“Hi!” She waved back and crossed the few steps to Mia, dragging her luggage behind. She held out a hand, and her Realtor shook it. “You must be Mia. It’s so nice to meet you.”
“Nice to meet you too. Was your travel okay?” A light breeze coming off the lake ruffled Mia’s hair.
“It was long, but fine.” She’d been tired on the ferry, but finally seeing Jonathon Island in person felt like a shot of espresso straight to her veins.
“I’m glad you made it safely. This was perfect timing for me. My mom was able to have my kids for the morning.” Ava knew from their emails back and forth that Mia had two children, a five-year-old boy and a three-year-old daughter.
“Thanks for meeting me.”
Mia nodded. “Would you like to check into your room and drop off your suitcase before going to see the house? It’s only a little out of the way to stop at the Grand first.”
“That would be great.” As eager as she was to see the house in person, lugging this suitcase around would be a pain.
“I’m thrilled you’ll be here for the Flavor Fest. My cousin Dani is really excited about the festival season this year. As tourism director, she’s in charge of all of that.” Mia led the way up the street toward the main part of town. “It’s been a long time since we’ve had this many tourists.”
They turned left onto what looked like the main road going through the heart of downtown Jonathon Island. Ava stopped in her tracks. Main Street was just how she remembered it. Quaint, homey storefronts lined the streets. Awnings in bright colors stood over windows filled with treasures. Each one looked more delightful than the last. In the distance, she could see the top of the Grand Hotel. Her mouth lifted in a smile. She hadn’t justimagined how perfect it all looked. Of course, living here would be different than vacationing here, but surely no one got tired of all of this charm?
She turned her head to look back at Lake Huron. The water sparkled in the early sunshine, each wave celebrating her arrival. Facing forward again, she caught up the few steps to Mia, and they began walking again.
“The timing was perfect for me. I was glad I spotted the festival information.” Now she just needed to do the job justice and secure her remote position.
They passed by several stores. On the side of the road nearer the water, one of the signs read Martha’s on Main.
She pointed to the restaurant. “Is Martha’s as good as the online reviews say?”
Mia laughed. “Probably. I know I enjoy it. But you’re the food critic—you’ll have to decide for yourself.” Mia gestured across the street. “While you’re at it, you might want to check out the Fudge Shop on the Corner and Lily’s Ice Cream truck. Both are local favorites.”
Ava’s mind spun with all of the possibilities for material for her articles. “Didn’t someone write an article on the Fudge Shop on the Corner last year? Something about a contest for ownership?”
Mia laughed again. “Yep. Lily Hart and Declan Kelley were competing for ownership. Sort of a Romeo and Juliet situation, if you can believe it. The families are old rivals. Maybe more like the Hatfields and McCoys, I guess. Because Lily and Declan didn’t die in a Shakespearean tragedy. They got married in January and are making fudge and ice cream together now.”
Ava laughed along with Mia, her heart lifting.
Soon the Grand Sullivan Hotel loomed into view. She traced its graceful white lines with her eyes. Workmen swarmed over half of the structure while the other half looked original. Asweeping porch lined the entire front of the five-story building. A few piles of obviously charred lumber lay off to the side.
They walked up to the hotel and onto the grand porch.
“There aren’t too many people staying here for the next two weeks. Mostly festival people, judges, chefs, and whatnot.” Mia opened the front door. “There are only a few rooms available for use right now. As you can see, there’s still a way to go in this renovation project.”
“I’d heard you were rebuilding after the fire.” The burning of the historic building had made national news ten years ago. Even then, it had been like a sucker punch to the belly to read about the tragedy at a place she’d visited as a child. “I can see the vision.” And she could. She could picture families enjoying the veranda and picnicking on the lawn.
As they entered the lobby, a slim blonde turned from where she chatted with another woman behind the massive desk. She wore dark jeans topped with a T-shirt proclaimingJonathon Island First in Fudge.
“Dani, hi! I’m glad we spotted you,” Mia said. “This is Ava Harper. Ava, this is my cousin Dani.”
Dani extended her hand to Ava. “Hi. Ava Harper Chows Down, right? I love your column. Looks like I dropped by at just the right time. It’s nice to put a face to a name.”
“It’s good to meet you.” Ava gave her hand a squeeze.
“I saw your name on the list for the charity competition next week.” Dani clutched a clipboard to her chest. “I would have thought you’d try for the main competition. Considering your reputation, as well as your parents’.”
Ava’s heart seized. “I—I’m just here to report on the festival, hopefully give Jonathon Island some good press.” She tried on a smile.
“We’re glad you’re here.” Dani’s face lit up. “Actually, you could help me with something else. I need another judge for themain competition on Friday and Saturday this weekend. Since you didn’t sign up for that one, would you consider being a judge? With your review skills, you’d be great at it. Could make a good angle for your article.”
Judging other people’s cooking? She was back on solid ground. “I can do that. Just point me in the right direction.”
“Great. There’s a brief meeting tomorrow for everyone, and the contest starts the next day. Then, throughout the week, we have some cooking classes, a chili cook-off, and some other events before the big charity competition next week. Here’s a list of activities.” Dani unclipped a paper from her board and handed it over. “See you there.” As Dani hurried out the door, Ava turned to the woman behind the desk.
