Chapter Seventeen
To Do:
Buy thank-you gifts for Celeste, Vanita and Brody
Call Top Dog Roofing
Pinch myself!
Jenna still could hardly believe her good luck of the night before. Was it really true or had she dreamed it?
No, it was true. When she went back to the casino there was the check, waiting for her. She went straight to the bank on Monday, waved it under Sherwood Stern’s nose and deposited it in Aunt Edie’s business account, to which they’d added Jenna’s name.
Old Sherwood was suddenly so helpful. “Anything you need, just let us know.”
What she’d needed he hadn’t been willing to give. “I think we’re fine now,” she said.
“Well, we’re here for you,” he told her.
Right.
She met Tyrella going into the bank as she was coming out, and shared her good news.
Tyrella wasn’t quite so jubilant.
“You don’t sound very excited for us,” Jenna said in surprise.
“Of course I’m happy for you. I’m just not a big fan of gambling, is all. I remember when that fancy resort was nothing more than a Quonset hut on the beach. Now look at it. How do you think they got their money? You were lucky you didn’t lose a fortune.”
“But that’s just it,” Jenna said happily. “I didn’t. You did say you were going to pray. And you said you had no idea how the money was going to come.”
“You’ve got me there, sister. I’m glad for you. But take my advice and stay out of the casino from now on.”
“I will,” Jenna said, and crossed her fingers behind her back.
Then she skipped off to call Top Dog Roofing and do some shopping. Her fellow gamblers had all been insistent they didn’t want a share of her winnings, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t buy them all thank-you gifts.
At the Beachcomber, she picked up goodies for her sister and friend—candles embedded with tiny starfish and shells, necklaces with a silver shell dangling from them and matching earrings.
Her next stop was Cindy’s Candies, where Cindy Redmond was happy to guide her in her choice. “Brody is crazy for saltwater taffy,” she said, handing Jenna a little wooden basket to fill with taffy from the huge bin in the center of the shop.
Jenna walked around it, reading the flavors in the various sections. “Peppermint, buttered popcorn, coconut, lime, orange, huckleberry, chocolate. This is overwhelming.”
“He likes them all, but I know for a fact he’s partial to coconut,” said Cindy. “Fill a basket for yourself, too, so you can celebrate your big win. On the house.”
Jenna filled a basket for Brody, then took a small amount for herself, not wanting to take advantage of Cindy’s kindness. She vowed to pass the goodies on to her daughter so she wouldn’t give in to temptation and eat them. In addition to taffy, she also purchased chocolates in the shape of clamshells for Celeste and Vanita.
At In the Suds she bought them fancy soap and scented oil, and picked up a couple of T-shirts from Something Fishy sporting a crab. The slogan over it said Never Crabby at the Beach. That was for sure. Not anymore.
She decided to round out her goody collection with gift cards from Beans and Books for the next time Celeste and company came down.
Rita Rutledge gave her a warm welcome when she walked in. Rita was only a couple of years older than Jenna, a casual dresser, happy to wear jeans and a Beans and Books T-shirt with her logo of an open book and a cup of coffee. She was divorced with a son in college and waiting for her dream man to walk through her doors, someone who was a reader and a coffee addict, she’d informed Jenna at the chamber meeting.
“Did you come in for your free latte?” she asked.
“That, too,” Jenna said. “Actually, I also want to get a couple of gift cards. Thank-yous for my sister and girlfriend. And Brody.” Brody liked coffee. She’d get him some champagne, too.
“Brody, huh? Well, well. You move fast.”
“It’s not what you think,” Jenna said. “They all bankrolled me at the casino last night and I won big.”
“You did?”
Jenna nodded. “Enough to get a new roof for the Driftwood.”
“Wow. That is truly amazing.” Rita turned to the Gen-X man in the jeans and casual shirt and flip-flops. “Did you hear that, Aaron? This sounds like a story for the Beach Times.”
He looked up from his phone, where he’d been busily texting. “What?”
“Jenna, this is Aaron Baumgarten. He’s the star reporter at our local paper.”
“The overworked reporter,” he amended. “There’s just me to do local and sports and Piper Lee, who handles the home and garden stuff.”
