by Amber Crewes
Meghan nodded, opening her eyes. “I can imagine. Especially in a town like Sandy Bay. These little seaside towns get so busy in the spring and summer months, but in the winter, it can be so quiet.”
Jackie agreed. “I didn’t realize how severe these Pacific Northwest winters can be,” she said. “In January and February, the snowstorms kept my doors shut for a week! The salon finally opened again, and no one came in until March.”
“Have you thought of ways to bring in income remotely?” Meghan suggested. “What about offering beauty tutorials online? You could charge for them.”
“That isn’t a bad idea,” Jackie confirmed. “But I have a different strategy that I wanted to share with you. I was reading a biography on Oprah a few weeks ago.”
“I love Oprah!” Meghan gushed. “She is one of my heroes. Her work with the school in South Africa was amazing, and her show was always the best thing to watch after school.”
“I love her as well,” Jackie agreed. “She’s incredible. Anyway, the biography discussed all of her different business ventures, and her diverse portfolio of businesses and companies were really what helped her get ahead.”
“Okay….?”
“I did something that might sound a bit crazy,” Jackie confessed, flicking her freshly-cut and freshly-dyed platinum blonde hair off of her shoulder. “I bought a barn.”
“You bought a barn? As in, a place where horses and cows live?”
“Exactly,” she grinned. “Except there are no horses or cows in my barn. It’s been abandoned for a few years. It used to hold livestock, then it was cleaned up and used to throw weddings and birthday parties. A farmer bought it, put horses back into it, but it’s been sitting empty for around a decade.”
What does that have to do with your salon, Jackie? I don’t get it.”
“Let me explain. The barn could be used for a number of things, like weddings, proms, parties, events….event venues are all the rage right now, and with a few string lights and some fresh paint, this barn could make some serious money happen for me. ”
Meghan bit her lip. “How did this even happen?”
Jackie grinned. “It was an auction,” she told Meghan. “I went on a whim, and the barn came up! My cousin, McKenzie, got married in a barn, and I was thinking it could be a good investment. The idea hit me while the auctioneer listed off information about the barn, and I knew I had to buy it.”
“Your cousin got married….in a barn?” she asked incredulously. “Like, with horses?”
“No, silly,” Jackie playfully scolded her. “It was rustic chic! Event and wedding barns are so popular now. They clear out all of the animals and equipment, paint the spaces, and then, there is room for a party.”
Meghan was confused. “So you bought the barn at the auction? Was it pricey?”
“Not at all,” Jackie informed her, her eyes bright with excitement. “I placed a low bid. There seemed to be an aggressive bidder on the phone who was running up the price on the other properties in the auction. Strangely, this bidder pulled out when the barn came up and there wasn’t anyone else interested in the room. It was crazy, but I bought the barn for two grand.”
“That’s all?”
Jackie nodded. “It will need some work, but I think I can fix it up by the end of the summer. It could be open in time for gorgeous autumn weddings!”
“This is huge news,” Meghan said. “Congratulations! I hope it is very successful.”
“That isn’t all of the news,” Jackie teased. “I have a proposal for you, Meghan. You turned that bakery into something special. You have a gift for business. Would you consider joining me as a partner in my barn business?”
“A partner?”
“You would be great,” she assured her. “I could use your advice, your guidance, and, if you could help, an investment in the barn. It’s going to be a lot to balance two businesses, but I think if I have a partner, I could do it.”
Meghan furrowed her brow. “I have to think about it,” she told Jackie. “I have my own business to think about, and I already don’t get enough time with Jack…”
Meghan thought of Jack Irvin, her handsome, sweet boyfriend of nearly a year. Jack was a detective at the Sandy Bay Police Department, and with their demanding schedules, they had been seeing a lot less of each other in the last month. “I don’t know if I could commit to another obligation right now…”
“You just think about it,” Jackie told her as she dabbed a dash of red polish on Meghan’s pinkie toe. “There! All done with your left foot. Time for the right foot.”
Meghan guided her right foot into Jackie’s hands as Mrs. Sheridan, one of Sandy Bay’s oldest residents, sauntered in. “Jennie? I need my nails done, pronto, please!”
