Page 46 of Second Chance in Charlevoix
“Oh, really?” Izzy pretended to be surprised. “So she’s engaged?”
“So she says. But he still lives in France.”
“The farther away, the better.” Mrs. Malone piped up. So she’d followed the conversation?
Looking over at the pair, Izzy still felt the tug of suspicion. So why had Camille made a point of dropping in? Marlowe squeezed her hand. Sweet Skipper seemed totally unaware that Izzy and Marlowe were lapping up the information.
Then a frightening possibility hit her. What if Camille moved back to France? She might try to recruit Skipper to replace her at the Grand Hotel. Then what would Izzy do? Well, this was not the time to panic. She’d think about that later. The parade had passed, the crowd dispersed and Holly was getting fussy. Time to go home. “See you at Seth’s,” she told her sister.
“Later.” Marlowe kissed Holly, waved goodbye, and disappeared into the crowd.
Later that day Skipper drove his mother over to Horton Bay in his truck, with Izzy and Holly in the back seat. Exhausted by all the activity, Holly fell asleep before they reached Seth’s house. Skipper pulled his truck in with the other vehicles on the backlawn. Scooping Holly from the pumpkin seat, Izzy slid her into the stroller and walked toward the side door.
Chairs were set around a firepit. Aunt Cate had mentioned something about making s’mores later in the evening. Maybe this was what their own firepit would look like when Seth had his crew work on the backyard at Sunnycrest. Cozy. Inviting. Taking his mother’s arm, Skipper helped her down the grassy slope. Izzy pushed the stroller, careful not to jostle it too much. Holly was still sound asleep.
“Look at you in your red, white and blue!” Aunt Cate ran out to meet them in her Kate Spade wedges. Their aunt was known for fashion. The woman would never listen to any warnings about safety. Her red apron fluttered over a white linen ensemble. Wonderful smells carried outside on the afternoon air.
Her face flushed, Aunt Cate had been cooking. Izzy hoped she was making her legendary baked potato salad and the celery seed coleslaw that they all loved. Marlowe was bringing a vegetable and Sam had baked her triple brownie bars, another family favorite. Seth had insisted on supplying the hamburgers, hot dogs and brats. Izzy was starting to feel hungry.
“I’ll be right back.” Leaving the stroller with Aunt Cate, Izzy dropped her huge tote full of baby supplies, towels and sunblock to walk out onto the grass in her flip flops. What a beautiful day for a picnic. Glancing down at the pier, she noticed that Seth’s blue andwhite speed boat was now in the water. Out on the lake came the buzzing sound of a motor or two as boaters crisscrossed the wide expanse. Horton Bay was a small part of Lake Charlevoix. The area had its own history, made famous by people like Ernest Hemingway.
Her hopes ran ahead and excitement spiked in her chest. How long had it been since Izzy had been in a boat? The sun on her face and the breeze in her hair––if she closed her eyes she could remember it all. A ride in the boat would be so much fun. She’d worn her red bikini under an oversized white T-shirt, hoping for some time in the water. But she hadn’t dared hope for anything like a ride in the boat. Overhead, pine trees rustled in the breeze and she drank in their fragrance as she turned back toward the house.
Back at the firepit, Skipper was getting his mom comfortable in one of the chairs that faced the lake, adding a pillow behind her back. Mrs. Malone looked so pretty today in a white top and red cardigan. She had put one of Holly’s red barrettes in her gray hair. In the truck on the way over, Skipper’s mom had asked a million questions about the house and Seth. Since she hadn’t let him bring the walker today, they would have to keep an eye on her. Coming out of the sliding glass doors on the ground level, Seth waved. With him was a gray-haired man with a beard. Tan and fit, that must be Jeb, Seth’s dad. Izzy had heard a lotabout the older man who was working on the custom kitchen cabinets for Sunnycrest.
Aunt Cate had set up the Pack and Play in her own bedroom. Izzy had brought the monitor and her aunt fixed it so she could watch Holly from the kitchen or yard. Thank goodness Holly stayed asleep as Izzy carefully carried her up the steps. Her eyelashes feathered onto her cheeks and a smile lifted her lips as if she was having a happy dream. How fun it had been to see her little girl clapping to the music, so excited by the floats. Maybe next year Coffee and Cupcakes would sponsor a float. This year they’d all been too busy––and short-handed.
Thank goodness Holly didn’t wake up as they settled her in the Pack and Play under a pretty pink blanket. Backing away from her sleeping baby, Izzy followed Aunt Cate into the kitchen area. Time to tie on an apron and help peel and slice the carrots and celery sticks. A bowl of ranch dressing sat waiting on a tray, along with a bowl of blue cheese dip.
Izzy remembered Marlowe and Sam helping her mother and Aunt Cate with holiday preparations years ago. The peeling and slicing filled her with contentment. And she got to visit with Aunt Cate as she scurried around the large, bright kitchen. Spinach and artichoke dip was warming in the oven.
“I’ll take that out when it’s ready,” Izzy offered.
Turning, her aunt gave her a tight hug. “Excellent.But first we have to sample it. Oh my, honey. It’s so good to have you here. How is everything? You doing okay?” You would have thought Izzy had been gone for weeks instead of days.
“I’m fine. Everything’s great.”
Aunt Cate nodded out to the lawn where Skipper was setting up a small table next to his mother. “So you and Skipper’s mom are hitting it off?”
“Absolutely. Mrs. Malone has been a big help. She even watches TV with Holly. No problems at all.” How silly their minor squabbles had been years ago. Of course Skipper’s mom had felt a certain possessiveness. She only had one son and her daughter was far away in California. Now that she herself was a mother, Izzy understood that feeling. Years ago, Mrs. Malone had simply wanted the best for her child.
“And work? The bakery’s doing okay?” Her aunt always had an eye for business.
“Yep. We’re set for the summer.” And she told her aunt about her staffing plan. “But if we need more help, I can always bring in another college girl. Debbie has connections. Is Marlowe here yet?”
“Not yet.” Aunt Cate took out a tray for the veggies and lined it with foil.
“Do you know if she’s bringing Brad?”
“No, I don’t think so.” Her aunt waved away the suggestion. “I’m told he’s at Tall Oaks. They’re havingtheir own celebration. I think Marlowe said he was also planning on stopping in at the Petoskey facility.”
“Brad’s so dedicated. You should see him with the residents at bingo.” But she still had questions. “Marlowe did invite him though, right?”
“I don’t know and didn’t ask.” Aunt Cate lost herself in arranging carrots and celery on the tray but looked guilty as heck. “Oh, I may have mentioned it in passing. You know, when I saw him out and about.”
“Out and about?” Izzy barked out a laugh. Brad Howington had no time to be “out and about.” Aunt Cate had no doubt hunted the poor man down to invite him. But she let it pass.
“Josh is coming with his children,” her aunt said. “Won’t that be nice?”
