Back To The Lake Breeze Hotel

Haley raised both eyebrows. “Must be a good story there.”

“More like a cautionary tale,” Alice replied.

* * *

EIGHT HOURS LATER, Nate checked his watch, hoping the weekend event would start on time. During the fall festival weekends, the park would be open Friday evenings and all day Saturday and Sunday. As the sun slanted across the sprawling parking lot at five o’clock on Friday, a sizable crowd gathered outside the front gate. Most of them wore jeans and sweatshirts as the September evenings already had the chill of fall.

Nate stood beside Virginia and Henry—keeping them between him and Alice. In the few weeks he’d worked at Starlight Point, Nate had discovered Henry was a good friend. Most of Nate’s friends had moved away from the area, and even though he’d come home to be an anchor for his dad, Nate felt he was drifting.

Jack, June and Evie Hamilton shared a microphone at the front gate and each of them said a few words about the extended season. Jack pointed to Alice who was standing only a few feet away and publicly thanked her for being the mastermind behind the fall weekends. She blushed and gave a little wave to the crowd. Her pink jacket made her stand out in the small crowd of year-round employees who were being recognized—mostly department heads and art and design staff.

A group of performers plucked from the singers and musicians in live shows—those who hadn’t yet gone back to college—performed the national anthem, and then the turnstiles opened.

“We did it,” June said as she came over to Alice and Virginia. Guests poured through the front gates behind her. “I know your hard work is going to pay off.”

Nate watched June hug Alice and then her mother. He felt a twinge of guilt that he’d asked the reporter to leave Alice’s name out of the article and not include the picture of her with the haunted house designers. He’d made up a story about Starlight Point wanting to recognize the team effort, not an individual’s. But that wasn’t his real reason.

The last thing his father needed as he battled cancer was to imagine his son was revisiting a dark period in his past. Even if that past was long over.

“Quite an event,” Henry said. “Exciting.”

“The first of many if it all goes well.”

Henry leaned on a post and regarded Nate. “Think you’ll be around for all those?”

“I’ll be around as long as I need to be.” The first of many cancer treatments had begun only days before, and Nate already saw the long road stretching out before him. Although his sister wanted to help, she had a young family and a job an hour away from Bayside. Nate was the obvious and willing choice for helping his dad get through the second worst experience of his life.

“You’re a good son, coming home to help your father through a rough patch.”

“He’s the only parent I have,” Nate said, and then he caught himself. What made him reveal something so personal to a man he hardly knew? Even in his own family, Nate never talked about his mother’s accident anymore. He cleared his throat. “How did you know I was...uh...helping my dad?”

“Jack told me. He didn’t say much more than that.”

“It’s not just a rough patch,” Nate said. “It’s a road ten miles long.” Nate hesitated a moment, afraid to share too much with Henry. “But we’ll get down it okay.”

The crowd around them thinned, and Alice and Virginia walked off. His conversation with Henry wasn’t likely to be overheard, but it still paid to be cautious.

“I’m sorry about that,” Henry said, putting a hand on Nate’s shoulder. “I’m coming home again, too, after a life on the road and in the skies. Inherited my parents’ place in Bayside. Most days I love it, but some days remind me it’s tough to come home again.”

Nate nodded, but he didn’t reply. He’d already said too much.

Henry patted Nate’s shoulder and then dropped his hand. “The longer I live, though, the more I know everything gets easier with time. Sometimes you just have to wait for it.”

Virginia waved to Henry from across the midway as crowds of people walked between them. Henry raised a hand and waved back.

“All the Hamiltons have been terrific to work with,” Nate said, glad to turn the conversation away from himself. “I hope these fall weekends pay off.”

“Alice has been working on it nonstop, except for the weddings part. I think June had to talk her into adding the weddings when the Hamiltons realized what a great market it was. Easy money, I guess, since people spend ferocious amounts of money on getting married.”

“Good business,” Nate agreed. “And free PR. If the wedding guests leave with a great impression of Starlight Point, it’s a win all around.”

Across the midway, Virginia and Alice parted ways, and the older lady came over to Nate and Henry. “It’s going to be a great weekend, weather-wise,” she said, smiling broadly.

“Are you working tomorrow morning?” Henry asked.

She shook her head. “Not until later in the day. I’m having breakfast with the kids downtown at Augusta’s bakery.”

“I love that place,” Henry said.

Nate noticed Henry’s eager tone. Was he hoping for an invitation? Nate knew Henry and Virginia were friends, and he’d noticed them working together on numerous special events.

Virginia’s expression sobered. “We love it, too, and Augusta finds us a spot in her side room where we won’t be disturbed. We have family business to discuss.”

“Well,” Henry said. “Doughnuts will make even business a lot more pleasant.”

“I didn’t say it wasn’t pleasant. It’s been five years since my husband died, and we had to put a few things in place at the time that have run their course now,” Virginia said. “In a good way.”

Nate watched the crowds passing and wished he wasn’t in the middle of an awkward conversation. Although Virginia wasn’t his boss and had, in fact, handed over ownership to her three children equally, Nate felt uncomfortable and a little sorry for Henry because he’d been subtly shot down.

“I hope you have a nice breakfast,” Henry said congenially, “and maybe I’ll see you later in the day.”

Virginia smiled and gave them both a little wave as she walked away.

“Piloting a jet is easier than navigating personal relationships,” Henry said.

“You’re telling me,” Nate agreed. “That’s why I save myself a lot of trouble by avoiding them.”

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