Page 24 of The Uncomplicated Café
Abby swallowed one last lingering doubt. “Yes. Can you make the call? I need to take this breakfast tray up to Tom, and, now that we’ve decided, I don’t want to postpone another second.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He flashed a teasing grin, perpetuating their playful inside joke where he called her ma’am in formal military fashion and she pretended to dislike it.
Rocking onto her tiptoes, she responded with a kiss. “I’ll be back down in a second, so you can tell me what she had to say.” Removing the Monte Cristo Casserole from the warmth of the oven, she served a heaping slice onto a fine china plate. She added the dish to the tray, placing it beside the seasonal fruit salad, lemon poppy seed scone, Greek yogurt topped withhomemade maple pecan granola, and a glass of orange juice she’d hand-squeezed earlier that morning.
Anticipating her next move, Logan filled an antique teacup with piping hot Kenyan roast from the insulated French press and handed it to her.
She arranged the coffee on the tray next to a small sugar bowl and creamer, tweaked the tiny vase of tea roses, then gave a satisfied smile.Perfect. Hopefully, Tom would enjoy the selection. And maybe a big breakfast would help put some meat on his bones.
She carefully carried the tray upstairs and knocked on the door of their best suite.
The door swung open, and a freshly showered Tom stood on the other side. Water droplets beaded in his short-cropped hair, and he smelled like the fancy lavender soaps supplied in the en suite bathroom. Although squeaky clean, he wore the same oversize shirt and baggy jeans from the day before.
“Good morning,” Abby said with a cheerful smile as she stepped into the room.Wow.He’d already made the bed with crisp hospital corners and arranged each throw pillow exactly in place. Apart from the open Blessings Bay travel brochure on the coffee table, the room appeared unused. “Would you like to eat in here or out on the balcony?” Most guests ate in the dining room, but a few, like Tom, opted to dine alone in their rooms.
“Outside would be nice, thanks.” He followed her through the French doors to the balcony overlooking the garden and a breathtaking panoramic view of the Pacific Ocean.
“How did you sleep?” Abby set the tray on the cozy bistro table.
“Great. Something about the sound of the waves really knocked me out.”
“I’m so happy to hear that.” She hesitated, wanting to prolong their interaction to find out more about him, butblanking on casual yet meaningful topics of conversation. Especially since her thoughts lingered on Logan’s call with Carla. “Well,” she said, resolving to try again later. “Enjoy your breakfast. And let me know if I can suggest any outings or activities for the day.”
“Thanks.” He shifted his feet, still standing. “Thank you. For everything. You have a beautiful home. And I’ve enjoyed my stay.”
Uh-oh. Sounds like a precursor togoodbye. She’d hoped to have more time to get to know Thomas Maineland, the mysterious man without a digital footprint. She couldn’t shake the feeling he needed help of some sort. How could she find out for certain without scaring him off?
“I think I’ll be on my way today, but I’m grateful for your hospitality.”
As he confirmed her suspicions, her heart sank. He was leaving. Was he concerned about the price? Could she offer him another discount without offending his pride?
“I’d like to pay you for the room.” He dug into his front pocket and withdrew a wad of cash along with a small, smooth stone. Aqua sea glass. He set it on the table to sort through the crumpled bills.
“That isn’t necessary.” She waved away his offer. “First night free, remember?”
“But this room. This breakfast. It’s too nice. I can’t accept—”
“You can,” she interrupted with her warmest, most persuasive smile. “Just think of this as your lucky day.” She nodded toward the pale blueish-green pebble. “My son, Max, collects sea glass. Aqua is his favorite color. He says it represents good luck.”
“Your son, does he live here with you?”
“Yes, but he’s away at summer camp. He comes home tomorrow.” She couldn’t stop her smile from spreading into agiddy grin of delight. “Sorry, I’ve really missed him. The thought of him coming home soon makes me so happy, it’s hard to contain my excitement.”
“You must love him a lot.”
“More than I ever thought possible.” Sensing an opening, she asked, “Do you have kids?”
He stared at her a moment without speaking, as if his mind had gone completely blank. After a long, awkward pause, he scooped the sea glass back into his pocket and said, “Actually, I’d like to stay one more night, if that’s okay.”
Taken aback by the abrupt change in topic, Abby took a moment to respond. “Um, yes, of course.”
“Thank you.” Without another word, Tom sat at the table and reached for his coffee, conversation over.
Flustered, Abby shuffled back through the French doors, trying to make sense of the strange shift in his demeanor. Had asking about his family been too intrusive? It felt like a natural segue. Why had such a simple question struck a nerve?
And even more perplexing, why had he suddenly decided to stay?
Chapter Fifteen
