CHAPTER 3
“Wow!” Charlotte’s eyes grew as big as saucers as the trio entered Bite Me.
Sara couldn’t say exactly what she’d expected from the sandwich shop, but this wasn’t it. Every wall was painted with scenes from Alice in Wonderland. All of the characters were depicted in various scenes from the movie. The tables were all themed featuring one of the characters. There was a Queen of Hearts table, Mad Hatter table, Cheshire Cat table, Blue Caterpillar, White Rabbit, Tweedledee and Tweedledum, and of course an Alice table.
“Sit anywhere ya’ like!” A woman that looked like the spitting image of Flo from the television show Alice called out from behind a glass case that held desserts and sandwiches.
“Mama!” Charlotte tugged on her arm. “I wanna sit there!”
Sara glanced over to where Charlotte was pulling her and saw that there was a table that was set up like the tea party. She had a feeling that the high backed pink chair was what had caught her daughter’s eye.
“Okay.”
As they walked to the table, Sara noticed that at the top of the glass case there was a large tag that read: Eat Me. Beside it there was a refrigerator that held juices, bottled waters, and sodas with a large tag that read: Drink Me.
This place was next-level adorable and Sara was already writing a post in her head to include in her favorites.
The three of them had just settled into their seats and were looking over the menus when the waitress that hand to God looked like she’d been plucked straight out of Mel’s Diner set three tumblers filled with water on the table. Sara looked up, half expecting the woman to be cracking her gum and telling her to kiss her grits.
“So are y’all here for the summer festival?” The woman whose nametag read Deb asked.
“Um, no. We’re just…” Sara had no idea how to explain what they were just doing. We’re just here because I found an old picture of my grandmother and I wanted to come see where the photo was taken, so I threw my kids in the car and drove for three days on a whim, sounded crazy. She settled on, “Here on vacation.”
“Oh well, you picked the right time!” Deb enthused.
“What’s a festival?” Trevor’s curiosity could rival twenty cats.
“Well, it’s kind of like a party that goes on for a week,” the waitress answered. “It kicks off tomorrow, so you’re just in time.”
Her son’s eyes widened. “Whoa, cool!”
The woman continued, “There’s going to be a parade. Fireworks. Musical acts. A boat show. And even a kissing booth.”
Trev’s face scrunched up. “A what?”
“A booth where people pay money for a kiss,” Sara explained.
“Ewww, gross.” Trevor’s reaction was not unlike when he’d seen his sister’s tongue filled with remnants of her Goldfish crackers. “Who would do that?”
“Well, now. It’s not your typical kissing booth. You see our booth is manned by dogs.”
“By dogs?” Sara smiled as her forehead scrunched.
“That’s right. People line up for a smackaroo from a pooch.” Deb added with a wink.
Charlotte and Trevor looked at one another before simultaneously cracking up.
The corners of Deb’s eyes crinkled as she grinned at the kid’s enthusiasm.
“That’s amazing.” Sara shook her head slightly. This town was seriously overflowing with quaintness.
“Yes, it is.” Deb agreed as a few more customers walked into the sandwich shop. They were immediately greeted by name from Deb and the other patrons in the eatery as they took their seats, just like Norm from Cheers.
It seemed as if everyone knew everyone here. While she and the kiddos were waiting in line for the bathroom at the gas station, the cashier had called each customer by name. On the short walk from the car to the sandwich shop, Sara had witnessed not one but two encounters where people she passed were shouted out by name from passing cars.
“Well, now I better stop yapping and get back to work. What can I get y’all?”
After taking their orders, Deb stopped over at the new table that had just been seated. Both of the kids began coloring on their paper menus, and Sara took the rare moment of no-questions, stories, or fighting to try to process what had just transpired at the gas station.
Since it had been a private bathroom, she’d taken care of Charlotte and then to Trevor’s great delight, he’d been allowed to go in by himself. Sara and Charlotte had waited at the end of the candy aisle. She’d peered out the glass storefront, expecting to see that Stranger Danger was long gone. Instead, she’d seen him climbing into his truck.
Part of her had been relieved he was leaving, but a bigger part had been disappointed. She hadn’t had a visceral reaction to a man like that since…well, ever. All of her life, she’d waited for that flash of heat, the fireworks, the thing she’d read about in all of the romance novels that she’d poured over since she was in high school to happen to her, but it never had. At least, not until today.
