A Haven on the Bay: A Willa Bay Novel

by Nicole Ellis

  “Well, thank you for submitting an application for our Physical Education department.” He hesitated. “You’re probably wondering why I’m calling.”

  “I am, a little,” she admitted. “School has been in session for a few weeks, so I wasn’t expecting to hear back about any jobs at this point.”

  “Well, we weren’t planning on hiring anyone else this year either, but things have changed. Are you still interested in a position at Bayside Prep?”

  She glanced at the front window of her parents’ house. People moved around inside, readying everything for dinner. If she had to move away from Willa Bay, she’d miss these family get-togethers.

  She took a deep, silent breath, then said, “I would love to hear about the job.”

  “I’m not sure how much you know about our school, but we’re a small private school just north of Willa Bay and we have about three hundred students between grades six through twelve. About two-thirds of our students board with us and the rest come from the local communities.”

  A boarding school? She hadn’t realized the area had any boarding schools. But, then again, she didn’t have kids or had any reason in the past to look into jobs at such places. It sounded like something she’d like to know more about though.

  “Interesting.” She nodded, even though she knew he couldn’t see her. “What is the position you’re looking to fill?”

  “It’s for a middle-school PE teacher. Our current teacher had to leave suddenly for a pregnancy that became high-risk.”

  “Oh.” Sam’s good mood deflated. “So, you’re looking for someone for a short-term absence.”

  “Yes, but it will probably last until the end of the school year.” A door opened in the background and he said, “Can you hold on a moment please?”

  “Sure.” She glanced at her parents’ house again. In all likelihood, she’d already been spotted, and they’d be wondering why she was still sitting in her car.

  A minute later, he came back on the line. “Sorry about that. My assistant had an urgent question.”

  “No problem,” she said automatically.

  “So does this sound like something you’d be interested in? If so, we’d like to set up an interview for later this week.”

  She nodded vigorously. “I’m definitely interested.”

  “Great! How does Friday at one o’clock sound?”

  “Let me check my schedule.” She went quiet for a moment and looked at the calendar on her phone, even though she was fairly certain she didn’t have anything planned for that date. She was free almost every day unless she was scheduled to work at her mom’s catering company, but she didn’t want it to seem like she was desperate for a job. “I’m free on Friday afternoon.”

  “Good. I’ll have my assistant send you directions to the school and some other information.”

  They exchanged goodbyes and hung up. Sam logged the appointment on her calendar and then opened her car door. As soon as her feet hit the walkway, Libby’s youngest daughter, Kaya, ran out of the house and flung herself at her aunt.

  Sam wrapped her arms around Kaya. “Hey, sweetie.”

  “She’s been waiting at the window for you to come in,” Libby said from the doorway. Her hands were folded across her waist as she leaned against the doorframe, but she appeared less stressed than the last time Sam had seen her.

  Samantha released the little girl and stood up, then reached for her hand. They walked into the house together and Kaya pulled her over to the corner of the living room where she’d placed a few stuffed animals against the wall. Picture books were scattered across the floor in front of them.

  “Look, Auntie Sam! My stuffies are going to school!” Kaya beamed.

  “I see that.” Sam crouched down and picked up one of the books. “How do they like school?”

  Kaya scrunched up her face. “Little Bunny was kind of scared, but I think she’s getting over it now.”

  “Ah.” Sam looked over at Libby, wondering why Kaya was suddenly so interested in school.

  “Kaya’s going to be starting preschool next week at the same school where the other kids all went,” Libby said brightly. “Gabe is working full-time at a new job and I’m working more at the catering company, so we figured it was time for her to go to preschool.” She turned so Kaya couldn’t see her face and said in a quieter voice, “I’m going to miss her during the day though. I think I’m more upset about it than she is.”

  Sam gave her sister a quick hug. “I’m sure she’s going to have a great time playing with other kids her age there.”

  “I know.” Libby brightened. “And at least Gabe finally has a job. That’s a big weight off of me.”

