Page 29 of Always, For Love

"Stanton's always been more about appearances than actually doing any good," a woman in a brightly-colored scarf chimed in. "He never had the heart for this town like Mabel does."

Ariel nodded, unable to suppress the satisfaction that bubbled up within her at their words. It seemed as though the people of Endless Harbor were finally opening their eyes to the true nature of Mayor Stanton – and perhaps, in time, they would come to see her father in a new light as well.

“It's good to know that change is possible – even in a small town like Endless Harbor."

The locals murmured their agreement, their breath forming misty halos around their heads as the conversation drifted to other topics. And as Ariel bid them farewell and continued on her way, Ariel basked in the sense of vindication that surged through her. For years, her father's name had been tarnished by rumors and whispers, and it seemed as though the tide was finally turning against Mayor Stanton – the man who had so callously fanned the flames, she suspected. As she walked, Ariel allowed herself to indulge in a brief fantasy – one where her father's reputation was restored, and their family could once again hold their heads high in Endless Harbor. She imagined the townspeople rallying behind them, offering apologies and support.

With each step she took away from the town hall, Ariel felt lighter, as if a weight had been lifted off her shoulders.

"Good riddance to bad rubbish," she muttered under her breath, her breath clouding the cold winter air.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

“There’s no way we can fit anyone else in here.”

Darcy leaned against the bar that night, his tattooed arms crossed over his chest as he surveyed the bustling Seaside Cafe. The clinking of glasses and silverware filled the air, accompanied by a symphony of laughter and conversation. He shook his head, frowning. "This place is packed to the gills," he muttered, running a hand through his tousled hair. "We need to find a solution for this capacity issue, and fast."

Ariel glanced up from her pantry inventory notepad, her eyes following Darcy's gaze around the room. She sighed, knowing that he was right. With winter settling in, their quaint seaside restaurant and bar in Endless Harbor was quickly becoming too small to accommodate every guest. "You're right," she agreed, tapping her pen on the notepad. "I've been thinking about it, too. We need to do something about the outdoor patio. Maybe if we put a roof over it and add some heaters, we could seat more guests out there."

"Sounds like a plan," Darcy said, nodding thoughtfully. "Only problem is, we can't do anything about it until after your wedding to Miles. And then, you guys will go on honeymoon. So that's still weeks away."

Ariel bit her lip, her brow furrowing in frustration. "Yeah, I know. But there's so much that needs to be done before the wedding, and I don't want to leave things unresolved with my dad. He deserves to know that no one in town seems to want to keep him out. Maybe it will convince him to stop hiding."

Darcy leaned against the counter, his hands tucked into the pockets of his apron. He watched Ariel with furrowed brows, concern etched across his face. "Hey, Ariel," he said softly, trying to catch her attention. When she stopped pacing and looked at him, he continued, "Maybe there's something else we can do in the meantime. We don't have to fix everything right now, but maybe we can find a temporary solution?"

Ariel paused, considering Darcy's words. Her mind raced as she tried to think of any possible alternatives, grasping at any semblance of a solution that could help alleviate the capacity issue. "Go on," she urged, eager to hear his thoughts.

"Well," Darcy began, shifting his weight from one foot to the other, "what if we look into renting some additional space nearby? Maybe we can use it as an overflow area for customers who are waiting for a table. Or we could try rearranging the seating layout in the dining room, see if we can fit in a few more tables without making it too cramped."

The gears in Ariel's mind whirred as she mulled over Darcy's suggestions. It wasn't a perfect solution, but it was better than doing nothing at all. She felt a small sense of relief wash over her as she nodded in agreement. "Both options are worth exploring, Darcy. We can't just sit around and wait for things to magically get better."

"Exactly," Darcy replied, his confidence growing. "We'll find a way to make it work."

"Let's start looking into those options. We'll make this work, one way or another."

“Can we go out and scope the patio, brainstorm?”

Ariel nodded and followed Darcy outside. A bitter gust of wind whipped at Ariel's cheeks as she and Darcy stepped out into the frigid winter air, their breaths visible with each exhalation. The patio area lay before them, its tables and chairs covered in a light dusting of snow. The biting cold seemed to seep through every layer of clothing, but Ariel was determined to find a solution to their seating problem.

"Maybe we can put up a temporary canvas shade over the patio," she suggested, her teeth chattering slightly as she spoke. "With some extra heaters, we might be able to get more guests out here."

Darcy nodded, his eyes scanning the area for potential spots to hang the canvas awning. He grabbed a ladder from the side of the building and carefully climbed it, reaching toward the gutters above. As he inspected them, however, his expression grew increasingly troubled.

"Uh, Ariel..." he called down, his voice strained with concern. "We have a problem. These gutters are so clogged that they'll need to be serviced and some replaced before we can even think about hanging anything from them."

Ariel sighed heavily, her shoulders sagging under the weight of yet another obstacle. She had been so hopeful that this would be the answer to their capacity issue, but the harsh reality of their situation was proving to be more persistent than she'd imagined.

"All right," she said, pushing aside her frustration and focusing on finding an alternative solution. "So we can't hang the canvas awning right now. What if we just get the heaters and try rearranging the seating layout outdoors to maximize space? We could set up some standing tables near the heaters for customers who don't mind eating outside."

"Sure, that could work," Darcy agreed, descending the ladder and joining Ariel on the ground again. "It won't be perfect, but it's better than nothing. And maybe we can use this as a temporary solution until we can get the gutters fixed."

"Good idea," Ariel agreed, admiring his resourcefulness. "We can rent two extra heaters for now. It's not ideal, but at least it'll keep our customers warm while they eat outside."

"Exactly," Darcy nodded, a small smile playing on his lips. "And who knows? Maybe people will actually enjoy dining al fresco in the winter. It could be a unique selling point for the café."

Ariel couldn't suppress a grin at his optimism. Darcy always managed to find an upside, even in the most challenging situations, and she appreciated that about him. She knew she could count on him to help her navigate this storm.

"Let's get started then," she said, her voice steady and resolute. "We don't have much time before they need us back inside."

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