Page 42 of Coastal Reflections

A moment later, Elaine’s phone, which was resting on the table, lit up with a notification.

“Hey, Grandma,” Michelle said, picking it up. “You should click on this. It says we got another Google review for The Birchwood House.”

“We did?” Elaine took her phone from Michelle hurriedly, looking a touch nervous.

You’d think by now she wouldn’t feel as jittery over a new review, Audrey thought with a chuckle. I have to admit, I feel fluttery myself about it though.

Elaine clicked on her phone screen a few times, and then her face lit up with a grin. “It’s five stars,” she said, looking elated.

Michelle cheered and gave Evan a high-five.

“Don’t look so surprised, Mom,” Audrey said, wrapping her arms around her mother. “Our guests are always telling us how much they love to be here.”

“Oh, I know,” Elaine said, hugging Audrey back tightly. “But people say things in reviews they might not be willing to say in person. Like, what if they were really cold in the middle of the night and didn’t tell us but then left a three-star review?”

Evan shook his head, chuckling. “You made sure all the rooms were well-heated before you opened. You always make sure the hot water is working. You make sure all your guests have toiletries and extra blankets and snacks. The Birchwood House is going to keep on getting wonderful reviews because you’re so well-prepared and such thoughtful, hard-working hosts.”

“Hear, hear!” Michelle clapped.

“Even if we do get a not-great review soon,” Audrey said, “we can take it. We’ve got so many good reviews now, it’s abundantly clear this is a great place to stay. I think you can officially stop worrying, Mom.”

“You’re right.” Elaine grinned.

“Speaking of our guests having a wonderful time here,” Audrey said with a sly smile. “Do you remember the bottle of champagne that couple from Hawaii gave us as a gift? I think we have two perfect reasons to pop it open—Clark is admitting defeat, and we just got another five-star review.”

“Sounds perfect,” Michelle said. “Two fantastic reasons to celebrate.”

“I agree,” Elaine said. “Where did we put that bottle? Is it up here in the kitchen?”

“No, I’ve got it down in the cellar,” Audrey said, standing up. “I’ll just run and grab it.”

She smiled as she closed the door to the kitchen. She could hear Michelle chattering eagerly, and Elaine laughing. Although she couldn’t see Evan anymore, she could perfectly picture the gleam of happiness in his eyes. She knew it meant a great deal to him that he’d been able to fix her troublesome situation for her.

Not nearly as much as it means to me, she thought with a sigh, pausing in the middle of the hallway.

The door that led to the cellar was underneath the grand staircase. It was painted the same white as the walls in the hallway, and despite being graced with a bit of carving was generally inconspicuous. The only thing that really gave it away was the gold doorknob, which was delicately small because it was an antique.

Before opening the cellar door, Audrey looked around the hallway, enjoying the sight of everything around her. The art that she and her mother and daughter had hung on the walls was colorful and imaginative, while also sparking feelings of peace. She could see traces of the sunset through the glow that lit up the stained-glass windows that surrounded the front door. In the parlor, guests were talking and laughing, and one of them was playing the piano with artistic brilliance.

I love this house, Audrey thought. And I feel totally safe here again now.

She walked down the hallway toward the grandfather clock and stopped in front of it. She smiled, admiring how beautiful the clock was. It was polished and dust-free, and it gleamed in the light. She loved the persistent ticking sound it made, always steady, never wavering. She found it comforting, and she had ever since she was a little girl. It had been her favorite thing in the house with Clark, and it was her favorite thing in The Birchwood House now.

She inhaled, feeling grateful that it would be staying for good, now. It would continue to welcome guests into the beautiful old house—a place where both visitors and owners would thrive and find peace and happiness.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Michelle sat down on the edge of Elaine’s bed, watching the way her grandmother was eyeing herself doubtfully in the mirror.

“Grandma, you look beautiful,” Michelle insisted. “Turn around. Look at how nice that dress looks when the skirt swishes.”

“I agree,” Harper said. She was standing next to Audrey and Penelope, and the three of them were in a line in front of the windows of Elaine’s bedroom as if they were the hosts of some new TV series that featured elderly people going out on dates for the first time in decades. “You look stunning.”

“Thank you both,” Elaine said, blushing slightly and looking decidedly flustered. “But I think I’d rather wear something a little warmer, you know? Shep and I are going to be out walking, so I don’t want to wear anything that’s going to make me shiver the whole time.”

“Good point.” Penelope nodded. “You want to be warm and cozy. How about a pair of black slacks and this mint green sweater? I think it will make the blue of your eyes pop.”

“I do love that sweater,” Elaine said.