He glanced at the pencil and pad she was holding. “You didn’t write down my order.”
“No need.” She tapped the side of her waitress cap with the tip of the pencil. “I’ve got a pretty good memory.”
“And I am nothing if not boringly predictable.”
She was horrified. “I didn’t mean to imply that you were boring. Not at all. I’m very sorry.”
“No need to apologize. I am boringly predictable. In fact, you could say I am going out of my way to be boring and predictable. My doctor suggested I stick to a strict routine, you see. Supposedly it’s good for exhausted nerves.”
Adelaide cleared her throat. “In my experience the so-called experts don’t always know what’s best for exhausted nerves.”
“I’m inclined to agree with you. The green tea you serve here at Refresh has done me more good than any nerve tonic.”
She frowned. “You take a tonic for your nerves?”
“Well, no. The doctor prescribed one but I’m not taking it. Promise you won’t tell him?”
For a moment she wondered if he was trying to make a small joke. But she could not be certain so she played it safe.
“Of course I won’t tell him,” she said.
“Thank you. It occurs to me that I should mention your special teas and herbal blends to my doctor. He might be interested in offering them to his other patients.”
“No.” Panic flashed through her. The very last thing she wanted was to draw the attention of a doctor who was in the business of treating disorders of the nervous system. She recovered her poise with an effort of will. “I mean, I don’t think that it would be a good idea to tell your doctor about the blends we serve here at Refresh. They aren’t anything special, just traditional herbs and a variety of imported teas. No modern-thinking doctor would approve of using them to treat problems associated with the nerves.”
“I see.” Mr. Truett assumed a politely interested air. “You obviously know a lot about the subject. Do you mind if I ask where you received your training in herbs and teas?”
She hesitated. There was only one person in town who knew something about her past. Raina Kirk was another newcomer to Burning Cove, and it was clear that she was also concealing a lot about her own personal history. In addition to the knowledge that they were both trying to reinvent themselves in Burning Cove, the understanding that they each had things to hide had produced an unusual bond between them.
But not even Raina knew about the Rushbrook Sanitarium and the wedding ring that was now concealed in the floor safe under Adelaide’s bed.
“You could say I grew up in the business,” she said. “My mother was a botanist.”
“And your father?”
“A chemist.” This was getting dangerous. It was past time to change the subject. “Thanks for your order, Mr. Truett. I’ll be right back.”
“Good. I need the tea to take the edge off the three cups of coffee I had for breakfast.”
Shocked, she stared at him. “You had three cups of coffee this morning?”
“I like coffee in the mornings.”
“Mr. Truett, I realize this is none of my business, but if you’re having trouble with your nerves, the last thing you should drink is a lot of coffee.”
“Call me Jake. I’m supposed to be relaxing by the seaside, remember? When you call me Mr. Truett, you make me think of business. The doctor instructed me not to concern myself with business matters.”
She cleared her throat. “I was under the impression that you had sold your business in L.A.”
Something that might have been amusement briefly came and went in Jake’s eyes. “I’ve always heard that rumors get around quickly in small towns like Burning Cove.”
She flushed. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to pry.”
“Don’t worry about it. The rumors are true. Like you, I grew up in a family business. In my case it was an import-export firm. Three generations of Truetts operated the company. I inherited the firm after my father died. I was nineteen. It’s the only business I’ve ever known.”
“And now you’re out of that business?”
“Apparently.”
“Because it wasn’t good for your nerves.”
“Right.”
“What will you do now?” she blurted out before she could stop herself.
“I have no idea. That’s one of the things I’m not supposed to think about.”
“Until your nerves recover?”
“I suppose so. Meanwhile I won’t starve. The import-export business was good to me. Now that you know my life story, I hope you will do me the favor of calling me by my first name. Jake.”
She was very sure she did not know his life story. But he did not know hers, either. Fair enough. She considered briefly and came to a decision.
“All right,” she said. “Jake.”
“That sounds much better. Friendlier. We’re neighbors, after all.”
So he knew she lived in one of the cottages on the bluff above Crescent Beach. That should not have come as a surprise but for some reason it did. The realization that he had been paying some attention to her was oddly thrilling but it also made her deeply uneasy. Then again, maybe she was overreacting. In recent months she had learned that it was often difficult to determine the fine line between caution and paranoia.
Jake was watching her with a look of mild expectation. It dawned on her that she had not given him her first name. For some reason it seemed like a very big step.
“Adelaide,” she said. “My name is Adelaide Brockton.”
It was probably not a good idea to embark on a new relationship with a lie, but it wasn’t as if she had a lot of options. In any event, it was highly unlikely that this was the start of an acquaintanceship that would ever, even remotely, metamorphose into a real relationship.
“Adelaide,” he repeated. He seemed pleased with the sound. “Nice name. It suits you.”
She knew she ought to go back to the kitchen and prepare Jake’s tea, but she found herself hesitating. She wanted to linger at his table.
“Are you enjoying your stay in Burning Cove?” she asked.
“You want the truth? I cannot be absolutely certain but I believe that I am starting to go out of my mind.”
She stared at him. “Uh, that doesn’t sound good—”
“With boredom.”
She relaxed. “Perfectly understandable. You’re obviously a fit and healthy man who needs to remain active and engaged with the world. If you’re bored, it’s probably time for you to start planning for a new career, in spite of what the doctor told you.”
“Do you think so?”
“It’s entirely possible that your doctor was right when he said you required a temporary change of scene. But it doesn’t necessarily follow that an extended period of outright boredom and strict routine are good for you.”
“Do you give advice a lot?”
“Advice seems to go hand in hand with the tea business. People are always asking me about teas and herbs for various conditions. Weight control. Insomnia. Anxiety. Lack of—”
She managed to stop herself just in time.
“Lack of . . . ?” he prompted.
She took a deep breath. “Lack of interest in various . . . activities.”
“Activities.”
“Sometimes people find that they lack the energy or desire to engage in certain activities of an intimate nature. Activities that are quite . . . natural.”
“I see.” Jake nodded wisely. “Activities that at one time they found stimulating.”
She had the awful feeling that she was turning very red. The conversation was deteriorating rapidly. She cast about desperately for inspiration.
“Exactly,” she said, striving for a brisk, clinical air. “Activities such as taking long walks on the beach or swimming in the ocean.”
“I often walk on the beach and sometimes I swim.”
“Precisely.”
“Perhaps I should cease doing those things,” Jake said.
“Why would you want to stop? Those are very healthy and invigorating forms of exercise.”
“They are also stimulating,” Jake said. “My doctor said I should try to refrain from anything that stimulates my nerves.”
“My mother believed that certain types of stimulation are good for a person.”
“What therapy do you recommend?”