  “I’m glad you’re feeling better.” Sam smiled at her. “How’s Mom doing?”

  Libby cocked her head to the side. “You know, she’s doing surprisingly well. She said she has something exciting to tell us tonight.”

  Sam raised her eyebrows. “Maybe Mom and Dad are finally going on that trip to Italy that Mom’s talked about for years.”

  Libby shrugged. “I don’t know, but whatever it is, she seems happy.”

  “Okay everyone, time for dinner,” Debbie called out. “Kids, go wash your hands.”

  Libby’s kids thundered off toward the bathrooms and Sam wandered into the dining room, where Taylor and Meg were chatting with her parents and Gabe.

  “Hey.” Sam waved at everyone, then went into the kitchen. Debbie was in the process of removing a giant pan of lasagna from the oven. “Do you need any help, Mom?”

  “If you could get the oven door, that would be great.” Debbie carried the unwieldy tray into the dining room and set it on a long hotpad in the center of the table.

  Sam shut the oven door and followed her Mom out to the table. The kids were just trickling back in, and she quickly found her assigned seat next to Meg. Her older sister was sitting close to Taylor, and Sam could tell they were holding hands under the table. Sam grinned, but didn’t say anything. After her date with Taylor, she’d suspected he had a thing for Meg, and hadn’t been a bit surprised when he’d suggested a work party at the barn.

  Seated at the head of the table, her dad said a prayer as they clasped hands. When he was done and everyone had a plate full of food, Debbie clinked her fork against her water glass to catch everyone’s attention.

  Even the kids stilled as Debbie made her announcement. “I’m sure all of you have noticed that I’ve been a little out of sorts lately.”

  Tommy, Libby’s youngest son, said, “Yeah, you’ve been a little grouchy.” His mom hissed at him from across the table and his eyes grew wide. “Sorry, Grandma.”

  Debbie laughed. “Don’t worry about it. I’m sure I haven’t been easy to live with.” Her eyes scanned over everyone. “Many of you know that my friend’s death hit me hard. I’d like to do something to honor her, so I’ve decided to organize a fundraising event for a local cancer charity in Diana’s memory.”

  “Oh wow,” Libby’s eyes sparkled. “Mom, that’s awesome!”

  “That’s such a great idea,” Meg said. “I’m sure all of us would love to help.”

  “Definitely,” Sam said, watching her mother’s face. Debbie’s smile widened even further seeing the support of her family. Her enthusiasm was contagious, brightening Sam’s own sagging spirit. With a possible new job on the horizon, things were turning around.

  “Thank you, girls.” Debbie beamed at them and Peter regarded his wife with pride. “Also, I’ve decided to hire an assistant to help out with the catering business to give me a little breathing room.” She looked at Libby, as if seeking her approval. “Does that work for you?”

  Libby nodded. “If that’s what you need, I’m fully behind that decision.”

  “Let us know what we can do to help with the fundraiser, okay?” Sam took a bite of the lasagna, savoring the tangy sauce, gooey cheese, and perfectly spiced meat. There was a reason why her mom’s catering business was so successful.

  “I w
ill.” Debbie grinned, then looked around. “Does anyone else have any news to share?”

  Sam set her fork down. “Well, I have a job interview on Friday.”

  Libby stopped eating. “A job interview? Do you not like working at the high school?”

  Sam tried not to squirm and met her sister’s stare head on. “The district had some funding issues and my contract wasn’t renewed for this term.”

  “Oh no,” Meg said softly. She patted Sam’s arm. “These past few months have not been kind to you.”

  Sam sighed and looked down at her plate, then back up at her family. “You know, maybe it’s been for the best. I think my life needed a little bit of a shakeup.”

  “What is the interview for?” Debbie asked. Next to her, Peter continued to shovel food into his mouth.

  “A private school in the area, Bayside Prep. Have you heard of it?” Sam said.

  Debbie nodded. “It’s supposed to be a great school.”

  “I’ve heard really good things about it,” Libby said. “That’s exciting. You’ll have to let us know how it goes.”

