Page 19 of Second Chance in Charlevoix
His own chest heaving, Brad grinned and pointed to the water fountain. “Thirsty?”
“Parched.” Walking over, she slurped, aware that she was getting water all over. It felt good. Brad did the same.
“Let’s grab a bench.” He motioned to the benches facing the water. At this hour they were the only people down there. A breeze had picked up and the concrete felt warm below her. Elbows along the back of the concrete bench, they took in the view of boats quietly bobbing in the water.
“That felt great,” she said after she’d caught her breath. “Short but good.”
“Next time we should take on one of the longer paths. Little Traverse Wheelway might work.”
“Sounds good.” So there would be a next time? Maybe she should tell him about her age, just to make things clear. But in her mind Sam and Izzy were telling her not to be crazy. Marlowe kept her mouth shut. There was so much to take in around them, andBrad wasn’t a guy who had to fill silence with aimless conversation.
The clouds were reflected in the water in front of them, along with the impressive yachts. What a day. Marlowe reveled in the gratitude that fell over her like her daisy comforter. She clicked her app off. “Thanks for showing me these routes. When we were here in the summer, we spent a lot of time at the beach. If I ran, I mainly kept to the roads around Sunnycrest. This longer loop was nice. Nice and casual.”
“If that was casual, I hate to see you let it rip. I’m impressed.” When Brad smiled, his hazel eyes had a blue tint. Or maybe it was the sky.
“You were probably holding back to accommodate me.”
“Don’t I wish. So your family has plans for your home up here?”
Quickly she brought Brad up to speed and then mentioned Izzy’s recent move. “It’s been crazy,” she told him. “Trying to figure everything out.”
“Your sister has brought a lot to the town with her shop. We have bakeries but there is always room for one more.”
“Especially during the summer, I would think.” But clearly Brad didn’t fill up on cookies or croissants. “Over the years Izzy’s worked so hard in different fields. Coffee and Cupcakes might be her most successfulventure.”
“Yeah, I remember Izzy on the beach when I was in high school. She was a couple years behind me.”
Marlowe’s mind did some quick calculating. “So then you know Skipper?”
“Oh, sure. Nice guy. He’s come around since those years. I guess we all have. He studied this bakery stuff in Europe?”
“Yes, Paris. And he’s brought a lot to the shop. You haven’t tasted heaven until you eat one of his almond pear tarts, or so Izzy says.”
“Some of the ladies at Tall Oaks sure appreciate that bakery. I hope Izzy doesn’t mind them camping out there while they play canasta. It gives them a chance to connect with the town. They love being there.”
“If it ever becomes a problem, I’m sure Izzy will mention it. She’s talking about setting out tables on the sidewalk for the summer crowds.”
“Great idea.”
The breeze grew cooler, carrying the damp scent of the water and making Marlowe shiver. She leapt up. “Look, this has been great but I have some morning appointments.”And I need a shower.
Getting up, Brad shook out his legs. “Me too. Great talking to you. So we’ll do this again sometime?”
“Sure. Why not?”
Why not, indeed. He was a good runner and this wasn’t a date, not in her book. This was not an interviewfor a prospective mate. Marlowe figured she’d be running into Brad at Tall Oaks, and he’d make a great friend. When they reached the area where they’d parked, Brad jumped into his Jeep and took off. Marlowe’s mind was very busy as she drove back home.
When she got to Sunnycrest, Seth’s truck was there and so was the truck used by the two guys working on her bedroom. Her aunt called for her the minute she came through the door. “Marlowe, we’re back here with coffee!”
At that point her body was calling out for caffeine. She’d take a mug upstairs to the shower. But when she trotted into the kitchen, Seth was sitting there with her aunt and Sam. Pounding came from upstairs, along with the occasional whirr of a saw.
“How did it go?” Sam asked.
“Fine.” Avoiding the table, she went straight for the coffee machine, her running shoes squeaking on the floor. No need to choose. She always drank the same flavor, and she plucked a cup of coconut almond coffee from the rack. Feeling like a total mess, she kept her back to the conversation behind her. Why did her aunt have Seth in the kitchen as if he was family? Especially when she was trashed from running.
“Guess I’ll get back to work,” Seth said, and a chair pushed back behind Marlowe. Turning, she leanedback against the counter. Checking their wall clock, she saw that it was getting late.
“Marlowe, I wanted you to hear the suggestions Seth has for us.” Aunt Cate looked over. “Have you got a minute?”
