“Thanks,” said Charlie. She pulled herself to her feet, un-did her apron. “See you tomorrow.”
“Bye.” Drayton waved.
“Well, you’ve certainly mellowed,” commented Theodosia.
“I’m like fine wine,” said Drayton. “The older I get, the mellower my flavor.”
“I’d say you were more like cheese,” said Haley, ducking through the curtains with a tray of freshly washed cups and saucers. “The older you get, the sharper you get.”
Drayton pursed his lips and arched a single eyebrow. “You see what I have to put up with?” he said to Theodosia.
Theodosia fixed him with a quirky grin. “Haley does have a point.”
Drayton exhaled and shook his head, as if to clear it.
“What?” said Theodosia. “Surely you didn’t take our little comments to heart?”
“No,” said Drayton slowly. “It’s just that I’ve been contemplating something all day long. Running it through my mind. And I don’t know if it’s a good idea or a very foolish one.”
“Something to do with Mark’s funeral?” asked Theodosia. She realized that Drayton had been jumpy ever since the service this morning.
“No,” said Drayton. Then he stopped and thought for a moment. “Well, it’s slightly related. What I’ve been noodling about in my head all afternoon is the notion of a quick collecting trip tomorrow morning.”
“A collecting trip,” repeated Theodosia. She wasn’t quite sure where this was headed. Or exactly what Drayton intended to collect.
“You know,” said Drayton. “Drive up to those swamps above Edgefield, see if I can find a monkey-face orchid to replace the one that was destroyed in the fire.”
This grabbed Haley’s attention. “What?” she squawked. “Are you
Drayton swiped at his cheek with the back of his hand. “I know it sounds slightly farfetched. But if I found a monkey-face orchid, I could enter it in the Orchid Lights show on Saturday.” He dropped his voice. “In honor of Mark.”
“I think that’s a lovely idea,” said Theodosia. It was just like Drayton to come up with that kind of thoughtful tribute.
“The thing of it is,” said Drayton unhappily, “I’m going to need a canoe. Do you know anyone who has a canoe?”
“I can take care of that,” said Theodosia, thinking of Parker Scully. He was an outdoor type of guy and she was almost positive he owned a canoe. Besides, Parker had invited her to drop by Solstice tonight, to taste test some new drinks with him. If she called him up now, he could probably have the canoe waiting for her.
But Haley was still incredulous. “Are you crazy?” she exclaimed. “You want to go paddling around in some snake-infested swamp looking for a rare flower? That’s like searching for the proverbial needle in a haystack. Your chances are slim to none.” She crossed her arms and shook her head. “No, Drayton, don’t do it. It’s way too crazy an idea.”
“Maybe it’s just wishful thinking on my part,” said Drayton. “Still, I’m determined to give it a try.”
“I’ll go with you,” offered Theodosia. “I think it’s actually a fine idea.”
“Wha . . .” began Haley.
Theodosia gazed at her earnestly. “It’s Drayton’s way of helping put things a little bit right.”
“But who’s going to mind the tea shop?” demanded Haley. “Friday’s always our busiest day.”
“Charlie will be here to help,” replied Drayton.
“You mean you actually trust her?” asked Haley.
Drayton looked pained. “Well . . . yes. And of course we can always ask Miss Dimple.”
“I suppose,” said Haley.
“Ask Miss Dimple what?” said Miss Dimple as she emerged from the back, looking like a plump senior citizen elf.
“To help out again tomorrow,” said Haley. She was still incredulous that Theodosia and Drayton were just going to take off in hope of finding a rare orchid. “Can you?”
Miss Dimple grinned from ear to ear. “Honey, I’d love to,” she said. “You know this is like a second home to me.”
“Then it’s settled,” said Theodosia. “Tomorrow we search the tropical wetlands of South Carolina for rare plants.”
“Lots of luck,” said Haley, shaking her head. “Because you’re sure going to need it.”
16
“Don’t you ever work?” Theodosia asked Parker Scully. They were sitting in the bar, a dark Mediterranean- themed room just off the main dining room of Solstice. She was comfortably perched on a black leather upholstered bar stool. Parker stood behind the bar, playing bartender. Thelonious Monk’s “North of the Sunset,” a cool, laid-back tune, purred over the sound system.
“Are you kidding?” said Parker. “I’m here all the time. I practically
“But what do you actually
“I run things, ma’am. Just like you do at your place.”
“But I don’t have a staff of thirty people like you do.”
Parker’s right hand toyed with a small glass bowl of mixed nuts that sat on the counter. “Yes, lucky me. I do have an executive chef, a manager, and a bartender to over-see the really tough things, don’t I?”
“Exactly my point,” said Theodosia. “So what do
He leaned forward until he was just a few inches away from her. “I handle the customers.”
Theodosia could feel energy coursing between them. It felt good, electric almost.
“Lately, however, I’ve been working on a very secret project,” Parker told her, his blue eyes dancing with mirth.
“I’ll bet,” said Theodosia.
“No, it’s true,” said Parker. “I’ve been trying to develop a signature drink. You know how Pusser’s Landing has the Painkiller and Andalucia has their sangria?”
“Yes . . .” said Theodosia slowly.
“Well, Solstice needs one, too.”
“I suppose,” she allowed.
“Hey,” said Parker. “Even your tea shop has signature blends, right?”
Theodosia nodded. It was true. Customers were always asking for their Lemon Mint blend or their famous Lamp-lighter blend. And during the holidays their Berry Red blend pretty much flew off the shelves.
“So how are you coming with this signature drink?” Theodosia asked.
Parker gave a small shrug. “Please understand, there’s a serious amount of specialized research and development involved. In fact, I expect there’ll probably be at least six more months of grueling experimentation.”
“Okay, smarty,” said Theodosia, “then how are you coming with your drink ideas for Saturday night?” Parker Scully had offered to serve a special cocktail for Orchid Lights. He’d mentioned a few ideas to her, but nothing was carved in stone yet.
“Ah, that’s where you come in,” said Parker, reaching overhead for a pair of glasses. “I’ve actually got
“This is called a Black Orchid,” he told Theodosia. “Curacao, rum, and grenadine.” He pushed a glass toward her. “Try it.”
Theodosia took a sip. It was icy and tasty and just a little bit strong. “Nice,” she told him. “I really like the
