He chuckled to himself as he thought of Shelly’s talk of ghosts. Maybe they’d finally meet Amelia in the lower level, although he wouldn’t suggest that to Ivy.
6
On Saturday morning, Ivy rose early. Her brothers Forrest and Flint would arrive soon with their kids to tackle the lower level cleaning and painting, and she still had to tend to breakfast and morning guest requests. Imani had volunteered to lead the beach walk and clip flowers for the entryway, and Poppy was filling in to teach Shelly’s morning yoga class. Ivy was confident that everything would get done, but just barely.
As the scent of roasted coffee filled the air, Ivy dashed around the kitchen preparing the breakfast trays with the muffins Mitch had dropped off, hoping Shelly would arrive as early as she’d promised.
Sunny sauntered into the kitchen, her hair in disarray. She had pulled on cut-off jean shorts and a T-shirt emblazoned with the slogan, Life is Better in Summer Beach.
“Good morning, sweetie,” Ivy said, giving her daughter a quick hug. “The coffee is on. Help yourself.”
Yawning, Sunny took a mug from the cupboard. “I’ll pitch in once I get a few sips of java juice down.”
“You know where I’ll be.” Ivy began to set up the dining area, and Sunny joined her a few minutes later. They worked quickly, yet before they finished, guests began arriving for breakfast. Sunny looked down at her outfit. “I’ll go change, Mom. Be back in a couple of minutes.”
Ivy was glad she didn’t have to ask this time. Even though this was their home, she liked everyone to look nice for their guests. Before long, the dining room was full of summer vacationers.
“It’s good to have a full house again,” Ivy said a little while later to Sunny after her daughter had changed and returned, looking brighter in a short, pink polka-dot sundress. Ivy looked across the dining room where guests were milling about, helping themselves to muffins, toaster waffles, soft-boiled eggs, yogurt, and a large fruit bowl. “Sunny, help me clear this table for the next guests, please.”
“Sure, Mom.” Sunny collected plates from a table where one set of guests had just departed, and another family was looking for a place to sit. She placed the dishes on a tray.
Ivy directed the guests to the table while Sunny swiped a damp cloth over it, brushing away crumbs. Although her spoiled younger daughter still had her moments, she was taking on more responsibility without excessive prodding, much to Ivy’s relief.
This past week, Ivy and Poppy had called the family and invited them to a barbecue—with a hefty side of cleaning and painting downstairs. Only a couple of them had other plans, such as Elena, who was tending her jewelry shop in Los Angeles. Poppy rallied her cousins while Ivy made a list and ordered paint and supplies from Jen at Nailed It.
Ivy glanced at her watch, feeling a little perturbed. The family would begin arriving any minute, and Shelly had promised to arrive early to help set up downstairs. Sighing, Ivy realized she needed to let go. Her sister had a more exciting life with Mitch now, and the inn was no longer her most urgent priority.
As it should be, Ivy thought, checking her annoyance. Shelly had been so eager to sail into her sunrise, as she put it, and now she was.
“Good morning, Bettina and John, ” Ivy said to the thirty-something couple who sat down. They had checked in the day before for a vacation stay. The woman wore a pink-and-green, seashell-printed bathing suit coverup. “What a cute outfit. You both look like you’re ready for the beach.”
“Thanks,” Bettina said. “Do you think these clouds will clear up? We were hoping for a sunny day. I’m a nurse, so I spend most of my time indoors. I’ve been aching for sunshine.”
“This is normal this time of year,” Ivy said. “The marine layer will burn off in an hour or two, and then you’ll have plenty of sunshine. But don’t let that fool you into not putting on sunscreen when you go out.”
Sunny piped up. “We have fresh muffins today. Apple-cinnamon and blueberry. I can bring some if you want.”
Ivy put an arm around her daughter and smiled, proud of how she was beginning to pitch in and communicate with guests. “This is my daughter, Sunny. You’re welcome to help yourself, too.”
“Which shops in the village would you recommend?” Bettina asked.
“That depends on what you want. If you like vintage pieces, Antique Times is always fun to explore. The Hidden Garden has wonderful plants and garden decorations.” Ivy named a few other boutiques in town. “Java Beach is great for coffee and lunch, and the Coral Cafe has a delicious menu for supper, along with a beautiful view of the ocean. Spirits & Vine is a lively wine bar with live jazz on the weekend.”
“We’ll check those out,” John said, resting a hand on his wife’s. “Bettina loves to read. Any place where we can find beach books?”
“Pages bookshop in the village has a good assortment.” Ivy smiled, recalling Darla’s comment. “The proprietor is so good at making book recommendations that some call her a book whisperer.”
“Then we’ll be sure to visit,” Bettina said, her face brightening.
Ivy and Sunny moved through the room, chatting with guests while Poppy finished yoga and moved to the front desk. Mornings were usually busy with guest requests and questions.
Checking in with Poppy, Ivy asked if she’d heard from Shelly.
“She’ll probably be here soon,” Poppy said, sounding more hopeful than she looked.
Ivy touched Poppy’s shoulder. “Thank you for filling in for her. It’s going to be a busy day.”
After the breakfast rush, guests were generally eager to go to the beach or shop in the village. A few often lingered by the pool, but not today. Sunny slipped away to her room to change into her painting clothes while Ivy quickly replenished the breakfast fare in the kitchen for family members who were coming to help. By the time she finished the first lot of dishwashing, she could hear laughter from the front hallway.
Her cleanup crew had arrived.
A voice bellowed down the hallway. “Where’s Ivy Bay?”
“Coming,” she called back to her brother, Forrest. After drying her hands, she picked up the sketch she’d made and met him in the dining room, giving him a hug when she saw him.
After asking about him and his family, Ivy said, “Have you heard from Mom and Dad yet?”
“This morning,” Forrest replied, pushing a Padres baseball cap back on his head. “They’d just pulled into port at Panama where they met friends sailing from Florida.” Forrest was muscular and solid, and he’d always been her protector. His twin, Flint, was a leaner version—a mammalogist who loved studying marine life and being out on the ocean.
Ivy wished their parents would call her, but she knew her turn was coming. “So they must be crossing the Pacific soon.”
“Not quite yet,” Forrest said, shaking his head. “They’re talking about changing course and cruising to Bahia de Caraquez in Ecuador. Dad said the passage to the Galápagos from Salinas will provide steadier winds. From there, they would follow what they call the milk route—I didn’t ask why it’s called that—but it would take them to the Galápagos Islands, the Marquesas, the Tuamotus, and the Society Islands. That includes Bora Bora and Tahiti.”