  “I will.” Sam breathed more easily than she had in weeks. She’d been concerned that her family would be upset about her not telling them she’d lost her job, but they were taking it better than she’d expected.

  “We have some good news too.” Libby smiled at her husband. “Gabe’s been offered a full-time position with the company he’s been temping for.”

  “Oh, honey, that’s wonderful.” Debbie sighed with happiness. “I’m so thankful that everything seems to be working out for all of you girls, even if it’s been in a roundabout way. We’re so glad to have Taylor with us today.” She shot a meaningful look at Meg, who immediately blushed.

  Taylor grinned. “I’m happy to be here.” He gazed lovingly at Meg.

  “Yeah. I’m glad you’re here too,” Sam said. “It takes some of the attention off of me. What took you so long to ask Meg out anyway?” She wiggled her eyebrows at him.

  Taylor’s face turned as red as Meg’s. “Uh…”

  Sam laughed. “I’m just kidding. But seriously, I’m glad you’re here.” She meant it too. She’d never seen Meg so relaxed and happy as she was tonight with Taylor. It gave Sam hope that, one day, she would meet someone who would make her light up as much as Meg did around Taylor.

  Meg

  That Friday, Meg and Taylor picked up BBQ pork sandwiches in town and brought them back to the Inn at Willa Bay to eat. They spread a thick, plaid picnic blanket on the ground outside of the barn and laid out the feast. Although they’d only officially been dating for a week, their longstanding friendship made it seem like they’d been together forever.

  They leaned against the exterior wall of the barn and ate their sandwiches while watching the sun sink below the horizon. This time, she didn’t mind when he wiped a smear of BBQ sauce away from her face, and he didn’t panic and run away after doing so. Taylor wiped his hands off on a paper napkin and tucked their garbage away in the sack their food had come in.

  “I think we should be able to get most of it done after the cleaning party next week,” he said. “Then there should just be a few odds and ends left that you and I can take care of.”

  “Do you think so?” Meg craned her head back to look up at the broken window in the loft. They’d barely touched everything stored in the upper floor of the barn last time.

  He nodded. “You’ll see. It’ll all get done. Don’t worry.” He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close.

  She snuggled into him, grateful for all he’d done for her. Without his brilliant idea to host a work party, there was no way they’d be anywhere near done with the task of getting it ready for renovations. She carefully wiped off her fingers to ensure she’d removed any trace of BBQ sauce and stretched forward to pluck the journal out of her shoulder bag.

  She ran her fingertips over the leather cover. She’d almost finished it, but still hadn’t come any closer to knowing what had happened to Davina. Had she left Willa Bay to seek a life elsewhere? Would they ever know?

  Whatever the case may be, the young woman’s journal had brought many good things into Meg’s life. When she’d been worrying about the barn not being ready, the recipes had gained her a regular feature on Coffee Talk Seattle, a basis for the menu whenever she did open her restaurant, and a connection to Taylor as they cooked for the grand opening.

  She set the book on her lap and rested her head against Taylor’s arm. Although she didn’t have her restaurant yet, the barn itself had been a big part of her life for the last few months, more so than she could have ever predicted. She and Taylor may have spent over a year working together in the Lodge’s kitchen, but the time they’d spent alone in the barn had given them the opportunity to finally get to know each other.

  The sun had completely disappeared from sight, and the blue sky had evolved into a mesmerizing patchwork of pinks, oranges, and purples. The temperature had dropped along with the sun and she shivered as she put the journal away. When she sat back down next to Taylor, she huddled close to him to share his warmth. She tipped her head up, searching his face in the waning light.

  He smiled softly and kissed her on the lips before stroking her hair back away from her cheeks. “Thank you for sharing with me your dream for the barn.”

  She smiled back at him. “Thank you for believing in it just as much as I do. I don’t think many other people could see my vision for it.” She winced at the memory of Theo seeing the barn for the first time, then looked back at Taylor. The kindness and love she saw in his face erased any thoughts she had about Theo.

