Page 5 of Recklessly Yours

Chapter Three

HATTIE

The Dock was surprisinglybusy for a Tuesday in January. Usually the post-holiday fatigue that hit most of the human population in the first few weeks after the new year made restaurants seem like ghost towns. I peered into the dining room from my spot near the entrance of the back hallway where our offices were located. Today, though, it was as if most of Half Moon Lake had come in for lunch.

I couldn’t fight the smile that split my face as I looked down at my nephew. It was hard to believe he was walking already. At the moment, Hudson was standing at his mom’s feet and holding on to her leg, which was a good thing, with so many people in the dining room. It felt like he was born yesterday. I swear Rhett had just handed him to me to hold, and now he was toddling.

“OMG, I love blue orchids,” Bella said as she bent and scooped Hudson into her arms.

Before I could ask what the heck she was talking about, one of our hostesses appeared at my side with a bouquet of white roses and blue flowers. The same type that had been delivered to me a week ago. Hopefully the person who’d sent them had signed his name this time. I never had figured out who the last set of flowers had come from. Not that I put that much effort into solving the mystery. If the person didn’t care enough to tell me who they were, I wasn’t wasting my time worrying about it. But now I had more, and that was weird.

“You sure seem popular lately, Hattie,” Jamie said with a smile.

I winced as she bumped into Bella and the bouquet wobbled in her hand. She’d been here for longer than just about any other employee whose last name wasn’t Williams, and although she could be clumsy at times, she was one of our most valued employees.

Turnover was high in our industry and always had been, but the rate at which it was happening lately had been horrible and finding decent people who actually wanted to work was even harder.

She passed me the flowers, thankfully without dropping them and turned to head back to the host stand. Bella eyed the white card, but I grabbed it out of the bouquet before she could.

It was lovely seeing you last night.

“Oh.” I shook my head. “These aren’t for me.”

Bella not so subtly scooted closer and craned her head, so I saved her the neck cramp and handed the card to her.

“I didn’t have a date last night, or see anyone, for that matter. I worked and then went home.” With a pat to my back pocket, I remembered that I’d left my phone in my office. “I’ll call over to Stella’s and let her know they are delivering them to the wrong person.”

“Here.” Bella pulled her phone out of her pocket. “I have the number saved.”

Of course she did. Overseeing events at The Dock made it necessary to have those contact numbers handy.

I brought up the number, and a second later, the older woman answered.

“Hi, Bella, what can I do for you?”

“It’s actually Hattie Williams.”

“Oh, sorry. The caller ID said Bella.”

“Yeah, I’m calling from her phone.”

“Well, what can I do for you?”

“I’ve gotten flowers delivered twice, and?—”

“That’s lovely, dear. I didn’t realize you were seeing someone. Anyone I know?”

A heavy sigh escaped me. I didn’t have much time. Rhett was going to come looking for me if I didn’t hurry up. He was patient to a point, especially when it involved Bella or his kids, but if I didn’t come help with the lunch rush soon, he’d be yelling my name.

“I’m not. That’s the problem. I think you’re delivering them to the wrong person.”

She was silent for so long I pulled the phone away from my ear to make sure the call hadn’t been dropped.

Finally, she hummed. “As far as I know, we haven’t had any orders addressed to you.”

That was exactly what I thought. “Right. They’ve been delivered to The Dock. Could it be that they’re meant for someone else here?”

“What kind of flowers? I can check with Archie when he gets back.”

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