The second her gaze had locked with those haunting green eyes, her entire body had gone up in flames. Every rational, or even irrational, thought had instantly evaporated from her brain. She’d forgotten where she was, what she was doing, even her name. Then, before she’d figured out how to extinguish the blaze, Stranger Danger had spoken. Just one little word. Hi. That’s all it had taken for the heat to spread like a wildfire.
It had consumed her to the point where even trying to get out a simple apology for her son’s rambling had been a struggle. If it weren’t for her munchkins snapping her back to reality, she might’ve spun off into another dimension of outer-space arousal.
When she’d seen the very man she’d shared her close encounter of the sexy kind with was sitting in his truck and was getting ready to leave, it had been more than a little disappointing. She’d waited, expecting any second for the flame igniter to drive into the sunset, or midday sun, never to be seen or heard from again.
This was her life, after all. She didn’t get the man of her dreams. She didn’t get the happily ever after. She didn’t get the knight in shining armor. And that was fine. She’d always been perfectly capable of not only caring for herself, but for her siblings, and then for her own munchkins. And she’d done it alone. No hero, no help, no problem. Her expectations were low when it came to her own luck and happiness. It was just easier that way.
Which was why, when he’d gotten out of his truck and proceeded to fill both of her back tires, taking the time to check each tire with his gauge, she’d been so shocked someone could’ve easily knocked her over with a feather.
Talk about a plot twist.
When they’d left the gas station, she’d walked directly toward him, Trevor and Charlotte each holding one of her hands, and all she’d planned to do was thank him. But when the moment had come, she’d found herself questioning him instead. Sara had wanted to know why. Why would a stranger that was all kinds of sexy danger, take the time to fill up the tires of someone like her?
Sara didn’t have low self-esteem, but she was realistic about her appearance—which was fine. Attractive, even. But today she was not looking her best. When she’d caught her reflection in the mirror while helping Charlotte wash her hands, she’d found not one, but two Cheerios stuck to her blouse. Her hair, which she’d pulled up in a messy bun, was rebelling, and most of it had fallen in her face. The dark circles beneath her eyes were closer to those of a boxer that had gone ten rounds than a single mom who was exhausted. Disheveled would be a kind way to describe her appearance. Hot mess would be more accurate.
Then there was the fact that she had two little ones. One of who had already talked the poor man’s ear off, the other who had just thrown a mini temper tantrum, which Sara was pretty sure he’d witnessed.
So why?
Why had he done it?
Was it out of pity?
Or had he thought Sara couldn’t handle it? That she hadn’t been taking care of oil changes, tire pressure, diapers, doctor visits, chicken pox, dinners, baths, homework, and everything else since she was barely old enough to take care of herself?
For some reason, she had to know.
When he’d simply answered that he couldn’t drive away knowing her tire pressure was low, it was all she could do to not break down in tears. He’d actually just wanted to help her. No ulterior motive. No judgment. He’d simply wanted to make sure she and the kids were okay.
Sara couldn’t remember the last time someone had just wanted to help her. Even before she and Jack had decided to get a divorce, he hadn’t been present, physically or emotionally. Out of the eight years they’d been married, he’d been home a grand total of fourteen months—and that included the seven he’d spent there when he’d gotten home and they’d tried to be a real family.
Which hadn’t worked. Jack was a good guy, but he just wasn’t used to the day in and day out of having kids, and the responsibilities that came along with them.
So to have a man who didn’t even know her, know them, not be able to drive away knowing the tire pressure was low had overwhelmed her. Even now, sitting at the sandwich shop, she wasn’t sure how to process it. Which probably had more to do with the fact she was exhausted, starving, and had made several life-altering decisions over the past week, leaving her emotionally raw and less to do with the kind act of a stranger.
“Here we go.” Deb returned to their table with delicious-smelling food. “Grilled cheese and chips for the princess. Ham and cheese and fries for the prince, and a BLT and potato salad for the queen.”
Charlotte giggled as she lifted her spoon.
“Thankyousomuch,” Trevor rushed out as he stuffed his face with fries.
“Thanks.” Sara smiled up at Deb.
“No problem. Just let me know if you need anything else.”
