The Sea Star Bakery: A Willa Bay Novel

by Nicole Ellis

  Chase nodded. “After I talked to you the first time, I did a little research on her. It seems she only painted scenes from California. Why is that?”

  A far-off look came into Sofia’s eyes. “It’s really quite romantic. Abuela grew up on a ranch near the Monterey Peninsula that had been in her family for generations. When she was a teenager, she fell madly in love with Joseph, a young man she'd met in town, and eventually they married.” She uttered a long sigh. “Unfortunately, Grandpa Joe had a streak of wanderlust in him, and he’d heard about the prosperity in Seattle. He wanted to head north, but Abuela wouldn’t agree to it. She loved where they lived and couldn’t imagine living anywhere else. They quarreled frequently until finally, he left on his new adventure, leaving Abuela at home with her family.”

  Cassie held her breath. Was this why there was such passion in the artist’s rendition of the coast?

  “So what happened? Did they get divorced? How did she end up in Willa Bay?” Chase asked, clearly just as enraptured as Cassie by Sofia’s story.

  Sofia grinned. “After two years apart, Abuela realized that California wasn’t home anymore. Wherever Grandpa Joe lived was where she needed to be. She packed up as many belongings as she could fit into a suitcase and came up here. In the years they’d been separated, he had done well for himself. He’d been in the right place at the right time, eventually earned enough money to buy an existing building in the newly built resort town of Willa Bay, and opened a mercantile offering groceries and dry goods. When he and Abuela reunited, they moved into the small apartment above the store.”

  “Was that the bakery?” Cassie asked. The building housing the bakery must have seen so many different incarnations over the years.

  Sofia shook her head. “No. Soon after Abuela arrived in Willa Bay, there was a terrible fire that ripped through that part of town. It burned several businesses, including the store and their apartment. Everything Abuela had brought with her from home was lost in the fire – photos of her family, old letters, everything. The fire started at night, and they barely escaped with their lives.”

  “Oh no.” Cassie swallowed a lump in her throat, not even wanting to think about what that would be like. How painful it must have been for Sofia Valencia to lose all of her belongings, especially being so far away from everything she’d ever known. “So, they rebuilt?”

  “They did,” Sofia said. “Abuela was so homesick that Grandpa Joe had the building rebuilt in the Spanish Revival architectural style that had become popular in Abuela’s hometown and other communities along the California coast. He figured it would give Abuela a taste of home, but be appropriate for attracting tourists in Willa Bay. It took several years to construct, and townspeople thought he was crazy, but he wanted to do it for the woman he loved.”

  Cassie took a deep breath. “Wow.”

  “I know.” Sofia laughed. “If only I could find a man like that. Grandpa realized he shouldn’t have left Abuela behind, and he tried to make it up to her the best way he knew how.” She smiled sadly. “They were married for over fifty years, but he passed away before I was born. From all the stories about him that Abuela told me, I would have loved to have known him.”

  “When did she paint the mural?” Cassie asked.

  “As soon as the walls were up in the new construction,” Sofia said. “From what she said, she painted it in what used to be the section of the store where they sold fabric, home furnishings, and other dry goods.” She shook her head from side to side. “I never thought I’d ever see it.” She peered at Cassie. “Is it as beautiful as I’ve heard?”

  Happiness spread through Cassie as she pictured the mural. “It’s gorgeous. Your grandmother was a wonderful artist.”

  “I know.” Sofia pointed to the wall behind them, and both Cassie and Chase turned to face it. “I have a few of her paintings here and some more at home. When I look at them, it’s like Abuela is right here with me, telling me about her life back in California.”

  The art on the wall was in the same style as the mural, depicting a sunny day on the coast. Sofia Valencia had captured the way the sun bounced off the rocks and water, filling the sky with a warm light.

  Chase admired the painting. “She was very talented. If I ever see any of her work for sale, I’ll be sure to purchase it.”

  “Abuela only sold a few pieces, so they’ll be difficult to find,” Sofia said. “She was a perfectionist and often would spend months on one painting. But the results were worth it.”

  Chase nodded. “I agree.”

  They all looked at the painting for another minute, then Sofia cleared her throat. “I have a patient coming in soon, but I’d love to see the mural sometime.”

  Cassie tore her eyes away from the coastal scene. “Come by the bakery any time. Would you mind if I put a short description of your grandmother and her story on the wall next to it? I’ll run it by you first, of course.”

  Sofia’s eyes were bright as she said, “I think Abuela would have liked that. Thank you.” She glanced at the door. “I’d better get going, but thank you both so much for telling me about the mural. I’m excited to see it soon.” She sighed. “It’s like finding a little piece of my grandmother that I didn’t know existed.”

  They all stood from their chairs, and she showed them to the front door.

