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Shelby gave Andrea a weird look which made her regret asking that question.
“Yes, of course. I married him. He’s my husband.”
Andrea was bowled over by her friend’s revelation. The last time she’d seen Randy, he was leaving on the ferry for Seattle. He was flying out to go backpacking across Europe for a year. After that, he would take up his deferred space at Princeton.
Even though he had been a year older than them, they had all been friends since elementary school. He was one of her friends who had vowed that when he left Oak Harbor, he wouldn’t be returning to live.
“It’s a lot to take in, I know,” Shelby cut into her thoughts.
“I’m sorry, Shelby. It’s just that I remember Randy was one of the persons in our group who was adamant to never return,” she tried to explain.
Shelby smiled, nodding in understanding.
“You would be surprised to know how many of those people are back here in Oak Harbor.”
Andrea was surprised at the revelation.
“Tell you what; why don’t we grab a cup of coffee now, and I can catch you up on all that has happened in your absence. That’s if you’re not busy.”
Andrea smiled, delighted by the gesture. “I would love that,” she agreed. “Why don’t we go by my family’s restaurant?”
“Sure. Why not? Let me just go get my car. Mr. Gourdie called me in to pick it up.”
The two women made their way to the old man, who was once again perched on the bench by the garage’s entrance. Andrea thanked him again for helping and went by her Jeep to wait for Shelby.
She saw the woman walk toward her, a look of displeasure etched on her face. She wondered what could have transpired to transform her features so drastically.
“What’s wrong?” she asked out of concern.
Shelby released a frustrated sigh. “Gourdie says my car isn’t ready. He explained the battery needs to be changed, and if he lets me leave with it, there is a high chance it will break down on me.”
“Oh, that’s tough.”
“I’m sorry, Drea, maybe a rain check on that coffee. I’m gonna call Randy to come to pick me up.”
Andrea watched the upset woman fish for her phone in her bag. She felt bad for her as she knew how debilitating it could feel to be without your car for any period of time.
“Why don’t I take you to get that coffee, and then I can drive you back. It’s not a problem at all, and it’ll be great to catch up.”
Shelby paused what she was doing to look up at Andrea, a mixture of shock and gratitude on her face. “That would be lovely,” she agreed.
The two women got into Andrea’s Jeep, and she drove them back to her family’s property.
“This inn is a town treasure. I’m glad it’s still here, you know, considering how much outside developers have been trying to buy out all the properties along the harbor to throw up resorts. I feel like if that happens, and these monuments are destroyed, then most of everything that makes Oak Harbor special will be lost.”
Andrea shook her head in agreement, staring up at the building.
“This inn is one of the oldest historical buildings in Oak Harbor; it was once the residence of the governor of the island in the nineteenth century before it was sold to a businessman who later sold it to your great-grandfather four times removed. My great-great-grandfather chose to turn it into an inn, and it has been passed down to the firstborn of each generation since, except your uncle Luke went away to fight in the war against our father’s wishes, and so it passed on to me. Soon it will all be yours to build on and continue the legacy.”
Andrea’s father looked at his girls with pride and expectation as they all sat, nodding in agreement. At just twelve, ten, and eight, they had no idea of what they agreed to or the implications it would have for years to come.
“Drea, are you okay?”
Andrea blinked away the memory and turned her focus back to her friend.
“Oh, yes, I was just remembering something my father told me back when I was a kid.”
Two minutes later, they were pulling up to the restaurant. The signboard attached to a wooden frame read, “Willberry Eats.”
