by Nicole Ellis
“Sure.” He flashed her a grin. “I’ve got to get back to the Lodge quickly, so I wouldn’t turn down an offer of help.”
After everything was bagged up, Taylor and Meg grabbed as much as they could carry and headed for the exit.
Cassie beat them to the door and held it open for them. “Sorry I can’t help. I don’t want to leave the bakery unattended.”
“No worries,” Taylor said. “I really do appreciate getting all of these.”
“Yeah, well make sure people know where they came from.” Cassie scrunched up her face as though she’d bit into a sour lemon. “I don’t want people giving Lara credit for them.”
He laughed. “I’ll make sure to add the bakery’s name before each item when I type up the selections.” They’d have to quickly redo the dessert menus when he got back to the Lodge, anyway, and it wouldn’t take much more effort to credit the Sea Star Bakery. Although Cassie had taken over from a previous bakery in the same location, she still had to prove her own baking skills to the town, and he was happy to help her do so.
When he and Meg were safely out on the sidewalk with their loads, Cassie let the door swing closed behind them.
“Where’d you park?” Meg asked, squinting into the sunlight.
“Up the street, in front of Johnson’s Antiques.” He led the way, with her following closely behind him. He placed the boxes on his sedan’s trunk while he unlocked the car and opened the back passenger door. After positioning his desserts on the seat, he reached for Meg’s bags. Their fingers touched as his hands closed around the handle of the plastic sack, sending tingles up his arm. Her eyes flickered to his face. Had she felt it too? She smiled, and he thought he might drop the bags.
Instead, he gripped them tighter and moved away from her to settle them into the car. As he turned back around, he said, “Looks like we should have room for everything. I don’t think there were too many more to bring out.”
She nodded, and bit her lower lip. “How’s everything going at the Lodge since I left? I haven’t heard from you in a while.”
He was silent for a few seconds as they moved around a couple who were partially blocking the sidewalk, strolling along with their arms looped around each other. “Things are mainly okay. The new sous-chef, Brandon, seems like a good guy.”
“And Lara?” She peered at him.
A flash of irritation ran through him, not at Meg’s question, but at the situation back in the kitchen. “Lara is Lara.”
“That bad?” Her words were thick with sympathy.
He stopped walking and ran his hands over his gelled hair. “Yeah. I mean, they’re not great. Most days aren’t too bad, but she’s still making huge messes in the kitchen and expecting everyone else to clean up after her. And, well, you know what happened today.” His breath came out in a loud whoosh, and he locked eyes with Meg. “I need to talk to George again. She may be his daughter, but she technically reports to me, and I can’t have this happening in my kitchen.”
Meg briefly touched his arm, so softly that he wasn’t entirely sure he hadn’t imagined it. “I’m sorry, Taylor. I wish I could have stayed at the Lodge. At least then we could hate her together.”
He gave her a small smile. “I’m glad you quit. I hated seeing you so unhappy.”
“I wouldn’t say working at the Lodge was the reason I wasn’t happy.” She started walking again and he had to quicken his pace to catch up.
“What was it, then?” He’d wanted to ask her before, but things had happened so fast after she’d quit, and he’d had to focus on hiring new staff to replace her.
They’d reached the bakery, but she stopped outside the door, regarded him thoughtfully, then shrugged. “I don’t know. It seemed like everyone else had wonderful new opportunities in their lives, but mine wasn’t changing at all. Zoe had Shawn and the Inn to focus on and Cassie opened her own bakery. I was still working at the same old job I had been at for the last two years.”
“You have a lot of good things in your life though, with the Inn and that guy you were dating. Are you still with him?” He held his breath, half wishing she’d tell him they’d broken up.
“Yeah, Theo and I are still together,” she said, dashing his hopes. She sighed dramatically before continuing, “I know. I should be happy with everything I do have. Maybe it was just Lara coming back to town that set me off?” Her eyes twinkled with mirth. “There’s something about her that gets under everyone’s skin.” She leaned against the side of the building and traced a scar in the concrete sidewalk with the toe of her sneaker. “I’m just feeling a little out of sorts, that’s all. I’m helping out at the Inn, but I won’t have much of my own there until we get the restaurant up and running.”
