Beverly returned with a cinnamon roll and slipped into the chair across from her. “Here you go. Now spill it. What’s got you hiding out here this morning?”
“I’m not hiding,” she protested, but even she didn’t believe it. She poked at the cinnamon roll with her fork. “Just needed a change of scenery, I suppose.”
“And?”
She sighed. “So, Felicity told me she’s leaving with Brent. They’re headed for California for I’m not sure how long. Quite a while. Another research trip for a book for him.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. I know you’ve loved having her around. And it was nice for you to have help with the B&B.”
“I have loved it. But Felicity needs to go live her own life.”
“She does.” Beverly nodded. “But it doesn’t mean the change is going to be easy. But you’ve run the place on your own before. You’ll manage it again.”
“I will.”
Eleanor walked up to the table. “What’s going on here? Why the serious faces?”
“Felicity is leaving. Going to California with Brent,” Beverly explained.
Eleanor frowned. “Brent is leaving? Jonah didn’t mention it.”
“When was the last time you saw him?” Beverly eyed her.
“Well… I told him we needed to take our time. I’ve turned him down the last few times he suggested we do something.”
Beverly rolled her eyes. “You really should give the man a break. Go out with him again.”
Eleanor sat down beside her. “Maybe I’m just too old for his. Too many changes.”
“I know what you mean,” Darlene nodded.
“You do?”
“I was just getting… ah… closer to Mark.”
“I knew it.” Beverly grinned.
“But then, this woman came to see him. She was beautiful. Self-assured. And there was definitely a strong bond between them.”
“So who was she?”
She shrugged. “I’m not sure. Maybe someone he met after his wife died? But there’s something between them. It was obvious.”
Eleanor tapped her finger on the table. “So why don’t you ask him who she was?”
Beverly's mouth rose in a sassy grin. “Because she’s too busy hiding out here avoiding him.”
“I’m not—” But she stopped because the fact was, she was hiding out.
Beverly shook her head. “I love you both… but sometimes…” She sighed. “It’s a full-time job just getting you two to think straight.”
“Miss Eleanor, you should give Jonah a chance. It’s obvious he cares about you, and you care about him.” Beverly turned to Darlene. “And you. Quit hiding. Go talk to the man. Why give up without really even trying?”
Beverly pushed her chair back, its legs scraping on the wooden floor. “And that’s all that I’m saying about that. I have customers to wait on. And Miss Eleanor, I’ll bring you your coffee and cream.”
Darlene walked slowly back to the B&B, thinking about what Beverly had said. But then, Beverly hadn’t seen the obvious connection between Mark and Savannah. Each step that brought her closer to home punctuated her indecision on her next move.
She finally reached the B&B and slipped in the back door to the kitchen. Felicity looked up, her sleeves rolled up as she loaded the last of the breakfast dishes into the dishwasher.
