“Well, if it isn’t Grandma and her pie-wielding counterpart!” a familiar voice called.
Lila looked up from the cooler she was grabbing pies out of. They’d already sold three. “Dad! What are you doing here?”
Her father sauntered up to the booth, hands in his pockets. “It’s a chilly morning. I need a hot coffee. By Heaven, TJ Jones, is that you?”
TJ stepped forward from the back, where he’d been measuring out coffee. “It is, sir. How are you?”
“I’m just dandy.” Her dad shook his hand. “You should come have dinner with us while you’re here. The rest of the family would love to see you and hear about England. I know Lila’s mother would; she’s always wanted to go there.”
“Dad, TJ doesn’t have time for…”
“Oh yes, he does,” her father cut in.
“Sure, Mr. Comfort, I’d love to.”
“Perfect! We’d love to have you.”
TJ served him his coffee, they exchanged goodbyes, and her father wandered off to another booth.
“Well, that was random,” Lila said. “I didn’t expect to see him here.”
“I like your dad, always have. Practical sort. He’d fit well in English society.” He cocked his head. “What’s the matter?”
She shrugged, surprised when tears stung the backs of her eyes. She didn’t want TJ to go back to England. She wanted to know him better, but what was the point? She’d never see him again unless he came to visit, and when would that be? Another eight years? Good grief, she had to get a grip.
Grandma and Irene continued chatting up passersby and coaxing them into buying coffee or better yet, pie. It didn’t take long for them to sell almost all of them. What were Tilly and Jack going to do when they no longer served pie? Unless they couldconvince Grandma and her friends to keep supplying Pleasant Beans, the shop would never be the same.
“Land sakes, Irene, you should have baked more pies,” Grandma said.
“I told you about those six chocolate pie recipes, but no, everyone said we had enough.”
“You two don’t have to stay here,” Lila told them kindly. “Maybe you want to go back to the inn and rest before your shift this afternoon.”
“Shift, schmift,” Grandma huffed. “Well, I suppose we could go check out the hotel. We haven’t seen it yet since we’ve been here.”
“And the museum,” TJ added. “In fact, I might wander over there in a minute or two. I haven’t been in that place in years.”
Irene gasped. “You can’t leave your post here. What’s Lila going to do if there’s a rush of customers?”
“I’m sure I can handle it,” Lila said dryly.
“But… but what if you need help?” Grandma sputtered.
“I’ll be fine,” Lila insisted. “If TJ wants to go check out the museum, he can.”
TJ smiled. “You don’t mind?”
“No. Should I?” She brought another pie forward to the display. “We only have two left and it’s only been a few hours. How many more did you bake?”
“We’ve got some back at the inn,” Grandma said. “But we’ll have to bake more.”
“Right,” Irene agreed. “Which means we should get home.” She eyed TJ. “But that doesn’t mean we can’t go see the hotel. You should come too.”
“All right,” he said with a chuckle. “The three of us will go check out the hotel, and then I’ll come back while these lovely ladies go home and start baking more pies.”
He offered each an arm. The two women smiled, winked at one another, and let him escort them down the main aisle between booths.
Lila sighed. “This could take a while.” TJ had wanted to peruse the other booths since they arrived. So had she, but that would have to wait. Things were slow now, but she knew the rush would return soon enough.
