The Sea Star Bakery: A Willa Bay Novel

by Nicole Ellis

  “I know, but there are only a few things left to decide on for the remodel.” Zoe gestured to her paper. “I’m actually almost done.”

  Meg refilled her water glass, taking small sips this time. “What’s on the agenda for this afternoon? Am I working on the trails again?” Now that she’d rehydrated and cooled off, her tone lightened. “I suppose this is what I deserved after talking about how much I missed going to the gym. I had to cancel my membership after we bought the Inn because I didn’t have time to go there.”

  Zoe consulted her planner, which she’d crowded with a hodgepodge of colorful inked appointment reminders and project deadlines. “I have a meeting later today with the kitchen contractor to finalize everything, and you’re probably right – it would be good to have you join me for that meeting. I don’t want to miss anything crucial.”

  “Anything that doesn’t involve work gloves is fine with me.” Meg cast a withering glare at the gloves she’d set on a plastic side table. “What’s Tia up to today? I saw her wandering around outside earlier.”

  Zoe took a deep breath. “She’s taking our first potential client on a tour.”

  Meg’s eyebrows rose. “Do you think she’s okay on her own?”

  Every bone in Zoe’s body screamed NO and the muscles in her face tensed in response, but she pasted on what she hoped would pass for a confident smile. “Uh-huh. She’ll do fine. She’s experienced in event planning, so I’m not worried.”

  “Right …” Meg shook her head. “I can always tell when you’re lying. Your cheek is twitching like a bunny’s nose right now.”

  Zoe ran her fingers over the telltale sign that had been a giveaway since she was a kid. She’d never be a professional poker player, but it kept her honest. “Okay. So I’m a little concerned. But Shawn insisted that I give up a little control, and this appointment doesn’t seem too important. At this point, discussing the kitchen remodel with our contractor is a higher priority for my time.”

  “If you say so.” Meg set her cup on the table. “Now, what are we going to go over with the kitchen contractor? I’m excited to see how things are coming along.”

  Hours later, Tia came into the living room, where Zoe was sitting on the couch with her iPad, flipping between two different images of flooring as she attempted to make her umpteenth decision of the day.

  “I’ve got good news,” Tia sang out.

  Zoe looked up sharply. “Did they like the property?”

  “No,” Tia said, then broke out into a 100-watt smile. “They loved it.”

  Zoe smiled. “That’s great. Did they want to sign a contract?”

  Tia nodded. “They’re coming in tomorrow to sign it. They’re one of the displaced clients of Danville Hall and desperately need to find a venue for their August eighth wedding. The bride-to-be is going to bring her mom with her to see the Inn’s grounds. She said there aren’t many places in the area where you can have a beach wedding, so that was a huge draw.”

  Zoe’s eyes bugged out. “A beach wedding? Did you promise them they could get married on the beach?”

  “Yeah, why?” Tia shuffled her feet. “Isn’t that okay?”

  “For an August eighth wedding? I told you we wouldn’t have the beach ready for ceremonies for a couple of months.” Zoe dropped the tablet to her lap and stared up at the ceiling, mentally calculating what they’d need to do to make a beach wedding possible. Repairing the stairs down to the beach had been one of the first things Shawn had done when he’d moved to Willa Bay, but they hadn’t had time yet to add the finishing touches to the beach access to make it shine, nor clear the driftwood on the beach to accommodate wedding guests.

  “Oh. I’m so sorry. I must have misunderstood.” Tia bit her lip. “I’ll have to tell them tomorrow that we’ll need to do a wedding by the gazebo. They were quite taken with it as well, so it’ll probably be fine. But they were really excited about the idea of a beach wedding.”

  Zoe sighed. In her role as a wedding coordinator while she’d been employed at the Willa Bay Lodge, she’d never been charged with making the final decisions on any event. Her boss, Joan, had made it look so easy to accommodate unusual client requests. Now that Zoe was an owner and manager of the Inn at Willa Bay, and working the equivalent of the event manager job she’d hoped to be promoted to at the Lodge, Zoe would be tasked with making those decisions. Managing employees and being ultimately responsible for events was just as much of an adjustment for her as it was for Tia starting this new job.

