The Fortune Cafe (27 page)

Evan wrote his name and number on it, then stuck it next to a group of Post-its on the edge of the counter. Stella’s gaze followed every movement. “I’d love to cook for you sometime,” he said. There, he’d made the obvious first move. There was no backtracking now.

Her eyes met his, then slid away.

“Call if you want to,” he said quietly. “No worries if you don’t.”

She nodded and made no offer to commit. Evan wasn’t surprised. He might have helped her out of a bind, but that was as far as it went.

He took the wrapped jewelry set and walked out of the shop, feeling like he’d just put his heart on a bright orange Post-it.

Stella called the number for The Fortune Café, feeling like she was starving yet again. When a woman answered, Stella placed her order for cashew chicken, fried rice, and an egg roll. It was 7:30 p.m. and the shop would stay open until 9:00, but it felt like this one day had been two.

First Andrew, then Evan.

She couldn’t believe she’d kissed a stranger whom she thought was married. Relief had flooded through her when he’d said he was divorced. Maybe too much relief. She wondered what Evan had thought; his lips had been warm and she couldn’t get the memory out of her mind. Although that was probably from doing something so daring. Yet, she couldn’t get Evan’s sea-colored eyes out of her mind, and it was making her crazy. That and the fact that he
wasn’t
married when she had thought he was.

Gazing at the Post-it for the umpteenth time since he’d left, she wondered what he’d meant by “cooking for her.” Maybe he wanted her to come to his restaurant— which made her realize that she didn’t even know where he worked. What if it was The Fortune Café? She laughed to herself, although she couldn’t picture him inside a tiny Chinese restaurant frying up chicken pieces and stirring sesame glaze toppings.

Maybe he meant to his apartment. She assumed he lived around here— or why would he have given her his number? She moved the Post-it to the far corner, so that it wouldn’t glare at her so much. Evan was nice... but that might be the problem. She didn’t want to hurt a nice guy’s feelings— especially one who looked a bit haunted when he mentioned that he was divorced.

And he had a daughter. Dating Evan would be too involved— too many other people were already a part of the equation. Stella’s heart pounded as she realized she was even considering calling the number he’d left.

She hadn’t dated since Andrew, but she also had more than one person in her own equation. And she didn’t want to do anything that would make things worse for her mom.

The front door chimed, and Stella looked up.

A short man had entered, carrying a large white sack. “Takeout,” he said.

Stella crossed to him and handed over the money, then took the sack. “Thank you! Smells great.”

The man bowed his head and left.

Stella set the food on her work desk, keeping the office door open so she could watch for customers. She hadn’t had Chinese in a while, and by the smell of the food, she knew she’d be a frequent customer. Halfway through her meal, she unwrapped the fortune cookie. She’d never been very good at waiting to read a fortune. Not that she’d ever had one come true.

She cracked open the cookie and laughed to herself as she read the tiny red words:
Do the thing you fear and love is certain.

Like calling Evan? I fear that. Too complicated and all. And nothing is ever certain.
She’d learned that lesson well when Andrew dumped her. Even when he’d been practically groveling at her feet earlier that day, he was still telling her how to live her life and that she’d given up too much to run a tiny jewelry shop. The first time she’d heard it before leaving college, it had hurt deeply. This second time, it had made her angry that he felt like he could have a say in her life now. As if she was so desperate and missed him so much that she’d take him back and quickly agree with everything he said.

Stella pushed the paper aside and took another bite of the cashew chicken.
Do the thing you fear and love is certain.
Did she really fear calling Evan? No. She feared what that one phone call might
start
. Logically, she knew a single phone call wouldn’t make love certain. But what would it lead to? She already couldn’t stop thinking about Evan. Would going on a date with him fix that? She doubted it. And she wasn’t looking for love anyway— maybe someday, but her mom’s health was her focus now.

And Stella was more than happy with that decision.

She eyed the phone number again, and finally added it to her contacts. Then she opened a drawer and set the Post-it note inside. There. That would help her concentrate better on her work. She logged into her computer and entered a couple of orders for supplies.

By 9:00 p.m. she was emotionally drained enough to close up the shop and head right home, but the moment she stepped outside, the scent of the ocean tempted her. A quick walk, then home. She strolled along the boardwalk passing couple after couple until she started to feel really painfully single. Had she never noticed how many couples went out walking at night on Seashell Beach?

Annoyed, she turned and went back home. The light in her mother’s room was still on, so she tapped on the bedroom door and opened it.

Her mom glanced up from a novel.

“How was the shop today?” she asked, closing the book and setting it aside.

Stella smiled. Times like this, her mom looked almost healthy. “Getting pretty busy now. You’re up late.”

“I was hoping to talk to you,” her mom said.

Stella walked into the room and sat on the edge of the bed, worry tightening her stomach. Maybe she shouldn’t have gone to the beach. “What is it?”

