Page 30 of Bear Creek Valentine
“I don’t have any idea! I thought the first message was sent to me by mistake, but now I’m not so sure.Deliciousopened nearly four years ago, so why now? Better yet, whyme?”
Serena’s worry was etched on her face.
“Have you told anyone else?”
Aiden shook his head just as the bell jangled out front.
“No one knows except you. Don’t mention it to the others for now, okay? Just keep your eyes and ears open for anything strange.”
Serena hurried out to assist Blanche, leaving Aiden unnerved and asking answerless questions. Perhaps it was nothing more than a bored prankster who would tire of the game and leave him alone. What worried him was the tiny voice in the back of his mind, insisting there was more to it than that.
####
Just before lunch
Aiden was elbow-deep in dishwater when a shrill voice wafted into the kitchen from out front.
“YOO HOO! Where’s Aiden, and who is this?”
He grabbed a towel on the way to rescue Serena from the clutches of his next-door neighbor. The woman meant well, but she lacked certain social graces and volume control. Relieved to see him, Serena stepped away from the counter to make room.
“Hello, Loretta. Do you have a new hat? I don’t believe I’ve seen that one before.”
For some reason known only to herself, Loretta insisted on wearing straw hats bedecked with a multitude of silk flowers. This unfortunate specimen, topped with a plethora of yellow daffodils, swayed and bounced with every movement of her head. The creation was nauseating to look at, and for more than one reason. Loretta preened and spun around so he could view it from all angles.
“Itisa new hat—for Spring, of course! Are you going to introduce this young lady or keep me waiting in suspense?”
Aiden cleared his throat and turned to his gobsmacked employee.
“This is Serena, my new assistant manager. She just joined our team this week. Serena, this is Loretta Goodwin, owner of the Puzzles & Crafts shop next door. Why don’t you show her some of our new products?”
Loretta graced him with a prim smile and hurried over to examine the display cases. Trial and error taught Aiden that the best way to hasten her visits was to ply her with sweets and not ask personal questions. Loretta could talk the hind leg off a mule once she got going; something he fervently wished to avoid.
Delighted with the samples, Serena bagged up Loretta’s choices and handed them to Aiden at the register. Purchase complete, he was about to wish the woman a good day when sheleaned in to share whatever bit of news or gossip had brought her to the shop in the first place.
“You remember my daughter, Marcy, who lives way over in Pittsburgh? Well, she and her husband, Brandt, are having marital problems again. She wants to try counseling, but he refuses to go. My poor grandchildren don’t understand what’s going on and the whole thing is a terrible mess. I wish they hadn’t moved so far away because there’s not much I can do from here.”
Aiden bit his tongue when a likely reason for their move instantly came to mind. What he needed was diplomacy, even if it was painful.
“I’m sorry to hear that. Maybe all she needs right now is a shoulder to cry on and a little encouragement. When was the last time you sent her a care package?”
Loretta’s face, framed by floppy daffodils, lit up like the sun.
“What a wonderful idea! I know just what she might like, too, and it will be so much fun. I have some shopping to do, but before I forget, the Mud Truffles and Peanut Butter Zesties are todiefor!”
Loretta turned to go, waving goodbye as she headed out. Once the door closed behind her, Aiden and the ladies broke out laughing. Blanche shook her head fondly and returned to processing the online orders. Serena quieted her giggles and acknowledged Aiden’s customer service skills with a mock bow.
“I, for one, am impressed, so start talking. I want all your secrets.”
####
Later that afternoon, at the Amphitheater construction site
Dash and Ryder led a blue-jean-clad DeeDee Tillman across the worksite, explaining the various features of the new outdoor theater. Neither the noise nor dust seemed to bother the good Mayor one iota, seemingly as comfortable here as her City Hall office. Ryder did most of the talking and answered DeeDee’s pertinent questions as they walked.
The old outdoor stage was gone, replaced by a concessions and food truck area, along with public restrooms. By necessity, the entire southwest section of the park was being transformed to accommodate the various elements needed for an entertainment venue. The new theater was situated so that the audience could see Bear Creek Lake in the background, with a semicircular seating area made of stepped concrete rows. The expanded parking lot would be hidden from view by landscaping, berms, and a mix of flowering trees.
When the trio completed their tour, DeeDee inquired about the estimated completion date.
