He’d been as excited as a kid on Christmas the whole night before, and she could hardly wait to see his face once he found out she’d taken the morning off to come support him, not to mention the little gifts she bought for the new business.
She set the poster down and swiped her hands over her jeans.
A job well done, now it was time for a second cup of coffee. Maybe she’d splurge and use that new milk frother that Ian bought her and have a cappuccino and biscotti.
She hummed along to some poppy radio song that she’d had playing in the background as she made her way toward the kitchen. She was interrupted by two sharp raps at the door.
She glanced at the clock on the wall and frowned. It wasn’t even ten o’clock and she hadn’t told anyone of her plans to take the morning off, had she?
She crossed the room to the door and pulled it open, not bothering to look through the peephole. Gabe stood there, dressed in the fishing gear he wore when taking people out on the boat.
“Come on in,” she said, frowning as she gestured for him to follow. Her hands went clammy as she ran through the possible reasons he had come without calling first. Judging by his stormy expression, only one fit.
He stepped in after her and let the door close behind him before he let it rip.
“You told Mom and Aunt Anna?” His voice was hard and his face hot with anger as he met her eyes.
“I--” she started, squeezing her eyes shut for a moment then reopening them. “Not exactly. It’s more complicated than that.”
“Then explain what happened,” he demanded.
“I was at Mom’s house the other day and before I could get to my phone, she saw your text. She was freaking out and getting worried something was seriously wrong. I couldn’t think of a convincing lie, and I felt like I had to tell her.”
He rubbed at his temples. “Okay, and Aunt Anna? Sasha seemed to think she knew, too.”
Max gnawed on her lower lip and nodded. “Yeah, well, she let herself into Mom’s place and overheard while I was explaining. I didn’t know she was there,” she said, hoping that he believed her. It was the truth but it’d been a pretty unfortunate coincidence. She couldn’t stand the thought of Gabe believing she did any of this on purpose. “Aunt Anna actually feels bad for Sasha, and I think she was trying to make her feel better.”
“Were those the only people you told?”
“Yes, Gabe. And I never meant to--” she started, breaking off as he began to speak.
“Could Mom or Anna have told anyone else?”
“I swore them both to secrecy,” Max said, shaking her head. “I don’t even think Aunt Stephanie knows.”
He nodded, staring at the wall for a long moment.
“This is my fault. I shouldn’t have even told you. Why couldn’t I just keep this one to myself?” he said finally, pressing his hand into his forehead. “Things were bad enough, and now they’re worse.”
Max stared at the floor, feeling the impact of the words. He might shoulder some of the blame, but she had betrayed his confidence by telling Mom, even if she was stuck between a rock and a hard place when she did it. And at the very least, she should’ve been able to hide her feelings well enough that Sasha didn’t figure her out in an hour flat.
“I tried to be nice. I really did. And Mom was just so hurt for you. Are you mad at me?” Max asked, her voice soft.
Gabe paused for a moment before shaking his head. “The Sullivan women are notorious for having terrible poker faces. I should’ve known it wouldn’t go well. That was my bad.”
Max frowned. “You can still tell me stuff that’s bothering you, Gabe. I can keep a secret…usually.”
He nodded. “Yeah, well, hopefully I won’t have any more secrets that need keeping. And, in the meantime, can you try to be a bit nicer to Sasha from here on? You might be upset with her but she’s still my wife and she’s pregnant with our baby. We have enough of our own anger and disappointments to work through without worrying about the rest of the family’s.”
“Of course,” Max said in a rush, “and again, I’m really sorry, Gabe.”
“I need to get back to work,” he said, glancing briefly at his watch. “I lost a little bit of time checking the bookstore before I came here. Why’re you home, anyway?”
“Ian is opening his escape room today so I took the morning off to do a few things for him,” she said.
He nodded. “Tell him I said congrats,” he said, turning and re-opening the door.
“Have a good day at work,” she called as he headed down the hall toward the exit.