Lifting her hand, Sara stopped Deb. Her calling them princess, prince, and queen had brought up a question she’d been wondering about. “Actually, I was wondering about the decor.” She motioned her hand to the walls. “It’s adorable and I love it, but I noticed that the gas station had a similar theme.”
Trevor had been the one to point out the three bears on the pumps and only then had Sara put the theme together with the name Goldilocks Gas N’ Go. She wondered if the businesses being fairytale themed had anything to do with the town having a legitimate castle.
“Well, now, this is all fairly new. It’s because of the show.”
“The show?” Sara questioned.
“Fairytale Love,” Deb responded as if it was obvious. “It was filmed up at Stone Castle.”
“I saw the castle!” Trevor raised his hand as if he was answering a question at school.
“Did you see any ghosts?” Deb leaned down and whispered conspiratorially. “Because legend has it it’s haunted.”
Now Trevor’s eyes were the size of baseballs. Her son loved any and all things ghost related.
“It is?” Trevor breathed in reverent wonder.
“That’s what they say.” Deb nodded her head.
Before Trevor went on a rant about why he believed in ghosts and why ghosts were “sooo cool” Sara decided to change the subject.
“You said the show, Fairytale Love was filmed there?” Sara had never watched it, but her sister Shelby had been obsessed. She’d had favorite contestants and Sara had a faint memory of the finale being shocking and “the most romantic thing ever” to quote her sister.
“Sure was.” Deb nodded and there was a sparkle of pride in her eyes. “Soon after it aired, businesses around here started capitalizing on its popularity, adopting different themes, even tweaking their names. The grocery store, Food N’ Stuff became Huff N’ Puff Food N’ Stuff and now has Three Little Pigs on all their buggies. The Snack Shack is now Snow White’s Snack Shack.” She leaned down and lowered her voice once again. “And I heard that they’re going to be reopening Cherry On Top and it’s going to be Olaf’s Cherry On Top. You know Olaf, from the movie—”
“Frozen!” Charlotte squealed.
Trevor was obsessed with ghosts. Shelby was obsessed with Fairytale Love. And Charlotte was equally obsessed with the movie Frozen.
“That’s right!” Deb smiled from ear to ear. “Funny thing about that is, the original owner is actually named Olaf. He retired to Florida but his granddaughter is going to be reopening it. Don’t know much about her, though.” Deb’s penciled-in brows furrowed.
Feeling a little bit like this was conversational double Dutch, Sara decided to jump in when she saw her opening, “Do you know if the Whisper Lake B&B is still open?”
Grandma Betty had stayed at the Whisper Lake B&B during her magical summer. Sara had no idea if it was still around. She’d tried to look it up online but hadn’t gotten very far. All of the information was from decades earlier.
“It sure is. Except now it’s called, Princess and the Pea B&B.”
Goosebumps broke out on her forearms, and it was her turn to ask in reverent wonder, “It is?”
The Princess and the Pea had been Grandma Betty’s favorite fairytale. She’d read it to Sara, Shelby, and Matt every time they spent the night at her house.
Deb nodded. “It has been for years, though, that change had nothing to do with the show. Right after Cliff bought it, oh it has to be over sixty years ago, he changed the name. Course they’re both gone now. God rest their souls.” Deb looked up to the ceiling as she made the sign of the cross before lifting a crucifix that she had hanging around her neck and kissing it. “Karen and Sly have been running it for years, but a little birdie told me the previous owner’s grandson just blew into town, and he’s a sight for sore eyes, if you know what I mean. Anyhoo, it’s up at the top of Lakeview Lane, you can’t miss it.” With another wink, Deb headed back to the kitchen.
As Sara took the first bite of her BLT, she was beginning to think maybe this entire trip hadn’t been such a crazy idea after all. The kids were happy. She’d seen the castle when they’d pulled into Goldilocks, and now she knew the B&B was still open and it was coincidentally named after her grandma’s favorite children’s book. With any luck, she and the kids could get a room at the B&B, and from what Deb had told her, there would be plenty to keep them busy for the week with the festival going on.
Things were falling perfectly into place. If she believed in fate, she’d think that it had a hand in what was going on.
So why did she feel so off balance, so unsettled? The answer to that question immediately materialized as Stranger Danger’s face popped into her mind.
Yep, that would do it.