Chapter 2
The next morning after breakfast was finished and early weekend guests had checked in, Ivy tidied the kitchen. The events of last night weighed on her mind. Her nocturnal dig paled in comparison to the vandalism at Java Beach.
Shelly appeared in the doorway, zipping her seafoam-green hoodie. “The yoga class is over, and all the guests are happy. Back to reality now.”
Ivy emptied the dishwasher as she spoke. “Any news about Java Beach?”
“Mitch told me some of the patrons swore there was a gang of three dressed in dark clothes sneaking around the village last night.”
Ivy froze. “You’re kidding. You’d think they would’ve seen the red Chevy, too.”
“You didn’t park right by the lot. Even if they did see it, no one would suspect you. At least Clark knows who that trio was and that we wouldn’t vandalize Java Beach.”
Ivy’s heart thumped. Should they be worried? “I hope he believes that. Maybe we should call Imani.”
The retired attorney now ran the flower stand in the village, but she’d helped Ivy sort out several thorny legal issues. And now she was dating Clark.
Shelly pitched in to help put away the dishes as they talked. “Actually, I’m more concerned about Mitch.”
“How is he taking it?”
“You’d think he’d be furious, but he says he understands where the person was coming from. I mean, he’s still upset, but he’s surprisingly chill about it. That’s not normal, is it? Maybe he’s depressed.”
Shelly’s husband had a tough upbringing. Long before she met him, he’d spent a year in prison. He’d been at the wrong place with the wrong friends and made a bad decision regarding a stolen car.
Ivy put up the last of the clean glasses. “We should tell Mitch those rumors are wrong.”
“Please, let’s wait until after the weekend,” Shelly said, clasping her hands. “We’ve been looking forward to this event, and we all need it.”
Slowly, Ivy nodded. “Agreed. But we will tell them. I don’t want any of this to be misconstrued, especially if anyone recognized us.”
Shelly threw her arms around Ivy. “That’s a relief. As soon as I drop off Daisy at Darla’s, and Mitch finishes food prep at Java Beach, we’ll leave for the winery. We all need to breathe in the crisp mountain weather and have a change of pace. What time do you plan to leave?”
“Soon,” Ivy replied. “Poppy and Sunny want me to look at a new autumn ad program before we leave. This is shaping up to be a good weekend, but I’m concerned about future reservations. They’re slowly coming in, but I want to make sure they continue throughout the off-season.”
“Sunny said she booked a nice reservation from a doctor.”
“That’s a good start. We should plan something new. Maybe a homemade gift fair the first week in December. The crafters in Summer Beach would have a chance to gain some customers, too.”
“Let’s work on some ideas.” Shelly paused. “Back to this weekend. Hope you got a pedicure, and most of all, don’t forget swimsuits for you and Bennett.”
“Done and done.” Ivy arranged the wine bottles and glasses on the counter for Sunny and Poppy. “I sure need a break after the renovation and the summer season came so close together.”
Shelly grinned as she brought out a tin of crackers and added it to Ivy’s advance setup for the evening tea and wine event. “I promise this grape harvest celebration will be an event like you’ve never seen before. Trust me; it will be a real blowout.”
Ivy narrowed her eyes, wondering what Shelly was up to. “I know you too well. I’d rather trust Emilie and Tristan.”
“You’ll see,” Shelly replied, quirking a grin. “Just be sure to bring your sense of humor. See you at the winery.”
“Do you have everything?” Bennett asked as he put their overnight bags into the SUV. They’d also packed lightweight jackets in case the evenings were cool. They were acclimated to the warmer beach weather.
“Everything that matters,” she said, handing him a beach bag with their swim gear, though they wore jeans and boots for their mountain trip. “At the top of that list is you, sweetheart.”
Bennett smiled and kissed her cheek as he helped her into the vehicle. He wasn’t acting like Clark had said anything to him about seeing her, Shelly, and Poppy last night. That information could wait until they returned. Still, she wondered about the vandalism at Java Beach.
“Do you know if the police discovered who defaced the beachside mural at Mitch’s place?”
Bennett put on his sunglasses and shook his head. “I’m sure the police are working on it. Maybe they’ll find an eyewitness.”
“I heard some people were seen.”
“Suspicious, sure, but we’ll see.” He reached for her hand. “Mitch is being philosophical about it. Some of the regular patrons have started a fund to repaint the mural. He says that’s good news for the artist, who needs the work. In a funny way, I suppose it is.”
Ivy slid on her sunglasses and let that conversation drop. She hoped Mitch wouldn’t lose money and was glad the artist would benefit.
