Sylvie stood behind a counter unpacking a box of T-shirts. “Cody!” She put down a handful of shirts and ran to give him a hug.
He put his arms around her and hugged her back. Her topknot tickled his chin and her perfume filled his nostrils. She broke away and looked him up and down. “Heard you were back in town and workin’ for the chamber. Glen Thomas.” She tsked-tsked. “He’s a driver.”
“He’s okay. Leaves me and Luci pretty much on our own.”
Sylvie shook her forefinger. “Yeah. Just don’t cross him.”
“And that would be how?”
“Forget I said that.” She waved a hand, jangling her bracelet made of tiny seashells. Her dangling earrings were also made of shells, and her pink shirt read Willow Beach Rocks. He glanced down at her jeans and flip-flops. Sylvie was a walking advertisement for her souvenir shop.
“Looks like you’re doing a great job, taking over for your folks.”
“I’m trying. Growing up in the business helps. I’ve been working here since I was old enough to walk, practically.” She grinned. “So what brings you here today? Want me to pose for you?” She placed her hand behind her head and fluttered her eyelashes.
Cody laughed. “Sure. But later. I’ve a favor to ask first.”
“Okay. I’m listening, but let me buy you a drink. C’mon.”
She led him to the employee’s lounge, which was decorated with orange and red vinyl furniture and a soft drink machine with blinking lights. A few minutes later, bottle of soda in hand and seated on one of the vinyl couches, Cody asked Sylvie to go out to dinner with him and Ben and Luci.
While he talked, she drank her soda and tapped her red fingernails—which matched her toenails—against the bottle.
When he finished, Sylvie set her drink on a glass-topped table. “Let me get this straight. You want me to be your dinner date because you’re trying to get this Ben and Luci together, and he needs moral support.”
“Something like that.”
“And I’m supposed to be your date,” she asked.
“Think of it more as friends getting together.”
“But you want Ben and Luci to be more than friends? Cody, Cody. Everybody knows Luci’s had a crush on you since she was in high school and you were working for the Herald.”
Cody stiffened. “Maybe so, but now we’re just friends.”
“Does Luci know that? What are you trying to prove here?”
Cody set down his soda and raised both hands. “I’m not trying to prove anything. Ben says he’s interested in Luci, but he’s, well, shy, and needs a nudge. I got them talking about birds—Ben’s hobby is bird-watching—but I can tell he’s a slow mover.”
“And what does Luci think about Ben?”
Cody shrugged. “Who knows? Maybe you can find that out. You’re not hooked up with anyone right now, are you? I heard you and Eddie Lightner were quits.”
Sylvie gave an unladylike snort. “That jerk better not show his face around here again.”
“What happened?”
She folded her arms and tilted her head toward the ceiling. “You don’t want to know. Anyway, I’m off men right now. Big-time.”
“You don’t have to worry about me, Sylvie. I’m not looking, either.”
“Uh-huh. I don’t know, Cody. Don’t you think messing around with people’s love lives is risky?”
“I think Ben’s a good guy and I think Luci’s, ah...” Oh, man, he was talking himself into a corner here.
Sylvie gave him a sly look. “You think she’s hot.”
“Luci is a good friend of mine,” he finished in a firm tone. “A friend I want to see happy.”
“With another guy. You don’t make a bit of sense.”
Cody set his jaw. “Hey, it’s a free meal.”
Sylvie put a finger to her cheek. “Hmm. The Beach Café, you said? I do like their seafood salad.”
“Well, there you go.”
“I guess I could meet you there.”
“Nope. I’ll pick you up. We’ll make this an official date.”
By the time he left, Cody’s head hurt. He stood outside a moment and rubbed his temples. If his plan worked, it’d be worth it. Now, all Ben had to do was ask Luci and they’d be set. He’d better not expect Cody to do that, too. The guy had to take some responsibility.
“THIS IS A nice evening, isn’t it?” Luci said. “The air is extra fresh after the rain we had this morning.”
“It is,” Ben replied in a monotone. Driving up Main Street seemed to require all his attention.
He looked as neat as a pin, with his hair combed back from his forehead and his jaw clean shaven. He used a strong aftershave, not unpleasant but certainly noticeable. Underneath a lightweight blue windbreaker, he wore his customary formfitting shirt and navy slacks.
She’d debated what to wear herself, finally settling on a dark brown cotton skirt and a T-shirt with a scoop neckline. The butterscotch color set off her red hair, which she’d brushed until it shone.
She wasn’t sure what this evening was about. When he’d invited her to dinner, Ben had said it would be a good chance to talk more about the article on birds. But couldn’t they do that at the chamber office? Then she’d figured the bird talk was a cover.
Ben had probably seen her around the building and wanted to meet her. When he and Cody were on the fishing trip, Ben must have told Cody of his interest, and Cody said he’d introduce them. That was why Cody had brought Ben to her office that day.
He was nice, if a little stiff and formal. But that was okay. She looked forward to the evening. Maybe if she went out with other men, she could forget about Cody. She still wasn’t sure how she felt about him. Was she harboring her teenage crush? Or something more? Spending an evening with Ben might help her to find the answer.
Good thing it wasn’t much farther to the Beach Café, because her conversational well was already running dry. At the restaurant, they could talk about the food. And the view. And birds.
* * *
AT THE CAFÉ, Marlys, the hostess, greeted them. “Hello, Luci.”
“Hi, Marlys, I heard you were working here now.”
Marlys nodded. “Now that the twins are in preschool and Joe’s on day shift at the plant, I’m back at work. I love it.”
Luci introduced Ben.
“Welcome to Willow Beach,” Marlys said. “I hope you enjoy the Beach Café. The rest of your group is already seated.”
Their group? Before Luci could ask, Marlys picked up a couple menus and motioned them to follow her.
Luci pushed aside her concern and took time to enjoy the restaurant’s casual elegance. The place was light and airy with windows on the ocean side and elevated booths on the opposite wall that gave every customer a view. Paintings of nautical scenes decorated the walls.
They hadn’t gone far when Luci spotted Cody. It had always been that way. There could be dozens of people around, but if he was in the group, she knew it. And there he was tonight, sitting at one of the window tables. With a woman. Luci stared. His