Jackie wrinkled her nose. “It’s Jackie, Mrs. Sheridan,” she firmly corrected. “And I am all booked up all day. You can come in tomorrow, if that works for you.”
Mrs. Sheridan raised an eyebrow. She placed her cane down on the ground and put her hands on her hips. “Jennie, I asked this small favor,” she smiled. “The least you can do is squeeze me in. I’ll be a good customer, and I can assure you, my tip will be worth it.”
Meghan gasped as Mrs. Sheridan plucked a hundred dollar bill from her purse and tucked it into her teeth, still grinning at Jackie.
Jackie’s eyes widened. “I think I can fit you in,” she declared as Mrs. Sheridan took the hundred dollar bill from her mouth and dangled it in front of Jackie’s face. “Meghan? Get up.”
“What?” Meghan cried.
“Come on,” Jackie hissed. “You saw that hundo! Move it! I can finish your nails later.”
Jackie turned to Mrs. Sheridan and flashed a dazzling smile. “You’ve been in such a great place lately,” she complimented. “That man friend of yours sure brings out a lovely side of you.”
“Frank is my life,” Mrs. Sheridan agreed. “Jennie, thank you for noticing! I think he does truly bring out my best.”
Meghan frowned. “The camera crew comes tomorrow, Jackie,” she said. “Can you just finish my toes? Look! You only have two to go.”
Jackie shook her head. “Meghan, come on. Scoot!”
Mrs. Sheridan batted her eyelashes at Jackie and pointed at Meghan’s chair. “Shall I sit here?”
“Move it,” Jackie begged.
Meghan obeyed, and as she rose from the chair, she felt her phone vibrate. She pulled it from her pocket and answered it.
“Hello?”
“Meghan? We need you to come in to the bakery right now! It’s an emergency!”
3
I t was hard for Meghan to believe what she heard as she approached Truly Sweet. She knew differences were bound to exist in the working place but the animosity cloaked in the words she heard was something she would never welcome while she ran the best kept secret in the Pacific Northwest.
“I’m going to kill you if you say another word!”
Meghan’s heart froze as she walked inside the bakery. “What is going on here?” she demanded as she saw Pamela standing in one corner and Trudy in the other.
“Chocolate orange mousse!” Pamela screamed.
“Orange cheesecake!” Trudy cried.
Meghan slammed the door behind her. “Pamela, Trudy, what is the meaning of this? You said it was an emergency, and I raced over here for what? It’s my morning off!”
Pamela turned to Meghan and crossed her arms across her chest. “Meghan, it’s my turn to choose the signature dessert of the month,” she insisted. “I wanted to do a chocolate orange mousse, inspired by the oranges Karen brought you from Key West. It will be a soft, fluffy chocolate mousse with whipped custard and a dash of cinnamon to add flavor. The top will be covered in a thick, luscious orange crema, and there will be little pieces of fresh oranges mixed in.”
“That sounds incredible,” Meghan said, her mouth watering. “Trudy? It is Pamela’s turn to choose, if I do remember correctly?”
“No,” Trudy replied, her face drawn.
“You told Pamela that if she was late to work again, she would lose her chance to choose the signature dessert. She was late three times last week, and tonight, I caught her playing on her cell phone in the kitchen. She doesn’t deserve to choose the dessert. These shenanigans haven’t stopped, and I am sick and tired of you extending her so much grace.”
Meghan narrowed her eyes at Pamela. “Is that true?”
Pamela shook her head. “I was texting my mom,” she insisted as she waved her phone at Meghan. “Look at my messages! I wasn’t even playing on my phone; my mom took my data away, and my phone won’t even open the internet anymore.”
Meghan sighed. “I’m not going to look through your phone,” she told Pamela. “But I do understand Trudy’s frustrations. Trudy? What dessert did you want to do this month?”
“Orange cheesecake. It would have thick layers of vanilla creme and orange creme,” she said wistfully. “The crust would be made from scratch, and we would incorporate orange oils into it to give it a bit more flavor.”
“That sounds incredible,” Meghan said. “Here is the plan, ladies. Pamela, it is technically your month to choose, but Trudy, your dessert sounds lovely. We will do both desserts this month! That seems like the best idea.”
