“I’m going to take a basket of food over to Etta.”
“Here I’ll make you one. You sit and have a cup of coffee.”
One more cup wouldn’t hurt her, right? She settled on a stool with her coffee and Jay rustled around, filling up a basket overflowing with food.
Robin came into the kitchen. “Computers are up, but the internet is down.”
“Might take a while for it to come back.”
“I already had a few phone calls about reservations.”
“Let’s see what all gets done today, and see about the bridge. If it’s going to be ferry service only for a while we’ll have to tell our guests to expect that. Then we’ll make a decision on reopening.” Lillian stood and took the basket from Jay. “Thanks for this. I won’t be long. Gary is starting on taking down the shutters.”
“I’ll be out to help him as soon as this last batch of bread is done.”
She hurried out of the kitchen and out into the sunshine, walking over to Etta’s. People were busy in their yards clearing up the mess. A business on Main Street was tarping over a window that must have gotten broken. She hurried down the street until she got to Etta’s.
She knocked on the door and called through the screened door. “It’s Lillian.”
“Come in,” Etta called from inside.
She went in and found Etta sitting on the couch with her leg propped up. Lillian held up the basket.
“I come bearing gifts. Lots of food from Jay.”
“That was so sweet. Dr. Harden told me to try and stay off my leg as much as possible for a few days. I really want to get to the historical society and see how it fared. And clean up the mess I made when the bookcase crashed.”
“You need to let us help you. Don’t go there alone. Promise me, you’ll call when you’re ready to go, and we’ll go with you.”
“I don’t want to be a bother.”
“It’s no bother. None at all.” Lillian set the basket on the table beside Etta. “Is there anything you need? Anything at all?”
“No, I’m fine. Now that the electricity is on, I’m good. I’ll be glad when the cell service quits cutting out.”
“Hopefully it will be back to normal soon. We’ll keep dropping in on you until it does.”
“You don’t need to. I’m sure I’ll be fine.”
Lillian shook her head. “Like you were fine at the historical society when that bookcase fell? Just let me do this. I’ll feel better.”
Etta threw up her hands and laughed. “Okay, you win. And I really do appreciate it.”
“Okay, I’m heading back to the inn. You got your phone near you in case the cell service comes back?”
“I do.”
“Okay, I’ll check on you later.” Lillian hurried outside, glad that Etta was doing okay. She worried about her living alone like that. Especially after her incident during the storm. But she also didn’t want to hover and make Etta feel like she wasn’t capable.
When Sara had hovered over her after her fall earlier this year, it had made Lillian a bit crazy. She wasn’t an old lady and didn’t want to be treated like one. She figured Etta felt the same way. Age was just a number… and she never planned on being ruled or defined by it.
Chapter 21
Zoe found Sara hauling the beach chairs from the lower storage area back to the beach area. “Sara, let me help you.”
Sara paused and set down a chair. “That would be great. I told Aunt Lillian I’d haul these back out.”
They made multiple trips, back and forth, until she thought she’d never be able to take another step. Who knew providing beach chairs at the inn was so much work?
Sara sank onto a chair. “I need a break.”
Zoe plopped down on a chair next to her. “Thank goodness. I was wearing out.”
“These storms are a lot of work, aren’t they?”
“I know. All this work to prepare, then all this work to put everything back like it was.” She reached down and scooped up a handful of sand and let it sift through her fingers.
“Noah’s house came through okay. Just a bit of damage to one corner of the roof.”
“So, it’s still Noah’s house, huh? When are you going to start thinking of it as your house, too?” Zoe teased.
Sara laughed. “I should. It’s just a hard habit to break. It’s not like Noah hasn’t said I can change anything and make it more mine.”
“I’m sure it’s hard to adjust to living with someone and moving into a place that was his.”
“I actually thought it would be harder than it was. Noah is… well, he’s the best.”
“I’ll agree with you on that.” She scooped up another handful of sand.
“So, are you going to move back to the house? You don’t have to stay at the inn, you know.”
“I know.”
Sara stared at her and a small smile played at the corners of her lips. “But you like staying here while Mason is here, don’t you?”
She let out a long breath. “I… do.”
“So, you like him?”
She turned and looked out at the water, trying to find the right words. “I do care about him. It’s silly. I haven’t known him that long. But I feel like I really know him.” She shrugged. “That he knows me. That he really sees me. How can that happen so quickly?”
Sara shook her head. “I don’t know. Sometimes your heart just has its own timeline.”
“I guess.”
“Have you told him how you feel?”
Zoe leaned back on the chair. “No, of course not. I mean… it’s so soon. And he’s leaving to go home. And… well, it would be better if I just keep quiet and not complicate things.”
“I think it’s always better to tell the truth. Who knows? Maybe he feels the same way.”
“I don’t know…”
“At least think about it.” Sara got up. “I should get back to work.”
She stood.
