Page 11 of Always, Plus One

As she rose from her desk, Ariel couldn't help but feel curious about her new guest. She was used to seeing couples or families in her reservations list, but a single woman with an open-ended stay was a rarity. And the last-minute nature of the booking, combined with how on edge the woman seemed, made Ariel wonder—she couldn't shake the feeling that there was something more to Emily's story. But for the time being, all Ariel could do was be a gracious host and make sure Emily's stay was as comfortable and enjoyable as possible. There were too many other fires to put out to go stoking any mysterious embers—and it could be just her overworked mind, well, overworking.

Once Ariel showed Emily to the back porch and settled her in one of the rockers, she bustled into the kitchen to prepare a snack. Though the grocery order was neatly put away, she was surprised at finding the room empty. There was a note from Miles that he was going down to the beach to check their boats—small rowboats that he had lovingly built for Ariel so that the guests could use them. She smiled at the memory of him gifting them to her, just a few months back. So, she was alone for now. That was okay—she wanted a little solitude.

Ariel pushed aside the day’s stresses, excited to make a refreshing summer snack for Emily—preparing food was almost meditative for Ariel, and the freedom to create what she wanted was one of the things that she was grateful for, ever since she’d been fired from her corporate job as an uppity-up at Opulent Ice foods.

She loved being able to produce dishes that brought joy to people, and she was proud of the quality of the food she prepared—hopefully her customers would appreciate it at the opening tonight. She had chosen the ingredients for the first night’s menu carefully, making sure they were fresh, seasonal, and locally sourced.

As she walked through the inn's kitchen, she gathered everything she needed: a ripe baby watermelon, a juicy honeydew, a perfectly ripe banana, a tangy lime, and a handful of fresh mint leaves. Ariel started by cutting the watermelon, banana, and honeydew into bite-sized pieces and arranging them on a platter in a visually appealing pattern. She then sprinkled the dish with a few fresh, chopped mint leaves.

Next, Ariel prepared a lime and honey dressing. She squeezed the juice of the lime into a small bowl and added a drizzle of honey and a pinch of salt. She then whisked in some olive oil, whipping until the mixture emulsified and became thick and creamy. She carefully drizzled the dressing over the fruit, making sure not to overpower the delicate flavors with too much. The final touch was a generous extra sprinkle of coarse salt and smoked chili powder.

Emily’s eyes lit up when Ariel presented her with the dressed fruit, a plate of crispy, sweet almond lace cookies, and a tall glass of iced tea.

“This looks fantastic!” Emily said.

“Thank you,” Ariel replied, warming at the compliment. “There is a bookcase in the front living room full of books. Help yourself to one if you’d like. I’ll let you know once your room is ready.”

With that, Ariel was off to find Katie. She was supposed to have been helping out around Leeside all day, making sure that guests were cared for and little things like making sure the candy bowls and the cucumber water dispenser were filled. But it seemed like she had disappeared.

Katie was not anywhere downstairs, nor anywhere in sight out the front or back door.

As Ariel reached the upstairs, she heard raised voices coming from one of the side rooms all the way in the back. She peeked inside through the door’s small opening and saw her daughter Katie standing with her hands on her hips in a standoff with Connor, who was scowling—they were clearly having an argument.

"What the heck is your problem, Connor?" Katie yelled. "I wasn't flirting with Darcy. I was just being friendly!"

"Just being friendly? You were laughing at all his jokes and touching his arm. It was so obvious," Connor shot back, his voice rising with anger.

Ariel could feel her heart racing as she listened to the back and forth between the two of them. She knew better than to intrude in such a delicate situation, but her concern for Katie was growing by the minute. She could hear the hurt and frustration in her daughter's voice, and it made her feel helpless.

"Are you kidding me right now? You're being so paranoid and irrational. Darcy is just a friend, and you know that," Katie retorted, her tone incredulous.

They stood there in a tense silence, glaring at each other with eyes full of hurt and anger. Katie and Connor both seemed unwilling to back down or apologize. Ariel could sense that they were both holding onto their resentments like shields, unwilling to let go.

Ariel took a deep breath and stepped into the room, ending up between them.

"Enough," she said firmly. "The argument stops now.”

They both froze. Connor’s eyes went wide, and his face flushed. “M-miss Hawthorne. I’m so sorry. We didn’t mean to yell.”

“Connor, I think it's best if you head home for now.”

He looked wounded. “But the grand opening tonight. I really wanted—”

“I understand. You’re welcome back tonight for dinner. But I think you two could use a cool off. And Katie, take the afternoon for yourself."

Katie rolled her eyes, clearly annoyed at Ariel's interference. "I don't need to cool off, Mom. Connor is just being ridiculous."

Connor glared at Katie, his embarrassment disappearing under his annoyance. "Ridiculous? You were practically throwing yourself at Darcy in front of everyone here. How ridiculous is that?"

Katie threw her hands up in the air. Ariel could see that her daughter was on the verge of tears. "That isnot true!I was just being friendly, and you're reading into things."

Ariel stepped closer to Katie and put a hand on her shoulder. "Katie, go take a walk or do something for yourself. I'll handle things here."

Katie huffed and stormed out of the room, leaving Ariel alone with Connor.

"I'm sorry, Miss Hawthorne," Connor said again, looking down at his feet.

"It's alright, Connor. These things happen," Ariel replied, trying to ease the tension in the room. "But you need to trust Katie. She likes you, and she would never do anything to hurt you intentionally."

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