“How was yoga?” Harper’s eyes narrowed as she snapped the carrot in two with her teeth. “Was Suzanne there?”
“Nope.” Frankie smiled. “And according to Prisha, Suzanne the troublemaker and her husband might be moving out of Hideaway Bay.”
Harper grinned. “I’ve never liked them more.”
Chapter Fifteen
Joyce heard the door open. She and Beryl were in the kitchen. Joyce was making a cottage pie that would be for Mitch and Kyle’s dinner. Beryl was mixing batter for a nice Victoria sponge for afters.
Joyce was eager to talk to Mitch about Beryl and the possibility of keeping her on. He mounted the stairs without so much as a hello, his eyes squinting at some unseen thing only available in his mind.
She frowned and went back to work, piping the mash on top of the pie. She usually just did it with a spoon, but she wanted it to look extra nice, considering what she was about to ask for.
But nothing about his face or his mood said now was the time for that talk. He was headed for his office anyway, so he’d probably forgotten. Just as well. She could speak with him tomorrow.
His office door opened and closed. He’d most likely work until supper.
Then the office door opened again. Mitch appeared at the end of the kitchen counter. “You wanted to talk to me, you said.”
“That’s all right. It can wait. I know you’ve got writing to do.”
“You’re sure?”
She nodded as she made swirl after swirl of creamy mashed potatoes on top of the beef and vegetable mix. “Positively.”
“Is there any coffee left?”
She already knew there wasn’t. Kyle had finished it. The two men drank the stuff like it was water. “I’ll get a fresh pot going and bring you in a nice cup. Would you like a few cookies to go with it? There’s some toffee chocolate chip left.”
“Sure.” He went back to his office, crisis averted.
She set the piping bag down and got the coffee brewing. She finished her piping, covered the cottage pie loosely with foil, then eased it into the fridge until dinner time. She was just about done cleaning up when the coffee finished brewing.
She poured a cup, using one of Mitch’s favorite mugs, then put three cookies on a small plate and took the lot to his office door. “Coffee,” she called out. She didn’t have a hand to knock with.
“Come in.”
She pressed the lever handle down with her elbow, carefully keeping the plate even so the cookies didn’t slide off. She found him in his usual spot at his desk. She set the cup and plate down. “There you are.”
“Thanks.”
She turned to go.
“Joyce, what did you want to talk to me about? If it’s important—”
“It’s…” She gave him a quick smile. She couldn’t lie. Itwasimportant. “You don’t seem like you’re in the best of moods. Tomorrow might be better.”
“I’m in a fine mood.” He smiled as if to prove it. “What’s going on? Is it something bad?”
“No, nothing like that.” She inched closer to the desk. Apparently, this talk was happening after all. She took a breath,organizing her words. “I…I wanted to propose something to you.”
He turned his chair to face her.
Why was she nervous? She lifted her chin, doing her best to find her stiff upper lip. “Having Kyle and Ruthie here has created some extra work. I’m not complaining, mind you. I love having Kyle home and the addition of Ruthie, well…” Joyce smiled. “She’s an angel and that’s all there is to be said about that.”
Mitch nodded. “She is. And I know it’s been more work.” He sighed. “I don’t see that changing.”
“Neither do I. In fact, I expect the messes to get bigger as Ruthie grows. It’s just a fact of life.”
