Chapter 18

CHAPTER 18

The bell above the door jingled softly as another customer entered the Lakeside Café. Chloe glanced at the clock. It was fifteen minutes until her lunch break and the much-anticipated call from a woman she’d never met.

She wiped down the counter, trying to keep herself busy to pass the time.

“Order up!” Kathleen called from the kitchen window, sliding a plate of sandwiches onto the pickup shelf.

“Got it,” Chloe replied, grabbing the plate and delivering it to a table of regulars by the window. The café was bustling today, the warmth inside a welcome refuge from the chilly December air outside. She spotted Liam entering through the front door, a gust of cold air following him.

“Hey,” he said, his eyes lighting up when he saw her. “I got your message. Is everything all right?”

She greeted him with a smile. “It’s more than all right. Remember my friend Polly at the Smithsonian?”

“The person who’s helping with the research about Eleanor?”

Chloe nodded. “She called me this morning with some incredible news.” She leaned toward him, her voice lowering with excitement. “Her team tracked down some of Eleanor’s relatives.”

“That’s amazing!” Liam exclaimed, his eyes widening. “Who did they find?”

“They reached out to a family in upstate New York. They had some information about Eleanor, but not a lot. But they gave Polly the phone number of Eleanor’s great-great-granddaughter, Sacha.”

Liam shook his head in disbelief. “Eleanor’s direct descendant? That’s incredible.”

“I know.” Chloe couldn’t believe it either. “She’s calling me at two o’clock during my break.”

Liam glanced at his watch. “That’s in ten minutes.”

“Exactly. I wanted you to be here when she calls. This could fill in so many gaps in Eleanor’s story.”

Liam frowned. “Did Polly give you any hints about what Sacha might say?”

“A little,” Chloe admitted. “Apparently, Sacha’s mother has some letters that Eleanor wrote to her sister. Letters that mention Samuel.”

Kathleen came to see them. “Hi, Liam. Chloe, why don’t you take the call from Eleanor’s relative in the kitchen? It’ll be a lot quieter in there.”

Chloe checked her watch. Two minutes to go. “That sounds like a good idea.”

Kathleen looked at the time. “You’d better go now before she calls. Let me know what she says.”

“We will.” Chloe held Liam’s hand and pulled him toward the kitchen. A few seconds later, her phone vibrated with a call from an unfamiliar number. She took a deep breath and answered. “Hello, this is Chloe.”

“Hi, Chloe. This is Sacha. Polly gave me your number.”

“Hi, Sacha! Thank you so much for calling. I’m going to put you on speakerphone. I’m here with Liam. We’ve both been looking for information about Eleanor.”

“That’s fine,” Sacha replied, her voice warm and friendly. “Polly told Mom and I about all the social media posts and newspaper articles that have been written about Eleanor. I’m afraid her life wasn’t nearly as exciting as some of the stories we’ve seen.”

“It doesn’t matter. We’d just be pleased to know what happened to her. We found some of her sketches, some photographs of her, and a hidden cellar that was used during the Prohibition era, but that’s all.”

“I might be able to help you fill in the missing information,” Sacha said thoughtfully. “My mother has some letters Eleanor wrote to her sister, Clara. She mentioned Samuel in quite a few of the letters.”

“That’s wonderful,” Chloe said eagerly. “What can you tell us about their relationship?”

“Well,” Sacha began, “Eleanor and Samuel fell deeply in love, despite their differing views on alcohol. Eleanor was a staunch supporter of prohibition, while Samuel was involved in bootlegging.”

“Opposites attracting,” Liam remarked.

“Exactly,” Sacha agreed. “Eleanor eventually followed Samuel to New York City, hoping to build a life with him. But his family didn’t approve of her.”

“Because of her social standing?” Chloe asked.

“Partly,” Sacha confirmed. “Eleanor came from a modest background and wasn’t afraid to voice her opinions on politics and social issues. Samuel’s family found that unsettling.”