  “Okay. Let me think about this for a while.” Zoe got up from the couch and set her iPad on a side table. “I’m going to take a walk and then we can discuss this further.”

  Tia nodded. “I’m really sorry, Zoe. I didn’t mean to mess anything up.”

  Zoe gave her a small smile. “I’m sure it’ll be fine.” Her breath was ragged now, and the walls were closing in on her. If she didn’t get some fresh air soon, she was worried she might have a panic attack. She’d always had anxiety, but had never come close to a full-fledged panic attack until recently. One time in college, a friend of hers had been hit with one, and it had been terrifying to watch. Zoe wanted to do anything she could to manage her anxiety before it happened to her too.

  She hurried out the door and into the front yard, then jogged to the beach, not paying attention to anyone along the way. The beach was her happy place, somewhere she could turn whenever things got difficult. It wasn’t a magic cure, but today the sound of the waves crashing on the shore almost instantly dulled the sharp edge of her stress.

  On impulse, she took her phone out of the pocket of her lightweight, zip-up jacket and dialed her brother.

  “Luke?” she asked when it connected.

  “Hey sis.”

  “Is this a good time to talk?” She bit her lip, realizing just how much she’d needed to talk to him.

  “Of course. Is everything okay?” he asked, his voice tinged with concern.

  She took a deep breath of the sea air. “Yeah. Just a little stressed.”

  “Is there anything I can do to help?”

  “I don’t know.” Zoe drew a circle in the sand with the toe of her shoe. “It’s just that I didn’t think this would be so hard.” She glanced up at the Inn and her anxiety levels heightened. She quickly averted her gaze and faced the water, letting the rhythm of the waves bring her heart rate back down.

  “You didn’t think renovating a rundown resort property would be stressful?” Luke asked dryly.

  “Maybe not this bad?” She sighed. “I know. I was naive to think it wouldn’t be too bad.”

  “Is everything working out?” His words were softer now.

  “I think so. Or it will be soon.” She peeked up at the Inn, frowning at the deteriorating shingles on the roof. “Was it this challenging for you when you started the food truck?” Luke owned a barbecue food truck in Candle Beach, which, from her point of view, had been an immediate success.

  He laughed. “It wasn’t easy. I had to hunt down the truck, make a ton of repairs, then figure out how to run a food truck business. There were so many moving pieces that I often thought I’d never get the restaurant off of the ground.” A dreamy quality came over his voice, and she imagined him staring at his food truck. “But now here I am, a business owner. I love what I do, and I wouldn’t trade it for the world. I can’t say I felt the same way as a software developer. My job at the tech company wasn’t nearly as satisfying as being my own boss and having a direct impact on a business.”

  “So, you think things will get better for me?” She paced in circles, letting the small exertion remove some of her excess energy.

  “I’m sure they will. I have faith in you. No matter what, you’ll find a way to make your dream happen.” He sighed. “I guess what I’m saying is that this part of the process is short-term, and it will all be worth it when you’re looking at what you’ve earned through your own hard work.”

  “Thanks, Luke.” She let her body stop moving and relaxed her t
ensed muscles.

  “Did that help at all? I’m sure everyone’s experience is different, but I personally am grateful every day that I took the plunge.”

  “Yeah. I feel a little better about everything now.” A gust of wind blew her hair sideways, and she tucked the errant strands back behind her ears. “I’d better get back and face the music, but I appreciate your words of wisdom.”

  “No problem. I’m glad to help,” he said. “Oh, Pops and I were thinking about coming out to see you in about two weeks. Does that work for you?”

  A rush of longing came over her. It had only been a few months since she’d visited Candle Beach and seen her brother and grandfather, but the thought of seeing their faces again brought tears of joy to her eyes. They’d always been so supportive, and right now she could use all the support she could get.

