Page 3 of Moonlit Harbor Nights

Alexis tapped the side of her head playfully. “Mind like a steel trap. Also, I’m a little bit psychic. I’ll put those orders in. Anything else while you’re waiting?”

“No, I think we should be good with the tea for now. Thanks, Alexis.” Hazel smiled at her sister.

“She looks really happy,” Samantha said as soon as Alexis had disappeared into the kitchen. “Being pregnant suits her.”

Vivian and Hazel laughed out loud that time, and Jacob chuckled.

“What?” Samantha asked, laughing too even though she was cocking her head to one side in confusion. “Why is that funny?”

“I’m not sure,” Hazel admitted. “I think it’s just because you’re so young, but you said it like you’re some sage grandmother or something.”

They continued to chat and banter while they sipped their iced teas and waited for their food. Julia stopped by their booth for a few minutes to talk and snitch a few sips of Hazel’s tea. It wasn’t long before Alexis returned with their entrees, and they began to eat the delicious food.

This is wonderful,Vivian thought.Us eating together like this. Most of my children are here at work with me, and Dean might stop by any minute.

She thought to herself that she had so much to be thankful for, and that there was nothing else in the world she could possibly want.

Then why did she feel as though she was missing something?

She looked up at Hazel and Jacob, and the way they were making eyes at each other across the table. She thought about how much all of her children loved their significant others—Alexis and Grayson had a bond that had been repaired and strengthened when Grayson moved to Rosewood Beach from L.A. to be with her, giving up his extremely lucrative company; Julia and her boyfriend Cooper had been head over heels for each other ever since he’d caught her from literally falling head over heels in the mud, and his little daughter Macey made their relationship even stronger because of the teamwork it involved; Dean had met his sweet, good-hearted girlfriend Noelle when she was his physical therapist, and the two of them were thebest of friends, always going off on adventures together; and now Hazel had started to date Jacob, a good, hard-working man she’d had a crush on since high school. All of the Owens children seemed to have found someone wonderful, and Vivian couldn’t have been happier for them.

But in that moment, she realized what she felt was missing from her life. She wanted a special someone of her own again. She missed coming home to Frank and having a partner who she could talk to about her day. She missed having someone to care for, and she missed having a man around who was protective of her and looked out for her.

She sighed quietly to herself, reflecting that although she missed that kind of companionship, she needed to simply carry on with her already full, wonderful life. Surely the time for romance had passed for her. She was entering her older years, and she was blessed beyond measure. She told herself firmly that she should just be grateful for the time that she’d had with Frank and be content with the way her life was now.

She smiled quietly to herself and took another bite out of her crispy BLT. That was the right attitude, she felt sure of it. She would simply enjoy her children and her grandchildren during this phase of her life, and not have any more silly thoughts about romance.

CHAPTER TWO

Terrence Rawlins climbed into his car, bringing a sprinkling of snow with him as he went. He glanced behind him at the restaurant he’d just finished inspecting, thinking to himself that they’d barely managed to scrape by.

If it was up to me,he thought,I would also base my health inspections on people’s attitudes. Those people seemed as though they were lazy and didn’t really care. I bet half the place falls apart before the next health inspection.

He sighed, wondering if he was getting too grumpy. It seemed to him that modern people just didn’t have the same work ethic that people used to have, and too many establishments were sloppy and disorganized. He liked it whenever he found a place that was well-cared for, but it wasn’t often that he came across them.

He started the engine of his car, and his breath clouded in front of him. He had a long drive back to Rosewood Beach, where he lived, and he wondered where he was going to eat dinner. He’d been hoping to stop by The Lighthouse Grill that evening for his meal, but based on how hungry he was, he decided that he would need to stop somewhere else on his drive back.

He turned his car out of the parking lot of the little restaurant and started to make his way toward the highway. Snowflakes tumbled down from the sky, and he grumbled a little to himself, wondering if he was about to get caught in a blizzard.

His stomach growled again, and he found himself thinking about The Lighthouse Grill. It was by far his favorite restaurant in the whole area—maybe anywhere at all. They served good, wholesome comfort food, and the staff and owners were friendly and professional. He smiled as he thought about how he’d recently done a health inspection there, and the one thing that had needed to be remedied was that the air vents were in need of replacement. Those were the kinds of establishments he loved to work with—places where people really cared and were doing their best. It was obvious that The Lighthouse Grill cared about their customers just as much as they cared about making a profit.

It’s places like that that make my job worth doing,hethought as he turned onto a snowy road.I don’t like having to write down a whole long list of rules and regulations every time.

Personally, he liked rules and regulations. He liked order, and professionalism, and things being done the way they were supposed to be. In many ways, that made him a great health inspector, since he had every regulation memorized and he was quick to see when things weren’t as they should be. He’d spent many years enjoying getting businesses back on track, and most of the people he’d worked with had been friendly and cooperative.

It was a satisfying life, he thought as he wound his way along the snowy road. The road was bordered by pine trees, which tossed fitfully in the cold wind. He was grateful for how warm his car was despite the outside temperature, and his mind continued on its contemplative track as he drove. He was happywith his life, and he got a great satisfaction out of ensuring that guidelines were met in all of the local establishments he inspected.

He found himself sighing as he drove, however. He liked his life, and his job, but he had to admit that he’d once hoped his life would be different from what it was. He’d imagined a life with a partner in it, a woman he could come home to and support. He’d never imagined being single at his age, he’d always just assumed that his bachelor days were only for when he was a younger man. But there he was, in his early sixties, and he’d never married. He felt a twinge of loneliness he couldn’t ignore.

I’ve had a full life, he thought.One that’s kept me busy and happy. But I do wish I was driving home to someone right now.

He imagined a cozy scene and sighed again. He pictured a smiling wife greeting him at the door, perhaps heating up some leftovers for him to eat for dinner or making him a cup of tea. He pictured himself doing sweet little things for her as well, like massaging her feet or surprising her by bringing home one of her favorite books from the library.

The rosy picture he was painting for himself started to look too wonderful, and he shook his head, telling himself not to be silly. He was content with his life, he always had been. After all, if he’d really wanted to get married, he would have gone out and found a woman to marry, wouldn’t he? He was okay with his solitude, and he often preferred to be alone in the quiet with a good book and a cup of tea.

He cleared his throat a little as he drove, wondering if he was fooling himself a little. He sighed again and turned his car onto one of the main roads, which was well-plowed and brightly lit with streetlights.

Halfway through his drive, he stopped at a little diner on the side of the road. The food was warm and pleasant, but he found it somewhat bland, even though he felt hungry enough to eat ahorse. As he sipped his decaf coffee, he looked down at his empty plate, feeling a hankering for a little something more. He’d ordered lasagna with a side of tomato soup and garlic bread, and the portion sizes had been modest enough that he felt he could eat a little dessert as well. He glanced over the dessert menu, but soon decided against ordering a turtle sundae, a giant brownie, or a slice of cherry pie.

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