Her hopes diminished, however short-lived they’d been. She wanted to stand up for her idea, argue that when Tessa came to them and asked to open a restaurant inside the lodge, they welcomed the idea.But Sophie didn’t have the energy to go to battle for so new an idea.
“I have to put out an ad for a temporary chef,” Tessa added. “I need someone who can cover the restaurant when I’m on maternity leave, and for a while, we’ll need to pay them to work alongside me to learn the menu.”
I don’t want to be a housekeeper forever.The words were on the tip of Sophie’s tongue, but she couldn’t figure out how to voice them. Instead she folded her hands on her lap, took a deep breath, and brought a gentle smile to her lips. “I understand.”
“We can revisit the idea,” Cadence suggested. “After Tessa comes back from maternity leave?”
“That sounds reasonable,” Tessa agreed. “Seems a little foolish to do something like that anyway going into winter. How many events will there really be when it’s cold and snowy? Why not wait until spring?”
Sophie didn’t have the business sense or the professional experience to ensure the success of a new venture. If she drained the lodge’s reserve in the process, she’d never forgive herself. She was doing plenty to make a mess of other things in her life. She let her last bubble of excitement pop. “Sounds like a plan.”
* * *
Sophie wished the monthly book club meeting was at least another week away. Maybe two. Not because she hadn’t read the book—she’d helpedcreatethe book as far as she was concerned. But because Denver was joining the group as their guest speaker.
She wasn’t ready to face him. Not yet. Maybe not ever.
“You look a little . . . frazzled,” Cadence said, assessing her with a little too much interest. “You feeling okay?”
For the briefest of moments, Sophie considered fibbing. She could pretend to be sick and hide out in her room while the former club leader, Geraldine Franks, ran things. All the snacks were prepared. Seating arranged in the lodge’s front room. Discussion questions printed out for everyone and neatly stacked on the coffee table.
“Soph?”
“I’m fine,” she finally said, quickly abandoning her hide-out plan. Denver would come and check on her anyway. Maybe the whole book club would. Not too easy to hide from them when her room was right around the corner. “Just a lot on my mind.”
“Your idea about converting the den was a good one,” Cadence said in offering. “Something we really might be able to make happen next year. I sometimes forget you have experience with party planning.”
Sophie finished arranging the cheese and cracker platter and lifted it off the counter, eager to escape. “Yeah, definitely. Grab the chip bowl?”
The first members filed in the front door, saving Sophie from further interrogation for the next couple of hours. “Come on in, ladies.” Sophie waved at them after setting the tray on the coffee table in the last possible spot. If anyone went hungry tonight, it was their own fault.
“I’m heading over to Ford’s, unless you need anything?” Cadence asked her. “The phones are forwarded to my cell.”
With Caroline staying the night at Tessa’s—Sophie wassolooking forward to a single night of sleep without little feet to her back—and the appetizers ready, there wasn’t anything to do but wait for the rest of the group to arrive. “I think I have everything covered from here. Thanks.”
Denver slipped in somewhere in the middle of arrivals, hefting a tub of books. Never mind that it was evening and less than fifty degrees, he had to wear a slim T-shirt that showed off his flexing muscles. Sophie wasn’t the only one who noticed, if Annie’s unapologetic staring said anything.
Under usual circumstances, Denver would’ve been an hour or more early. She wondered whether he was scrambling to finish his book, or avoiding her, too? Guess it would help if she hadreadthe text messages he sent today.
Setting the box down at the edge of one couch, Denver slipped back outside.
“Tell me,” Geraldine said to Sophie, clinging to Sophie’s arm with both hands, “how is his new book coming along? I know you have insider information.” Geraldine was maybe the sweetest elderly lady Sophie had ever met, and she was also quite the comedic character.
“I think it’s going to be the best one yet. Lots of twists and turns in this one.”
“Oh, tell me more! Wait! Don’t. I don’t want any spoilers. Not a one.”
Denver returned with a cup of coffee in one hand and two boxes of chocolates in the other.Are those chocolate-covered macadamia nuts?Sophie’s mouth watered. She hadn’t had one of those since the day she left the island.
“Hey,” she said, avoiding eye contact at all costs and instead gawking at the sweets. Those eyes were dangerous. They lured her in and caused her to be reckless and whimsical. The last thing she needed was to be caught in another trance and pounce on the man in front of all these local readers. She’d never live that scandal down. The ridiculous thought made Sophie smile.
“Did I miss something amusing?” Denver asked in that easy, suave tone of his. It gave her goosebumps.
“No, nothing. Your mom coming?”
“She’s in over her head with that parade float. She promised to make the next one. Really, I think she’s too embarrassed to admit she hasn’t read my latest book.”
Sophie gave a smirk at that, enjoying the solitary moment that feltnormalbetween them. She yearned for it to last. “Your mom’s your number one fan. She’s probably read it twice.”
