But maybe that was just Ashley feeling petty and wanting to take everything good away from Carl.
Lonnie Treacle appeared behind Steve and Carl. “Guys, glad you’re here. Come join me.” He eyed Ashley warily and tilted his head to a table in the window.
She understood. The last place she wanted to be was seated with that trio on display for anyone walking past the coffee shop. She wouldn’t have paired them as friends. But perhaps being old-timers gave them a shared sense of purpose. She hoped they weren’t plotting against her husband. She couldn’t fight for him as a double agent on every front.
Could she find an alliance with the younger crowd? Today’s meeting was a good place to start. She made her way towards Seth. But as she neared, she realized he wasn’t alone.
He’d told her about his meeting with Elise McKenna. She’d forgotten. Ashley could only hope he had offered a similar warning to the woman in return as she approached the table.
With a starched collar that was buttoned to the top, pale white skin, a constant expression of boredom, and brown hair tightly pulled back in a bun, Elise, leader of the historical society and director of the town tourism board, made an excellent ghost. Perhaps she would have been a good recruit if she hadn’t always looked down on Ashley’s antics as childish. How strange now to see the woman sitting side by side with Seth, arguably an even more foolish dreamer, and a small smile tugging up the corners of her mouth.
Elise would have been a better match for Christopher.
Even thinking it squeezed her heart so tight, Ashley struggled to take a full breathe. She reached the table. “Good afternoon. Am I too early?”
Elise lifted her chin and frowned.
“Not at all,” Seth said with a smile. “We were finishing up.”
Ashley pulled out a chair opposite the pair and sat. “What are you working on?”
Elise’s forehead wrinkles deepened.
The flaw in the woman’s otherwise perfect façade encouraged Ashley to keep pushing. Elise was so calm, cool, and collected. She evaded every argument with polite manners. Her adherence to etiquette grated Ashley’s nerves, because she only realized Elise’s slights after the fact.
“I had a few ideas for next year’s big quasquicentennial celebration,” Seth said.
“Wow. It almost rolls off the tongue. I’m surprised you need much more than that,” Ashley said, hoping her teasing tone was effectively delivered.
Elise remained unmoved.
Seth chuckled. “It is something. One hundred and twenty-five years. Elise is heading up the committee.”
“Yes, I’ll have lots more to share with the Inn soon,” Elise said primly.
At least she hadn’t fired a verbal shot by singling out Christopher as the sole decision-maker, even if her wary expression held steady. How strange to encounter another naysayer when she’d been so welcomed by the shopkeepers on the boardwalk. Now she had to wonder why she hadn’t received more pushback.
Zach, Seth, Lonnie, and the others joined Team Ashley almost as soon as she returned. She reevaluated how much the response was due to her and how much was an angry show against Christopher.Was she viewed as the lesser of two evils or the easier to manage?She’d have to think about it more. Later. Now she squirmed in her chair for a meeting she’d arranged but had become the third wheel at. “Is there a theme?”
“Seth was sharing a few slogans.”
Seth blushed.
That bad? Ashley could only blame herself for asking. She had to prepare to not react. “Oh really?”
“You can’t choose other people’s memories. Make good ones that’ll last over a century on Loon Lake,” Elise said.
Ashley gaped. The surprising sentiment touched her heart. She couldn’t control the narrative or influence anyone’s opinion. She’d been trying to do both her whole life, especially with Christopher. She feared her husband considered her the comic relief and not serious enough for a real partnership.
“Ouch,” Seth whispered.
Ashley shook her head and rubbed at her watery eyes. “No. It’s good. Really good. That just kind of…” She pressed her right hand over her heart. “Sorry, it hit me. I wasn’t expecting that.” She smiled at Seth. He was a hustler. His print shop was a full-time job. But he still pursued his other interests.
“I was talking to Elise about your online stuff. I suggested you as the digital liaison,” Seth said.
Elise stiffened.
Ashley did her best to keep her reaction neutral.Pitying the dreamer went both ways?Zach must have asked Seth to help her in the same way Christopher asked Ashley to partner with Seth. She and Seth had more in common than she realized. Why not team up?“I’m sure there will be a lot of details to settle.”
