A Road Trip to Remember - Judith S. Keim Page 0,12
and stretched her back, inhaling the salty tang of the warm air with a soft moan of pleasure.
A heavy-set woman followed a tall, thin man out of the house, waving to Gran as she hurried toward them. “Aggie Robard! What a sight for sore eyes! So glad you’re here! We’ve got a lot of catching up to do.”
Laughing, Gran hugged the woman. “I’m so happy to see you, Sandy. Where have all the years gone?” She turned to the man. “And John, I can’t believe you finally retired from the restaurant business and are now doing this.”
He grinned. “Couldn’t quite stay away from the hospitality business altogether. But living here is a good way to spend these years.”
“We’ve saved the downstairs suite for you and Blythe,” said Sandy, smiling at Blythe. “You look just like Aggie did at your age. Two peas in a pod.”
Blythe returned Sandy’s smile, loving the compliment. She accepted a quick embrace from Sandy. “This place is gorgeous. Can’t wait to see the inside.”
“We’ve just finished redoing it,” said John. “It’s up to our standards now. I think you’ll be pleased.”
“And the food is good, too,” said Sandy, smiling at her husband. “Once a chef, always a chef.” She patted her stomach. “John is still a whiz in the kitchen. You’ll see.”
She led them to the front entrance of the inn.
From the moment Blythe walked inside, she was smitten. The interior, painted in warm shades of yellow and pale blue, welcomed her. Comfy couches and chairs spaced throughout the living area and den invited her to sit and relax. Best of all were the aromas wafting out of the kitchen. Her mouth watered with anticipation as she followed John to the back of the first floor to a large suite where a cozy sitting area sat between two bedrooms.
“Lovely,” she said, trying not to think of how fluffy and soft the pillow looked, urging her to lie down.
“Even prettier than the pictures,” said Gran. She turned to Sandy with a smile. “I feel at home already.”
Looking pleased, Sandy said, “More than one guest has extended his or her stay. You’ll find it very peaceful. But now, let’s have some wine and sit and talk. Can’t wait to hear about your new place.”
“New Life is everything the brochures said it would be, but it’s still not home to me yet,” Gran said.
Listening to her, Blythe felt a pang of sympathy. If she’d had a real choice, Gran would probably still be living in the big house she’d called home for years. But practicality dictated otherwise. She’d fallen once and was lying on the floor for over an hour before she was able to reach a phone and call for help. As reticent as she was about telling her, Blythe was relieved to know Gran was well taken care of, even if it meant moving.
Before they headed outside to the wide front porch, Sandy wrapped a shawl around her shoulders. Blythe didn’t bother putting something over her light-weight shirt. The salty air, so much warmer than back home, felt wonderful.
While Sandy and Gran settled beside one another on a double swing, Blythe took a seat in one of the several rocking chairs facing the shoreline. Sipping the wine John offered her, she gazed at the moving water, mesmerized by the motion.
Though Blythe and Gran had spent a lot of the time in the car listening to an audiobook, she’d had time to think about the future. Working with her father would be challenging. He was not tech savvy, and she knew if the family business were to continue to do well, they’d need to be competitive on social media and use it to their advantage.
“Blythe, darling, come sit by us,” Gran urged. “Sandy said other guests are staying in the house and will need to use their share of the porch.”
“Okay.” Blythe moved to the other end, where they sat. “No little secrets you don’t want to share?” she teased.
Sandy gave her a sly smile. “Your grandmother tells me she’s going to see her old beau, Donovan Bailey. Bet you didn’t know they planned to marry before Donovan unexpectedly went abroad for the summer.”
“Whaat? You came close to marrying him?” Blythe couldn’t hold back her surprise. “You’ve always said Papa was the love of your life.”
“As it turns out, he was.” Gran refused to meet her eyes.
“We know that,” said Sandy, turning as John approached with a plate of appetizers. “Arnie was a great guy. Always a gentleman.”