She had screwed up and she’d just have to be thankful he wasn’t furious at her and hope that he still trusted her after the mess she’d made of things.
She walked back toward her kitchen for a coffee with far less pep in her step than she’d had earlier, wondering if her sister-in-law had felt this awful when she’d broken her brother’s trust…
An hour later, Max pulled up to the hulking, mysterious-looking house that Ian had ended up buying for his business.
It seemed like yesterday that they’d pulled up to the dilapidated mess, with broken windows and well past ankle-high grass. She could hardly believe the progress he’d made so quickly. Despite the repairs taking away some of the house-of-horrors factor, it was still fairly unique, as places of business went, and the atmosphere seemed perfect for an escape room. While managing construction workers, electricians, and plumbers that were coming in and out of the house nonstop, he’d still managed to put together two beautiful escape rooms, and she was proud of him for it.
She unbuckled her seat belt and grabbed the poster, as well as the two bags she’d brought, then maneuvered herself through her car door. Stepping past the neatly-trimmed hedges, she made her way toward the front door.
She smiled when she saw “Bluebird Bay Escape Room” etched into the glass of the opaque window. Pushing back the last of the disquiet she’d felt since her talk with Gabe, she held the poster to her body with her forearm and moved to knock, only to see it swing open before she could even touch it.
“Max?” Ian asked, his mouth curved into a wide grin. “Why aren’t you at work?” He looked down and, seeing how much she was carrying, reached out to grab the poster and two bags before gesturing with his head for her to come inside.
“And miss the Grand Opening? Not likely,” she said with a snort, beaming as she followed after him. The lobby contrasted starkly with the eccentric exterior, with a large desk against the back wall and a group of ten comfortable-looking chairs with small tables between every two.
He was booked through the week, thanks to some careful advertisement and an opening week sale, but it was crucial that these first days were a success. Word of mouth was everything. He had a journalist for the Bluebird Tribune coming through today and a positive news article would do wonders for the business. Hell, even a few good reviews would set things off on the right foot. Bad ones, on the other hand, might damage its reputation for years.
If her being there gave him a little extra confidence or helped him deal with that pressure in any way, then she’d consider it a great use of her time.
“I’m so glad you’re here,” he said, plopping the two bags on the front desk and leaning the poster up against the wall. He put his arms out and pulled her into a quick kiss.
“Me too,” she said, pulling away from him to point at the bags and poster he’d put down, “now take a look at what I brought for you.”
He nodded eagerly and turned back to them, eyeing the poster first. He spun it around and examined it for a second, chuckling, “It’s perfect. I’ll hang it up right in here.” He scanned the room for a moment then pointed to the center of the back wall, right behind the desk. “I’ll just have to find something to hang it with.”
“I brought some command strips,” Max said, winking as she reached into her pocket and pulled out the strips made specifically for the task.
Once he’d fastened the poster to the wa
ll, he took a step back. “Does it look straight?”
She nodded. “Perfect. I got you something else, too,” she said, looking away from the poster and stepping up to the plastic bags. She pulled the heavier of the two open and turned back to face Ian. “The other one is just lunch for the two of us but this one is something else I think you might like.” He cocked his head as she pulled several objects out of the box. The first was a puzzle with two rings clasped together that needed to be separated. The second was an elaborate, wooden box that required a series of moves to make it open. “There are a bunch more. I thought it would be cool for people in the lobby to get into that puzzle-solving mode while they wait,” she said, hopeful that he’d like the idea as much as she did.
His face lit up. “Super smart,” he said, stepping forward and pulling her in by her waist and hugging her tight. “Thanks for doing all this for me,” he whispered, leaning close to her ear.
She nodded, hugging him back. He’d been nothing but supportive with her bookstore, despite working long hours himself, so it was only right that she was the same way with his passion.
“So let’s put the puzzles out now,” he said, reaching out for the bag. “We can set them on the tables between chairs.” He went around the room, doing just that.
