Amanda finished the last bites of her waffles, savoring the nutty flavor of the toasted pecans and sweet maple syrup. She said goodbye to Miss Eleanor and Beverly before heading back outside. She blinked against the brightness, Beverly’s words echoing in her mind. Something going on between her and Connor. Of course not. He was just a friend. He was a friend, right? More than just an acquaintance? Okay, she wasn’t sure where their relationship stood, but she was grateful for his help. That’s all it was.
She pushed her tumbling thoughts aside. It was a beautiful day. The sun warmed her skin and the light breeze tousled her hair. Perfect weather. She just hoped the weather held out for the festival too. Right now, predictions were okay, but it was too far out to be certain. Storms had a way of popping up unexpectedly on the island.
But all in all, she was very pleased with how everything was going so far. As she walked down the sidewalk, the owner of asmall shop stopped her and offered up some Magnolia Key t-shirts for the auction for next year’s funds. Another townsperson converted and trusting her. She smiled as she continued down the sidewalk, pleased with herself and the progress she’d made.
The president of the bank said hello and called her by name. She was finally starting to get known around town.
Yes, everything was working out perfectly.
CHAPTER 15
Late that afternoon, Amanda took a long beach walk, enjoying the gentle coastal breeze as it tossed pieces of her hair that escaped her French braid. The waves lapped gently over her feet, inviting her to pause and savor their soothing rhythm. She breathed in the fresh, salty air and relished the sense of relaxation that flowed through her. A feeling that just a few short weeks ago would have been totally foreign to her but now wrapped around her with familiarity. She finally turned around and headed home, surprised that her cottage did feel like home for her here on Magnolia Key.
As she neared her cottage, she saw the doors were wide open to Connor’s workshop. Intrigued, she paused, observing him from a distance. He sat inside working, his head bowed over his workbench, deep in concentration. She wasn’t sure if she should disturb him. She knew he was adamant about his solitude when he worked.
Right then he glanced up, his eyes meeting hers. He waved and motioned for her to come. She crossed the distance and stood in the doorway. “I don’t want to bother you.”
“You’re not.”
“But you’re working.” She nodded at the piece of wood on the table before him.
“I am…” He paused for a moment, a slight hint of uncertainty crossing his features. “But I wouldn’t mind some company.” He motioned to a stool beside the workbench.
His unexpected offer caught her off guard. “I can… watch you work?”
He nodded. “Sure.” He gestured once more to the vacant stool.
The man was full of surprises. She went and perched quietly on the stool near his workbench. He turned back to the wood, and she watched his hands work, fascinated by their skilled movements. She sat there in silence, mesmerized as the wood began to take shape under his talented hands. The corners of his eyes crinkled with his concentration.
Time seemed to slow, the world outside fading into the background. The intimacy of the moment tugged her into its embrace. The golden light filtering into the workshop. The sounds of his tools scraping the wood. It was just the two of them existing in their own little world.
“Oh, it’s a pelican.” The words slipped out. Amanda worried that he didn’t want her chattering while he worked, disrupting his creative process.
To her surprise, he look up and smiled at her. Did he know his smile was becoming almost commonplace? Where was the gruff woodworker she’d met when she first came to the island?
“It is a pelican. Or will be. Been working on it a few days.” His eyes lit up with passion as he talked about his work.
“I think it’s magical the way you can create something so incredible from just a piece of wood. And then it becomes something… beautiful. It comes alive.”
He looked at her closely, as if truly seeing her for the first time. “Thank you,” he said softly, his voice filled with appreciation for her understanding and recognition of his art.
The golden light spilled into the workshop, illuminating the moment, as the two of them shared this intimate appreciation for the transformative power of creativity and craftsmanship.
“I think it must be so wonderful to create something like that. Take something raw and transform it into something beautiful and real.”
“Do you paint or draw or do any kind of art?” He tilted his head, his eyes filled with curiosity.
“No. Not really. I never had time to try my hand at anything.” A wistful smile played at her lips.
“Maybe you should. You never know what hidden talents you might have.”
“Maybe I will.” Not that she had any inkling of what she might try or where to even begin.
With a soft groan, he stood up and rolled his shoulders. “I should probably quit for the day. Losing the light too.”
Disappointment tugged at her. The moment was broken. “Oh, I should go.” She could have sat there for hours watching him work and being sucked into his world.
“I—” His forehead crinkled. “Actually… would you like to come in and have a drink? I don’t have any wine like I know you prefer. Just beer.”
