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Ariel pushed open the front door of Leeside, the sound of the waves from the beach and all the shouting that she and Katie had done still echoing in her ears. She took a deep breath, trying to shake off the argument with Katie and focus on the task at hand: preparing for dinner service at the Seaside. They had a house full of reservations, and she had a kitchen full of food. It would be disastrous to waste either, especially when the seasonal dinner crowd wassoimportant to their financial success and building the reputation of the Seaside.
As she made her way through the living room toward the kitchen, already mentally checking off her tasks to do, Ariel was stopped short by the sight of Emily sitting in one of the wingback chairs next to the far bookshelf. Ariel froze for a moment, surprised to see her there.
"Emily, what are you doing here?" Ariel asked, a hint of suspicion in her voice. “I thought you wanted to go work in the old garden.”
“I went out and classified some of the heirloom species you still have growing there—there are quite a few!—but it got hot so quickly that I came back in. I thought I would do some reading up on the local flora and try tacking it again early, maybe around sunrise tomorrow, before the heat sets in.”
Emily held up the book that Ariel hadn’t noticed in her lap. It was a gardening book on high-yield fruits and vegetables for the state of Maine. Ariel nodded, still feeling slightly suspicious but not wanting to be rude. She walked towards the kitchen, glancing back at Emily who was now looking at her expectantly.
"I saw Katie—is that your daughter’s name?—come stomping in just now," Emily said just as Ariel reached the hallway, her tone sympathetic. "Is everything okay?"
Ariel hesitated, not wanting to discuss her personal issues with someone she barely knew, especially since she was still reeling from the argument with Katie. Add to that the fact that Emily herself wasn’t exactly being forthcoming about previously having been married to Ariel’s boyfriend, and the verdict on spilling her guts to the woman in the wingback was a decidedno.
"It's fine, just some family drama," Ariel said, trying to brush it off. “You know teenagers, every heartbreak is the worst one.”
But Emily persisted. "I don't mean to pry, but sometimes it helps to talk things out. Maybe I can offer some perspective. She might appreciate some words of wisdom from someone who has been through it before."
Ariel felt a twinge of annoyance. She didn't need unsolicited advice, especially from someone she hardly knew. And if that advice was based on the experience of breaking up with the man that Ariel now loved? Well, that was just all kinds of messed up. How would Katie benefit from the love advice of the woman who had broken Miles’s heart?
"I know you mean well. But I think I can handle my own relationship with my daughter.”
Emily looked taken aback by Ariel's sharp tone, but she quickly recovered. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to overstep. I just wanted to help."
Ariel flushed with guilt. She had a long night ahead of her at the Seaside, and she had already let her temper get the better of her today. She softened her voice when she next spoke. "I appreciate the offer, Emily, but it's really okay. I think I can handle it."
Emily looked a little disappointed but didn't push the issue. "Well, if you ever do need to talk, I'm here," she said, placing the book back on the table next to her chair. "And I hope everything works out."
Ariel nodded, grateful for the offer but still feeling a bit uneasy. She quickly made her way to the kitchen, her mind still preoccupied by the argument with Katie. As she began prepping the ingredients for dinner service, avoiding Darcy’s questioning looks, she couldn't help but replay the hurtful words that had been exchanged between them.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
The world’s most miserable dinner service was behind her. In fact, the next day dawned clear and a little cooler than normal; Ariel basked in the balmy sea breeze that blew in from the bluffs, spending most of her day out in the front yard planting new flowers in the beds that had been Katie and Connor’s last house project together before Mayor Stanton had so rudely separated the young lovers.
Last night had been wildly successful from a restaurant standpoint, with the Seaside Café staying packed from opening to closing, and even attracting a few lingering latecomers who sat out on the front porch just to enjoy coffee and dessert. The waitstaff, Darcy, and Ariel had hustled extra hard, but the night was not the same without Katie or Connor, the pair of them working and laughing and buzzing around the kitchen and dining room, thriving off of the energy of the packed place and one another.
Katie had stayed in her room all morning, and Darcy had smiled apologetically at Ariel when he was caught sneaking a tray loaded with food up the stairs to her hermit daughter.
“She texted me and asked me to bring her comfort food,” Darcy explained. “I hope you don’t mind.”
Ariel had shaken her head. “Of course not.”
In Katie’s mind, Ariel was probably now more like the wicked stepmother in a bad fairytale than the loving, supportive mother that Ariel sought and worked to be—and so, in her mind, it probably wasn’t a great leap to imagine that Ariel might deny her lunch,Beauty and the Beaststyle, unless she came down from her tower.
But Ariel was in no way that cruel—and the silence between her and Katie cut like a knife.
It was only after dinner prep was fully completed, and Ariel had sent Darcy off with an admonition to relax for several hours, that Ariel herself took a break. She tiptoed up to her room, careful not to make too much noise, as Katie’s room adjoined it, and got ready for her lunch date with Miles. As she crept back downstairs, Charlie was coming in the front door, bringing with her the same cool beach breeze that Ariel had basked in earlier.
The sisters exchanged cheek kisses and a big hug.
“You look beautiful,” Charlie said, pulling away to study Ariel’s outfit.
Ariel had stood a long time in front of the mirror when she’d been upstairs, staring at her reflection, hoping her outfit choice was right. It was perfect for a day out on the water—but was it too casual for a lunch date at a swanky Italian place? She wore a blue and white striped tank top, paired with white shorts that ended just above her knees. She had slipped on a pair of white canvas sneakers, perfect for whatever adventure awaited her that day. It was comfortable, yet still stylish. The stripes on her tank top gave it a nautical feel, and the white shorts were both practical and fashionable. The canvas sneakers were lightweight and durable, ideal for the slippery surface of the pier.
Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail, secured with a white hair tie. She had minimal make-up on, opting for a natural look that would hold up against the wind and saltwater at the marina, where the new Italian restaurant was for her lunch date with Miles.
She’d picked up her sunglasses from the dresser, sliding them on the top of her head. The dark lenses would shield her eyes from the bright sun, and the frames added an extra touch of style to her outfit. She ran her hands over her shorts, smoothing out any wrinkles and ensuring everything was in place.