“When will that be?”
Her face darkened, and he wondered if he’d said something wrong. Finally, she said, “I don’t know—maybe never.”
What was she talking about? The last time he’d spoken with her, she’d sounded excited about the prospect of turning the barn into a restaurant. He immediately wanted to press her for more details, but allowed her room to continue.
She sighed deeply, her eyes troubled. “If it works out, maybe by January. But it’s going to take a lot of hard work to pull that off. If I can’t get the barn cleared out by October, Shawn will have to move on to a different project.”
“Is there anything I can do to help?” The words shot out of his mouth before he’d had a chance to think them through. He wanted to help Meg, but he’d been trying to keep his distance from her. He’d always felt a pull of attraction between the two of them, but he hadn’t felt right pursuing anything with her while she worked for him. Besides, she’d never given him any indication that she shared his feelings, and now she had a boyfriend. To avoid any awkwardness, it was best to keep their friendship on a more casual level.
Meg put her hand on the door handle, then stared up at the sky thoughtfully. “I could use some assistance clearing out the old barn. I’ve done a little, but there are things in there I can’t move by myself, like rusty old farm machinery and heavy wooden furniture. Zoe and Shawn are so caught up in getting everything ready for guests at the Inn that they don’t have time to help me.” She laughed self-deprecatingly. “But I’m sure you don’t want to get involved with that grungy task, any more than anyone else does. Besides, I know how busy you are with the restaurant, especially with all of the new staff.”
Before he could respond, she pushed the door open and stalked over to the counter to grab a few more bags filled with square bakery boxes. He trailed behind her. She’d given him an out, but should he take it? He was busy, so if he told her he didn’t have time to help her, it wouldn’t be a lie. Still, it didn’t feel right to back out on his offer.
After Cassie had them both loaded like sherpas carrying gear up Mt. Everest, Meg jetted out of the bakery, racing along the sidewalk toward his car. He rushed after her, almost tripping over a woman who’d stopped to pet a dog. With the number of boxes he was holding, he was grateful for his long arms and over six feet of height. It would have been difficult to see over what he was holding if he’d been any shorter.
When he got to his car, Meg was leaning against it, waiting for him. “It’s about time,” she joked.
“Hey,” he said. “I got stuck behind some pedestrians.” He followed the same maneuver he’d performed with the prior load to stow everything away in his car.
While he was securing the last box, Meg said, “Well, good luck with Lara and everything.” She turned to leave.
“Wait.” He straightened up and shut the car door, then stepped back onto the sidewalk. “I’d be happy to help with the barn.”
“Really?” Her eyes glittered with hope, and his stomach dropped to his knees. He’d just offered to spend a whole day alone with Meg, knowing full well that she was still involved with someone else.
He nodded. “Sure. When do you want me to come over? Mondays and Tuesdays are best, since the restaurant’s closed. I’ll
be able to help for a full day.”
“I’ll check my calendar and let you know.” Her tone had lightened, and she bounced slightly on the balls of her feet as she spoke. “Thank you so much.” To his surprise, she crossed the short distance between them and wrapped her arms around him.
His heart beat faster. She was so close that the fruity scent of her shampoo tickled his nose. He held his breath, torn between not wanting the embrace to end and an intense desire to run away in fear. He patted her back awkwardly a few times.
She stepped away from him, her face flushed. “Sorry. I got a little carried away. I can't even tell you how much it means to me that you’re willing to help.”
“No worries.” He shot her what he hoped was a breezy smile and crossed to the other side of the car to put some space between them. He swung the ring of keys against his leg as he spoke to her over the roofline. “Give me a call when you figure out when you want to clean the barn.”
“I will.” She waved at him. “Good luck with Lara and everything.”