“And who writes the advice column. She writes as Dear Miss Know-It-All, and her identity’s supposed to be top secret,” Rita said. “But we all know it’s Piper.”
“How much did you win?” Aaron asked. Jenna told him and he let out a whistle. “That’s a nice chunk of change. What are you gonna do with it?”
“I’m going to finish renovating the Driftwood Inn.”
“She’s Edie’s niece,” Rita added. “She’s come down to help run the place. This would be a nice human interest story.”
“You’re right. Plus, it would be the biggest news since Clem Jackson got stranded on Pebble Point at high tide. How about we do a story on you? We could get a picture of you standing in front of the Driftwood along with your aunt.”
“That would be great,” Jenna said. A good way to get the news out that the old Driftwood would soon be back in business. And Aunt Edie would probably love having her picture in the paper.
“How would this afternoon work for you?” Aaron asked.
“Fine.” She could hardly wait to get home and tell Aunt Edie that they were about to be famous.
Before she went home to share the news, she stopped by the drugstore for gift bags and tissue paper and assembled her thank-you gifts. On her way back, she bought champagne and delivered it and his other gifts to Brody at his office.
“You didn’t have to do that,” he said, but she could tell by his smile and the way his eyes lit up when he saw the expensive bottle and the taffy that he was pleased nonetheless.
“And you didn’t have to give me money or pass up the chance to take your share of the winnings,” she said. “I owe you a lot more than champagne.”
“Yeah?” He gave her a lecherous grin. “Like what?”
“Like lifelong gratitude.”
“That’ll do for a start. How about dinner out?”
“If you let me pay.”
“If you think I’m going to turn down dinner with a beautiful woman just because she’s offering to pay, you can think again,” he joked. He held up the champagne. “Maybe I’ll save this to drink on the beach after.”
Which would mean there were more tipsy kisses in her future. Brody Green and a moonlight beach. Danger, Will Robinson. Danger.
“You don’t want to have to share that. Go ahead and drink it all,” she said lightly, then laughed at his phony disappointed expression.
Back at the house, Celeste and Vanita were thrilled with their gifts and Aunt Edie was delighted to get in the paper. “I’d better go put my face on.”
“You look great,” Jenna told her.
“Oh, no. I need more lipstick,” she said. “And I can’t be caught in this old sweatshirt.”
“She’s so cute,” Vanita said as Aunt Edie went up the stairs to get gorgeous.
“She’s a treasure,” said Celeste. “She and Uncle Ralph were one of the best parts of our childhood.” She popped one of Cindy’s chocolates in her mouth. “Oh, I’m in heaven.”
“You didn’t need to do this,” Vanita said to Jenna as she, too, raided her little box of chocolate shells.
“Oh, yeah, she did,” Celeste said, pulling out another chocolate.
“Where’s Sabrina?” Jenna asked. “I’ve got goodies for her, too.”
“She’s on the beach with Caroline. I heard something about taking selfies in their bathing suits.”
“Oh, boy,” Jenna said, thinking of inappropriate Facebook posts.
“Don’t worry,” Celeste said. “We already warned her to keep her bathing suit on. By the way, she’s been working on me to take her with us when we go back tomorrow.”
“Pass me that chocolate,” Jenna said, and sunk onto the seashell chair.
“Give me whiskey,” said Roger from his cage.
“That, too,” Jenna said. “I swear, she never gives up.”
“Determination is a good thing,” Vanita said.
Jenna sighed. “Not when it comes to seeing her dad. He’s not interested.”
Celeste’s brows drew together. “Seriously?”
“Don’t look so surprised,” said Jenna. “You know what he is.” Self-absorbed and immature.
“But that’s a new low.”
“He claims he can’t take her right now. He needs time to...whatever.”
“I take it Sabrina doesn’t know.”
Jenna shook her head. “I keep putting her off. At some point he is going to want to see her. He’s a jerk but he’s not totally heartless. Anyway, what did you tell her?”
“I told her no,” said Celeste. “It really wouldn’t work out this time. Somebody would need to bring her back and Mom’s working. Once we get home I’m taking off for two weeks in Icicle Falls.”
