event."
Leaving the bookstore, I walked up the sidewalk to For Goodness Cake. Mom had ordered a white chocolate cake with raspberry filling for the party. I promised her that I would go pay for it and make sure it was going to be delivered on time next week. The heavenly scent of chocolate and butter cream frosting enveloped me as I opened the door of the shop. As I entered, I saw someone else was standing at the glass cases. Grace Winchester, Clint's date from the night before, was selecting a muffin. The girl behind the counter wrapped a blueberry cream cheese muffin in paper and handed it to Grace.
As she turned to leave the store, Grace almost ran into me. “Whoops! Oh, hi! Ophelia, right?”
"Yes. Hello," I responded coolly. "You're Grace. Clint's date from last night."
"Date?" She laughed and shook her head. "Don't tell my husband! No, you have it all wrong. I am here from the state police academy to do some mandatory training. Clint was just nice enough to drag me out of my hotel room and away from vending machine food to offer me a nice dinner. He's friends with my husband, Jacob. Who, by the way, gave his blessing that I eat real food since I am eating for two." She nibbled the edges of her muffin.
"Oh? Really? Congratulations!" I stammered as I tried to process the fact that Clint had not been on a date with her. My heart lifted a little, but then sank as I realized Clint thought that I had been on a date myself last night. Not that he probably cared. "How long are you here?"
"Just until Tuesday. I could have driven back home this weekend, but my husband was off on a fishing trip with his brothers. I decided to stay here through the weekend and do some antique shopping. Miller's Cove is a treasure chest for an antique hound like me.”
"You like antiques? Me too? You should go to Jensen's Antique Emporium over on Elm Street. They give the best deals. I happen to know they have a beautiful rocking chair that would be perfect in a baby's room."
"Clint told me that you know your antiques. He went on and on about how amazing your house is. I had to hear all about his best friend Rick's little sister, the town librarian." Grace brushed some crumbs that had fallen on the front of her blouse.
"Really? He talked about me?" I couldn't stop the huge grin that spread across my face. "I mean. I'm glad he likes my house. I've spent a lot of time decorating it." I tried playing it cool. Inside I felt like a middle school kid receiving her first invitation to the dance.
"Yep. Well, I've got to go. Lots of shops to visit today. It was nice seeing you again." Grace gave me a quick wave goodbye and headed out of the shop. Still smiling like a cat who found the hidden catnip stash, I headed to the counter to pay for the cake.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
“One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.” - Virginia Woolf, A Room of One's Own
The following week was incredibly busy at the library as we had our annual Fall Book Sale to raise money for new programs. Local author and semi-celebrity, Joanna Franklin, came on Wednesday to give a talk on how she became a writer. That evening after I had closed up the library, I decided to swing by Odd Couple's and grab a bite to eat. My cupboards at home were bare, and I was too tired to go to Abe's Market.
Stepping into Odd Couple's Diner was like taking a step back in time. It was an authentic 1950's diner that the current owner had vowed to keep intact when he inherited it from his grandparents. The owners, Seth Hansen and his wife Stephanie, were a young couple in their late twenties. Seth had served four years in the Coast Guard. When he came home, he had gone to work with his grandparents. Last year, Ida and Melba Hansen had decided to start spending their winters in Florida so they handed the keys to the diner over to Seth as an early inheritance and headed south. The
Leaving the bookstore, I walked up the sidewalk to For Goodness Cake. Mom had ordered a white chocolate cake with raspberry filling for the party. I promised her that I would go pay for it and make sure it was going to be delivered on time next week. The heavenly scent of chocolate and butter cream frosting enveloped me as I opened the door of the shop. As I entered, I saw someone else was standing at the glass cases. Grace Winchester, Clint's date from the night before, was selecting a muffin. The girl behind the counter wrapped a blueberry cream cheese muffin in paper and handed it to Grace.
As she turned to leave the store, Grace almost ran into me. “Whoops! Oh, hi! Ophelia, right?”
"Yes. Hello," I responded coolly. "You're Grace. Clint's date from last night."
"Date?" She laughed and shook her head. "Don't tell my husband! No, you have it all wrong. I am here from the state police academy to do some mandatory training. Clint was just nice enough to drag me out of my hotel room and away from vending machine food to offer me a nice dinner. He's friends with my husband, Jacob. Who, by the way, gave his blessing that I eat real food since I am eating for two." She nibbled the edges of her muffin.
"Oh? Really? Congratulations!" I stammered as I tried to process the fact that Clint had not been on a date with her. My heart lifted a little, but then sank as I realized Clint thought that I had been on a date myself last night. Not that he probably cared. "How long are you here?"
"Just until Tuesday. I could have driven back home this weekend, but my husband was off on a fishing trip with his brothers. I decided to stay here through the weekend and do some antique shopping. Miller's Cove is a treasure chest for an antique hound like me.”
"You like antiques? Me too? You should go to Jensen's Antique Emporium over on Elm Street. They give the best deals. I happen to know they have a beautiful rocking chair that would be perfect in a baby's room."
"Clint told me that you know your antiques. He went on and on about how amazing your house is. I had to hear all about his best friend Rick's little sister, the town librarian." Grace brushed some crumbs that had fallen on the front of her blouse.
"Really? He talked about me?" I couldn't stop the huge grin that spread across my face. "I mean. I'm glad he likes my house. I've spent a lot of time decorating it." I tried playing it cool. Inside I felt like a middle school kid receiving her first invitation to the dance.
"Yep. Well, I've got to go. Lots of shops to visit today. It was nice seeing you again." Grace gave me a quick wave goodbye and headed out of the shop. Still smiling like a cat who found the hidden catnip stash, I headed to the counter to pay for the cake.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
“One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.” - Virginia Woolf, A Room of One's Own
The following week was incredibly busy at the library as we had our annual Fall Book Sale to raise money for new programs. Local author and semi-celebrity, Joanna Franklin, came on Wednesday to give a talk on how she became a writer. That evening after I had closed up the library, I decided to swing by Odd Couple's and grab a bite to eat. My cupboards at home were bare, and I was too tired to go to Abe's Market.
Stepping into Odd Couple's Diner was like taking a step back in time. It was an authentic 1950's diner that the current owner had vowed to keep intact when he inherited it from his grandparents. The owners, Seth Hansen and his wife Stephanie, were a young couple in their late twenties. Seth had served four years in the Coast Guard. When he came home, he had gone to work with his grandparents. Last year, Ida and Melba Hansen had decided to start spending their winters in Florida so they handed the keys to the diner over to Seth as an early inheritance and headed south. The
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