  “It’s important to you, so it’s important to me,” he replied.

  “Thank you.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him again, then let her arms fall to his waist, snuggling close to enjoy his warmth again. The outer wall of the barn was rough against her back, but that didn’t bother her. The old structure had its flaws and had seen its own share of history, but it also held her dreams for the future. It truly was her haven by the bay.

  Epilogue

  Tia

  Tia yanked on the roots of a waist-high thistle stalk, leaning back with all of her body weight, but it refused to budge. She tugged again, and suddenly, the weed pulled free and she fell backward, cradling a handful of thorny green stalks against her body like it was a small child. She lay back on the ground, laughing at the absurdity of the situation.

  Native plants had long ago overtaken Cottage Twenty’s gardens, but she’d discovered that some of the heartier, original inhabitants of the garden had survived, including a gnarled yellow rose bush in the backyard. While Shawn had his construction crew working on the interior of the house, she, Meg, Zoe, and Cassie were trying to whip the yard into shape. Libby and Sam had been helping too, but had left about an hour ago to get dinner started in the Inn’s kitchen.

  She cast the uprooted weed aside and rested her arms on the ground, her hair splayed out against a patch of grass as she gazed upward. A few puffy clouds dotted the blue sky, and if it weren’t for the cool breeze that ruffled her hair every so often, she wouldn’t have believed it was already the end of September. The summer season was coming to an end and the autumn leaves would soon be falling. She couldn’t complain though. It had been a better summer than she could have ever imagined—a new job, new friends, and now a new place to live.

  “Are you okay?” Cassie loomed above her like a giant. Her blond curls gleamed in a ray of sunlight that snuck through the curtain of trees surrounding the cottage.

  Tia laughed again and sat up, the blood rushing from her brain with the sudden movement. “I’m fine.” She pointed to the long thistle. “I finally won the war.”

  Cassie eyed the remaining weeds lining the foundation of the building. “Uh, I think you may have won a battle, but there’s still some fighting left to do.”

  Tia looked in the same direction and frowned, but even the thought of how much they had left to do couldn’
t dampen her spirits. Shawn had promised her and Meg that his crew would have the cottage ready to move in by the end of October, and she intended to have the yard cleaned up by then. Cassie and the others had graciously volunteered to help with the cleanup, and they’d turned it into an impromptu midweek get-together of their Wedding Crashers group.

  “Maybe,” Tia said brightly and grabbed her small garden trowel. “But I’ll show them who’s boss.” She stood and waved the pointed end of the tool at the weeds menacingly.

  Cassie backed away, her eyes dancing merrily. “I’ll leave you to it. Libby called and said dinner will be ready in a few minutes.” She glanced at her watch. “I should check in with Kyle to make sure everything’s okay at the bakery.”

  “He’s worked there before though, right?” Tia asked.

  Cassie shrugged. “Yeah, but never for a full day on his own.” Her eyes darted to her watch again before she took a deep breath. “You’re right—I’m sure he’s fine. And the kids are used to going there directly after school now.”

  Tia grinned and shook her head. “Just give him a call. That way you won’t spoil your dinner with worrying about him and the kids.”

  Cassie bit her lip as she weighed her options, then sighed. “Okay, okay. I’m trying to get better about trusting Kyle and giving up a little control over everything, but it can’t hurt to just check in.” A soft smile spread across her face. “Things are going so well with him that I don’t want to mess anything up.”

  “I’m sure he won’t mind,” Tia said firmly. She didn’t know Cassie well, and wasn’t sure what had caused her divorce, but she’d seen how much happier Cassie was now that she and Kyle had rekindled their relationship. Any man that was willing to take a vacation day from work to manage his wife’s bakery so she could be with her friends was a man worth keeping.

  Cassie pulled her phone out of her pocket. “Thanks, Tia. I’m going to give him a call.” She tapped on the phone a few times, then said to Tia, “Remember, it’s almost dinner time.”