“When is your first appointment?” Max asked.
“Noon,” he said, sparing a quick glance at the clock.
“Do you have much left to do before you can show the rooms?”
“Other than sit around and be a nervous wreck? Nope,” he said with a laugh, “just have to do a final check before they come and we’ll be all set. Our first guests include that journalist I told you about, so I’m really stressed about making sure everything is right.”
“I can help with that. I’m not opening the bookstore until one,” she said. “We can go through the rooms quick and check that everything is in place one last time, and then eat the lunch I packed.”
He beamed, pulling her close to him. “I feel a lot better having you here, Max.”
And she felt good being there. All except that one, niggling part of her that couldn’t stop thinking about Sasha ever since Gabe’s visit.
Now that Max had experienced even a small fraction of the guilt and regret Sasha was likely feeling, she found herself thinking of her sister-in-law in a different light. What she’d done was bad, no two ways about it. But bad enough to ruin her marriage?
Max wasn’t sure about that anymore…
12
Cee-cee
As the whoops and hollers of excitement echoed around her, Cee-cee grinned. She was in her element. A ‘create-your-own-cupcake’ birthday party for a bunch of rambunctious five-year-olds was just the balm her soul needed. Mick had outfitted the back room, just off the shop’s main floor, specifically to host these kinds of parties, and they’d been a big hit in Bluebird Bay so far. The renovation included bright lighting and colorful walls, as well as the installation of a glass window that looked out into the shop, so regular customers and even people on the street passing by couldn’t help but see the brightly decorated room and happy smiles and laughter taking place inside.
Just can’t beat free advertising.
She was feeling especially lucky to have Stephanie’s help today. Although the parties typically last for only ninety minutes, a roomful of five-year-olds could be pretty exhausting. Parents had the option to stay in the room with their child or just drop them off into the Sullivan sisters’ capable hands. Most choose the latter so they could escape for a few hours of Mommy time.
Today was no exception as Cee-cee and Steph shared the supervision of ten children, with two of the mom’s staying to help.
The theme of the day was jungle animals, and Cee-cee showed the kids how to make cute little cupcakes with hippos and monkeys on them made with licorice, candy pieces, and ‘Nilla Wafers. The noise level in the room was high, as they all seemed to clamor for help and attention at the same time. Cee-cee and Steph traded smiles as they did their best to help each child amid the cacophony.
They managed to survive an hour and a half of complete chaos, and the party was winding down as parents started dribbling in to collect their vanilla and chocolate-covered kids.
Cee-cee happened to glance out the window just in time to see a new customer enter the shop and step up to the main display case. Cee-cee’s Spidey senses started to tingle as she recognized who it was.
“Hey, Steph, hold the fort for a couple minutes, and don’t let anyone take the wrong kid,” she said, nudging her sister, “I’ll be right back.”
“Wait! What?” Stephanie demanded with a comically panicked expression before waving Cee-cee off. “Whatever, go on, then. If I can handle a twelve-foot python, I can handle a few over-sugared five-year-olds.”
Cee-cee swiped her hands on her apron and pushed her way onto the main shop floor, a smile pasted on her lips.
“Hi there,” she said warmly as she sidled up behind Nikki.
The other woman turned to face her and Cee-cee couldn’t deny the same sense of déjà vu, followed by the distinct sense that something was amiss.
She’d told her to come in for a cupcake, but somehow, seeing her here now felt suspicious.
Maybe her sister was right. Maybe she really was being paranoid.
The younger woman’s hazel eyes widened, and then softened in recognition.
“Oh, hi there, Cee-cee,” Nikki said with a shaky smile. “Nice place you have here. I’m such a sucker for sweets,” she added sheepishly. “You have so many unique flavors. I’m just trying to figure out which I’m in the mood for today.”
“Well, your first cupcake is on me,” Cee-cee said as Nikki peered into the confection filled cases, “along with a cup of coffee, if you’ll sit and have one with me.”
