“My favorite spot,” he assured her.
They both ordered and Tally brought them large glasses of sweet tea. Evie took a sip, savoring the flavor. “They don’t know how to make sweet tea up north. They just dump some sugar in iced tea and call it good.” She shook her head. “I do love coming down here and getting real sweet tea.”
“Sounds like you’re liking a lot of things down here. Walking to places. The tea. Decorating the cottage.”
“I am enjoying myself.” She paused, frowning. “I thought it would be terrible coming here. All the memories of Nana. And it was hard at first, and sometimes I expect to turn around and see her coming out of her kitchen.” She shrugged. “But, as the days go by, I find that it’s… it’s more comforting in a way. More than I expected.”
“I’m glad.”
She grinned at him. “And some guy talked me into decorating and actually enjoying the Christmas season. Who knew?”
He laughed. “Right, who knew?”
She looked out at the gulf as contentment spread through her. The rhythm of the waves as they rolled to shore was so comforting. It felt so right to be here. At least for the holidays. She’d stay here that long, she promised herself.
Just then, Tally returned with their orders, the tantalizing aroma of fried seafood wafting through the air.
“Here we are,” Tally announced cheerfully, placing two plates before them.
Evie’s mouth watered as she took in the sight of the fried grouper sandwiches. The golden-brown fillet, crispy and perfectly breaded, peeked out from between the soft, toasted bun. She took a bite, closing her eyes to better savor it. The grouper was tender and juicy, a perfect contrast to the crunch of the breading. She chased it with a hush puppy. Tally’s hush puppies had a slight tang to them, with deliciously crunchy outsides and rich, sweet corn inside, the perfect complement to her sandwich.
She looked over at Randy as she wiped her napkin over her mouth. “These are as wonderful as I remembered.”
“Can’t beat ’em anywhere. That’s for sure,” he agreed as he popped one into his mouth.
As she reached for her glass of tea, a thought struck her. “You know,” she began softly, “I hadn’t realized how much I missed this place, this way of life. It’s like… like I lost part of myself when I was away.”
He took a sip of his tea, his eyes thoughtful. “Sometimes, you need to come back to where you felt you belonged to remember who you are.”
“I think you might be right.” Because this was the most content she’d felt in a long time. And instead of the pain of missing Nana stabbing her every waking moment, she felt close to her grandmother here. Almost as if she were right here with her.
CHAPTER 10
Evie had just finished making a pot of coffee when she heard a knock at the door. Smiling as she went to answer it, she was certain she’d find Randy standing there.
And he was, with a warm smile and a paper bag in his hand.
“Good morning,” he greeted her cheerfully. “I know you said to come over this morning and we’d open another item from the Christmas box. I brought some fresh peach scones from The Sweet Shoppe. Thought we could have breakfast together out on the porch.”
The aroma of freshly baked scones wafting from the bag made her stomach rumble. She laughed as she opened the door wider. “Breakfast together is getting to be quite the habit.”
As Randy stepped inside, she noticed how at ease he seemed in her grandmother’s cottage. It struck her how much of a fixture he must have been in Nana’s life.
“The porch sounds lovely,” she said, heading to the kitchen to grab mugs and plates. “Let me just get these, and we can head out there.”
Balancing the mugs and plates, she led the way to the porch and set the items on the table. The morning air was a bit chilly, so she went back in and grabbed her Nana’s favoritewrap. Settling it around her shoulders, she headed back outside, pausing a moment to take in the view. It never disappointed.
“This is perfect,” she said, settling into one of the chairs. “It’s so peaceful out here in the mornings.”
“It is peaceful. Miss G and I would often have coffee out here.” Randy placed the bag on the table and began unpacking the scones. “And they’re still warm.”
As he handed her a scone, their fingers brushed briefly, and a little flutter started in her chest. She pushed the feeling aside, focusing instead on the delicious treat in her hand.
“So,” Randy said, relaxing into the chair beside her, “ready to unwrap another item from the box?”
She nodded, taking a sip of her coffee. “I am. It’s been surprisingly therapeutic, going through these items. Like I’m getting to know a different side of Nana.”
“She was a remarkable woman,” he agreed. “Always full of stories about the island and its people.”
