Daphne strolled to a rotating rack and gave it a slow spin. “Didn’t you buy one last month? That’s a lot of noodling.”
“Yeah. Lots to think through.”
“Hmm. Does this cogitation center around a certain handsome Greek?”
“Guilty as charged.” She sank into the cushy armchair Noah had vacated. “The Greek and the little green men.”
“Or women.” Finished with her clean-up, Daphne sat beside her.
“Of course.” She rumpled her brow. “Maybe aliens don’t have a gender. They could be…what do you call it?”
“Ambisextrous?” Noah suggested, depositing two steaming mugs on the low table between them.
“I don’t think that’s a word, darling,” his mother said, seemingly unperturbed.
“It should be. Can I go draw?”
“Sure, love.”
He scampered up the back stairs.
“So.” Daphne kicked off her Dansko clogs and folded her mile-long legs beneath her. “Spill.”
Hannah heaved a huge sigh and let her head fall against the seatback. “I want to meddle. But I shouldn’t.”
“Hmmph.”
Daphne would have made an excellent therapist. With a single humph, she had the power to unblock a torrent of words. Or maybe Hannah just felt safe with her bestie. In any case, it all came spilling out—Xander’s plan to replace Souvenir Planet with a high-end outdoor mini mall, and her vain hopes of changing his mind.
“He’s making a huge mistake. Ginormous. And when he fails, TC will lose a valuable part of our heritage.”
Daphne regarded her skeptically. “You’re getting awfully worked up over the loss of a tacky souvenir shop.”
Indignant, Hannah glared. “It’s not tacky!”
“It’s gloriously tacky. That’s its charm.”
“Well,” Hannah spluttered. “TC is gloriously tacky. Take that away and we’re just another beach town. Carroll Beach has those dramatic rocks off the coast. Willow Bay has that Beer and Chowder Festival and Cannery Park. Pacific Shores has the Dunes Marathon. Westport has that cute marina and the Crab Festival.”
“So what?”
“If Trappers Cove loses what makes it special, the whole town might dry up and…” she trailed off, realizing she wasn’t making much sense.
Daphne reached over and gently rubbed Hannah’s knee. “Hon, what’s this really about? Your mom?”
Her indignation deflated like a pricked balloon.
“Yeah. And the newspaper. It feels like I’m being swept away in an avalanche of loss.” She closed her eyes and massaged her aching forehead. “You’re right. I’m fixating on Gus’s shop and his goofy aliens because I’m afraid of losing everything that makes my life cozy and secure. Up until now, I’ve always felt safe in TC.” Her voice squeaked. “And then the most wonderful man shows up and says he’s in love with me—while he’s dismantling a big chunk of the town I love.”
“Oh, you silly goose.” Daphne squeezed her hand. “First of all, there is so much more to this town than one shop, even if it’s the most famous one. Second, I told you he was sweet on you.”
“Yeah,” she grumbled. “You were right. Fat lot of good it’s doing me now.”
Daphne’s unshakable calm could really get annoying. “And Han, youaresafe here. But if everything falls apart and you need to leave TC, you’ll be fine. You’re the sharpest person I know. Plus, you’re compassionate, and so photogenic it’s unfair. You can apply your journalism skills in a hundred different ways—public relations, writing books, travel blogging.”
“Hmmph.” Hannah huffed, too full of angst to acknowledge her friend’s compliment. “Even if I wanted to, which I don’t, I can’t leave Mom when she’s so sick.”
“Then stay in TC and do something else. There are dozens of businesses here that’d gladly take you on as an employee if it came down to that.”