“It’s ironic that they didn’t want Eleanor marrying their son. I would have thought she was the perfect choice for him,” Liam said.

“Me, too,” Sacha said. “But the Hartmans were worried about what other people would think. There wasn’t any room in their lives for a woman who spoke her mind. Ultimately, their relationship couldn’t withstand the pressure coming from Samuel’s family. They parted ways, and Eleanor eventually married another man. But from the letters, it sounds as though Samuel remained the love of her life.”

Chloe placed her hand over her heart. “That’s beautiful and tragic.”

“It is,” Sacha agreed softly. “Eleanor was a strong woman, but having to say goodbye to Samuel was devastating.”

“Would it be possible for us to see the letters?” Chloe asked.

“I’ve spoken with my mom about it,” Sacha said. “She’s happy to show them to you, along with the other things that belonged to Eleanor and her sister. We were so excited after we spoke to Polly that we’re thinking of arranging a trip to Sapphire Bay.”

“That would be amazing.” Chloe looked at Liam. He nodded enthusiastically. “When do you think you could come?”

“Mom and I live in Los Angeles. We’ll look at some dates, then call you. I’m sure we can find a time that suits everyone.”

“That sounds perfect,” Chloe said. “We can help with accommodations and anything else you might need.”

“Thank you,” Sacha said appreciatively. “I’m excited to see the places that were significant in Eleanor’s life.”

“We’ll make sure it’s a great visit,” Liam added.

“I’m looking forward to it,” Sacha said. “In the meantime, I can scan and email some of the letters to you.”

“That would be fantastic.” Chloe gave Sacha her and Liam’s email addresses before wrapping up the call. “Thanks again, Sacha. This means so much to us.”

“You’re very welcome,” Sacha replied. “Talk soon.”

Chloe ended the call and looked at Liam. “Can you believe it?”

He grinned. “I was worried we’d never find out what happened to Eleanor.”

“I can’t wait to read those letters.” Chloe’s mind was already racing with possibilities. “They could change everything we thought we knew about Eleanor and Samuel.”

“And maybe provide closure to their story,” Liam added thoughtfully.

“Exactly,” Chloe agreed. She glanced at the clock. “I need to get back to work soon, but I’m so happy I feel like I could float away right now.”

Liam laughed. “I don’t blame you. I’ll have to call Polly and thank her for everything her team has done.”

Chloe took a sandwich she’d made earlier out of the refrigerator. “Have you had lunch? I could make another sandwich before I go back to work.”

He shook his head. “I ate earlier. You eat while I make you a drink. Coffee?”

“Yes, please. The coffeepot should be hot.” Chloe sat on a stool in front of the stainless steel counter. “Will you be around later?”

Liam took a mug off an open shelf. “I have a few errands to run, but I’ll be free this evening.”

“Great. Maybe we can start planning for Sacha’s visit.”

“Sounds good.” He placed a cup of coffee in front of Chloe and kissed her. “I’d better leave you to your lunch. Enjoy the rest of the afternoon.”

“I will.” After Liam had gone, Chloe finished her sandwich and returned to work. The pieces of Eleanor’s puzzle were finally coming together, and she couldn’t wait to talk to Sacha and her mom.

The following week, Liam stood on Main Street watching a massive Christmas tree being carefully lowered into place. The towering tree swayed slightly as the crane operator made minute adjustments, guiding it toward the heavy stand waiting at the end of the street.

Around him, the town buzzed with excitement. People were standing on the sidewalk, pointing at what was happening. Just seeing the tree made Christmas feel that much closer.

“Look, Liam! It’s almost there!” Oscar’s cheeks were flushed pink beneath his woolen hat. He tugged at Liam’s sleeve, pointing upward as the tree settled into position.

“Sure is, buddy,” Liam replied with a grin. “That’s one impressive tree.”

Chloe took another photo with her cell phone. “I heard it’s the biggest one yet,” she said. “It came from the Christmas tree farm on the outskirts of town.”

