Lighthouse Way (Huckleberry Bay 1)

“So cool,” Cordelia murmurs. “The glass on these lenses is just amazing.”

“It’s a Fresnel lens, which are designed to keep the light in a narrow beam,” I say and then laugh. “I sound like a big nerd.”

“The kind I want to hang out with,” Sarah says, and the others nod. “This is awesome. When was the house built onto the tower?”

“They built the first cabin the same year, 1870, but it was just a tiny building. Once the light was going, they constructed the existing house in pretty much the same footprint that exists now. Of course, we’ve all updated it here and there, but it’s pretty much the same silhouette, although my father added about a thousand square feet to it when we were kids. Then, after the original structure, they added the other outbuildings over the course of a few years, including the barn that is currently under renovation for the new bed and breakfast.”

“We want to see that, too,” Mira says. “We’re totally nosy.”

“That doesn’t bother me at all.”

I lead them back down and outside, then gesture to the ocean.

“About three miles due west of here is a big shipwreck.”

“Now you’re just pulling our legs,” Darla says as she shields her eyes from the sun and stares out at the ocean.

“No, ma’am. It’s the truth. In 1912, the J Blue sank just three miles from port. Remnants still wash up from time to time.”

“Does anything…you know, creepy happen up here?” Mira asks.

“Boy, does it,” June says with a snicker.

We laugh, and I lead everyone out to the barn.

So much has already changed out here. New walls. New floor. There are even studs up where the rooms will be.

Not to mention a second story.

“It’s way bigger than I thought it would be,” Cordelia says.

“We’re adding on to the original structure, and creating a lot of extra square footage,” June says. “Essentially, the new building is being built around the old one.”

I tell them about the guest suites, the gourmet kitchen and dining room, and the vast library I have planned.

“I’m going to come stay here once a year,” Cordelia decides. “What a treat, Luna.”

“Thanks. I think it’s going to be something really special. And speaking of that, I can’t wait to see what you brought for us to try today.”

“Yes, let’s go eat,” Mira says as we leave the barn and walk back to the house. “Now, it won’t hurt our feelings if you don’t like everything or even anything that we brought, but I wanted to give you a nice variety of things to try. There is breakfast food here, along with some snacks and other fun treats.”

Over the next half hour, I fall completely head over heels in love with every single thing these amazing women brought over. Omelets and French toast with fresh clotted cream. Caprese salad. Muffins and cookies. Sandwiches and wraps.

Every single morsel is absolutely divine.

“How are we supposed to choose?” Sarah asks. “I mean, I know it’s Luna’s decision, but it’s all to die for. I don’t know how you’ll narrow it down.”

“Well, you don’t have to,” Darla suggests. “We could put together weekly menus so every day is different. Heck, you could even do a monthly rotation. And we can work in seasonal meals, as well. I think we just wanted to make sure that we’re headed in the right direction with this.”

“It’s amazing,” I confirm. “If you guys make all the meals, I won’t need that gourmet kitchen.”

“Well, that’s something to talk about, as well,” Cordelia says and shares a smile with her sisters. “We have a business proposition for you.”

I raise an eyebrow and sip my wine. “I can’t wait to hear it.”

“So, we were thinking,” Mira says, scooting to the edge of her seat in excitement, “because you’re building a state-of-the-art kitchen, what if we, Three Sisters Kitchen, run that piece of the business? We’ll work the kitchen, offering the meals and snacks all made on-site with the farm-to-table strategy we use in our restaurant now. It would be an extension of us, offered through your B&B.”

“Honestly, I planned to do a lot of the cooking myself, supplementing with treats from you,” I reply, thinking it over and not hating the new idea at all.

“So much goes into a business like this,” Cordelia says, fiddling with the pendant hanging from her neck. “The kitchen is just one piece. You also have the inn side, tours of the lighthouse, housekeeping, the grounds. I could go on and on. If 90 percent of the kitchen duties are taken off your plate, it frees up your time for everything else. We would have a chef here in the morning from six until noon, seven days a week.”

“Can you spare a chef?”

“We’ll hire to fit the need,” Cordelia says. “Listen, I don’t want you to feel like we’re trying to take this over because that’s certainly not our intention. We are just so excited and want to be a part of it. The restaurant business has been in our family for generations, just like the lighthouse has been in yours. This is what we know.”