“And it’s not with me,” put in Vanita. “I’ll give you three guesses who she’s going with.”
“The cop?” Jenna guessed.
“That would be the one. I think this is it,” Celeste added. “He’s so...strong. He’s going to teach me how to shoot a gun,” she added.
Jenna remembered her encounter with the pepper spray. “You’re liable to shoot yourself in the foot.”
Celeste made a face. “Very funny.”
“I wasn’t joking.” Jenna regarded her sister. Celeste was cute and fun and bubbly. And she tended to rush into things. “Isn’t this moving along kind of fast? I mean, you haven’t been going out all that long.”
“Long enough,” Celeste said.
Jenna couldn’t help thinking about how quickly she’d rushed into marrying Damien.
“You sound like Mom,” her sister added, which told Jenna that their mother had reservations, too.
“I just don’t want to see you get hurt.” Learn from me, little sister.
“Don’t worry. I’m not planning on racing down the aisle.”
That didn’t mean she couldn’t get her heart broken.
“I really think I love him,” Celeste said softly.
“As long as he loves you back,” Jenna told her.
“What’s not to love about her?” Vanita put in.
True. Celeste was all heart. Jenna hoped this latest romance bloomed into something serious. It would be nice if at least one of them could find true love.
Aunt Edie came back down the stairs, resplendent in a black dress spattered with big, red roses that she’d accented with a red scarf and red flip-flops adorned with a miniature red bouquet of silk red carnations that covered most of her slightly crooked toes.
“How do I look?” she asked.
“Hot,” Celeste said. “You look smokin’, Aunt Edie.”
She did look cute, like the kind of little old lady you’d want to hang out with. Which, of course, was exactly what she was.
Aaron showed up shortly after, along with the paper’s photographer. He had plenty of questions for Jenna. How long had she been in Moonlight Harbor? What had brought her down?
I needed a life. “I had a chance to come and help my aunt bring this wonderful, old motel back to its former glory.
“What makes the Driftwood Inn so special?” Aaron asked.
My aunt.
“We were one of the first ones here,” Aunt Edie said, answering for her. “There’s a lot of history here. A lot of people have made happy memories at the Driftwood Inn.”
“And we want to make more,” put in Jenna.
“What are you going to do with your winnings?”
“We’re going to finish renovating, starting with a new roof.” Jenna said. And we’re going to finally get to stop worrying.
“You’re pretty lucky,” Aaron said. “Winning all that money.”
Jenna looked at her sweet aunt, her sister and good friend, thought of her wonderful mom and grandparents, of the great life she’d had growing up. All those blessings far outweighed the bump in the road that was Damien.
“Yes, I am,” she said.
“Okay,” Aaron said at last, “how about a picture of you and your aunt in front of the motel?”
“I’m ready,” Aunt Edie told him.
Next to her aunt, Jenna looked boring in her denim skirt and black top. But that was okay. She had no problem with her aunt outshining her. This was Aunt Edie’s moment.
They were saying goodbye to Aaron and the photographer when Seth arrived. “You look nice, Mrs. Patterson,” he complimented Aunt Edie as he got out of his truck.
“Thank you,” she said. “We just had our picture taken for the paper. They’re going to do an article about Jenna. She won eighty thousand dollars at the casino last night.”
Seth’s eyes popped wide. “No shit. Oh, sorry, Mrs. Patterson.”
“Don’t be,” she said. “And yes, no shit.”
“Looks like you can get a new roof now,” he said to Jenna.
“And maybe even a few other things we need,” she added. Oh, yes, she was one lucky duck.
“I guess I’d better get busy and power wash the place, then, so we can start painting,” he said. “Paint and a new roof and you’re good to go.”
“And new mattresses for the beds and new linens and probably some new flooring in the worst of the bathrooms,” Jenna said. Everything had seemed so overwhelmingly impossible only two days ago. Now the sky was the limit. Well, sort of. They still had a bank loan to pay off and a petri dish swimming pool to fix. But this unexpected infusion of cash would get them started in the right direction.
“It’ll get there,” Seth assured her.
