“Ashley?” Seth asked, shutting the door with one leg.
“Hey, Seth.” She grinned. “How are you?”
Striding to the counter, he set the box on the ground and embraced her in a quick, one-armed hug. “I’m good. Sorry about your dad.”
His sincerity tugged at her heart. Seth had graduated with Ashley and had always been sweet and caring. He was as comfortable alone as he was in a group. She remembered him sort of drifting from one club to the next. She stepped back and rubbed a hand over her itchy nose. “Yeah, it sucks. I was sorry to hear about your dad, too. Mr. Boyd was the nicest guy in town.”
“Thanks. He left big shoes to fill at the print shop. But tell me more about you. Are you back for good? Taking over the Inn?” Seth asked.
“With any luck,” Zach said significantly.
She studied Zach from the corner of her gaze, fighting to keep her expression neutral. Christopher wanted the town on her side. She couldn’t jump to his defense over every petty comment someone said under their breath. “What are you up to? Stickers?”
Seth smiled. “Just a side hustle. I’m great with slogans, so I started selling motivational bumper stickers. Zach is my best salesman.”
Zach crossed his arms over his chest and nodded. “He has a special way of looking at the world that connects with people. I’ve been glad to offer my guidance.”
She darted her gaze between the pair. She hadn’t realized they’d become good friends. Of course, a friendship age gap didn’t matter after they had all graduated high school and started working. Zach acted like a sort of advisor to the younger man? He and Christopher had more in common than either would admit.
“Oh, that’s fun. Can I see a couple?” she asked.
“Sure thing.” Seth pulled two stickers out of his pocket and handed them to her. “I always carry a few. It’s nice to cheer someone up, you know?”
She grabbed the stickers. “Be the winningest you,” she read aloud. “Dream harder.” Huh. She must not be the target audience if she couldn’t understand the meaning. She lifted her gaze to meet Seth’s hopeful expression. “Very cool. You said it’s a side hustle?”
“I took over the print shop from my mom. She moved in with my sister in South Carolina. I’m having a smidge of trouble with the Inn.” Seth lifted a shoulder.
If she turned around, would she see some smug, knowing look from Zach? “I’m sorry to hear that.” She shook her head. “Not about your mom. I’m sure she’s happy about leaving winter behind. I mean about the Inn.”
“It’s okay. I understand. I’m not upset about the Inn. I don’t take it personally. Christopher is a perfectionist, and the new menus aren’t quite hitting the mark for him. I’ll get there. Printing is my job, and I enjoy it. My real work is something much bigger.” Seth widened his eyes.
This time, she couldn’t help but frown. She’d been a dreamer once. Now she couldn’t imagine why. She’d left with her wings spread wide only to fly straight into power lines. Her stomach tightened, waiting for the impact of whatever came next.
“I’m on the hunt for Soupy, the Lake Superior monster,” Seth said.
Ashley blinked. “I’m sorry. I didn’t catch that. Could you repeat it?”
“Soupy,” Seth said again, slowly. “The Lake Superior monster.”
Who?The speed of the delivery wasn’t her issue. Her brain didn’t understand the words he said. She had never heard of a monster roaming the lake.
“Soupy lurks in Loon Lake, coming in via the channel to Lake Superior,” Zach said.
The explanation clarified nothing.
“Seth encountered the beast near the boardwalk and at the mouth of the channel,” Zach said. “Seth has been on the hunt for Soupy for decades but only recently shared his search with the public.”
Seth shrugged. “Zach thought the more people that know, the better the chance for finding him.”
“And a creature like Soupy is a real draw for the whole community,” Zach added. “A lake monster draws an eager crowd of tourists ready to discover the extraordinary. As word spreads, we anticipate that the shops will do more business than ever.”
“Have others spotted him as well?” she asked.
Seth shook his head. “Not yet, as far as I’m aware. I’ve only had three encounters. The first time, near the boardwalk, was in the winter. My dad and I were ice fishing. I’m guessing hunting brought Soupy close to the shore. I think all the noise and usual activity in the warmer months scares him off.”
She nibbled her lip. Seth established his own logic about this creature and was passionate about its existence. She wasn’t likely to dissuade him with questions.
Instead, she studied the other man. Zach was a skeptic about her ghost. She accepted his disbelief but could not understand why he’d encourage Seth’s folly. Clearly Zach supported his friend, which was admirable, but if he backed every bad idea, was it only to spite Christopher?