“I think the orange mousse is the best idea.”
The three women turned to see Mrs. Sheridan walk into the bakery. “Mrs. Sheridan? I thought you were getting your nails done?” Meghan asked in surprise.
“I did,” Mrs. Sheridan said as she flashed her bright pink nails. “Jennie gave me the express manicure.”
Pamela gasped and pointed to Mrs. Sheridan’s left hand. “Mrs. Sheridan! Is that a ring…?”
Mrs. Sheridan beamed. “It’s an engagement ring!” she cried as she wiggled her fingers. “Frank proposed yesterday afternoon.”
Meghan’s jaw dropped. “Why didn’t you say anything at the salon?”
“I didn’t want to wear this gorgeous little ring until my nails were done,” Mrs. Sheridan announced matter-of-factly.
“That isn’t a little ring,” Trudy corrected. “That looks to be one or two carats!”
“It’s four,” Mrs. Sheridan declared. “A four carat marquise cut with a rose gold band. It’s what I always wanted.”
“I am so happy for you,” Meghan told her as she leaned down to give Mrs. Sheridan a hug. “Frank is such a nice man, and it’s clear how happy he makes you.”
“He makes me so happy,” Mrs. Sheridan confirmed. “I am truly his queen. Anyway, I wanted to stop by to see if you would consider catering my big day? We are getting married next weekend.”
“Next weekend? That’s a bit last minute, but I would be honored. Where is the venue?”
“Sandy Bay Barn!” Mrs. Sheridan glowed. “Jennie told me all about it while she did my nails. She just bought it at an auction, and she thinks it would be the perfect place for my big day. She says there will be string lights and chandeliers hanging from the rafters. Can you imagine that? She says the gardens outside are beautiful, and that the landscaping will be freshly done for my big day.”
Meghan’s smile vanished. Jackie had just told her that the barn required work, and that it wouldn’t be ready until autumn. How did she expect to throw a wedding in just one week? It sounded like she had seriously exaggerated the barn’s readiness to Mrs. Sheridan.
“What’s wrong?” Mrs. Sheridan growled.
“Nothing!” Meghan insisted. “I would be happy to cater at the barn.”
“Barn weddings are so adorable,” Pamela giggled. “My aunt, Casie, got married in one a few years ago, and it was so much fun.”
“I agree,” Mrs. Sheridan said. “I went to one in Fern Grove, a town a few miles from here, and it was so beautiful. It’s high time Sandy Bay opened something similar! We need a space for weddings and events.”
“A space for weddings and events? Are you in need of one? I think I can be of assistance!”
Meghan groaned internally as Kayley Kane, a local real estate agent, sashayed into the bakery. “I think Mrs. Sheridan is okay, Kayley,” Meghan told her as Kayley eagerly approached.
“Let me take care of business,” Kayley hissed to Meghan. “Mrs. Sheridan, as a premier real estate agent in town, I am familiar with each and every venue. Which one were you interested in? I could pull a few strings for you?”
Mrs. Sheridan waved her hand dismissively. “I already have a deal at my dream venue,” she said haughtily. “Sandy Bay Wedding Barn is going to be the ideal place for my wedding.”
“Sandy Bay Wedding Barn?” Kayley repeated. “I think you must be confused, Mrs. Sheridan. There isn’t a wedding barn in Sandy Bay.”
“There is now,” Mrs. Sheridan declared, her head held high. “That girl, Jennie, is opening a barn, and my wedding will be the inaugural event. I’m surprised Sandy Bay’s premier real estate agent didn’t know about it!”
Kayley’s face turned bright red. “I’m sure I must have known about it and...forgot.” she insisted. “Mrs. Sheridan, don’t you think a brand new venue is a bit...tacky? Don’t you want to pick a place that will be cultured and elegant? I don’t understand what the fascination is with event barns these days. Who wants to eat h’orderves and dance the night away next to a horse stall?”
“There aren’t horses inside of event barns,” Meghan interjected. “The barns are built or remodeled for events.”
“Still,” Kayley continued. “I think a ballroom is more appropriate for a wedding. What about a country club, Mrs. Sheridan? My cousin manages the Sandy Bay South Country Club. How about I speak with her and inquire about a nice little discount?”