“Meanwhile, we need to celebrate,” Aunt Edie said. “Let’s have a beach fire before Celeste and Vanita have to leave tomorrow. Seth, you can join us, can’t you?”
“Thanks for the offer, but I can’t. You have fun, though.”
“Well, next time, then,” Aunt Edie said. “I’m going to go inside and bake some cupcakes,” she said to Jenna, and hurried across the parking lot to the house.
“Your aunt’s stoked,” he observed.
“The place means so much to her,” Jenna said. “Now it’s going to finally get fixed up again. Uncle Ralph would have been happy, too.”
“Pretty unusual, winning all that money.”
“Which means it was meant to be.”
“I guess you’re right,” he said.
“You’re going to be missing a major party tonight,” Jenna told him. “Whoever she is, she must be something special to keep you away.” Was she fishing for deets? No.
Yes.
He made a face. “Yeah, right.”
“So you didn’t have plans for tonight?”
“I have plans to not crash your family party.”
“You think it will be only family? I can guarantee you, Aunt Edie’s going to invite half of Moonlight Harbor.”
He shook his head. “Family and old friends, that’s how it should be.”
“New friends don’t count?”
He turned and started for his room. “See you later, Jenna.”
“Celeste and Vanita will be disappointed with no eye candy there.”
“Invite the house peddler,” he called over his shoulder.
“Maybe I will,” she called back.
In fact, maybe she should. She pulled out her cell phone and made the call.
“Sounds fun,” Brody said. “I’ll be there to feed you s’mores.”
Not only was Brody there. So was Pete, Tyrella and Nora, along with her husband and Caroline. Naturally, everyone brought something to contribute to the feast. Brody brought wine coolers, Nora brought the makings for s’mores, Tyrella brought chips and pop and Pete...brought himself.
The men built a bonfire that was a pyromaniac’s dream and, as everyone roasted hot dogs, Aunt Edie reminisced about the past. “You know, Ralph didn’t know a thing about building when we first came down here, but he figured he could learn. We both did. I helped put on the roof, and I got pretty good with a hammer. We had so much fun painting the place and ordering all the linens. And let me tell you, we were so excited when our first guests pulled in. It was a mother and father and two little boys. And you know, they came back every year until the father got a job in Nebraska. I even got a Christmas card from them that first year. Then there was the professional wrestler. He showed your Uncle Ralph a few moves. It was all fun and games until Ralph broke his nose.”
“Good old Ralph,” said Bill. “He was a character.”
“Yes, he was,” Edie said, and her smile turned wistful.
“Who else stayed here?” Jenna asked, wanting to turn her aunt’s thoughts in a happier direction.
“Let me think. Oh, yes, there was the bride who locked herself in the bathroom on her wedding night. The poor thing.”
“Why did she do that?” Sabrina asked.
“You’ll have to ask your mother later,” Aunt Edie said.
“Oh. She was afraid to have sex,” Caroline said knowingly. “I’m not going to be afraid. I’m going to have sex on my sixteenth birthday.”
“We’ll see about that,” Nora told her, and Jenna determined to find a friend for her daughter who would be a better influence even if she had to put an ad in the paper.
“You know, Pat Boone came to town several times to play golf,” Aunt Edie continued.
“Did he stay here?” Jenna asked.
“He did, one night. I got his autograph.”
“Who’s Pat Boone?” Caroline asked.
“He was a crooner,” Aunt Edie said. “Such a handsome man.” She sighed happily. “Who knows who we’ll have to come stay with us once we’re ready for business again. I can hardly wait to find out.”
“Well,” Brody said, raising his bottle, “here’s to the future. Hope you get lots of movie stars and singers.”
“I just want lots of paying customers,” Jenna said. She didn’t care how their guests earned their money just so long as they shared it with the Driftwood Inn.
The party finally broke up at ten-thirty. “I have to open the store at eight,” Tyrella said, standing and stretching. “That means bed for me.”
“We should go, too,” Nora said to Bill, and he nodded.
“Do we have to, Grammy? Can’t I spend the night?” Caroline begged. “Sabrina can loan me her toothbrush.”
Jenna wasn’t all that excited for Caroline to stay, but Aunt Edie said, “We’ve got extra toothbrushes.”