As the crane released its hold, a cheer erupted from the gathered crowd. The tree stood tall and proud, its branches stretching out as if embracing the town. Liam didn’t know what decorations the Christmas Committee planned to use, but there would have to be lots of them to fill such an enormous tree.

Mabel stepped forward, her voice amplified by a portable speaker. “Good morning everyone! The Sapphire Bay Christmas tree has arrived. Let’s give a round of applause to everyone who made this possible, especially Ben, who donated the tree and Patrick Devlin for organizing the crane. The Christmas Committee would like to welcome everyone to the Tree Lighting Ceremony tomorrow night. Bring your family and friends to the most anticipated event of the season!”

Applause rippled through the crowd. As Mabel stepped off the makeshift stage, volunteers began unpacking boxes filled with Christmas lights.

“Can we help decorate the tree?” Oscar asked eagerly, bouncing on the balls of his feet.

“Not today. We have to leave the big decorations to the committee,” Chloe answered, adjusting his scarf. “But when all the lights and big decorations are in place, we can add the decorations you made at school. Mrs. Thompson said your class is doing that tomorrow morning.”

Oscar looked a little disappointed until Trixie nudged his legs. With her tail wagging and little excited pants coming from her mouth, she was enjoying the festive atmosphere.

Liam placed his hand on Oscar’s shoulder. “How about we enjoy some mugs of hot chocolate from The Lakeview Café, then come back to see the tree?”

“Can we go to Sweet Treats, too?” Oscar asked. “They have yummy marshmallow bars, don’t they, Mom?”

Chloe grinned. “They do, and they just happen to be my favorite.”

Liam held Oscar’s hand. “In that case, first stop Sweet Treats.”

As they were waiting in line at the most popular candy store in Sapphire Bay, Liam’s cell phone beeped. It was a text from Mark, his agent.

“Is everything okay?” Chloe asked.

He read the text again and frowned. “My agent just received an email from Wanderlust Publishing. They want me to meet them in San Francisco next Friday to discuss the travel series.”

“That’s fantastic.” Chloe smiled, but Liam noticed the flicker of disappointment that crossed her face.

He shoved his hands into his pockets. “I told them it isn’t the right time for me to leave the country.”

Chloe’s eyes searched his. “Why would you say that?”

He sighed. “Sacha and her mom are visiting soon. If they can fill in more of the details about Eleanor’s life, I’ll be able to write a book about her. But even with their help, it’ll take me at least six months to write the first draft, maybe longer.”

“It wouldn’t hurt to talk to the publisher. They might have some ideas about how you could do both projects.”

Liam was torn. “If I go, I’m not sure if I’ll be back in time for Owen and Harper’s wedding. Flights are hard to get at this time of year.”

Chloe looked into his eyes. “If you can’t get back in time, it doesn’t matter. The company must want you to write for them. Otherwise, they wouldn’t want to see you. If you want to work with them, go to the meeting.”

Oscar looked at them and frowned. “Why do you look sad?”

Chloe quickly masked her emotions and smiled at her son. “We’re just talking about a meeting Liam could go to.”

“Oh. Is it about The Santa Express? Jack’s dad was telling me about it. There’s going to be elves and fairies and all kinds of Christmas treats.”

Liam shook his head. “It’s about something that’s not quite as exciting as The Santa Express.” The people in front of them moved to the sales counter, giving them an uninterrupted view of the candy. “Do you still want a marshmallow bar?”

Oscar’s eyes widened when he saw all the Christmas treats inside the glass display cabinet. “Can I have a marshmallow bar with sprinkles on the top?”

Chloe smiled and nodded. As they talked about the other candy, Liam sighed.

He wished deciding whether to meet Wanderlust Publishing was as easy as choosing candy. It could be a waste of everyone’s time or they might want to come up with an option that works for everyone.

Regardless of what might happen at the meeting, he’d still have to book a return ticket—and last-minute flights out of Kalispell at this time of the year might be impossible to find.