He watched her walk back to the bakery, her dark hair swinging behind her in a long ponytail as she strode along the sidewalk. He got into the car and sat behind the wheel for a few minutes. Although he’d been saddened by Meg’s decision to leave her job at the Lodge, he’d understood why she’d needed to do so. Plus, her departure had offered the benefit of not having to see her every day and tell himself he didn’t have any feelings for her. Now, by volunteering to help with the barn, he’d put himself in a position where he’d be spending vast amounts of time alone with her. He turned the key in the ignition and the car roared to life.
So much for good intentions.
3
Debbie
“Grandma, would you like some more tea?” Kaya asked, holding a child-sized, pink-and-purple plastic teapot up in the air.
Debbie Briggs pushed a tiny cup that matched the teapot across the table until it rested directly in front of her youngest granddaughter. “Why, thank you,” she said in an exaggerated manner. “I’d love some more tea.” She pointed to the stuffed bunny with mottled white, black, and gray fur perched between the two of them in her own chair. “Do you think Little Bunny would like some too?”
Kaya solemnly regarded her favorite stuffie. “I think she’s had enough for today.” She held her hand up to the side of her mouth, as if to shade it from the rabbit’s view. “Sometimes she has potty accidents if she drinks too much.”
“Ah.” Debbie nodded just as solemnly, pressing her lips together tightly to keep her laughter from spilling out. “I see.”
Kaya poured watered-down tea into Debbie’s cup and carefully slid it back across the table. She set the teapot on a lacy paper doily, looked forlornly at her empty plate, and then up at her grandmother. “Can I please have some more cookies?”
“Sure. Which ones do you want?”
“Uh.” Kaya stared at the remaining cookies on the serving platter, her big blue eyes flickering with indecision. A few of the peanut butter and jelly and tuna salad sandwiches Debbie had made for the party sat on one half of a platter she’d borrowed for the occasion from her own set of wedding china. It wasn’t something she’d serve clients of her catering company, but it suited her and Kaya just fine. The cookies, though, were always her granddaughter’s favorite part of a tea party, no matter what kind she made.
Debbie flashed back to all of the tea parties she’d shared with her three girls when they were young. Kaya was the spitting image of her mother—Debbie’s oldest daughter, Libby—when she was that age. Spending time with Kaya brought back so many good memories, and Debbie hoped someday her younger daughters, Meg and Samantha, would bless her with more grandchildren. That didn’t seem like it would happen anytime soon, but she could still hope.
Kaya fixed her attention back on her grandma. “Can I have a chocolate chip cookie and a lemon bar?”
“Sure, honey.” Debbie plucked the treats from the platter and set it on Kaya’s plastic plate.
“Can Panda have one too?” Kaya asked hopefully a moment later, as she licked the last bit of lemon curd off of her fingers. “He loves lemon bars.”
The slightly lopsided panda bear on her other side had a pitiful expression on his face and Debbie couldn’t hold back a chuckle anymore. “I think Panda might get a little sticky if he ate one. Remember what happened when Paddington had those pastries?” She’d read the classic children’s story to Kaya the last time the grandkids had spent the night.
Kaya regarded the stuffed animal, then said, “You’re probably right. He hates baths, so that probably wouldn’t be a good idea.”
“Uh-huh.” Debbie started stacking up their dishes. “Okay, honey. What do you want to do now? Maybe you could work on coloring in your pictures on Grandpa’s birthday card while I load the dishwasher?”
“Okay, Grandma.” Kaya grabbed her two stuffies and carried them over to the dining room table, which was half-covered by a large piece of butcher paper and about a hundred loose crayons. As soon as Libby had dropped Kaya off that morning, Kaya had insisted she needed to make a really big card for Grandpa’s upcoming birthday. Debbie had helped her with the lettering, but the rest of it was all Kaya.
Debbie stood at the sink, washing their plates, her heart filling with each furtive glance at her granddaughter. Her family meant the world to her. When she’d been diagnosed with breast cancer two years ago, she’d wondered if she’d have the chance to see the little ones grow up. Now, with a clean bill of health from her oncologist a few months ago, she intended to make the most of her time with them and the rest of her family.
