Page 17 of Moonlit Harbor Nights

“It tastes that way too.” She brushed her hands together, a look of pride crossing her face. “Just holler if you need anything.”

She walked away, and Terrence was left alone with his disappointment that Vivian hadn’t stayed to have a longer conversation with him. Once he took a bite of his food, however, there was no room in him for disappointment. He grunted with delight, and hurriedly took another bite. It was the best meatloaf he’d ever had.

He smiled to himself as he ate. Even though Vivian hadn’t remained to talk with him, it didn’t mean they weren’t friends anymore. He was sure she was a very busy woman, and perhaps it was a good sign that she’d stopped to speak with him at all. He was glad that he’d made it clear he wasn’t there for a health inspection, and he was determined to come back again soon. He told himself it was simply to have more of the fantastic food, but deep down he knew he was hoping to have a longer conversation with Vivian.

CHAPTER SEVEN

Vivian inhaled happily as she stirred together sugar and butter in a mixing bowl. She loved all of the sweet and spicy smells that came along with baking. She had the radio turned on low, and the sounds of beautiful jazz music filled her kitchen, adding to the already cozy atmosphere. Outside, it was a beautiful sunny day with a robin’s egg blue sky.

She was spending her Saturday morning baking cranberry walnut scones with maple glaze. She was wearing a comfortable pink sweater that Julia had bought her for Christmas, and she was feeling cozy and relaxed while still filled with energy.

She was in good spirits, having awoken earlier that morning from a dream in which Alan came back to The Lighthouse Grill and asked her to sit and talk with him while he ate. He’d been just as attractive and attentive in the dream as he had been in person, and she had started her day full of excited, fluttery feelings.

I shouldn’t keep thinking about that dream,she thought to herself with a dreamy smile as she sprinkled a teaspoon of cinnamon into the batter.It wasn’t real. But our conversation at the pub was. It wouldn’t hurt to think about that.

She paused in her work, staring into space as she recalled the day she’d met Alan at the pub. She thought about the way he’d caught the ketchup bottle so gallantly, and how he’d looked at her so admiringly. It still made her feel jittery whenever she thought about it. She wasn’t used to having men pay her any special attention, and it had felt wonderful.

The conversation that they’d shared had been fun, she thought. He was clearly a fun person to spend time with, and she felt that they’d had a good mental chemistry as they bantered back and forth.

She bit her lip and went back to her baking, thinking to herself that she hoped she would see him again soon.

She was just tucking the scones into the oven when she heard a knock on the back door. Surprised, she turned around, trying to see who it was through the window. She hadn’t been expecting anyone, and packages usually arrived at the front door.

“Come in,” she called.

A moment later, Hazel stepped inside the kitchen. She was bundled up in her coat and hat and mittens, and her cheeks were flushed from the cold.

“Hazel!” Vivian was surprised but delighted. She was always happy to have her children stop by her home, as there was always plenty of food and warmth to be shared. “So good to see you, honey. What’s the occasion?”

“Nothing, really.” Hazel gave her mother a big hug and then started to take off her coat. “Samantha’s still at her friend’s house after a sleepover, and I was feeling a hankering for company. Are you busy right now?”

“Not at all. I just put some scones in the oven. I was planning on using them for tomorrow’s family breakfast, but I’m happy to give you one now. Have you had breakfast?”

Hazel shook her head. “Just coffee.” She grinned guiltily.

“Hazel!” Vivian scolded her daughter gently. “You know that isn’t good for your stomach.”

“I know.” Hazel sat down in one of the kitchen chairs. “I was just feeling extra sleepy this morning. I was up late reading last night. Whenever Samantha is away, I start acting like a teenager again.”

Vivian smiled at her daughter. Hazel had gotten married and had Samantha so young, she’d had to jump quickly from being a teenager to being a mother with many responsibilities. Vivian was glad that now that Samantha was older, Hazel got to experience some of the independence that she hadn’t been able to experience when her daughter was little. “That sounds like fun. I’ve stayed up late reading quite a few times myself once you children moved out.”

Hazel nodded, smiling, and then leaned her head back in an enormous yawn. “I hate to ask, but do you have any coffee?”

Vivian shook her head, chuckling. “How about I make you some scrambled eggs and pancakes first? I’ve got a little batter left over from when I made myself and Julia pancakes earlier this morning.”

“Food before coffee, huh?” Hazel grinned. “That sounds incredible. Thank you, Mom.”

Hazel helped her mother whip up scrambled eggs and a couple of mini blueberry pancakes. Vivian enjoyed having her daughter there in the kitchen with her, and they had Hazel’s breakfast food cooked up in no time.

“And look at that, the scones are done!” Vivian brushed her hands together with the satisfaction of a job well done before she took the baking sheet out of the oven. “You can eat one of those too right away.”

She poured both herself and Hazel cups of coffee, and they sat down together at the kitchen table. Hazel grunted with pleasure as she began to eat the delicious breakfast.

“Thanks, Mom,” she sighed in between mouthfuls of food. “I didn’t realize how hungry I was until I started eating.”

“Breakfast is the most important meal of the day,” Vivian said cheerfully, a phrase she’d uttered countless times when the children were growing up.

Hazel chuckled and took another bite of her scone.

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