  “I’d be thrilled if you both came to visit. Bring Charlotte, too, if you want. I’d love to see her again. The rooms at the Inn won’t be open yet, but Pops can take the bedroom in my cottage if he wants to stay overnight. I’m sure we can find somewhere for the two of you to sleep too.”

  “Don’t even worry about it,” Luke said. “I’ll book us some rooms in town. I wanted to check with you first before I made reservations or invited Charlotte and Pops, but I’ll take care of that tonight. And Zoe?”

  “Yeah?”

  “I’m looking forward to seeing you and getting a first-hand look at everything you’ve done with the Inn.”

  “Well, Shawn and Meg helped a little.” She laughed. “Okay, more than a little. But I’m looking forward to seeing you, too, and giving you an update on our progress here.”

  She hoped he’d like what he saw on his visit. He had faith in her abilities to renovate the old property, and had been the one to invest in her, Shawn, and Meg so they could purchase a half-interest in the resort from Celia. But she still wanted him to feel like his money had been well-spent.

  She put her phone away and surveyed the area near the stairs to the beach, assessing it as though she were a wedding guest. They’d need to cut away some of the bigger pieces of driftwood and sweep the seaweed and kelp off the sand before a ceremony, but with the peaceful sound of the waves lapping at the shore and the soft breezes rustling the seagrass, it would be an enchanting venue. They were a beach resort, so they might as well start off right by offering weddings on the sand, even if it meant more work before they opened.

  She returned to the Inn where Tia was sitting on the porch, nervously tapping her pen against her notebook. She popped up when Zoe climbed the stairs to the front door and followed her inside.

  “Are you okay?” she asked. “You left so suddenly. I was worried, but I didn’t want to chase after you if you wanted some time to yourself.”

  Zoe smiled, and for the first time in a while, could answer that question honestly. “I’m okay.” She led Tia into the living room where she’d left her iPad. “We’ll figure out a way to make it work.” Zoe gestured for Tia to sit next to her on the couch. “Let’s talk about the rest of the client's details so we’re on the same page when they return to sign their contract.”

  Tia perched on the couch, turning her knees to face Zoe. She recited the information she’d scribbled in her notebook, and Zoe used the iPad to enter it into their brand-new event management system. Tia had been thorough in recording all of the client’s personal information, along with their requests and her suggestions. Zoe hated to admit it, but with the exception of her mistake in promising a beach wedding, hiring Tia hadn’t been such a bad idea.

  When they finished, Tia went home for the day and Zoe pulled out her to-do list, adding the tasks necessary to host a beach wedding. The list was getting longer instead of shorter, but she took heart in Luke’s conviction that everything would work out.

  The door to the living room opened, and Celia entered with her walker, a huge smile lighting up her face. “How much do you love me?” she teased.

  Her good humor was contagious, and Zoe grinned back at her. “A lot,” Zoe answered. They had never truly bonded in the ten years Zoe rented the cottage from Celia, but since Celia’s accident last April and seeing how much her friends cared for her, she had let her guard down and become like a bonus grandmother – one Zoe felt lucky enough to get to see every day. “But why do I love you today?”

  “Because I found you a roofer.” Celia’s blue eyes sparkled in her wizened face. “I called in a few favors, and Blue Bay Roofing is going to start on Monday.”

  Zoe’s pulse quickened, and she couldn’t do anything but gape at Celia for several seconds. “Blue Bay is one of the most highly rated roofers around,” Zoe said. “How did you get them to come out here, especially on short notice?”

  Celia shrugged. “I told you. I know people.” She wiggled her eyebrows and laughed. “Seriously, though, they were supposed to work on the roof of Danville Hall. I found out about the gap in their schedule and nabbed them immediately for the Inn.”

  Zoe sprang from the couch and ran over to Celia, being careful not to knock the elderly woman over as she wrapped her arms around her. “Thank you. I can’t even tell you how much I appreciate this.” She stepped back and looked at Celia. “Thank you so much.”

  Celia smiled, pink cheeks creasing. “No problem. I want to see this Inn succeed just as much as you do.” A far-off expression came over her face, as though she were remembering good times at the Inn. “But now, this old woman needs a nap.” She swiveled her walker around. “I’ll see you for dinner, right?”

