“I have to wait until my credit card comes so I’ll have it for the drive back and to pay you for my room. We had it sent here, I hope that’s okay. They said it should be here within a few days. I had to give them a ton of information to verify who I was and explain the situation to get the card sent here.”
“Oh, don’t worry about your room. You can pay it whenever. I know you’re good for it. But you do need your credit card for your drive back. Can’t have you driving back without a credit card for emergencies.”
“I’ll be here a few more days, until it comes, if that’s okay.”
“That’s fine. Stay as long as you want.” Rebecca got up and poked the fire and carefully adjusted the screen in front of it.
“I really should get back to St. Louis.” Why, she hadn’t a clue, because she wasn’t due back to work for weeks.
“Well, you’re welcome to stay if you change your mind.”
“Thank you. You’ve been so good to me.” Madeline realized that Rebecca had taken her under her wing, like a surrogate mother. Which made her feel good and scared her half to death at the same time. She did not need a surrogate mother or anyone else to take care of her. She was doing just fine on her own. Kind of.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Bella stepped inside the door to Sylvia’s Place. She drew in a quick breath at all the changes that had been done to the building since she used to have her shop there. Wooden tables were spaced generously apart across the main front room. Flowers and candles set atop the tables lent a festive air to the grand opening.
Sylvia came up to her, a handful of menus in her arms. “Bella, so nice to see you. The place looks so different, doesn’t it?”
“It does. You’ve done a wonderful job with everything.”
“Owen said you’d be coming in. Jenny and Becky Lee are already here. I put them at a table in the smaller back room. Follow me.”
As if Bella needed directions to the other rooms in the building, but she said nothing. It was a poignant reminder of all that had almost vanished when she lost her lease on this building. But it had all worked out. And she’d met Owen.
“Izzy. You’re here.” Becky Lee stood up and smothered Bella with a hug. “I haven’t seen you in forever.”
“Couple of days, Bec.” Bella hugged her friend back.
“You’re so busy these days. You don’t come by the Magnolia Cafe as much, so I don’t see you as often.”
“Hi, Jenny. Hey, Clay, glad you could make it. Jenny didn’t know if you’d be back in town in time.”
“Just got in this evening.” Clay had his arm draped around Jenny’s shoulder.
A flashback to high school days danced in front of her eyes. Jenny and Clay were a couple who were destined to be together… even if it had taken a decade or so to get there.
“Owen sent over this bottle of red wine, very nice wine.” Jenny raised her glass.
Bella slipped into the chair beside Jenny. “I can’t wait to see the menu. Owen keeps talking about all the new dishes that Sylvia planned to have when she reopened the restaurant. They all sound so yummy.”
She picked up the menu and saw that, indeed, it was a much different menu than the one that Sylvia had had before. It had been Sylvia’s Grill then. Now that she’d reopened as Sylvia’s Place, she’d added many interesting new dishes and a great wine menu, no doubt the wine menu help had come from Owen. The restaurant had managed to pull off a more upscale feel, while still feeling the same homeyness that had attracted the townspeople to it before.
The warmth of a hand on her shoulder let her know that Owen had joined them. She looked up and smiled at him. His smile captured her whole attention for a brief moment, and everyone in the room disappeared. There was no hope for her. She was totally smitten. He squeezed her shoulder and she reached up and placed her hand over his, totally connected to him.
She pulled herself back into the conversation.
“Owen, I’d like for you to meet Clay. Clay, this is Owen.”
Clay stood up and offered his hand to Owen. The two men shook hands. Bella had the feeling they were sizing each other up.
“Nice to meet you,” Clay said.
“I’ve heard a lot about you.” Owen shifted and put his hand back on Bella’s shoulder.
“Are you going to join us?” Becky Lee looked at Owen.
“I am. Jake has officially told me I’m off duty. I think their grand opening was a great success though. It’s been packed all night. Hoping it carries forward.”
Owen settled into the chair beside her, his shoulder brushing against hers. A date. A night out with friends. It was all so different and yet so familiar. How many times had she double-dated with Jenny and Clay when they were all in high school? Now, of course, things were different. Kind of. Clay still looked at Jenny in that way he had of announcing to the world that Jenny was the center of his universe. It warmed Bella’s heart to see her friend looking so happy.