What was that old saying? Keep your friends close, and your new-in-town-Nikki’s closer.
Nikki eyed her warily and then nodded. “Thanks. It’s my first day off from the diner, so I think I’ll take you up on that,” she replied. Her gaze swept the cases again. “And I think that salted caramel apple compote cupcake is calling my name – with a black coffee, please,” she added politely.
Cee-cee hailed Pete behind the counter. “Salted caramel apple and two black coffees, Pete – on the house,” she said, and pointed to a table by the window overlooking the pier. “Is that table okay for you or too much sun?” she asked Nikki.
Nikki shook her head. “No, no that’s perfect,” she said.
Pete handed over the coffees and cupcake a moment later, and they made their way over to the table. That nervous, weird feeling crept back in and Cee-cee slapped it down.
Jeez, get a grip. It’s better to confront it now – maybe get some answers, she reasoned. They sat across from each other and Cee-cee smiled as Nikki dug into her cupcake.
“It’s to die for – just like apple pie,” she murmured as she took another bite and closed her eyes.
Cee-cee smiled and took the opportunity to study the younger woman’s face. Definitely familiar…
“So – um – where are you from – and what brings you to Bluebird Bay?” Cee-cee hadn’t meant for it to come out like the opening salvo of an interrogation, but it sure felt that way when she said it.
Nikki studied the cupcake a moment before answering. “I guess I just wanted a change of scenery,” she mumbled, avoiding Cee-cee’s gaze. “I grew up in Cherry Blossom Point, a couple hours south of here.” She nibbled the cupcake and gazed out the window.
“Oh, Cherry Blossom Point, nice little town,” Cee-cee said cordially, “you have family there?” Cee-cee sipped her coffee, trying hard to sound pleasant but pretty sure she was still coming off like a not-so-seasoned detective.
Crap.
Nikki glanced toward the window of the party room, where Stephanie stood scowling at Cee-cee, hands on her hips.
“Is that your sister?” Nikki asked.
“Yes, Stephanie,” Cee-cee replied while holding up her i
ndex finger, imploring Steph for one more minute.
“I can see the resemblance,” Nikki said. “Is she older or younger?” she continued as she absently picked at the cupcake.
It wasn’t lost on Cee-cee that the younger woman still hadn’t answered her last question.
“She’s a couple years younger than me,” Cee-cee replied cautiously, suddenly getting the odd sensation that the tables had turned, and she was now the one being interrogated. “By the way, how is your pregnant cat?” she blurted.
She instantly regretted it, knowing full well it implied they had been gossiping about Nikki and comparing notes.
Nikki stiffened and leveled her eyes at Cee-cee for the first time.
“The cat is fine. She’s about to have kittens any day now.” She dabbed at her mouth with a napkin and tossed it on top of the half-eaten cupcake and shot Cee-cee a shaky smile. “I should probably take my coffee to go. It looks like your sister needs your help,” she said and glanced again at Steph inside the party room as she stood and gathered her purse. “Thanks for the cupcake. I really appreciate it!”
Cee-cee stood and watched helplessly as she breezed out the front door as quickly as she’d come.
“Anytime,” she whispered to herself. She hurried back into the party room to find her sister tying up the last in a row of pastry boxes.
“What the heck?” Stephanie hissed over her shoulder as she handed it to the last parent and child in the room. “Thank you – come again,” she cooed cheerily as they left. Then, she turned her attention back to Cee-cee. “Have a nice visit?” she asked with an eye roll.
“Sorry, Steph, but that was her! Nikki. Cleanup can wait.” She grabbed her baffled sister by the arm. “C’mon – we’ve got some stalking to do!” Cee-cee dragged her unresisting sister through the door. “Pete, you’re in charge!” she called out before the two of them disappeared up the back stairs to her apartment.
Tilly barked a greeting as they barged through the door and Cee-cee made a beeline for the laptop on the coffee table.
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