  “Right.” Zoe chuckled. You never knew what to expect with Celia.

  After Celia left, Zoe went out to the back porch, hooking her arm around one of the posts she and Cassie had painted a few weeks earlier. The worries that weighed her down had lifted, and she could see the light at the end of the tunnel. Luke had been right. Everything was going to be okay.

  16

  Kyle

  “These are the cans of pie filling that time forgot.” With both hands, Kyle held up a dust-covered commercial-sized can of cherry pie filling to show Cassie. He rubbed the side of the can clean to read the date printed on it. “It’s frightening that they don’t expire for another year.”

  Cassie wrinkled her nose. “That is frightening.” She took the giant can from him and stacked it in the corner of the small storeroom. “I bet Edgar had them here as a back-up plan, because as far as I know, he only used freshly made fillings for his pastries.”

  Kyle eyed the rack they were emptying, which still contained an entire row of various fruit pie fillings. “He must have been expecting quite a baking emergency.”

  Cassie giggled, filling Kyle’s heart with joy. He’d known her since they were teenagers, and hearing her laugh always made him happy. When he’d called to ask if it was okay for the kids to visit his parents for the weekend, she’d mentioned plans to clean out the storeroom at the bakery. He’d offered to help her with the project since they’d both be kid-free, something that didn’t happen very often.

  “I’m about ready for a break. What do you think?” she asked.

  He dusted his hands off on his blue jeans. “I could do with a cup of coffee and a donut.” He followed her out of the tiny storeroom and down the short hallway to the front of the bakery.

  As she poured them each a cup of drip coffee from an old filter-style coffee pot on the counter, Kyle took the opportunity to look around. It was the first time he’d been in there since Cassie took over, and he liked the changes she’d made. Her contractors had moved the counter slightly to create a better space for the flow of customers on busy days, and they'd somehow managed to form a bigger indoor eating area with more tables than had been there previously.

  Cassie came out from behind the counter with a mug of steaming coffee in each hand. She set them on a table for two, then grabbed a box of donuts she’d bought from a shop down the street.

  “I feel odd serving you someone else’s donuts in my bakery, but we’re not exactly up and running yet.�
�� She made a face at the line of storage containers on the counter.

  “I’m not complaining.” Kyle grinned as he selected a cinnamon-sugar twist from the pink cardboard box. “These have always been my favorite.” He bit into the donut, letting the sugar melt on his tongue.

  “I know,” Cassie said softly. “I was glad they still had some left when I bought them this morning.”

  She’d remembered what he liked. He’d been about to take another bite, but halted with the donut midway to his mouth. “Thanks for thinking of me.”

  She shrugged. “I was buying them anyway. I figured I might as well get something you liked since you were so kind to help me today.”

  He nodded and finished off the cinnamon twist in a few bites. Cassie nibbled on her raspberry-filled donut, leaving a trace of red jelly on her lips.

  “You’ve got a little something on your mouth,” he said, oddly fascinated by the red smudge.

  Her tongue slid out, and she daintily licked her lips. His chest constricted. Even after all these years, he couldn’t deny an attraction to her. She’s your ex-wife, Kyle. Get a grip on yourself.

  Maybe this had been a mistake. He took a swig of coffee, then cleared his throat and stood, searching for a distraction. The mural on the wall caught his eye and he walked over to it.

  “So, this is the famous mural.” He let his eyes slide over the painting, noting the little vignettes of life that the artist had tucked into different areas of the landscape. The rocks and trees looked familiar, but he couldn’t place them. “Have you found out anything about who painted it?”

  Cassie shook her head. “Not yet.” She joined him in front of the mural and sighed. “It’s so beautiful. Every time I see it, I can’t help but remember waking up in Monterey to that beautiful view.”

  As if in a trance, he took another look at the entirety of the mural – the twisted trees, the rolling dunes, and the waves beating against the rocky jetties. This was definitely the central California coast. How had he missed that?