“Hi, we’re the Bradfords, and we’re checking in today.”
Crap! This was just what she didn’t need. But Gina couldn’t be rude, so she pasted on her best customer-servicing smile, slipped behind the counter, and checked them in.
She tried to be cordial and not rush, taking the time to answer all of their questions thoroughly. Hopefully, they hadn’t seen her eyes continuously darting to the clock on the wall.
Finally, they left for their room, and she made a beeline for the door again.
But before she reached it, Jules bounced in. Her face was flushed, and she looked like she was in a hurry. Seriously, now of all times? Jules had been with Nick for a few days, and if she had only just stayed away for another few minutes, Gina would have been well on her way to the bank.
“I’m so sorry I left you here all alone! But I’m back now, and I’ll be here for the next several days straight. You should take some days off. I’ll watch the motel.” Jules really did look sorry about leaving the motel in Gina’s hands, but Gina didn’t mind.
“It’s no problem. I don’t have anywhere else to go, and I’m here baking pies anyway.” Would it be rude to dart out the door when Jules had just arrived?
“Oh, by the way, did you notice all those footprints in the mulch around the motel?” Jules asked. “Someone trampled the petunias and the impatiens! Was it one of the guests?”
Gina stopped short. She’d thought the impatiens under the window sill had been trampled, but she hadn’t looked any further. She could see an animal trying to get at the pie, but why would it go all around the motel? “Really? All around?”
“Yeah. Kinda weird. Maybe a raccoon or something?” Jules asked. “I think Maddie was onto something, though, with being worried about you being here alone. You won’t be alone the next few days since I’ll be here, but I think we should start locking the door. Nick is coming over too. You don’t mind, do you? The bank is closing early today and won’t open again until Tuesday in honor of the town anniversary.”
Gina stared at Jules. “The bank is closing? When?”
“Noon.” Jules glanced at her wrist. “Oh! Looks like it’s closed already. Nick should be here any minute, then.”
Shoot! Gina had missed her chance to go to the bank, and it was going to be closed until Tuesday. Now what was she going to do?
CHAPTER12
The air at Saltwater Sweets was thick with the scent of chocolate. Sam dipped a maple cream center in thick velvety liquid and swirled it around to get it evenly coated. Fond memories of making chocolates with her mother and grandmother bubbled up.
As a child, she’d delighted in taking part in the candy-making process. Her mother had let her try her hand at everything: fudge, bark, caramels. But making the cream-center chocolates was her favorite.
Once she’d gotten to her teenage years, other things had taken precedence over making candy. In high school, she’d decided that working in the family business was the lamest thing ever. All her friends had set their sights on big and important careers, journalism, acting, medicine. She wanted a career like that, too, so she chose law.
She’d achieved her goal on that one, but now she was discovering that things weren’t always as exciting as you thought they were going to be. She glanced down at the chocolates all lined up in a row. There was a certain satisfaction in the simple task of creating something with your hands that she just didn’t get from her job as an attorney.
It was good to spend time alone with her mother. They were close and talked at least twice a week, but there was nothing like catching up in person. Now, if only Deena would stop gushing about Chuck.
“When Chuck first asked me out, I had no idea what to do. I mean, I hadn’t dated anyone but your father, and that was when I was nineteen!” Deena chuckled as she cut a block of penuche fudge.
“I’m glad you were able to get out of your comfort zone.” Sam couldn’t think of anything else positive to say. She didn’t want to encourage her mother’s feelings for Chuck, but Deena seemed so happy that she didn’t know how to broach the topic that he might not be what he seemed.
“But what really got me was that charming dimple when he smiles.” Deena sighed, a goofy smile on her face.
Cole had that dimple, too, except his wasn’t charming.
“It’s nice that he helps out here, but maybe he’s doing too much. It sounds like he’s taken over the websites and he’s rearranged the entire store.” Sam gestured to the racks. “I mean, it’s not like he has a stake in the business.”
Deena looked up and frowned at her daughter. “A stake?”
“Yeah, you know, like part ownership.” Sam was fishing, and if Chuck was doing something fishy, hopefully her questions would shake something loose.
“Oh? Do you think it’s unfair? Maybe he should have a stake. I mean, he has done a lot.”
Okay, well, that backfired, but Sam could use it to dig deeper. “Is that what he thinks? Has he mentioned anything about getting more ownership of Saltwater Sweets?”
Deena appeared confused. “No. Well, he has mentioned something about the bank accounts, but that’s only so that he could invest some money.”
Ha! So hewasup to something! Of course, he was letting Deena think it was so that he could invest money, but Sam bet it was the opposite.
