Page 40 of Coastal Reflections

“What, not even when I barge into your kitchen uninvited?”

He cracked a small smile. “Well, then only a little bit. I’m always so happy to see you.”

“You are?” She suddenly felt a bit weak at the knees.

He nodded, and for a moment, she thought his face moved slightly closer to hers. Then he looked away, clearing his throat. “Would you like me to help you carry these boxes inside?”

“Oh, no, that’s all right.” She waved a hand airily, her heart beating a little harder. “They look light enough. I’ll just bring them into the kitchen and line them with clean cloths and then put today’s pastries into them. I absolutely cannot wait to show these to the girls. They’re going to be ecstatic.”

She picked up the boxes from the back of the truck and was about to turn toward the mansion, when she stopped. Impulsively, she stood up on her tiptoes and gave Shep a kiss on the cheek.

He colored an attractive shade of salmon pink and coughed again. She grinned at him and scampered away, feeling giddy with excitement.

The girls and all of our guests are going to just adore these boxes, Elaine thought. And oh, I absolutely cannot wait to go on that walk with Shep!

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Audrey leaned over the soup pot that bubbled on the stove of The Birchwood House. A hearty, herbal aroma wafted up from the stew, and Audrey took a deep breath and smiled.

“Smells amazing,” Evan said, looking up from where he was slicing the fresh bread that Shep had dropped off for Elaine for free. “I can’t wait to taste it with this bread, which seems perfect, by the way. Crunchy crust on the outside and springy white fluff on the inside.”

“You make it sound like cake,” Audrey teased, coming over to him and giving him a kiss. She looked down at the slices of bread and whistled. “Okay, wow, that does look really good. You know, I don’t think I’ve ever had plain old sourdough bread from Townsend’s before. I should have known it would be incredible.”

“Especially with this stew we’re making. You know, I think I can tell just from the smell alone that those red potatoes are going to be better than russet potatoes.”

“My grandmother always swore by them,” Audrey said cheerfully as she sprinkled more pieces of minced garlic into the soup pot. “For mashed potatoes and meat pies as well. They take longer to peel, but they taste that much better.”

She hummed as she stirred the warm and cozy stew. There were pieces of steak, sliced carrots, pieces of celery, and the potatoes—as well as a sprinkling of minced bacon and a scrumptious blend of spices.

“Here,” Evan said, picking up the tiniest slice from the end of the loaf. “Catch.”

Audrey squealed and dropped the ladle as the bread came flying through the air toward her. She just barely managed to catch the slice, but she did, and held it up triumphantly, giggling.

“A champ!” Evan teased. “She’s ready to enter the bread-catching Olympics.”

“Oh, stop.” She laughed and dipped the slice into the stew, blowing on it a couple of times before bringing it to her lips. “But I might enter a cooking competition with this stew. Taste this.” She dipped a spoon into the stew and carried it over to Evan. “Amazing, isn’t it?”

Evan carefully sipped on the spoon, and his eyebrows lifted a moment later. “Wow, it really is. I can’t wait to dig in to all this.”

“Should be any minute now,” Audrey announced cheerfully. “We should set the table.”

Evan carried the plate of sliced bread over to the kitchen table and Audrey started to set out the water glasses. By the time she returned to the kitchen cupboards, Evan was already there getting out the bowls.

“I love how well we work as a team,” she said, laughing and touching his arm. “It’s like every time I turn around, you’re taking care of something so that I don’t have to.”

“I feel that way about you,” he said, nuzzling her nose with his.

Audrey took the bowls out of his hands and set them down on the counter. She wrapped her arms around Evan, hugging him tightly. “Your love makes me feel like I can actually get through anything that this world—or even Clark—can throw my way.” She laughed. “Knowing I don’t have to handle everything by myself makes me feel so safe. I know things won’t be perfect, and that trials will come and go, just like this situation with Clark, but I also know that it’ll all be okay. I’m not afraid of the future the way I was a little while ago.”

Evan kissed the top of her head. “I’m so glad. I want to make sure that you feel safe and protected. It’s my honor to be there for you, for whatever you need. I truly meant what I said to Clark, about how much I admire you. I think you’re absolutely incredible—so hardworking, and such a visionary.”

“Oh, Evan,” Audrey said, as tears filled her eyes.

They shared another tender kiss. A few seconds later, they heard the sound of the kitchen door opening, followed by a squeal.

“Gosh you guys,” Michelle said as she burst into the kitchen. “Don’t you know that it’s unsanitary to be kissing in the kitchen?”

Audrey rolled her eyes, laughing. “Oh my goodness. I would say that your timing is terrible, except it’s not actually too bad. Dinner is ready.”