Page 71 of The Spotted Cottage By the Sea
“It’s much worse than that,” Patty said. She took a seat at one of the kitchen stools and glided a hand across the counter. “It’s very beautiful what you’ve done with the place.”
“Thank you, I –”
“But I’m not here for pleasantries,” Patty added, cutting him off. “You are making a big mistake, buddy.”
Buddy?He knew he shouldn’t, but he cracked a smile. “Do you think? I didn’t think the new rosebush was that bad, but if you hate it –”
“I’m talking about Sheila.” Patty snapped, her eyes locked on his.
“I know.” He sighed. He needed to stay firm. It didn’t matter how much he missed Sheila, how he ached to hear her laugh again. In fact, it was only more important he stay away from her. He was weak when it came to her. “Listen, Patty, I appreciate what you’re trying to do, but I think it’s best if we all just let it go.”
“Oh,youthink it’s best, do you?” She sucked in a breath and pointed a finger inches from his nose. “Let me tell you something, young man. I’ve been around a long time, and I don’t care if you’re a big Hollywood star. I know a lot more about this life than you do.”
“Yes, but –”
“No buts! I’m not done yet.”
Russell shut his mouth and resolved to keep it shut.
Patty went on. “Sheila told me what happened. Or at least, as much as she could tell me. I had to pry it out of her.” She shook her head. “That is a woman who would not ask for help if her hair was on fire. And I know this because I’m a lot like her.”
As well-intentioned as this was, they were not school children who needed their mother to intervene. There were things that couldn’t be fixed sometimes.
He happened to be one of those things.
“We had a disagreement,” Russell said gently. “It doesn’t matter in the end. I’m selling the house after Thanksgiving.”
She didn’t take her eyes off him. She clasped her hands together and slightly tilted her head to the side. “That woman is in love with you.”
If only.“I don’t think I see it.”
Her glare continued. “It doesn’t matter how old you get. You men can’t see anything.” Patty shook her head andtsked. “Sheila will do anything for the ones she loves.”
“Be that as it may, you might not be aware of all of her intentions,” he said firmly. “I don’t want to be rude, but –”
“You are being rude.” Patty stood. “Don’t you see? Sheila made a promise to that whale, years ago. It had nothing to do with you. Then, because life can be so twisted, she metyou,of all people, and fell in love with you. You fell in love with her, too. Don’t deny it. I saw how you looked at her when she was singing.”
He stared at her, his mind tumbling over her words. Was he that obvious? That much of a rube?
The image of her singing under the twinkling lights filled his mind and his breath caught in his throat.
“She’s in trouble, you know. Of course you don’t know.” Patty waved a hand. “You’re not speaking to her, but you should be! She’s going to lose her house, and she’s terrified to tell the girls, and now we’re going to lose the tea shop too.”
The thought of her with her back to the sunset dashed from his mind as his stomach sunk. “The tea shop? Why?”
She clenched her jaw, grumbled, and released it. “It doesn’t matter.” Her voice softened. “The shop is just a thing, Russell. You have to understand. We can lose things; we can get things. Love is far more rare, and far more important.”
The more she talked about love, the room spun. He heaved himself onto a kitchen stool.
It took him a moment to speak again. “I can’t, Patty. I just can’t.”
She stared at him, the wrinkles around her eyes pulling together. “I know you’ve had your heart broken.” She put a hand on his shoulder. “Do you think you’re the only one?”
In that moment, he stopped trying to argue. She reminded him so much of his own mom, the yelling included. He’d never needed his mom’s sage advice more than in the last five years, but she’d been gone nearly a decade.
“How do I know it’s real? With Sheila. How can I be sure?”
“My dear boy!” A smile spread across Patty’s face, a twinkle in her eye. “Don’t you know? There is no love without risk, and there is no life without love.”
