“Our little sister has done a great job. I’m proud of her.” They walked in silence until they reached the bookstore. Zach trailed behind Ollie up the back stairs into his small apartment. “This looks even better than a few weeks ago too.”
“I have to admit, the renovations were worth it.” Ollie paused inside his door and put a hand to his hip. The butter-yellow walls on the large open layout contrasted with the white oak laminate flooring throughout.
“You have some new furniture. Last time I was here, I think you only had that couch and a bookshelf.” Zach waved a hand toward Ollie’s oversized beige couch. Now a low coffee table sat in front of the couch and a few end tables flanked it.
“Hey.” Ollie moved into the room. “I also had a bedanda chair.”
“Okay, okay. Please tell me you’ve also got some good cookware in that tiny kitchen of yours.”
“It’s not tiny—it’s just not the size of the restaurant kitchens you’re used to. And if you’re going to insult my cookware”—Ollie raised an eyebrow at Zach—“you don’t have to stay here.”
“Fine.” Zach held both hands in the air, palms forward. “You’re right.” He laughed. “I’ll make up for it by cooking dinner a few times while I’m back.”
“In that case”—Ollie walked a few steps into the apartment—“the couch is all yours.” A stack of sheets and blankets sat on one corner of the couch. “Dad decided to stay at the hotel, so it’s yours for as long as you want. I’ll give you a key so you can come and go as you please.”
Wait. What? “Dad is here?” Zach’s stomach tightened.
“Not yet. But he’ll be here in a day or two. I think he’s staying for the whole festival.” Ollie handed him a key. “He and Mom have started getting along again. Dani said he asked her to keep a room for him for several weeks throughout the summer and fall.”
His voice was nonchalant. As if this wasn’t the biggest bombshell he could have dropped.
“What do you mean, Mom and Dad are getting along again?” Zach ran a hand along the back of his neck. “You can’t just drop that bomb. What’s going on?”
Ollie sighed. “They started talking again at Dani’s wedding. It took me a while to believe that either one of them wanted to be here.” His mouth turned up on one side. “I guess they’re friends now? I don’t know. I try to stay out of it. But Dad’s been coming back to Jonathon Island every once in a while.” He shrugged.
Huh. “Maybe he wants to make amends?”
“Maybe. Anyway, I need to get going. I left Eliza alone in the store.” Ollie reached out and punched him lightly in the shoulder. “Thanks for coming. The Flavor Fest is going to be so busy. It’ll be good to have you around.”
After he left, Zach dropped onto the couch.
Mom and Dad were getting along? How was Dad not still bitter about Mom’s affair? How was Mom able to forgive Dad for nearly burning down the hotel? Not to mention never being around in the first place.
On the coffee table lay a flyer. He picked it up. “Flavor Fest” streamed across the top in a large font. He flipped it open and found the schedule of events for the next few days inside.
His heart rate picked up. This was what he needed to concentrate on. Winning the contests he was part of. No time to be distracted by his family drama. He had to focus if he wanted to make his dreams, and potentially the dreams of anyone earning the Silver Platter scholarship, come true.
Chapter Five
One measly letter to secure her dreams. How hard could it be? Hopefully, the homeowners hadn’t received any more offers since she’d seen the place yesterday.
Ava rummaged through the desk drawer in her hotel room. After a sleepless night, she’d vowed to write the best letter of her life. If that’s what it took, that’s what she would do. She’d wow the socks off the owners of her dream house.
Her hand brushed the edge of a pad of paper, and she drew it out of the drawer. The Grand Sullivan Hotel letterhead featured an artist’s sketch of the new Grand Hotel.
Perfect.
But first, coffee. Daylight streamed through the split in her room’s curtains. Gathering up her purse and the notepad, she made her way out of the room. A beautiful day for a walk downtown. She’d try out the lattes at Good Day Coffee. They were on her list to review, anyway. Good thing Emily wasn’t here to make her run for the privilege of drinking them.
She opened the door and nearly ran into a young woman, probably in her late teens, in the hall. The woman wore a high messy bun and steered a cleaning cart featuring a stack of towels that threatened to tip over. A name tag declared her to be Olive.
“Oh. Sorry. I was about to knock,” the young woman said. “Did you need services? Or clean towels?”
“I’ll take a few fresh towels, thank you, but no need to clean the room or anything.” Ava accepted a stack of towels. They were pillowy soft and still smelled new. She dumped them on a table just inside her room and then stepped out into the hall, closing her door behind her. Along the far wall of the hallway ran a line of photographs. “I didn’t notice these last night when I checked in.” She walked over to them.
“Yeah, they hung those up after they finished renovating this section,” Olive said. “Like a history of the town or something.”
Ava looked closer. She recognized a few local landmarks from her brief tour yesterday and from scouring the internet to find out more about Jonathon Island. One of the photos snagged her gaze, a familiar-looking dark-haired man surrounded by several others playing in the water. Then another of the same group in front of the hotel.
