said you’re closed right now,” he said, trying to get back to the point. “How soon will you be reopening?”
“That depends on Hannah.”
Luke didn’t even try to hide his surprise. “Hannah’s still in Seaview?”
“No, Hannah’s in New York, but I’m working on that. Once I get her back here, I figure I can convince her to stay. After that it’ll take a couple of weeks to whip this place into shape for guests.”
“I could help with that,” he offered. “I don’t know what you need, but I can manage some odd jobs for you.”
“Not if you’re a guest, you can’t,” she responded, sounding scandalized.
“I don’t mind. It’ll be good to do something useful. If you feel strongly about it, you can give me a break on your rates. I hope to be there for a few weeks at least.”
She was silent for so long, he thought she was going to refuse, but then she asked, “When would you be coming?”
“The first week of February, if that would be okay with you,” he said.
“Perfect,” she muttered, more to herself than him. “Okay, Luke Stevens, you have yourself a deal and a reservation. You might have a fight on your hands with Hannah, but I imagine you’ll be able to handle her. Goodbye.”
She’d left him openmouthed then, just as the sight of the Seaview Inn had him openmouthed now. Apparently he’d been overly optimistic about just how idyllic this trip down memory lane was going to be.
* * *
Luke knocked on the front door of the inn, but when no one answered, he stepped inside and called out. “Mrs. Matthews, it’s me, Luke Stevens. Are you home?”
He heard a door to his left bang open and then Jenny Matthews came bustling out of the kitchen and across the dining room, drying her hands on a dish towel.
“You’re early,” she said, making it sound like an accusation. “I thought you weren’t coming for another week.”
“I was able to get away sooner than I expected. Since you mentioned having work to do around here, I figured the sooner I was here to help, the better. Is it okay?”
She looked troubled, but then shook her head. “Don’t worry about it. I just haven’t had a chance to explain this to Hannah.” She shrugged, then gave him a rueful look. “Well, she’ll get used to the idea soon enough, I expect. Let me show you to your room.”
“You don’t need to do that,” he said, worried about her ability to negotiate all those stairs. “Just point me in the right direction. I can manage.”
“Okay, then. I’ll get you a key and you can take your things upstairs. Less running up and down I do, the better I like it.” She went to a small desk in the foyer, pulled a key from the drawer and handed it to him. “Since there’s no one else staying here right now, I’m giving you the room on the end. It has more space and the best view. Has a real nice bathroom, too. Hannah’s mother talked me into putting one of those Jacuzzi things in there. Said we could double the price if we did that.”
Luke thought of how wonderful that would be for his bad leg, which still ached like the devil when he stayed on his feet too long or tried to walk too far. He couldn’t seem to stop himself from testing his limits, though. Being incapacitated and less than his physical best bothered him more than he liked to admit. Being strong and athletic was as much a part of his identity as being a doctor.
“Thanks,” he said. “I appreciate it.”
“I dusted in there myself just yesterday. There should be plenty of clean towels, but if there’s anything you need, let me know when you come back down. I’ll fix some lunch for you. You can eat out on the porch, if you like. I imagine you’ll find that more pleasant than sitting in the dining room all alone. Won’t be fancy, but it’ll be filling. Tuna sandwich, home-baked cookies and lemonade. How does that sound?”
“Perfect.” He remembered her baking with the affection of a teenage boy for whom chocolate-chip cookies had been only a couple of rungs below stealing kisses on his list of favorite things.
“Will a half hour give you enough time to get set-tled?” she asked.
“More than enough. Thanks, Mrs. Matthews.”
“If you’re going to be staying here awhile, you might’s well call me Grandma Jenny.”
“I’ll do that, then,” he said, and impulsively gave her a quick kiss on her cheek. “Thanks for taking me in.”
“Oh, you’ll earn your keep soon enough,” she assured him. “Now, hurry along. You need to be settled before Hannah gets back.”
He regarded her suspiciously. “Why is that?”
“Trust me, it’s just better that way.”
“You think she’s going to want to kick me out, don’t you?”
“Oh, I expect so,” she said nonchalantly. “But don’t worry too much about that, Luke. Despite what she thinks, I still have some say around this place. She hasn’t sold it out from under me yet.”
“Hannah wants to sell Seaview Inn?” he asked, astonished. “Why?”
“Because I’m old and she doesn’t want to be bothered with it,” she said succinctly. “I’d say that sums it up. Oh, she thinks I don’t know exactly what she’s up to, but I can read all the signs.”
Luke didn’t begin to understand the dynamics at work here, but he did know one thing. People shouldn’t be forced into doing something just for someone else’s convenience. He’d treated enough elderly patients with hip fractures to understand how many of them wound up leaving homes they loved because it put their children’s consciences at ease.
Until he knew more about this situation, though, he needed to keep his opinions to himself. It would be wrong to leap to Grandma Jenny’s side before he knew all the facts, as well as heard Hannah’s perspective.
“Well, there’s plenty of time to figure all of this out, I’m sure,” he told her. “At least you and Hannah are agreed on fixing this place up, so as soon as I’ve had some lunch, you can put me to work.”
“You’re eager. I like that,” she said approvingly. “Now, run along. Your lunch will be waiting on the porch as soon as you’re ready.”
“Will you and Hannah be joining me?”
“Not me. I have things to do,” she said, looking vaguely guilty.
“And Hannah?”
“She’s taking a walk on the beach. No telling when she’ll be back.”
Luke got it then. Grandma Jenny didn’t want to be anywhere in sight when Hannah discovered that he’d taken up residence at the inn.
“You’re a very sneaky woman, aren’t you?” he said, delighted by her spunk.
She
