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There weren’t many people she could trust to keep an eagle eye on her son. But if Abby said she’d watch him, she would.
“Fine. How about tomorrow morning? I can bring him by on my way to the diner.”
“Awesome. Thanks, Holl.”
“Kitchen’s cleaned up, ready for the dinner rush.” Paige joined them, wiping her hands on a dish towel. “Any idea what those two are up to?”
“See?” Holly smirked at Abby. “I told you. I’m erring on the side of your daughter’s levelheadedness,” Holly said. “Other than that, I don’t think we want to know.” The idea of uncovering Simon’s latest plot might just give her a migraine. Maybe plausible deniability was the way to go.
“Hello.” Abby turned quizzical, amused eyes to Holly before flicking her gaze to Paige. “You must be Paige. I’ve heard a lot about you.”
“Hi. Paige Cooper.” Paige turned on her million-watt smile. “Charlie and I got into town last week.”
“Not a moment too soon,” Holly added. “I’ve managed to close on time and be out of here within a half hour for the past four nights thanks to her.”
“Well, welcome, Paige Cooper.” Abby nodded. “Okay, now I understand...”
“Understand what?” Paige got sidetracked by the family of four who chimed their way in to the diner. “I’ve got them. Nice to meet you, Abby.”
“You, too. Look at you.” Abby spun around on her stool. “Expanding your circle of friends and biting that employee bullet. Good for you. Where’s Twyla?”
“Summer classes. I’m telling you, Paige is magic. I want to clone her. Ten times.” For the first time in months, Holly was getting to bed before midnight.
“I’ve got the extra linens you asked about in the car,” Abby said. “And I found some old curtains in the storeroom at the inn. Odds and ends, too. Lots of homey touches.”
“Great. Bring them around back when you leave. I want to get the apartment ready before I show it to her.”
“You sure you want to do this?” Abby asked, turning her normally optimistic face into a frown. “You haven’t known her very long.”
“She’s lost.” Holly couldn’t explain it. She’d watched Paige over the past couple of days and while her new waitress exuded confidence and happiness, something hovered and convinced Holly there was much more going on than Paige felt comfortable confiding. “If I can help her get by for a while, it’s worth the risk. Plus, her kid’s keeping mine occupied more than I ever could.”
“Huh.” Abby hopped off her stool to refill her soda.
“What?”
Abby shrugged and sucked on her straw. “It’s interesting how you’re willing to give others a chance to make up for the past but not everyone.”
“Oh, for the love of—” Holly snapped her towel at Abby as she took off for the kitchen. “There’s no comparing Paige’s situation with Luke’s. They’re entirely—”
“The same, as far as you know.” Abby slouched against the door as Holly got the stove and griddle ready for the dinner rush and Ursula’s imminent return. “For all you know, what she’s got behind her is even worse. Look, I’m all for giving Paige a hand. You seem happy with her and yep, that Charlie’s a cutie. Simon better watch out.”
“Wh-what?” Holly gaped. “Abby, they’re eight!”
“How old were you when you met Gray?”
“Sixteen, thank you very much.”
“Oh, flag on the play!” Abby set her glass down with a clunk. “You spotted Gray across the playground when we were seven years old. And okay, I was hanging upside down on the monkey bars at the time—”
“In a dress, if I remember,” Holly cut in.
“I had on clean underwear. Seven years old, little miss, let’s rewrite history. You didn’t let Gray out of your sight from then on. And I have the doodles in my old school notebooks to prove it.”
The memories of those early days with Gray brushed against her heart like a featherlight beating of wings. She’d been heartsick from the start, but, looking back, blind to his shortcomings. She’d never wanted to see the bad in him.
Until the bad was all that was in front of her.
“See!” Abby pointed at her and chuckled. “I’m just saying it happens. To some of us.”
“You can always give bowling-alley guy another shot.”
“Ooh, and three strikes, my friend. Hey.” Abby’s voice turned serious. “How much energy does it take to stay mad at someone for over a decade?”
Holly hated Abby’s deft way of changing the subject. “A lot.”
“Energy that could be much better spent spying on your mischief-prone son. At some point, you’ve got to let what happened go and move on, Holl. Your dad is alive. Your mom’s gone and so is Gray. Stop living in a past of what-ifs. And stop lumping Gray’s failures onto a man who doesn’t deserve it.”
“That’s not what I’m doing.” Holly glowered at her friend. “And you don’t know he doesn’t.”
“Looks that way from where I’m standing.” Abby shrugged. “Luke did everything Gray always promised he’d do but never did. Luke stopped drinking. He made something of himself. He’s dependable, so far at least, and trustworthy. And he’s come home to make amends. Don’t hold any of those things against him. From what I hear, Luke’s a good man in spite of his past, and mostly thanks to what happened between him and your dad after the accident. Luke has enough demons to fight. He doesn’t need to fight you, too.”
CHAPTER TWELVE
LUKE STOOD AT the base of the glistening white steps to the Flutterby Inn, Butterfly Harbor’s mainstay for almost half a century. He’d always considered the Flutterby a beacon in town, its sunshine-yellow paint reflecting against the morning sun, standing strong against cool morning breezes as the weather settled into its normal temperatures.
With the Pacific roaring beyond Lookout Point, Luke hitched Cash’s leash around a porch post and tried not to feel guilty when the dog let out a belabored sigh and plopped his butt down to wait.
“Good morning, Sheriff.” Abby greeted him from behind the lobby counter with her usual ebullient smile. “Seems you made quite an impression at the town meeting last night. No battle scars, so I guess you survived.”
“I did.” Prior to attending, Luke would rather have faced a firing squad than be paraded in front of the town residents again as the mayor’s new appointee, but he’d been pleasantly surprised by the warm welcome he’d received. Especially given how many of those in attendance had been around long enough to remember the Luke who used to live here. Not everyone clung to the past like a life preserver. “What’s going on, Abby? You having some problems out this way?”
Abby shook her head. “Lori told me she’d called the station. You didn’t have to make a special trip out to investigate. I really don’t think it’s a big deal.”
“Don’t think what’s a big deal?” Holly walked through the open set of double French doors with a steaming mug in her hands. It was then Luke noticed the small dark head perched behind the computer screen. Simon peeked around the edge, a satisfied gleam in his eyes as he typed.
“Good morning, Holly.” Since he and Holly decided they should keep their distance, it seemed as if every time he turned around, there she was. Best laid plans... “Trespassers apparently,” Luke said. “Down at the cabins?”
“It’s nothing new,” Abby insisted, then glanced at Simon. “No, see, right there. That’s what it’s been doing. Why won’t it accept that field for entry? Sorry.” She grimaced at Luke. “Computer gremlins, and this guy here is the only one who can find them.” Abby dropped a hand on Simon’s head. “I thought Fletch or Ozzy would come out. I didn’t expect the sheriff.”
“Oz is working on our own computer issues,” Luke explained, “and Fletch had to go over to Mrs. Eddington’s. Someone broke into her garden shed overnight. So you’re stuck with me.” Truth be told, Luke had been glad for the opportunity to visit one of his favorite spots in town.
“Well, I’d hate for you to have wasted a trip,” Abby said. “Holly, do me a favor and show Luke the cabins?”
Holly swallowed, her eyes tearing as she fanned her mouth. “Me?”
“You’re the one who doesn’t want me to leave someone alone with my computer,” Abby all but sang as she angled her eyes in Simon’s direction. “Lori said it’s the one by the back, just off the shoals.”