“I’ve asked my cousin Amelia to come up for a few days. She’ll run the shop while you take a break.”

“Mom,” Stella protested. “I’m fine. We’re fine.”

Her mom gave her a half smile. “You look exhausted every time I see you, and Amelia knows the shop inside and out.”

Even though Stella wanted to protest, taking a break did sound nice. Especially after a day like today. Amelia had helped out whenever her mom went on vacation, and at one point she’d offered to take over the store when things were getting tough. But Stella felt it was her obligation first to take care of her mom.

“When will she be here?”

“Early in the morning,” her mom said. “So sleep in, then go out to breakfast. Eat a lot of pancakes and plenty of syrup for me.”

Stella laughed and reached over to hug her mom. As she drew away, she did a mental check of the items on her mom’s bedside table— finger stick, insulin, and bottled juice.

After saying good night, she left her mom’s room and decided to take a bath, something she rarely indulged in because she’d probably fall asleep in the water. As she soaked in her favorite bubble bath scent, she thought again about the number she’d saved into her phone.

The relaxing heat of the water caused her mind to wander. She closed her eyes and replayed the scene in the office when Evan walked in and she’d kissed him. She wondered what it would be like if she kissed him again, only this time, he returned that kiss. He looked more than capable of making a woman melt.

Stella slid lower until the water touched her chin. With a few days off of work, it would be tempting to take Evan up on his offer.

Evan walked past the jewelry shop, trying to talk himself out of going inside. It had been twenty-four hours since he’d given Stella his number, and she hadn’t called. A day wasn’t all that long, but it was long enough to constantly think about her, he decided.

He shoved his hands into his pockets and stopped in front of a bookstore two shops down. Maybe he could buy his sister a gift. Her birthday was in November. Pretty soon, he’d have the next three years of gifts picked out and purchased. He turned and walked toward the jewelry shop. His lunch break would be over in about twenty minutes, and it was a ten-minute drive back to the Mariposa.

Without second-guessing himself again, Evan walked into the shop. He scanned the place, ignoring the customers, and looking for Stella. An older woman sat behind the counter, leafing through a magazine.

Was it Stella’s mom? The woman looked like a modern-day gypsy, wearing a row of bracelets up each arm and several necklaces. He didn’t even try to guess how many rings were on her fingers. The woman didn’t look ill, and, he realized, she didn’t look like the picture that was on the website. Of course, the years could have changed her quite a bit.

He walked up to the counter and said, “Mrs. Novak?”

The woman looked up, her brows raised. “No, I’m Amelia— just filling in for a couple of days. Can I help you?”

Evan glanced toward the office. The door was open, but the light was off.

“Were you looking for Stella?” Amelia asked, propping her elbows on the counter and leaning forward. Her bracelets clinked together, and her eyes assessed him. “I can take down your number.”

“She already has it,” Evan said, before realizing he probably shouldn’t have said that.

The woman smiled like a Cheshire. “She does? That’s wonderful. But I think it would be better if you talk to her in person. She’s down at the beach, a straight line from here. She doesn’t vary from her favorite spot much.” She gave him a wink.

Evan was about to protest, but suddenly he wanted to laugh. “Are you related to her?”

“Her mother is my cousin.” The woman’s eyes stayed bright with interest. “And who are you?”

“Evan,” he said.

“Well, Evan,” Amelia said, her voice sugary. “If she turns you down, I’m single.” She waved her left hand, flashing rings on every finger but the one that should have sported a wedding band.

Evan smiled. “Uh, thank you.”

He turned away, and Amelia sang out, “If you don’t find her, I’ll let her know you stopped by.”

Which might not be such a great idea. In fact, finding her on the beach might not be either. It wasn’t like he could ask her for recommendations on what to get for his sister. Evan exhaled as he crossed Tangerine Street and found an alley that led to the sand. The closer he got to the beach, the more he tried to talk himself out of it.

He stopped on the boardwalk and scanned the sunbathers. It took him only moments to spot Stella. Her blonde hair was knotted into a bun at the top of her head, and she wore a red bikini top and a sarong tied around her hips. And she wasn’t alone. She was standing, talking to some man.

Evan laughed at himself. Obviously Stella didn’t lack for admirers. He might as well get in line. First, Andrew, then him, and now this man at the beach. Stella probably didn’t have a spare moment to call him.

He walked away before he could be caught staring like a fool. As he headed to his truck, he wondered why he was so eager to get to know her better. With a daughter in his life, opening his heart to another woman would be complicated.

Stella watched a man who reminded her of Evan leave the boardwalk and disappear into one of the alleys that led to Tangerine Street. She must be imagining things because what were the chances of running into him on the beach?

“Are you interested in coming to the BBQ tonight?”

Stella turned her attention back to Dave, a friend from high school. He had the day off of work and was there with his son. Dave was part of her graduating class who had stuck around, living and working in Seashell Beach. A group of them got together about once a month.