Dakota pulled the Chardonnay from its bag and then realized she didn’t have a cork screw. Damn! That’s something every woman should carry in her purse for times like this, she thought. She looked at her watch and wondered if it’d be too late to bother Mrs. Browne. She’d rented a room from a sweet old lady who lived close to the hospital. Once she settled and found a place of her own, she’d arrange for her belongings to be moved from Seattle. But then remembered the sweet old lady told her she’d be in her kitchen until nine o’clock every evening. She’d mentioned she’d keep a plate of dinner for her on the counter and to help herself when she arrived home from the hospital. Dakota grabbed the bottle of wine and headed to the kitchen. There she found Mrs. Browne at the table doing her word-search. She looked up when Dakota entered.
“Good evening dear, how was your first shift at the hospital?” Her voice sounded as sweet as she appeared. She sat at her kitchen table with pen in hand and a light sweater wrapped gently over her shoulders. Dakota smiled.
“Great, thank you for asking. I’m in love with this little town.”
Mrs. Browne pointed to the bottle in Dakota’s hand. “I see you’ve met Tegan. She’s a lovely girl and her little shop is very popular around here. It was a shame last year when it went up in flames. But the town pulled together and helped her rebuild.”
Dakota pulled a chair out from the table and sat. “Oh, Mrs. Browne, what a terrible tragedy but I’m not surprised everyone helped. The people of Vinegrove seem so friendly.”
Mrs. Browne gave a little pat on top of Dakota’s hand that rested on the table.
“Yes, the townsfolk stick together in good and bad times. And please, Dakota call me Ethel. Mrs. Browne makes me sound like an old woman.” Ethel chuckled and returned her focus to the puzzle she’d been working on. Without another glance from it, she announced there to be a bottle opener in the second drawer beside the sink.
Dakota silently chuckled and realized she still held the bottle. She found what she needed exactly where Ethel had told her. Before she began her search in the cupboards, she heard Ethel tell her where she’d find a wine glass.
“Your dinner plate is in the oven. Be careful, the plate is hot, so use the potholder there on the counter beside the stove. Please turn off the oven for me, dear.”
Dakota smiled. Ethel hadn’t moved her eyes from her puzzle as she directed.
“Would you like a glass of wine Ethel?”
“Oh no dear, but thank you. I only have wine with my bridge girls on Tuesday evenings.”
Dakota pictured a bunch of little old ladies sitting around Ethel’s kitchen with cards in hand and wine glasses on the table. That thought warmed her heart. It made her think of Tegan’s invitation to join a few ladies for a wine and chat night. She looked forward to it and the thought that they’d become like Ethel and her friends in the years to come. Dakota walked toward the staircase with her plate and wine in hand. She’d left the bottle on the counter.
“Join me at the table,” Ethel called out and then added, “I can chat and do my puzzle at the same time.”
Dakota accepted her offer. She felt at home and for the first time didn’t care if she found a place right away. She loved being in Ethel’s company.
Chapter Four
The November air delivered a chill. The week before had carried a slightly warmer breeze of autumn and its beautiful array of colors. She’d grown up on the west coast and loved the drizzle and the mist. It only made the air fresh and everything it touched, so lush. But tonight she’d appreciated Ethel’s advice to wear a jacket. The dampness she felt would only be the beginning of her first experience, not only in the country; but a colder one. She anticipated the first snowfall. Actually, the thought thrilled her.
She’d dreamed of a white Christmas since she was a child. Her new life would now make that wish come true. She’d made a more recent wish as a grown woman. But she hadn’t yet met him. The man she’d changed her zip code for. She’d heard Becca mention his name at the hospital but Dakota hadn’t yet met him. He’d left on a trip before she arrived and was due back the next day. Excitement raced through her as she walked toward Que Syrah Syrah. Not only to meet her new friends for their wine and chat night, but for the next day. She’d finally meet him.
Dakota had settled into her new job at the hospital and continued to meet friendly folks. She couldn’t believe she’d only been in town for a week. It seemed to her like she’d been there her entire life. She remembered the names of everyone she’d met, especially Tristan, the other man who hadn’t left her thoughts.