“All right,” Nora said. “If it’s not an imposition.”
“Not at all,” Aunt Edie said cheerfully, ever the good hostess.
Jenna vowed to have a talk with her later and explain about the birds and the bees and fourteen-year-olds.
“Come on, girls. I’ll help you get settled. My old bones have had enough of sitting on logs for the night,” Aunt Edie said, “and it’s getting past my bedtime, anyway.”
Pete, too, decided he’d had enough, and gallantly offered Aunt Edie the use of his arm for balance.
Brody made no mention of leaving, so Celeste and Vanita, Cupid’s little helpers, decided they, too, needed to go in, following the others off through the dune grasses. Then it was just Jenna and Brody.
“Is it past your bedtime, too?” he asked.
“Almost.”
He scooted closer to her on the blanket. “Stay out a little longer.” He pointed to the sky. “We’ve got a full moon. I can stir up the fire.”
He already was. Which meant it was time to go in. “Oh, I don’t think—”
“Come on, Jenna, hang out a while. Give me a chance to seduce you.”
His voice was teasing but she knew he was serious. “You’re a heartbreaker, Brody Green.”
“Who keeps telling you this stuff?”
“As if someone had to tell me?”
“You’ve got to have figured out that I’ve got feelings for you.”
“And you know I’m not going to rush into anything.” No matter how tempting. If she kept saying that to herself long enough, hopefully she could stick to it.
“Who’s rushing?” he said, and nuzzled her neck.
“Am I interrupting something?”
The deep voice behind them made Jenna jump away from Brody with a squeak.
He frowned at Seth Waters, who stepped over a log and settled on it. “As a matter of fact, you are.”
“Sorry. Saw the fire and figured the party was still going. Jenna invited me.”
“The party’s over,” Brody told him.
“Yes, it is,” Jenna said, standing up. “Will you two douse what’s left of the fire?”
“There’s not much left,” Brody said, sounding grumpy, and Jenna had to chuckle. “So, how about that dinner you promised,” he asked.
Nothing like making a statement to the other guy. And putting her on the spot. “How about tomorrow night?” she offered.
“Sounds good,” he said.
She nodded and then scooted off to the house, anxious to get away from an embarrassing situation.
“I thought you’d be out a lot longer,” Celeste said when she came into the bedroom.
Celeste and Vanita were sitting on her bed, playing a game of pig with a pair of Aunt Edie’s dice.
“Seth came out.”
“Two good-looking men wanted to hang out and you just left?” Vanita rolled her eyes. “Honestly, all that pretty is wasted on you.”
“It was awkward.” Jenna plopped on the bed next to her sister. “Can I play?”
“Have you got some quarters?”
“You’re playing for money?”
“That’s how you play the game. Remember? Anyway, you just won eighty thousand dollars. Can’t you spare a few quarters?” Celeste teased.
Jenna went to her purse and dug out three quarters. “This is all I have.”
“The way your luck’s been running, it’s all you’ll need,” Celeste said.
She was wrong. Jenna lost her quarters in the first five minutes. “Looks like my luck has turned.” She wouldn’t be going back to the casino anytime soon.
“It’s turned in a good way when it comes to men,” said Celeste. “You’ve got sexy man overload.”
“They both seem really nice,” said Vanita.
“They are.”
“So, which one are you going to pick?” Celeste asked.
“Neither. I think one heartbreak in a lifetime is enough.”
“You can’t give up on love, sissy,” Celeste said to her. “One of those men could be the perfect man for you, your chance to be happy again. And I want that for you.”
“We both do,” Vanita added.
“I know. Don’t worry. I’m going to be happy.” And the best way to do that was to protect her heart.
“At least go out with them a bit, have some fun,” Celeste said. “You can do that. And who knows where it will lead?”
Surely not where things had eventually led with Damien. Except Brody was a player. She’d figured that out early on. And Seth?
There’s more than one kind of prison.
Seth’s words came back to remind her that he wasn’t in the market for a serious relationship. He was probably damaged for life, and any woman who fell for him would wind up damaged, too.
Don’t worry, heart. I’ll watch out for you.
She hoped she could keep that promise.