SOMEWHERE by the Sea

Baxter

Baxter glanced up from the computer screen in the sitting room on the third floor and grinned at his mother. "Did you get the new guest settled in?"

"I did and she's a strange one. She carries sadness around her like a cloak. I'll bet my bottom dollar something terrible happened to her."

Baxter grunted. "Well, it's a good thing I'm handling your bottom dollar then."

Gabby smiled at her only child. "You're just like your father. He always said we'd end up in the poor house if I was in charge of our finances." She sighed. "And he was right. I'm a sucker for every salesperson and charity event."

"And that's why you have me." He hesitated and added, "So, if this gal...what's her name..."

"Faith Bennison."

"...suddenly hits you up for money, you better call me. I don't trust sad, head cases."

"You're just jaded because your wife was a sad, head case who fleeced you in the divorce."

"You got that right. So I'm more discerning about people than you are."

"I don't agree." She laughed. "See, there we go again, disagreeing, and you've only been here two days."

Baxter tried to suppress a grin as he returned his attention to the accounting program on his computer.

**********

After calling her only family member to let her know she had arrived in Somewhere, Faith said goodbye to her sister Melody and sat on the rustic log bed to peruse her surroundings again. With every go-around, she saw something new and interesting. She'd already noted that the frame and headboard of her bed were hand-hewn pine logs and the pretty yellow and blue wedding ring quilt was hand-stitched. She fluffed one of the plump yellow pillows and lay back. Her gaze circled the room and rested momentarily on each furniture piece: a natural finished pine dresser with two matching nightstands; a rocker formed of twisted Manzanita branches with a seat cushion matching the blue of the quilt; a maple secretary desk; and a small, drop-leaf oak table with two chairs. The room was a mish-mash of different woods, but the affect was eclectic and enchanting. On the whitewashed walls were a couple of black and white photos of ocean scenes and also framed magazines dating as far back as 1901. On the wall across from the bed was a flat screen TV. In addition to a door opening onto the balcony, there was one window with pretty white lace curtains.

Rising from the bed Faith stuck her head in the bathroom again to admire the claw foot tub and fluffy blue towels embroidered with one word, "HOPE." Although small, the bathroom was quite adequate. She walked to the balcony door and stepped outside into a cool breeze that ruffled her hair. On the B & B's private beach she watched waves lap the sand. A handful of sunbathers lay on towels and a mother sat with her child building a sand castle, or rather a blob they piled higher and higher. She walked to the railing and moved her gaze away from the private beach to scan the shoreline all the way to the other end of the cove where the marina was barely visible. The headland at that end was similar to this end with its forested peninsula, and covering the distance between the peninsulas, was the public beach and expensive homes along Ocean Boulevard. She returned her gaze to the private beach that gave way to scattered boulders and then the evergreens, and wondered if there were trails leading into the forest. She would ask Gabby.

As she was about to turn away, she caught sight of the boy and dog she had met earlier. They were now at the edge of the private beach, right before the boulders, and the child was still tossing the Frisbee for his dog. While the dog chased the toy, the boy looked in her direction and waved.

**********

During dinner Baxter studied the profile of their latest guest when she turned her head to converse with another guest, and decided his mother was right. She did wear sadness like a cloak, and if he hadn't been older and wiser than he'd been at the age of twenty-five when he'd met his future wife, he'd be tempted to feel sorry for her. It was her eyes that gave her away. They were the color of dark chocolate, large, with long lashes, and profoundly sad. Her eyes were beautiful.

Realizing his mother was asking him a question he quickly turned his attention to her and saw her self-satisfied expression. She'd wanted him to become interested in another woman for years, and now she'd caught him studying Faith Bennison. He answered her query and then politely continued conversing with their guests. Currently there were eleven guests—three sisters, a young couple with a toddler, an elderly couple, a middle-aged couple, and Faith. The dining table could accommodate twenty people, but rarely did they have more than sixteen.

One of the sisters, probably in her late twenties, began flirting with him and asking questions about the area. She invited him to join her and her sisters that evening for a bonfire on the beach, but he politely declined with an excuse that sounded reasonable. He had no inclination to become involved with any woman, much less a bed and breakfast guest. Back in California there were a couple of women he dated and occasionally bedded, but they were no more interested in a long-term relationship than he. Faith was asking his mother a question and he reined in his thoughts to listen to her.

"I was wondering if your peninsula is open for exploration. If so, are there hiking trails? I would love to walk through the trees."

"Yes, the land is open to our guests. My husband Marcus inherited the peninsula and this home and we remodeled it into a bed and breakfast thirty years ago. He died a few years back and I've maintained two of the trails he loved. If you follow the main trail, which runs west, it intersects another heading north. The northern trail takes you to another inlet on the other side of this one and the western trail ends at the apex of the peninsula, where the founder of the town, Oliver Hope, built what's been dubbed Stone House." Gabby grinned at her guests. "The house was built around 1890 and abandoned in 1910 when this home and two identical ones were built. The new homes were for the senior Mr. Hope and his twin boys who were about to marry. Mr. Hope's home burned down in the 1960s and the other one was turned into a museum that's on Second Street. There are signs in town pointing the way." Her grin widened. "And as for Stone House..." She paused. "...there are rumors that it's haunted."

The sisters gasped.

Gabby turned to Faith. "Would you like Baxter to accompany you on a walk?"

Baxter almost choked on the water he was drinking.

Hastily, Faith said with a stricken look, "No, no. I don't want to trouble anyone."

Her response made Baxter feel so bad that he tried to sound convincing when he said, "It wouldn't be any trouble at all. I'd love to show you around."

Faith met his gaze and said flatly, "No. I really don't need a guide."

Candace, the sister who had been flirting with him, smiled seductively. "I'd love to see a haunted house with you as my guide."

Turning his gaze on Candace he glimpsed his mother's amusement. "It would be my pleasure to act as guide for you ladies." He made sure his comment included all the sisters. He didn't want any alone time with Candace.