Years before her cancer diagnosis, after her kids had moved out of the house, Debbie had started her own catering business. Meg had opted to stay near the college she’d attended in Oregon to pursue a culinary career, but Libby had joined Debbie in her business, and Samantha, who worked full-time during the year as a physical education teacher at the local high school, helped out on occasion.
While Debbie was undergoing chemotherapy treatments, she and the girls had drastically reduced the number of catering jobs they’d accepted. Now that Debbie was better, Libby had hinted that she’d like to grow their business even more. Secretly, though, Debbie would much rather stay home and spend time with her grandkids.
But how could she say that to Libby? Libby had been her rock while she’d undergone treatments, driving her to appointments and helping her at home. Debbie’s husband, Peter, had done what he could, but he worked full-time and wasn’t around during the day. She wasn’t sure what they would’ve done without Libby’s help.
Debbie finished washing the last dish and set it in the wooden rack to dry. The sun shone through the window over the sink, and she turned her face up to enjoy its warmth. These were days worth remembering.
“Grandma?” Kaya’s voice broke through Debbie’s thoughts. “Want to see the card?”
“Definitely.” Debbie dried her hands on the terrycloth hand towel hanging from the oven door and walked over to the dining room table. “Oh, honey, that’s wonderful.”
Kaya’s chest swelled with pride. “I know. Grandpa’s going to love it.”
Debbie grinned at her. “He sure is.” Kaya had folded over the length of butcher paper to form a card measuring about three feet by two feet. She’d drawn a birthday cake in the middle, surrounded by stick figures. “Can you tell me about it?”
Kaya stabbed her fingers at the thick paper. “That’s a chocolate cake because Grandpa loves chocolate cake. And those are all of us in the family. You, Mommy, Daddy, Auntie Meg, Auntie Samantha, and my sister and brothers.” She giggled. “And me, of course. I’m the one next to Grandpa with the balloon.”
“It’s beautiful. Is it okay if I move it to somewhere safe until Grandpa’s birthday?” Debbie lifted the corners of the card, considering the size of it. Where was she going to put this until the end of the month?
“I guess that’s okay. But don’t bend it,” Kaya instructed.
&nb
sp; “I won’t.” Debbie took it upstairs and opened the closet in her craft room. She still had an old portfolio holder in the back, and the card fit perfectly. Before leaving, Debbie hesitated for a moment in the middle of the room. Projects of all types covered the table and filled the bookshelves. She’d gotten back into crafting recently and couldn’t wait to finish some of the things she’d started.
She closed the door so their cat wouldn’t get in and wreak havoc, then came downstairs to find Kaya sitting on the living room floor playing with her stuffies. “Mommy will be here soon to pick you up after your brother’s soccer game.”
“Okay.” Kaya hung her head, then looked up at Debbie. “Can I spend the night with you instead?”
Debbie cocked her head to the side. Although she knew Kaya loved hanging out with her grandmother, she was a mommy’s girl and normally was excited when Libby came to get her. “What’s the matter?”
Kaya rubbed the soft fur on Panda’s leg. “Mommy seems mad a lot.”
“Mad?” Debbie sat down next to Kaya and pulled her into her lap. This was definitely one thing that had been easier with her own kids. Being in her sixties now, she’d much rather sit in a chair than on the floor.
“She yells at us a lot, and she and Daddy are always talking in their bedroom with the door closed.” Kaya’s lips quivered.
“Oh, honey, I’m sure she’s not mad at you.” Debbie stroked Kaya’s silky hair and the little girl relaxed into her. She had noticed Libby seemed a little on edge lately, but she wasn’t sure why. From snippets of conversations she’d overheard between her daughters and their friends, she’d learned Libby suspected Gabe might be cheating on her. It wasn’t something Debbie would have expected from her son-in-law, but if life had taught her anything, it was that things didn’t always go the way you hoped.
As if on cue, the doorbell rang.
“There’s Mommy,” Debbie said.
Kaya sprang from her lap and ran to the door, peering through the tall, frosted sidelight next to it. “Hi, Mommy.”