Willa Bay.” It really had been for the best. Zoe had mentioned to her again that if she finished clearing out the barn soon, they could start on the renovations instead of moving on to the cottages, which had been the original plan. Now that she could see a light at the end of the tunnel, Meg didn’t plan to let anything jeopardize the barn’s renovation timeline. If everything went according to schedule, they may even be able to open the restaurant just after Christmas.
She shaded her face from the sun’s rays and looked up at Taylor. “Well, I’d better get going. I told Zoe I’d meet her and Cassie at Wedding Belles for lunch.”
He nodded and stuck his thumbs through the belt loops on his dark jeans. “I hope you have fun. And Meg?”
“Yeah?”
“You really did a great job on the show. I was proud of you.”
Happiness flooded every part of her body. She’d always admired Taylor’s skills in the kitchen, and to receive praise from him was everything. “Thank you.” A thought occurred to her. “Hey, since you don’t need to hurry off to the Lodge, would you like to join the girls and me for lunch?”
He hesitated. “Are you sure that would be okay with them?”
She laughed, feeling lighter than she had in days. “They won’t mind a bit.”
They got into their own cars and drove separately to the riverside cafe on Willa Bay’s Main Street. He waited for her by the door, and they entered Wedding Belles together. Cassie waved eagerly at them from the window table that she and Zoe had secured. Meg hadn’t been able to wait until she saw them in person, and had called both of them on her way home to fill them in on her experience being on TV. She’d also given them a heads up that Taylor would be joining them for lunch.
Meg walked proudly over to her friends and sat down, feeling as confident as a movie star.
“Hey, Taylor,” Zoe said. “I’m glad you could join us.”
“Me too,” he said as he took a seat next to Cassie, across from Meg. “It’s been a while since we had the whole Lodge gang together. I miss seeing the three of you.” He frowned. “Lara and the new staff just aren’t the same.”
Cassie wrinkled her nose. “I don’t see how you can work there with her, especially after she burned down your restaurant.”
Meg watched Taylor carefully as she sipped the ice water the waitress had just dropped off at their table. It really hit the spot after the car ride back from the television studio in Seattle.
He took a long drink of water as well, then set the glass down on the table and said slowly, “I don’t really have a choice about working with Lara. She’s George’s daughter, so she’s there to stay. But I do think I need to have an honest conversation with both of them about my expectations.”
“Uh, yeah.” Zoe laughed. “They’ll walk all over you if you don’t watch out.”
He hung his head. “I know.” He slugged down more water and looked out the window at the deck and the river below.
The conversation had taken a downturn and Meg noticed that Taylor’s jovial demeanor had vanished, so she changed the topic. “So, what else is new? Did I miss anything exciting at the Inn today?” She’d left for Seattle early in the morning and hadn’t had time to stop in at the Inn first, although she planned to work on cleaning the barn that afternoon.
“Actually, yes. Kind of,” Zoe said. The waitress came by to take their orders, then Zoe continued. “Tia’s apartment flooded.”
“Seriously?” Cassie’s eyes widened. “Was it bad?”
Zoe nodded. “She lost almost everything she owned. Apparently, a pipe in the bathroom ceiling burst.”
“Oh no.” Meg’s life was looking better and better by the second. “Where’s she going to stay?” The real estate market in Willa Bay was both expensive and tight, two reasons why Meg lived above her parents’ garage.
“I said she could live with me,” Zoe said. “It’ll be a little cramped, but she doesn’t know many people in town and didn’t have anywhere else to go.”
“That’s awful.” Meg was quiet, thinking about how it would feel to lose everything in her apartment.
“Could she move into one of the cottages?” Cassie asked. “Weren’t you going to work on them next?”
Zoe shook her head. “No, we decided to fix up the barn first. It was only fair to Meg since she’s helped so