Page 21 of Happy Harbor
“Josie Campbell?”
She looked up to see a tall, lanky man in front of her. He was about her age with bright-orange hair, a scruffy beard, and a gold cross necklace hanging from his neck.
“Clay Dallas? Is that you under all that facial hair?”
He laughed. “Yes, ma’am. That’s me. Good to see you, but so sorry to hear about your grandma. She was a wonderful lady.”
Clay and Josie had gone to high school together after his family moved there from Charleston in his sophomore year. He’d been one of her favorite people to get into trouble with, like the time they pulled the fire alarm or the time they released Mr. Pope’s mean wild geese onto the football field. Watching one of them chase Tiffany Chambers, the head cheerleader and the worst person Josie’d ever known, was hysterically funny. She and Clay found themselves sitting in the principal’s office—and the local police station—more times than she could count.
“Thank you. How are you doing these days? Still living in Happy Harbor?”
He laughed. “No, not anymore. I’m married with three little ones now.” He held up his phone and showed a picture of a beautiful blond woman and three little kids in front of a fireplace decorated for Christmas. “Stairsteps, ages ten, eight, and six.”
“Clay Dallas got married? Wow! I never figured you to be the marrying type.”
He shrugged his shoulders. “When it’s the right person, you just know, I suppose. Besides, we all have to grow up sometime, right?”
She chuckled. “I guess so. Oh, this is my daughter, Kendra.”
He shook Kendra’s hand. “Nice to meet you. You look so much like your momma did at your age.”
“She’s much prettier,” Josie said, putting her arm around her daughter. Kendra looked at her like she was crazy but, thankfully, didn’t say anything about the affection.
“Well, I’d better go. I need to get back home before dark. We live over near Mount Pleasant, and I have work in the morning.”
“Thank you for coming, Clay. It means a lot.”
“You’re welcome, Josie. And for what it’s worth, I hope you stay and run Miss Adeline’s restaurant. She sure would’ve loved that.”
Her heart hurt when he said it because she knew that was an accurate statement. There was nothing her nana would’ve loved more than to know Josie was back home in Happy Harbor, surrounded by good people and keeping the memories of the house and restaurant alive.
“Can we get something to eat now?” Kendra asked, her voice a bit like a whiny eight-year-old.
“Yes. Come on.”
They walked over to the biggest table and took plates, piling them high with food. Josie was a bit afraid everybody would think she was some kind of glutton, but she didn’t care that much. She was hungry. The hotel food was subpar and often gross, and the best place to eat in town was Campbell’s. Since she’d been avoiding it, they hadn’t had any good Southern food yet. Now was their moment.
“Oh my gosh. What is this? It’s so good!” Kendra said, pointing at something on her plate.
“That’s cheese grits with real bacon.”
“I want to eat this every day for the rest of my life. Sure beats the disgusting pizza at my school cafeteria. I still don’t think they use real pepperoni.”
Josie elbowed her and laughed. “Don’t be silly.”
“These rolls are amazing.”
“Did you get some of the chicken casserole with the flaky butter-cracker crust?”
“What? No. Where was that?”
“Over on the table beside the piano.”
Kendra got up and wandered across the room, plate in hand. This was the first time in a long time that they were having fun together. The fact that it was at her grandmother’s funeral luncheon was weird, but these days she’d take whatever happiness and peace she could get. Across the room, Josie saw Kendra get approached by an older woman and look at Josie for help. She just smiled and continued eating.
“Hey, Josie. So good to see you. Glad you could make it to the luncheon.” She recognized Mrs. Boniface from the funeral. Thankfully, Joe had pointed her out. She hadn’t met her before, and she vaguely remembered her grandmother talking about a friend who had moved to town a few years back.
“Thank you for hosting it, Mrs. Boniface. You have a lovely home, and the food is delicious. Nana would’ve loved this.”
