Olivia touched the starfish pendant that had once belonged to her mother and calmly asked her brother if he’d had a chance to work on the menu for The Bayside Crab House.
Food was a topic that brought out the best in Hudson Salter. He was a gifted cook and was as particular and creative as Michel when it came to presentation, the use of fresh ingredients, and unique flavor combinations.
Hudson pulled a sheet of paper from the center pocket of his overalls and shyly handed it to Olivia. For an instant, she longed to grab his hand, to tell him that she understood how difficult it must have been to have spent a lifetime desperate to earn his father’s approval, and that she believed in him, but the moment passed.
She leaned over and studied his menu suggestions.
“I’ve got local suppliers for clam, shrimp, and every fish in the sea, but I don’t have anyone I trust to supply oysters or mussels.” She pointed to the section on the paper listing Hudson’s ideas for raw bar items.
“I’m gonna need to meet your guys,” Hudson said. “No one from the island will cross the channel to bring me so much as a stick of butter. They all think I’m turning my back on my home.”
Olivia dropped her eyes to the menu. “Change is hard on those who leave and on those who are left behind. But you’re going to be a part of a landmark eatery. Both of you. And with these entrees, The Bayside Crab House is going to be packed every night. I love your idea to blend the crab with avocado and pico de gallo. Also, this seafood platter combo that includes scallop scampi, coconut shrimp, snow crab, and a petite lobster tail is sure to be a crowd pleaser.”
Hudson’s expression didn’t change, but Olivia knew the compliment had registered by the way her half brother’s shoulders relaxed a fraction.
“Overall, I think this is an excellent menu. We’ll have to add another fishless vegetarian item and a few additional topping options for the burger platters. If we get a patron who doesn’t care for seafood, then at least we can smother that customer’s burger with grilled onions and bacon.” She made a note on Hudson’s paper. “Otherwise, I think we’re ready to print our first menus. Do you want to be involved in the graphic design decisions?”
Hudson shook his head, but Kim raised her hand as though she were in school. “I’d like to help with that. I know our place on Okracoke was nothing fancy and I just ran off our menus on the computer, but I was a pretty good artist once. Since I’m not much use in the kitchen . . .”
“You got that right,” Hudson teased.
Olivia gave her brother a playful shake of her index finger and then looked at Kim. “I’d love to have your assistance. As a matter of fact, I thought I’d leave Hudson in the capable hands of my contractor. He’ll be down at the site. You and Caitlyn can hang out in my office and we’ll go through catalogues, come up with a layout, and then call the printers.”
Kim beamed.
When Olivia and Kim arrived in Olivia’s office, Caitlyn was sipping her drink happily on the floor. Haviland was stretched out alongside the little girl, his head resting on her skinny leg.
“She wants a pet real bad,” Kim whispered to Olivia. “But Hudson’s always said she wasn’t old enough to handle the responsibility. Maybe once we get settled and he has the restaurant to run, he’ll give in.” She reached out and grabbed Olivia’s arm. “He may not speak the words, but we’re grateful to you. We were barely staying afloat, and our house felt strange after Willie died. Now we can have a fresh start.” She glanced at Caitlyn, and worry tugged at the corners of her mouth. “All of us.”
Embarrassed by the compliment, Olivia suggested they get to work. Kim had a talent for drawing and quickly sketched several designs for the menu’s cover. Olivia liked the one featuring Oyster Bay’s lighthouse and harbor in the background with a plump, mischievous-looking crab in the foreground.
“How about a sunset?” Kim asked, tapping her lips with a pencil. “It would make you feel like night’s coming on and there isn’t a better place to be come suppertime than at The Bayside Crab House. Sit out on the deck, listen to live music, and eat the best seafood in town while the sun goes down.”
Buoyed by Kim’s enthusiasm, Olivia agreed to the final design and then searched the computer for additional images and fonts.
While they worked, the noise in the kitchen escalated. Haviland had obviously been fed, as he was no longer gazing at Michel in worship, and Caitlyn was amusing herself by slowly consuming every piece of ice in her glass. Everyone was busy. Olivia felt a sense of deep satisfaction. She loved the sound of people at work.
After scanning Kim’s sketch, Olivia asked her to type up Hudson’s menu items. Once that was done, Olivia would e-mail the document to the printer along with their font choice. Kim readily agreed and began to peck at the keys one finger at a time. Not wanting to hover as Kim worked, Olivia left Haviland with the Salters and walked back out to the bar area.
“Gabe, I believe you’ve added another name to your long list of female admirers. Thank you for being kind to Caitlyn.”
Gabe acknowledged the praise with a smile and pointed at the brass clock in the shape of a ship’s wheel. He then set a tumbler filled with irregular-shaped ice cubes and two fingers’ worth of Chivas Regal Reserve on a napkin. “She’s a neat kid. Doesn’t say much, but you can tell she’s smart.” He poured a blend of tropical juices over ice in a highball glass and then added a splash of lemon-lime soda. “That’s for the other lady. Is she your . . . ?”
“Sister-in-law,” Olivia replied. “Hudson is my half brother. I didn’t even know he existed until this fall.”
Gabe paused in the act of polishing the spotless bar. “Whoa. And he’s going to move here?”
Olivia nodded and took a large sip of her drink.
Obviously sensing his employer’s reticence to elaborate on her newfound family, Gabe continued with his prep work. But after she’d collected Kim’s drink and turned toward the kitchen, he looked up from the dish he was filling with green olives and said, “It’s probably going to be weird for a while, but I’m glad you found each other. Family keeps you anchored, you know? Like the boats out that window. Even in a strong wind, they won’t be set adrift.”
Olivia was tempted to give Gabe a snide retort about bartender wisdom but knew that he meant well. She acknowledged his statement with a dip of her chin and returned to the kitchen.
Michel had just left the office, and Caitlyn was once again buried in the folds of her mother’s sundress.
“Why are you acting like this, honey?” Olivia heard Kim ask.
“I don’t like that man,” Caitlyn murmured, her voice trembling.
Kim stroked her daughter’s hair, but she didn’t look concerned. “Sweetie, he just looked scary using those big, sharp knives. But Daddy has the same ones at home. It doesn’t mean they’re going to hurt anyone. It’s just a tool, like how a barber uses scissors.”
Caitlyn scooted away, her eyes flashing. “I’m not scared of knives. I just don’t like him.”
Clearing her throat, Olivia entered the office and handed Kim her drink. She looked at Caitlyn. “Why does he scare you?” she asked very gently.
Perhaps because an adult was taking her seriously, Caitlyn answered right away. “He’s got a secret. I can tell.”
Olivia nodded. “He probably does. Most people have secrets, I think.”
Caitlyn was silent for so long that Olivia doubted she’d answer, but the little girl finally murmured, “Like Betty did. I knew she wrote you that letter. The one she sent when Grandpa got too sick to come downstairs anymore. Mom told me. She said that’s why we met you.”