Several years ago Keith purchased a quartet of greenhouses which had allowed him to grow his fruits and vegetables months before the spring planting, and when they reopened for business their menu included ripened farm-to-table ingredients. And before the summer season ended Keith and Danita set up a farm stand to sell off the surplus produce.
There were only two cars and the van bearing the D&K Bed-and-Breakfast logo in restaurant’s parking lot. Jasmine pulled into a space close to the entrance. She turned off the engine and gently shook Cameron. “Wake up,” she crooned, not wanting to startle him. “We’re here.”
He sat up, raised his seat, and stared at her. “I can’t believe I fell asleep.”
Jasmine’s lips parted when she smiled. “That’s because you needed to sleep.” She undid her seatbelt. “Are you ready for some Long Island hospitality?”
His smile matched hers. “You bet.”
Chapter 5
Jasmine was out of the car before Cameron could come around to assist her. He was glad she’d suggested he take a nap because he suddenly felt energized. He’d gotten up early Thursday morning to meet his buddies to board the charter bus that would take them to Connecticut for a day of golfing. By the time they’d arrived they weren’t able to play for several hours, and they passed the time eating brunch. Twelve hours later they returned to the hotel for a late-night dinner. Most were too wound up to retire for bed, so they gathered in the lounge as each one continued to reminisce and catch up on what had been going on in their lives.
Cameron had taken his share of ribbing when several of his frat brothers accused him of being marriage-phobic, joking that every year he’d come with a different woman as his plus-one. A few had intimated he was living an alternative lifestyle, while Cameron was forthcoming when he said if he was, then he would be man enough to come out. He knew if he’d revealed the circumstances behind his parents’ turbulent marriage his friends would’ve been less critical of his reluctance to marry; and he did not want to remind his former college roommate that not only had both of his marriages failed, but he was now was engaged to a woman younger than his eldest son. He wasn’t one to criticize anyone when it came to their personal relationships because at forty-eight he still hadn’t had one that lasted more than a year. Despite tiring of the topic of discussion he had remained to listen without further contributing to the conversations.
However, there was something about Jasmine from the first time he’d spied her at Hannah and St. John’s wedding that garnered his attention and he couldn’t take his eyes off her. And it was only after talking to her that he’d found her so wholly different from the other women he’d asked out. Although she was polite, he found her aloof and indifferent, and he had attributed that to her not knowing who he was, while most women he’d dated were local and more than familiar with the Singleton name.
The Singletons had settled in Louisiana even before the territory achieved statehood. His ancestors had made their fortune in shipping cotton and sugar cane to northern and European cities. During the Civil War, when the Union army blocked the mouth of the Mississippi, their generals had commandeered his great-great-great-grandfather’s ships to transport armaments to supply General Sherman’s troops for their March to the Sea campaign. Archibald Singleton was secretly a spy for the Union because he did not own slaves, and had believed in preserving the Union.
Once the mode of transportation changed from shipping to railroads Archibald’s sons went into insurance and banking. They managed to hold on to most of their fortune during the Great Depression and slowly regained their status as one of the wealthier New Orleans families. Cameron’s father had developed a sixth sense when investing in the stock market, while Cameron as a certified wealth manager worked tirelessly to assist his clients when planning portfolios for retirement and estate planning.
He approached Jasmine and she took his hand, lacing their fingers together. “The restaurant doesn’t open for dinner until the Memorial Day weekend, so we’re going to have to eat at the B and B.”
His gaze shifted to the barn-converted restaurant painted in the distinctive red. “Was this barn always here?” Cameron also noticed the solar panels on the roof.
“No. My uncle had it moved here. It saved him tons of money because he didn’t have to build a structure from the ground up. Keith also added the greenhouses so he could have fresh vegetables during the six months the restaurant’s open for dinner. After the Thanksgiving weekend they close down until the following spring.”
“What about the bed-and-breakfast?”
“It also closes down.”
He whistled softly. “Working six months out of twelve is a sweet deal if you can get it.”
Jasmine gave him a sidelong glance. “You have to remember they have to be available 24/7 for their guests. Folks check in at two in the afternoon and check out at eleven the next day. And before they check out they’re served breakfast. Those who stay more than one night can elect to eat dinner at the restaurant, which means my uncle has to be there to cook and supervise the restaurant staff.”
“What time does the restaurant close?” he asked.
“Ten o’clock during the week, and midnight on the weekends. My aunt and uncle are in their mid-sixties, and there’s going to come a time when they won’t be able to keep up the pace of running two businesses simultaneously.”
“Do they have children?”
Jasmine nodded. “Yes. Their son is a doctor who lives with his family in Texas, and their daughter is an attorney for a nonprofit advocacy program in upstate New York.” She squeezed Cameron’s fingers. “I don’t know about you, but I’m ready for lunch.”
Cameron eased his hand out of hers and rested it at the small of her back. “Lead on.”
He followed Jasmine as she led him to the Victorian-style house several hundred feet away from the restaurant with a shingle identifying it as the D&K Bed-and-Breakfast. A plaque next to the front door verified the house had been built in 1892. Ceiling fans, hanging baskets overflowing with ferns, and red, white, and blue rockers on the porch invited one to come and while away the time.
It had only taken a single glance for Cameron to realize why Jasmine enjoyed ending her summers in the historic structure. A chime sounded when she opened the front door. Seconds later a tall, slender woman with a dark-brown complexion and graying twists under a white bandana appeared. Jasmine extended her arms and hugged the woman he assumed was her aunt.
* * *
Jasmine kissed Danita’s cheek. She smelled of sugar and cinnamon. “I’m sorry we’re late. There was an accident on the LIE.”
Danita peered over Jasmine’s head at the tall man glancing around the entryway. “That’s to be expected. After you introduce me to your friend and you guys wash up we’ll sit down to eat.”
Jasmine beckoned Cameron closer. “Cameron, this is my aunt Danita Moore. Aunt Dee, Cameron Singleton. He’s visiting from New Orleans and I wanted to show him some Long Island hospitality while he’s here.”
Cameron extended his hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Moore.”
