Page 26 of Take This Heart
It’s on the tip of my tongue to tell him everything, but something holds me back. I’ll tell him in person.
“Now comes the real work.” Everett laughs. “How soon can you get your butt up to Windy Harbor? We need to start talking plans.”
I grin, leaning back in my office chair. “How soon do you want me?”
“Yesterday.”
Windy Harbor hits me like a sucker punch the second I roll in the following Saturday.
The air is crisper here. Boats bob lazily in the harbor. Shops line the main street, the lake glittering in the background. A perfect backdrop.
It feels different than the last time I was here.
Maybe because now, in my mind, this town is tied to Goldie.
To her fire. Her stubbornness. Her family.
I drive down Wildbriar Lane, the main street, eyeing the colorful buildings tucked close together. A couple of them look like they may have apartments above the shops. I’ve always loved this town. It has more of a coastal vibe than the usual North Woods vibe—nothing wrong with that, but I appreciate the color and the quirkiness of this place more.
I pull in front of the Kitty-Corner Cafe. Inside, the place smells rich of coffee and baked goods. My stomach growls.
A young woman behind the counter looks up and gives me a friendly smile. “Can I help you?”
I glance around. “I’ll take a cup of coffee…and what smells so good?”
She grins wider. “My cinnamon rolls. Take a look at that top shelf.” She points to the glass cabinet and my eyes go big.
“Hell, yeah, I’ll have one of those.”
She laughs. “Coming right up.”
“Actually…I’m looking for a place to stay. Are there any hotels or rooms available for a few weeks at a time?”
“The nicer places are about half an hour up the lake. Our lodge closed, and now Windy Harbor just has a few places over our shops. They’re usually occupied, but we’ve got one open right above us. Cozy little studio. Nothing fancy, but the view’s not bad.”
I nod. “Can I see it? I’m not sure when I’ll need it exactly, but I’d like to know my options.”
She opens a drawer and pulls out a key. “Go on up. I’ll work on your coffee and heat up your cinnamon roll.”
“Thanks.” I look to see if she’s wearing a name tag, but she’s not.
“I’m Juliana, but everyone calls me Juju.”
“I’m Milo. Nice to meet you.”
“You too!”
“Juju, you didn’t tell me you’d put in a new oven!” Goldie comes out of the kitchen and comes to a dead stop when she sees me. Her hair’s twisted up in some messy knot that still somehow looks like it belongs on a magazine cover, a few strands falling over her cheek. Her mouth parts and I can’t help but grin.
Her eyes narrow.
I chuckle. Everything I do seems to rub this woman the wrong way.
She sighs. “This ismycoffee shop.”
"Didn’t realize it," I say, leaning an elbow casually on the counter. "Maybe you should put up a sign. ‘Beware: Goldie Whitman. Death by rudeness.’”
“Very funny. I guess I’m gonna have to get used to seeing you in my town, huh,” she says, folding her arms.