Mrs. Sheridan eyes brightened. “A discount?”
“Wait a second,” Meghan said. “What about Jackie, Mrs. Sheridan? The barn? Didn’t you commit to it already?”
“I haven’t signed anything,” she told Meghan. “And a country club would be able to fit more guests…”
“Yes! And we could do more with the bar and catering,” Kayley mused. “The country club offers a broad range of catering options that will surely exceed anything that could be offered by a barn. I’m sure you would like to do some tastings too? The country club allows brides and their grooms to do special taste-testing events before the wedding to ensure all parties are pleased with the selections. I think it sounds like the best option for you, Mrs. Sheridan.”
“I’m sure you can do a lot with the bar and catering at the event barn,” Meghan announced as she crossed her arms over her chest. “I can even host a taste-testing for Mrs. Sheridan and Frank at the bakery. We can do everything the country club can do.”
Kayley turned up her nose. “Can you, though? I feel as though a brand new venue truly has its limits, and you don’t have a lot of experience managing a venue, let alone catering an entire wedding.”
Meghan pursed her lips. “I’ve catered dozens of weddings, Kayley,” she corrected. “And the barn is a perfect venue.”
“I just think—“
“Kayley, Mrs. Sheridan has a venue. It will be so nice. Mark my words.”
Kayley raised an eyebrow. “Whatever you say, Meghan. Let’s just say I have my doubts.”
Meghan narrowed her eyes. “I will personally ensure that this event barn will be fit to host royalty,” she declared as she clenched her fists.
“No need to get so worked up,” Kayley clucked as she flipped her hair over her shoulder. “I’m leaving. Best of luck to you, Mrs. Sheridan, and if you change your mind, you know where to find me.”
Kayley clicked her high heels and strutted out of the bakery. “I guess I’ll be going too,” Mrs. Sheridan told them. “I have to think about my venue choices…”
Meghan’s heart sank as Mrs. Sheridan left the bakery. She was frustrated with Jackie for exaggerating the readiness of the event barn, but she did not want her close friend to lose business over nosey Kayley Kane.
“Meghan?”
Meghan looked up to find Wayne Rashford standing in front of her. Way
ne was an elderly resident of Sandy Bay, and Meghan knew he enjoyed when she sent orders of blackberry scones to his nursing home. She had received several handwritten thank you notes from him, and she was delighted to see Wayne after the visit with Kayley and Mrs. Sheridan.
“What can I do for you today?” Meghan asked with a smile. “Are you on an outing?”
“They loaded up the bus at the nursing home and are giving us the afternoon to wander through town,” Wayne explained. “I was craving one of your blackberry scones and had to stop in. I saw that nasty Mrs. Sheridan in here though, so I was happy when she finally left.”
“She wants me to cater her wedding,” Meghan told him. “She’s marrying her fellow next week.”
“Someone is going to marry Sally Sheridan?” Wayne asked in disgust. Wayne had a long, tumultuous history with Sally Sheridan, and Meghan could see the contempt on his wizened face. “I don’t believe it.”
“It’s true,” Meghan told him. “Frank, her beau, is marrying her.”
Wayne’s face darkened. “That woman has spent her life terrorizing others, being nasty, rude, and arrogant. Mark my words, Meghan, she has never looked out for anyone but herself.”
“What are you saying?”
Wayne closed his eyes. “Let’s just say that I have a little premonition about Mrs. Sheridan’s wedding day.”
“A premonition?”
Wayne nodded. “I have a feeling that it will be doomed.”
4
E arly the next day, Meghan was thrilled when she glanced out the window of her apartment and saw sunny skies. She sprang from her bed, throwing on warm clothes, eager to get outside in the fresh air.
“Fiesta, Siesta, we are going for a long walk today,” she cheerfully told her two little twin dogs as she tied her long, dark wavy hair back into a ponytail. “The sun is shining, the sky is blue, and the weather is perfect. What could go wrong?”
Meghan fastened leashes around her dogs’ necks and they walked downstairs and outside into the beautiful day. “It’s even warm today, my sweet puppers! How lucky are we?”