheek, meaning to pull away and turn back to the show.
Instead, she leaned close, her world smelling of lilacs and the fresh lake breeze and his citrusy-cedar cologne.
She rested her hand on the back of his neck, and before she could think it through, she leaned in and kissed him, brushing her fingers along his smooth, fresh-shaven cheek and down his jaw, tasting his chocolate mixing with her sweet custard and sensing, for the first time, what it might feel like to be in love.
To love this man.
The thought shook her enough to make her break the kiss.
Did she love him? Could she someday spend her life with him?
Ariel dropped her gaze, then looked up again, almost afraid to face her own questions.
Caleb, clearly oblivious to her discomfort, simply smiled and wrapped his arm around her shoulders and settled back to watch the movie.
Ariel tried to put the kiss behind her and focus instead on the film, sealing the memory in her heart.
The movie’s introduction had concluded, and now, on the screen, Mortimer and Elaine stood in line at the marriage-license office.
When their turn came to fill out their paperwork, Mortimer dragged Elaine out, spouting his objections to marriage.
“He wants to marry her, but he can’t because of his job.” Ariel glanced over at Caleb. “Isn’t that a ridiculous reason to miss out on happiness?”
Caleb glanced around the courtyard, surrounded by the inn on all four sides. Cleared his throat. “Yeah. Ridiculous.”
She sat straight up, out from under his arm, and turned to look at him, massaging the back of her suddenly stiff neck. “Do you believe that?”
He squeezed his eyes shut for a moment. “It’s just a movie. Let’s sit back and enjoy it.”
Yes, but fiction always mirrored reality. One Caleb clearly didn’t want to discuss.
Which was fine for now. But they’d have to talk about it—soon.
Ariel looked to the sky, where the first stars had begun to shine. A perfect backdrop for a perfect movie.
And for what could have been a perfect evening.