“I’m bringing potato salad,” Rose said. “And I gave my macaroni salad recipe to Dex. He and Maddie have been seeing a lot of each other lately, and they wanted to make something special together.”
Rose had been overjoyed when Dex and Maddie had started dating. She hadn’t liked Dex’s previous girlfriend, Lorelei, very much. She never said anything to Dex as she didn’t want to interfere, but Lorelei just wasn’t right for him. Not to mention Lorelei had wanted him to move away to Portland, and Rose would have missed him terribly. The two were very close, so having him stay in Shell Cove was a bonus, but mostly, she was happy that Dex was with the right girl.
“Things are really looking up in town since Maddie and her cousins came,” Pearl said.
“Brought new life to the place,” Rose added.
“Except maybe a little bit more than we bargained for,” Leena said. “I still think it’s a little suspicious that I saw Gina with my Ellie. But you know Ellie. She won’t say a word about why they were together, and trust me, I’ve tried to get it out of her. She just shrugs and says they’re friends, but I think Gina has hired her to investigate something.”
Pearl took another tiny scoop of ice cream. “It’s probably none of our business, Leena.”
“I suppose.” Leena sighed, her gaze drifting to Saltwater Sweets, the chocolate shop across the street. “Oh look. It’s Deena and Chuck. That must be Chuck’s son. Is that Samantha? She’s gotten even more lovely. I haven’t seen her in years. Such a nice young girl. Remember when she helped me out when I broke my leg?”
“Of course we remember. She is a very nice girl,” Pearl agreed.
“She’s a grown woman now. I wonder if she’s still as nice,” Rose said. “Sometimes life makes people jaded.”
“It appears as if they are all getting along, but Chuck and Deena still look worried. Maybe things aren’t going so good,” Leena said.
Rose turned to look at her. “You still think you can win that bet?”
In addition to butting in on town events, welcoming newcomers, and making signature dishes, the three women entertained themselves by making bets on whether the various potential couples in town would get together, stay together, or break up.
Pearl also turned to Leena. “That reminds me, don’t you owe us for the Mex bet? Maddie and Dex are very chummy these days.”
Leena snorted. “Don’t be so hasty. Let’s wait and see if it’s going to stick.”
“Trust me. It will stick. Have you seen them together?” Rose asked.
Across the street, Chuck, Deena, Sam, and Cole were entering the shop. Saltwater Sweets was a cute little shop in one of the town’s oldest buildings. It was a family business, having been started by Deena’s great grandmother. The front had two large windows loaded with displays of thick chunks of fudge and decadent-looking chocolates on triple-tier displays.
Since Chuck had come into Deena’s life, Deena was happier than Rose had seen her in years, and the shop had been flourishing. Deena had let it go after her husband died, and it had fallen into disrepair, but now she and Chuck had worked hard to bring it back up to speed.
Chuck was good for Deena. Rose hoped Samantha and Cole would see that. Of course, she and Pearl and Leena were doing everything they could to try to help Deena and Chuck make Sam and Cole realize they were perfect for each other.
Pearl spooned up a tiny blob of ice cream. “Maybe Sam and Cole will get together. Anyone in on a bet? Would we call it Sole or Cam?”
The three ladies named their bets based on a mash-up of the couple’s names.
Leena shook her head and nodded toward the shop. “Maybe not. Look at the body language. I don’t think Sam and Cole will be turning into a couple, and maybe Deena and Chuck won’t be one after this visit is over, either.”
CHAPTER6
“Ithink Chuck’s done very well at mastering the little swirls that we put on top of each of the different types of chocolates. You remember how difficult that is, don’t you, Sam?”
Sam remembered. She also remembered that it was her father that used to put the swirls on. Seeing Chuck do it made her heart lurch. She wasn’t jealous, that would be ridiculous. She was a mature adult and understood that her father had been gone for many years and her mother deserved to find someone to be happy with. But not Chuck, because Chuck was obviously trying to take advantage.
“And he’s bringing the business into the twenty-first century. He’s revamped the website and is modernizing everything on the computer. He’s even installed new software we can use for inventory and accounting,” Deena said proudly.
Sam frowned. Chuck had been doing computer work? “Mom, I would’ve been happy to help with the computer and install new software for you.”
“I didn’t want to bother you, dear. I know how busy you are.” Deena turned to Chuck and Cole. “Sam is multitalented. She’s not only a brilliant lawyer. She’s good with computers too.”
Sam brushed off the compliment, embarrassed. The truth was she really wasn’t that great with computers, but she was a far sight better than either of her parents had been. And as a lawyer, she was far from brilliant, though she had saved several women from getting taken advantage of in many divorce cases.
Guilt bubbled up. Her mother had given up on asking her to come out and help with the business, and that was her own fault. She’d never made Saltwater Sweets a priority. Every time her mother had asked for her help, she’d put it off, always too busy with her cases.
Maybe she had only herself to blame that Chuck had insinuated himself into the business. That was all the more reason for her to get her mother to see the light. It sounded like he had access to the accounting and bank accounts. Hopefully, he hadn’t started moving things into his own name. She made a mental note to check out the computer and see what he’d been up to. Her mother was way too trusting.
