Seabreeze Sunset

Chapter 2-1

Chapter 2

When Poppy called out, Ivy instinctively ducked. Still, she wasn’t fast enough to avoid a piece of the ceiling that nicked her in the shoulder as it crashed down, narrowly missing the porcelain bowl in the corner of Ivy’s bedroom.

Above them yawned a gaping hole, and brown water splashed into the porcelain bowl below. A damp, musty odor wafted from the opening.

“Guess I shouldn’t have been poking around up there.” Ivy knelt to lift the soggy piece of the ceiling and shifted it onto a towel. She wiped her forehead with the back of her hand.

“I’d love to see what’s up there,” Poppy said, stretching on her tiptoes.

Ivy scrunched her nose at the odor. “Me, too, but we need to clean up this mess and check on our guests.”

Poppy knelt gingerly beside her to help. “I sure wish Shelly would come back.”

Ivy tossed debris onto a towel. “I know. We all miss her, but she has her life to live. If it’s not here, we have to accept that.”

“You two were always up for exploring this old place together. That was a lot of fun.”

Ivy had to agree. Losing Shelly to New York was another painful loss. Is it selfish to feel this way? Ivy wanted the best for her sister. Given that Shelly wanted to start over and meet someone, Ivy thought Summer Beach might hold a happy future for her. And then there was Mitch, of course. A rumble of thunder drew her back, and she rubbed her arms.

Although Ivy was curious, she was uneasy over what they might find. They’d already uncovered priceless paintings and crown jewels. Hot property, according to Shelly. The rightful owners were thrilled, of course, but Ivy was tired of answering FBI questions and dodging media calls. Amelia’s treasures often proved time-consuming, and Ivy’s focus had to remain on doing whatever it took to pay off the tax bill.

However, Ivy suspected that Amelia might have tucked away more letters or journals in the house. She’d already found some evidence of that. And she would hate to find out that the woman was really an avaricious hoarder of illicit stolen goods. No telling what that attic might hold.

Maybe Shelly was right about Amelia.

A draft of cold air swept around Ivy, and she shivered, although the storm had ushered in warm subtropical air. And didn’t heat rise? Realizing she was in the spot where she’d seen the strange shadow this morning, she stepped aside. Pure coincidence.

“I’ll call Forrest right away,” Ivy said. “Your father offered to help, so I’m going to take him up on the offer. Come on, help me with this basin. It’s heavy, but together I think we can dump it in the tub.”

“Yuck, this stinks,” Poppy said, wrinkling her nose. “I’ll make sure Dad gets out here right away.”

“Try not to breathe through your nose.” Ivy nearly gagged, then held her breath. The rainwater from the attic was brown with decades of attic dust. “On three. One, two, three.”

Ivy and Poppy hefted the heavy porcelain bowl, around which swirled delicately painted roses and vines. For all she knew, this was a priceless piece. After lugging it to the bathroom, they poured the dirty water into the tub and ran steaming hot water after it.

“That’s good,” Ivy said, brushing her hair back from her face with her forearm. “I’ll have to disinfect the tub.” Her dress was drenched in the front, so she’d have to change again, too. She repositioned the porcelain bowl under the gaping hole in the ceiling while Poppy mopped up splashes on the floor.

Ivy winced against the strain the weight put on her back. “I’ll watch this today, but I have to change and check the kitchen again. Jen probably has nice umbrellas in stock. You should go early.”

“I have to replenish the breakfast fare,” Poppy said, though she looked wistfully at the opening in the ceiling. “Oh, I almost forgot. I came to tell you a new guest arrived, so I told her we’d have a room shortly. I’ll check on the sunset suites to make sure they’re dry before I give her a key. She looked exhausted but said she’d wait at Java Beach. Guess she knows her way around town.”

“Awfully early for check-in.”

“Maybe she had an overnight flight.”

“With this weather, that would’ve been a rough landing at the San Diego airport,” Ivy said. “Even if planes were cleared to land, which was doubtful.”

“Maybe she flew into L.A. Might be clear there. Or she drove in.”

At the nape of her neck, Ivy felt a funny tickle, which her mother had always insisted was her intuitive alarm. “During a stormy night?” Something didn’t register. Maybe the woman had left her husband or fled an abusive situation during the night.

Poppy raised her palms and shrugged. “Mystery woman, I guess. No reservation on iBnB either. But she asked if you were here.”

“What was her name?”

“Paisley Forsythe.”

The name didn’t register. “Probably a referral. Would you make sure her room is extra comfortable?” They’d been welcoming a lot of referral guests now, especially after the big wedding that Carol Reston and Rowan Zachary put on when their respective children married.

“Will do,” Poppy said as she hurried out.

And yet, thinking about what Poppy had said, Ivy paused.

She couldn’t help herself.

Tapping the flashlight on her phone, she hiked her wet skirt and stepped onto the ladder. She flicked the beam toward the gaping hole and peered at it.

Rain was pelting onto the tile roof, and it sounded even louder in the attic. Peering up, she couldn’t see anything except old wooden rafters. She wasn’t quite level with the attic floor, but she could see enough. And smell enough. A musty stench assaulted her nose, and she hastily retreated.

