She laughed. “Don’t worry, I’m expecting you to be.”
“See you later, then.”
It didn’t take him long to sort out the mix-up with reservations. And once he was done, he wandered out onto the deck. The breakfast rush was dying down. He smiled when he saw Gabe and Renée sitting with Kenzie and Chase. They were such an unlikely group of friends, but they all got along so well. His smile faded a little when he realized that their bond had been formed because of Ethan. Gabe was Ethan’s uncle, and Kenzie was his aunt. He couldn’t let the sadness creep in. Yet he couldn’t help but feel it as he thought about the ways a child could draw people together and change their lives.
Kenzie spotted him and waved him over. “Hey, bossman, how are you this fine and sunny day? Where’s Charlie? I have to tell you, I think she’s awesome!”
Ben laughed. “I’m glad you approve.”
“You should be,” said Chase with a grin. “You know the earache you’d be getting right now if she didn’t approve?”
“Oh, I do.” Ben winked at Kenzie. “Especially considering it’s before ten o’clock in the morning, and you are anything but a morning person.”
Kenzie waved her coffee mug at him with a smile. “Caffeine is a wonderful thing. But we were talking about you and Charlie, not me. Where is she?”
“She has things to do this morning.”
“Yeah,” said Gabe with a smile. “I heard she got off to a good start setting up a new business. I’d like to talk to her myself. We need to get to work on an online marketing strategy for the tourism website.”
Ben grinned. “I’m sure she’d love to get to work on that.”
“But you might have to join the queue,” said Renée. “I already left her a voicemail this morning, I want to see how she can help out with the women’s center website.”
“Damn!” said Kenzie. “I think I need to ask her if she needs an assistant. It seems as though everyone wants to work with her.” She looked up at Ben. “What about you? Is she going to take over marketing for the resort?”
Ben stared at her. Why hadn’t that even occurred to him? He did need help with the website, and certainly with social media and marketing. When they were kids, that last summer, Charlie had said she was going to study marketing and help him grow the resort. He smiled at Kenzie. “I don’t know yet, I’ll have to see if she can fit me in.”
Renée smiled up at him. “I have a feeling she’d drop everyone else if it meant she can help you out. It’s so good to see the two of you back together.”
Ben smiled. He didn’t know what to say. He hoped they really were back together. He thought they were after last night, but Angel hadn’t helped that this morning.
“Yeah,” said Kenzie with a grin. “You should get her working with you, set her up in an office over here and make sure that Angel stays over at Four Mile.”
“Kenzie!” Chase shook his head at her. “Sorry, Ben.”
“What?” asked Kenzie. “It’s no secret I don’t like her.” She smiled up at Ben. “And it’s no secret that I don’t like her sniffing around you.”
Ben had to laugh. It seemed everyone was protective of him, but Kenzie especially so. And she didn’t mince her words about it.
“That’s not fair,” said Renée. “Angel’s nice.” She looked at Ben. “I’m planning to invite her to my bachelorette party. Unless that’s a problem?”
Ben shook his head. It wasn’t a problem, or at least it shouldn’t be. He hoped it wouldn’t be. He raised an eyebrow at Kenzie. “Charlie doesn’t have a problem with her. I hope you won’t?”
Kenzie made a face. “I’ll behave if I have to. That doesn’t mean I’ll be nice.”
Renée slapped her arm. “Come on, Kenz. We talked about this.”
Kenzie shrugged.
Ben smiled at Renée. “We have everything set up for next Saturday night. Do you have final numbers yet?”
“Yes, I was going to stop by and see you this afternoon for a chat.”
Ben nodded. He was hoping to spend the afternoon with Charlotte, but he’d make time for Renée first. He was happy for her and for Gabe that they’d finally managed to arrange their wedding. Renée was going to have a party in the function room above the restaurant next weekend. Gabe was holding his bachelor party at Giuseppe’s the same evening. And the next weekend, they would get married in the little chapel down by the lake. “Do you want to stop by and see me when you get finished up here? I might not be around this afternoon.”
“Ooh, are you going to see Charlotte?”
Ben smiled at Kenzie. “Maybe.”
