Jules grabbed a roll and deflected their teasing by turning the conversation to one of their favorite motel guests. “I always make sure I get my motel work done. Speaking of which, Aggie Fletcher isn’t going to be there much longer. She’s looking for a place in town. It looks like things with her and Henry are going very smoothly."
Gina smiled at that. Aggie was a colorful character that had checked into the motel when they’d had a cooking contest. She’d met Nick's grandfather, Henry, and the two of them hit it off and made the cutest couple.
“Having Aggie as a long-term resident was great and helped with finances, but now we’re getting more and more bookings, so it shouldn’t hurt us.”
“Yeah, bookings are really up,” Jules said. “We’re filled the next ten weekends and partially filled for the weekdays.” Jules patted Maddie on the arm. “Looks like your last event really turned on the faucet for the tourists.”
“I've noticed more tourists in town and all the business owners seem very happy about that,” Maddie said. Maddie was the head of the Chamber of Commerce, a part-time job that she took very seriously. She’d been responsible for organizing a few events that had gotten tourists talking about Shell Cove, but she wasn’t stopping there. Lately, she had been surveying the business owners and trying to figure out how to keep things running smoothly in Shell Cove and how to keep the tourists coming.
“How is everything going with plans for the town celebration?” Gina asked.
As part of her job, Maddie was in charge of organizing a big picnic to celebrate the town’s 250th anniversary.
“Really good. Everything is falling into place. There’s going to be a parade and games and maybe fireworks in the town common,” Maddie said.
“And naturally, there will be signature dishes.” Jules’s comment had them all laughing.
When they’d first come to town, their first visitors to the motel had been three senior ladies, Pearl, Rose, and Leena. They’d been friends of their grandmother and had come with a huge welcome basket. The cousins had become good friends with the older women and referred to them as the “welcome wagon ladies.” Rose, Pearl, and Leena seemed to always have a hand in all the town goings-on and insisted on people bringing signature homemade dishes to each event. In fact, it was Pearl who had encouraged Gina to open the pie shop. Gina’s pies always got compliments. Maddie and Jules weren’t as lucky in the signature-dish department.
“I'm sure you’ll make a pie, Gina,” Jules said. “I’m going to have to think hard on what to do. I don’t want to fall out of favor with those ladies.”
Gina and Maddie laughed.
Jules turned to Maddie. “Easy for you to laugh. You won’t fall out of favor—you’re dating Rose’s grandson!”
Maddie looked sheepish. “I’m sure Rose doesn’t play favorites. I just hope we have the same amount of energy as those ladies when we get to be their age."
CHAPTER5
Rose Wisnewski sat on the bench across from the row of quaint shops in Shell Cove, eating her pistachio ice cream and reflecting on how good life was.
How fortunate was she to be in such good health in her early eighties and have two of her best friends right beside her?
She glanced over at Pearl and Leena. Sure, they had a few wrinkles and some gray hair, but for the most part, the three of them were in good health. Not only that, but their beloved town of Shell Cove had been revitalized and was coming back to life again. She couldn’t ask for much more than that.
“Look at all the tourists.” Pearl waved her spoon at the quaint shops across the street.
The trim had been freshly painted, new colorful awnings shaded the windows, and lush flowers overflowed the window boxes and planters along the street. Tourists in flip-flops and sunglasses strolled down the street with bags of souvenirs.
“It seems like more tourists are coming every day,” Rose said. “I think naming Maddie to head the chamber of conference was a good idea.”
“She’s doing a good job on the town picnic too.” Leena shoved the last of her cone into her mouth and crunched down on it.
She was always the first to finish her ice cream. Pearl, who daintily took tiny bites from her cup, was always the last. Rose was in the middle.
“She’s got some fun events,” Leena said. “But I think we should have more cornhole setups.”
“Oh, I love cornhole!” Pearl said. “Do you think we could get bocce in?”
Leena scrunched up her face. “They’d have to dig up the grass to put in a bocce court, Pearl.”
Pearl looked disappointed. “I suppose, but it would be fun. Bocce is one of my favorites.”
“Speaking of favorites,” Rose cut in, “what are you bringing?”
“I’m bringing triple-chocolate layer cake,” Pearl said.
“Deviled eggs, of course,” Leena said, as if she would bring anything else. For twenty-five years, she’d been bringing deviled eggs to almost every town event. It was her signature dish.