They chatted about their family and the upcoming holidays as they drove, leaving behind beaches and palm trees for mountains and pine trees. Ivy loved the change of foliage in the fall, and she took photos as Bennett drove to remember it.
She’d been thinking about a series of autumn paintings for a change from her usual seascapes. The black oak trees were turning yellow, and the sycamores were transforming with blushes of amber and blazes of red.
“It’s beautiful up here,” Bennett said, following the winding roads with practiced ease.
“I’d like to spend more time here in the fall and winter,” Ivy said, resting her hand lightly on his shoulder.
He nodded as he drove. “It’s a world apart from where we are, yet so close. We need this calm more often.”
“Emilie and Tristan will probably see snow at their elevation later this year. I’d love a wintry weekend sometime.
” She paused, thinking about his reaction yesterday about the library and museum project.
“Summer Beach is awfully busy during the summer, and I’ve been focused on the inn. Has anything happened lately?”
Bennett’s hesitation was barely perceptible, but she sensed it.
He patted her knee. “No more than usual.”
They spoke a little more, and Ivy managed to work Clark and Imani into the conversation. Bennett didn’t seem to have spoken to Clark this morning, so she relaxed a little, then immediately felt a twinge of guilt for not sharing what she’d done last night.
She loved her husband, but in this case, she was determined to follow her gut instinct, especially since he’d seemed out of sorts yesterday. She knew his job wasn’t an easy one, even in Summer Beach. Residents had differing opinions. Sometimes Bennett compared his mayoral job to that of a referee.
She decided she was doing the right thing by sparing Bennett another conversation about her plan. He would know soon enough if they found anything.
After a couple of hours, they arrived at the intricate iron gates that stood open to Chateau Boivin.
Emilie and Tristan greeted them at the door to their home with open arms. They were about the same age as Ivy and Bennett, and they had moved to Southern California from France to grow grapes and make wine years ago.
“Mes amis, welcome,” Tristan said, his face wreathed with a smile. He was dressed casually in denim jeans and a jacket.
Emilie’s dark hair framed her face in soft waves. She embraced Ivy and kissed her on both cheeks, speaking in a melodic tone laced with a soft French accent. “I’m so glad you could join us. We have a fabulous weekend planned for you.”
“What’s on the agenda?” Bennett asked as he brought their small bags from the car.
Emilie traded a secret glance with her husband before she said, “Wine, of course. Relaxation, fun, and friendship. We want you to share this wonderful celebration with us.”
From their expressions, Ivy could tell they clearly had a surprise in store. Shelly seemed to know what it was, but she wasn’t letting on.
“We’re looking forward to spending time with you,” Ivy said. “This is the first relaxing break we’ve had in months.”
“Then you are long overdue,” Emilie said.
Ivy gave her a hostess gift of gourmet items from the farmers market she had assembled for them, knowing how much they enjoyed delicacies. Strawberry preserves, olive oil, and a small loaf of pumpkin bread that she’d made. Hanging on the entryway door was the wreath Shelly made for them.
Emilie thanked her and tucked her arm into Ivy’s. “Come, I’ll show you to your room. After you’ve freshened up from your journey, I’ll introduce you to our friends.”
Over the years, their friends had added guest rooms onto the main house and built cottages on the property, which they rented to those wishing to escape hectic lives for the tranquility of life in the vineyard.
Much as Ivy did, Emilie and Tristan hosted weekenders, weddings, honeymoon couples, and writers’ retreats.
The last few years, Ivy welcomed the couple to the inn after their harvest, and Emilie and Tristan returned the favor.
“You’ve redecorated,” Ivy said, gazing around the room that overlooked the vineyard. An art glass chandelier of vines and purple grapes glowed from the ceiling. “Where did you find this unusual piece?”
“From a local artist,” Emilie replied, plumping a pillow on the bed. “She is a master glassblower in the old tradition from Italy. We fell in love with her work. I made the pillows to match.”
Ivy and Bennett promised to join them for a welcome reception. “You mentioned a special surprise tonight. Is there anything we should prepare for?”
Emilie’s eyes sparkled with mischief. “Just be yourselves. I promise it will be an unforgettable experience. But I will take your swimsuits with me now. We’ll go to the hot tub later, and you might not want to come back here to change.”
Clearly, her friend had a plan. Ivy was intrigued, so she gave Emilie their swimsuits.
After their hosts left them alone, Bennett turned to Ivy and took her hands.
“What do you think that’s all about?” Ivy asked.