She glanced around the room. Kayleigh was busy rearranging things in the fridge and on the pantry shelves. The other contestants, Brad, Sonja, and Bronwyn, were in their areas setting up. Gina had been surprised that everyone kept to themselves. There was no chatting or making friends with the other contestants. Apparently it was better not to get too attached since only one person could win.
Stacy had set up a long table for the judges to sit at. They were all still there. Someone must have brought them coffees from Ocean Brew. Gina recognized the Styrofoam cups with the wave logo in front of them. They chatted and laughed among themselves.
“I better get my things ready.” Gina glanced over at the other contestants again. She actually wasn’t sure what to do to get ready, but they all looked pretty serious about it. “Hey, did Aggie ever check in?”
Maddie’s smile faded. “No. I haven’t checked with Marilyn to see if she’s heard from her, but I’m keeping the room open for her. Speaking of which, I guess poor Andy will be checking out today. I better go clean his room out and call back some people who wanted to make a reservation.”
Maddie said goodbye to her cousin and hurried to her car in the town parking lot near the pier. She wanted to get back before the second contest started so she could be there to support Gina.
She’d watched the first round with butterflies in her stomach as Gina had rushed around assembling ingredients for the pie. How she knew what to grab was beyond Maddie. Apparently staying up all night to study Gram’s recipes had paid off for the contest.
Gina’s pie looked pretty good, too, much better than her previous attempts at the motel. Maddie had watched the expressions on the judges’ faces when they’d taken a taste, and she was sure they’d all liked it. She knew Gina was still there only because of Andy’s mistake, but she was keeping her fingers crossed for her cousin to survive the next round.
She hopped in her car in the parking lot and glanced once at Starfish Cottage before driving off to the motel.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Henry sat down on the bench at the end of the pier and stared at the envelope in his hand. His eyes misted at the familiar handwriting, Rena’s handwriting.
He glanced up at Rose, whose expression bore a mixture of curiosity and sympathy.
“Where did you get this?” he asked.
“The girls found it stored away in a box of recipes in the storage room at the Beachcomber.”
“But why do you think Rena would have done that?” Henry’s gaze flicked from Rose to Pearl to Leena. It didn’t make much sense to write a letter to him then put it in a box for thirty years. But these women knew Rena best. Maybe they knew something he didn’t.
“Henry, I think she meant to give it to you, but something must have happened,” Pearl said.
“Got on, open it.” Leena gestured to the letter impatiently.
Henry was nervous. He wasn’t even sure he wanted to know what was in the letter. But his three old friends were watching, so he turned the envelope over and ran his finger under the flap. Inside was a piece of white paper with more of Rena’s handwriting.
Dear Henry,
I’m writing this down because I’m afraid I won’t be able to come up with the right words in person. As you know, the drop in tourist trade has caused the Beachcomber to become a loss. Because of that, my time in Shell Cove is short.
But I didn’t want to leave without letting you know how much you have meant to me over these years. When Donald died, I thought I would never find another as charming, but you, dear Henry, have managed to capture my heart.
I know nothing more than friendship has come of it. I was good friends with your wife and you with Don, so the memories of our past get in the way. But I hope in time our friendship could grow.
Even though I am leaving, I will not be too far. I’m going to focus my time in Seal Harbor, where I have another motel that needs my attention now.
Maybe you could come to visit?
I know you have your life and business here, but just because I’m leaving doesn’t mean we have to say goodbye. Seal Harbor is only an hour away.
I know I’m a coward to mail this to you instead of giving it in person, but if I am wrong about our friendship, then I couldn’t bear for you to have the discomfort of having to tell me to my face.
I will still be at the motel until the twelfth and await your answer.
Yours,
Rena
Henry staredat the letter for a long time. It had all been a stupid misunderstanding? Henry looked up at his friends. “I thought she didn’t care. I always thought she just left without even saying goodbye to me, like our friendship meant nothing to her.”
Pearl shook her head. “It didn’t mean nothing. I’ve tried to tell you over the years, but you’re too stubborn to listen.”
