Windswept Way (Hope Harbor #9)(58)
Author: Irene Hannon

 

“One. A small café. And the tacos from the stand on the wharf are phenomenal if the owner is cooking.”

 

Her mother wrinkled her nose. “I don’t want street-truck food. Is the café decent?”

 

In other words, was it upscale?

 

“It’s not fancy, and the menu is simple, but everything I’ve had has been tasty.”

 

“That will have to do.” She nodded toward the catering crew. “Go ahead and finish up over there. Business comes first.”

 

Ashley bit back the dissent poised on the tip of her tongue. “Give me five minutes. Why don’t you drive around back and park by the carriage house? I’ll join you there.”

 

“Sounds like a plan.”

 

As her mother returned to her car, Ashley hurried back to the tent to wrap up loose ends.

 

Five minutes later, she found her mother waiting at the carriage house door that provided access to the second floor living quarters.

 

“Everything squared away?” Mom already had her overnight bag in hand.

 

“Yes.” She unlocked the door, took the bag, and ushered her up the stairs, mentally running through a to-do checklist. There was only one bedroom, so she’d have to change the linens. Also stock the bathroom with fresh towels. And what was in her fridge for breakfast? Should she stop for provisions in—

 

“I didn’t realize your space was this small. I should have booked a hotel.” Her mother paused at the top of the stairs to survey the compact living/dining room.

 

“It can accommodate two people for one night.” Ashley set her mother’s bag on the floor. “When we get back, I’ll tidy up the bedroom for you.”

 

“Where will you sleep?”

 

“I have a futon that converts to a bed.” Thank goodness she’d brought it with her from Tennessee instead of consigning it to the pile of items she’d donated to charity.

 

“I don’t want to put you out of your bed.”

 

“I’ll be fine for one night. Let’s go eat.”

 

Mom didn’t argue.

 

Nor did she comment on the spacious, manicured Edgecliff grounds as they drove toward the cleaned-up entrance, now vine and foliage free.

 

Which must mean she’d found something to dislike.

 

Ashley let her direct the conversation during the drive and throughout their meal. In between texts, emails, and a phone call that couldn’t wait, Mom grilled her on expenditures at the house and asked a few questions about today’s event. But mostly she talked about an upcoming business trip to London and the hot new musical she’d seen on her last visit to New York.

 

Typical Mom.

 

She continued to hold forth as they wrapped up their meal and during the drive back to Edgecliff. Ashley half listened as she made a mental list of follow-up calls to several vendors who’d expressed an interest in recommending the venue to a current client.

 

Only as she set the brake did she tune back in to her mother, smiling through the fatigue that was beginning to set in. “Would you like a quick tour of the house?”

 

Indecision flashed across her mom’s face . . . but then she acquiesced. “Yes. The outside gives me an idea of what to expect, but I suppose I should see the inside too.”

 

Not the most enthusiastic response, but again, typical Mom. Unless the topic or item under discussion was in her sphere of interest, she’d never been able to muster up much enthusiasm for it.

 

Even if it meant the world to her daughter.

 

So the circuit would be short and sweet.

 

Ashley showed her through the rooms, offering an abbreviated version of the spiel she’d developed for real tours after spending hours researching the history of the house and its contents, with much input from Rose.

 

Mom dutifully trailed behind her until they ended up back in the foyer where they’d begun.

 

“And that concludes the ten-cent tour.” Ashley fished out her keys. “Any questions?” There wouldn’t be. Mom had zero interest in history.

 

“No.” She surveyed the space. “It’s an impressive house, but everything is very old.”

 

Ashley curbed an eye roll. “That’s why it’s a historic property.”

 

“It’s hard to imagine anyone living here in this day and age, though. Or spending their life in such an old-fashioned setting.”

 

Another jab at her daughter’s lifestyle.

 

Let it go, Ashley.

 

“Well, no one lives here now.” She summoned up a smile. “And the carriage house I call home has been updated, as you’ve seen.” Nothing on the scale of Mom’s high-rise condo, with its sleek fixtures and white walls and modern art, but it was comfortable and cozy.

 

“Yes. Your quarters are very cute. But it’s also isolated here. Don’t you get lonely?”

 

“No. The place is buzzing with activity during the week. There are a ton of construction and landscaping people on-site. And Rose lives here too. It’s too late to introduce you to her today, but I could ask her to come over tomorrow.”

 

“That would be fine.” Mom studied her. “I do want what’s best for you, Ashley. And I do want you to be happy.”

 

There was a but coming.

 

“I appreciate that.”

 

“But I don’t know how you’ll ever meet anyone living in such isolation.”

 

“Are you referring to a man?”

 

“Yes. I doubt anyone like Jason will ever show up in a place like this.”

 

“I certainly hope not.”

 

At her vehement response, her mother’s eyes narrowed.

 

Oops.

 

Bad mistake.

 

No one but Jon knew the details of their breakup. With Mom, she’d confined herself to saying it hadn’t worked out.

 

Too bad she’d gushed about him ad nauseam at the beginning.

 

“He sounded like a suitable match.” Mom continued to scrutinize her. “You said he was handsome, had an impressive job, took you to classy places.”

 

It was time to spill the truth. Otherwise, his name would keep coming up.

 

“He was and he did. But he also had zero class or integrity. He was seeing another woman on the side.”