“I do all the cooking. But we have a video editor who adds music and special effects, adjusts the color, and… well, you know how it’s done.”
Mesmerized, Missy sank into the seat opposite Ella and leaned forward. “So when you post content, it’s all edited and fixed up by, like, a whole team of people? While you just take an occasional picture or photo here and there?”
Ella nodded.
“And you make money off that?”
“A lot,” Ella confessed.
“That’s dope.” Missy dropped her elbow on the table, rested her chin in her hand, and said dreamily, “I want your life.”
“For the love of heaven!” Marian couldn’t have sounded more disgusted. “Missy, get back to work. The silverware still needs rolling up, and Doc Bolton needs his coffee refilled. He’s been trying to catch your eye for the last five minutes.”
“I was just talking to Ella about—”
“Talking is not in your job description.”
Missy cast a frustrated look at the older waitress but got to her feet and, with a reluctant wave to Ella, slowly went back to work.
“Kids these days.” Marian shook her head. “They have the work ethic of a snail.” She crossed her arms over her thin frame and eyed Ella up and down. “I’m glad you stopped by. I heard a rumor about you.”
“Oh?”
“I heard you’ve been showing up at the Stewart house at all hours, asking to talk to poor Ms. Angela about how you stole you-know-what.”
Ella could only stare at the waitress. Oh my gosh. Jules is telling people I stole that book! “I didn’t steal it and I haven’t been showing up at all hours, either. Most days, I’ve been stopping by between ten and two.” Which was when Jules and Mark were both usually at the Moonlight. “And yes, I’d like to talk to Angela. We used to be friends.”
“But not after—”
“I didn’t take it!” Ella hadn’t meant to speak so loudly, but the few people sitting in the Moonlight were now staring at her, including Missy. Ella’s cheeks heated and she said in a quieter tone, “Marian, you’ve known me and my family forever. I would never do something like that.”
“Jules is certain you took it.”
“Well, I didn’t!”
Marian flushed. Her gaze moved over Ella’s face, and she shook her head. “You’re right. You would never do something like that. She just seemed so certain.”
“I didn’t take it. I swear I didn’t.”
“Okay, okay. No need to get upset. Look, Jules hasn’t been herself lately, what with her mother being so ill and all.”
“Angela is sick?” Oh dear. Now that Ella thought about it, Angela had looked far less than her usual polished self when they’d seen each other through the window. That isn’t like her.
“She’s sick, all right. Very sick, from what I’ve heard. Heart issues, I think.” Marian pursed her lips. “Maybe that’s why Jules doesn’t want you to see her. Maybe she’s trying to keep Angela calm.”
Ella didn’t know what to say. “I only wanted to see Angela to tell her the truth about that book. I didn’t come here to upset her.”
Marian patted Ella’s shoulder. “Don’t look so worried. Maybe she’ll pull out of it, although from what Jules has said… Well.”
“I can’t believe she’s ill. I had no idea.” Ella remembered Angela sitting in her living room, eating ice cream and chocolates, and how forcefully she’d yanked the curtains closed. “I saw her just briefly, but she seemed to have a lot of energy.”
“She’s a lot like her daughter. Jules refuses to admit she’s ill, even when she is. When she had the flu last year, Mark had to threaten to tie her to a chair to get her to stay home.” Marian shook her head. “I’ve worked here for a long time, first for Miss Jules’s daddy, and then for her. I love that woman, I really do. She and I have always gotten along. But she can be a mite overfocused at times. I’ll be honest with you, when she first told me her suspicions about the lost book, I told her you weren’t a bad person. A little spoiled, maybe, by all the attention you’ve gotten since you left here, but that’s to be expected.”
That was faint praise indeed. Ella managed a wan smile. “Thanks.”
“No problem. I—” Across the room, someone gestured to Marian that they needed their bill. “Look, we’ll talk later. I need to get back to work. Missy’s still in training and she can’t handle more than two tables at a time.”
“Sure. Thank you, Marian.”
With a final smile, the waitress hurried off.
Still stunned, Ella looked at the open pass-through window behind the counter. If Jules was telling stories to Marian, it wouldn’t be long before the whole town thought Ella had stolen the Book of Cakes. And now Angela’s ill. That must be why she came back to Dove Pond. The information didn’t deter Ella from wanting to make things right. If anything, it made the matter all the more pressing. I need Mark’s help even more now. Angela deserves to know the truth.
Ella ate her sandwich slowly, waiting for him to take a break. As minutes passed, the café began to empty. She recognized a few of the customers, and found herself weirdly happy to exchange waves and small greetings with them. Mark looked up once from his place at the window, and catching Ella looking his way, gave a visible start before managing an uncertain smile.
She pointed to the seat opposite hers and then to her cup of iced tea, hoping he understood the invitation.
He looked hesitant, but after a few long seconds, he shrugged and nodded.
Good. She waved down Marian and ordered a piece of coconut cake and two forks. A few moments later, Mark walked out of his place in the kitchen, a mug of coffee in his hand. He still wore his apron, which was clean except for a drop of red sauce (ketchup?) on one pocket and a splash of flour in the center.
“You drink coffee at this time of day?”
“All day, every day.” He slipped into the seat opposite hers and nodded toward the cake. “Aunt Jo makes a mean coconut cake.”
“Perfection.” Ella picked up a fork. “When we were in high school, I thought the Moonlight couldn’t get any better. I was wrong.”
Mark looked around the café, his pride obvious. “My dad used to say this place was better than Sofía Vergara. For him, that is the gold standard.”
“That’s a weird standard for a restaurant, but it sounds like your dad.” She slid the other fork in his direction. “I’m glad you stopped by. I wanted to talk to you.”
“If this is about Grandma, I’m not supposed to talk about her to you. In fact, I’m not supposed to talk to you at all.”
“I figured as much.” Ella decided that his sleepy brown eyes couldn’t be more the opposite of Gray’s intense blue ones. They were so different, these two brothers. “I’m glad you aren’t letting your mom tell you what to do.”
“She’s not the boss when it comes to my personal life, although I avoid telling her about that as much as I possibly can.” Mark eyed her with caution as he took a bite of the cake. “So… you’re still in town and have been for, what, a week?”