She expelled a sigh of relief. Nothing to see up there. Tamping down her curiosity, she hurried to clean the tub, bathe, and change. She put on a peach seersucker sundress that brushed her calves and set off her eyes—or so Bennett had once told her. She added dangly coral earrings and a quick swipe of matching lipstick before fluffing her hair. The humidity brought out soft waves, which Shelly insisted were in style. Fortunately, beach causal was the Summer Beach vibe.

As Ivy passed a guestroom, Imani opened the door. Her guest’s vivid orange sundress was a shock of happy color. Imani had pulled a matching, broad-brimmed straw hat over fine sisterlocks that dusted her shoulders.

“Good morning,” Ivy said. “I hope you managed some sleep through that storm.”

Imani fell into step with Ivy as they made their way down the staircase. “Last night’s sweet rain lulled me to sleep, but that crack of thunder this morning sounded like the devil shaking the house.” She shook her head as they approached the dining room. “Wouldn’t you know it? Nature gives me a day off but wakes me before sunrise.”

“To fully enjoy it,” Mitch said behind them.

Ivy turned around, surprised to see him. His spiky blond hair was damp, and he wore a retro-yellow rain slicker over a bright Hawaiian shirt.

“Thanks for braving the deluge,” Ivy said.

“A little rain doesn’t bother me.” Mitch grinned, motioning to the large white box he carried. “Gotta make the donuts no matter what.”

“Seriously?” Ivy lifted the lid of the box he carried. Inside, nestled among the usual pastries, were chocolate cake donuts with a light dusting of powdered sugar. “They smell heavenly. I’m sure our guests will love those.”

“If Jamir doesn’t see them first,” Imani said, chuckling. “Luckily, he’s still sleeping, so folks will have a shot at them, at least.”

“If you run out, I’ve got more at the shop,” Mitch said, jerking a thumb over his shoulder. “It’s a slow morning,” he said. “With all the rain, I thought I’d make some comfort food. Most of my crowd won’t come out until the sun does.”

“Our guests will be slow to venture out, too.” Ivy glanced over the gathering guests, who were ambling downstairs and filing into the dining room for breakfast. Poppy was arranging yogurt and cream she’d brought out from Gertie, the hard-working vintage refrigerator.

As Imani made her way toward the coffee, Mitch placed the pastry box on the serving table and turned to Ivy. “Hey, could I talk to you for a minute?”

“Sure, but I need some coffee, too,” Ivy said. “And I have to check the kitchen. We had a mini-flood earlier.”

Mitch trailed Ivy to the kitchen. There she saw that Bennett had wedged a towel against the door to keep rain from blowing in.

“Looks like a problem here.” Mitch opened the door a crack to inspect the door jamb. “Weatherstripping is old. I can replace that for you.”

Ivy inclined her head. “I’d like that, thanks. Jen and George opened a house account for me, so you can get anything you need at Nailed It.”

His offer touched her. Even without Shelly around, Mitch was happy to lend a hand. That seemed to be the way of life in Summer Beach. Ivy was still getting used to accepting help, even though she freely gave it when she could. As a mother who’d cared for two active girls and wife to a husband who traveled for business, she wasn’t used to having much help, so it still surprised her when people offered.

She poured a coffee for herself, though Mitch waved off her offer. Easing onto a stool, she asked, “What’s on your mind?”

Mitch ran a hand through his sun-bleached hair. “Have you heard from Shelly?”

“Brief texts. She hearted me this morning. You?”

“About the same.” He chewed on his lip in thought. “What do you think I should do?”

Sipping her coffee, Ivy pondered his question. If she knew the answer, she’d be talking to Shelly, but that’s not what Mitch wanted to hear. Or what he was actually asking. She leaned forward, tracing the rim of her cup with a finger. “Do you really care for her?”

Mitch looked surprised. “I’ve never felt like this about anyone else.”

Ivy lifted her coffee and studied him over the rim of her cup. This wasn’t about getting Shelly back because she missed her. Ivy and her sister were adults, and they’d lived apart for years, but life was more fun with Shelly around. “That’s not what I asked. Do you think you have a forever kind of feeling for her?”

Scrubbing his scruffy chin, Mitch blew out a breath. “Yeah, I think I do.”

“You think? This is one area that you have to know for sure. I know it’s only been a few months, but many people who fall in love know those feelings early in the relationship.” She’d felt like that about Jeremy. And maybe, if I’m honest with myself… She blinked away the thought.

“This is new territory for me, but yeah, I’m sure.” A flush spread across Mitch’s face. “Love wasn’t something my folks showed much. Definitely didn’t talk about it. They were too busy screaming at each other.” He shrugged. “Me and Shelly…we’ve talked, but I don’t know how to tell her.”

Ivy touched his hand. “But you know how to show it. And you did. Deep down, Shelly knows that.” Ivy thought back to the countless ways Mitch had shown Shelly he cared. From helping her clear the yard and plant numerous flowers, shrubs, and trees…to making her favorite pastries and dishes with local, organic ingredients just the way she liked them. “It’s time to be direct with her. Tell her what you feel.”

“I don’t get it.” Mitch furrowed his brow. “Is that all I have to do? Tell her that I love her, and she’ll come back?”

Oh, he’s so young. Ivy curved up one side of her mouth. She felt like she was talking to one of her daughters. Still, he seemed so right for Shelly. “If that’s what’s in your heart. You two have to open up to each other. You can care a lot for someone, but it’s often what isn’t discussed that chips away at the relationship, so you need to talk. And you have to love the whole person, even though no one is perfect. That goes for both of you.”