  “Thank you again for meeting with us.” Cassie instinctively gave Sofia a brief hug, which the other woman returned. “I’ve been wondering about this mural for weeks, and it’s so good to finally know more about the artist.”

  “No, thank you for giving me this gift.” Sofia shook Chase’s hand. “I’ll be in touch.” She smiled at them both, then walked into the waiting room.

  Cassie and Chase left the doctor’s office, pausing outside on the sidewalk.

  “That was something,” he said, smiling at her. “Can I interest you in a cup of coffee? I have some time before I need to be back at the gallery.”

  She checked her watch. It was later than she’d thought. “I’d better get home before the kids do.”

  “Oh.” His face fell. “Well, if coffee doesn’t work, would you like to have dinner with me sometime? Maybe on a weekend that the kids are with your ex?”

  She studied his face. His attention was flattering, but was she ready to start dating again? Did she even want to? Her heart beat faster.

  Sofia Valencia had given up everything she’d ever known to take a chance on moving north to be with her husband. She and Joseph had gone through their own issues, but things had eventually worked out between them. According to Sofia Parker, her grandparents had been wildly happy after getting back together. Was there hope that Cassie and Kyle could do the same?

  Even if there wasn’t, Cassie didn’t want to lead Chase on.

  She smiled at him apologetically. “I’m sorry, but I don’t think so. It’s not a good time for me to be dating right now. Everything in my life is a little topsy-turvy.”

  He nodded. “I understand. If you ever change your mind, let me know.” He flashed her a wide grin that should have made her reconsider, but she knew in her heart that she’d made the right decision. “I’ll see you later.” He touched her arm lightly, then walked away, whistling under his breath.

  When Cassie was alone, she was filled with uncertainty. Should she tell Kyle how she felt about him? Her ex-husband was dating someone else. Would it be better to just let the matter go and hope the feelings resolved?

  They’d been divorced for a couple of years already – would the feelings ever go away? She took the long way home, circling the park, hoping the exercise would bring her clarity. Unfortunately, by the time she unlocked the front door of her house, she wasn’t any closer to making a decision.

  18

  Libby

  Libby scrubbed at the frying pan, scraping off the remnants of the cheesy scrambled eggs she’d made everyone for breakfast. The soap bubbles floated high in the air, refracting the sunlight into tiny rainbows, cheering her momentarily. She’
d arranged for her parents to take the kids overnight in hopes of finally talking to Gabe alone. Not knowing what was going on with him was eating away at her. She’d snapped at her kids more than usual that week, and it wasn’t fair to them. Something had to give.

  He was late getting home, which shouldn’t have surprised her because it was becoming the norm. He needed to show up soon, though, before she chickened out of confronting him about his behavior. She rinsed the pan off and stuck it in the dish drainer, then moved on to the other items in the sink. As her stack of dirty dishes dwindled, her resolve strengthened. It didn’t matter when her husband came home, they were going to settle this tonight.

  The front door opened and Gabe’s footsteps sounded on the floor of the entry hall. Libby stuck the last plate into the dishwasher and punched the buttons to run a wash cycle. Without her children around to distract her, she’d managed to get the kitchen fairly well cleaned up and had made a casserole that was now bubbling away in the oven.

  “Why is it so quiet? I don’t hear any of the kids,” Gabe said as he entered the kitchen. He looked around, as though they could be hiding under the table or chairs.

  “They’re with my mom.” Libby wiped down the granite countertop surrounding the sink, then tossed the used cloth into a small laundry bin she’d concealed in a lower cabinet. The movement gave her a few extra seconds to collect her thoughts.

  “Oh.” He paused just inside of the doorway. “Maybe I’ll go back to work then.”

  She froze in place, blood pounding in her ears. Her husband didn’t want to spend even one minute alone with her. She’d barely said a word, and he already wanted to leave. Was this really it?

  “What’s going on with you?” she blurted out.

  “Nothing.” His tone was defensive. “I just have a lot of work to do.”

  “Are you cheating on me?” Her voice sounded tinny to her, as though she were listening to herself from far away. This was what her marriage had come to – standing in her kitchen, accusing her husband of being unfaithful.

  His head reeled back, and he stared at her in horror. “No. Of course not. Why would you think that?”

  “Because you’re rarely home, and when you are, you’re either sniping at me or standoffish. It’s pretty obvious that you’d rather be anywhere else than here with me.” She pretended to straighten a row of glasses in the dish drainer behind her, letting her hair hide her face and the tears spilling down her cheeks.

  “Libby. You’re not being fair.” He sighed, and she turned around.

  “I’m not being fair?” She grabbed a Kleenex, then made herself look directly at him. Lifting her chin, she said, “You’re hiding something from me, and I want to know what it is.” His expression was stoic, and she pressed on. “Correction, I need to know why you’ve been ignoring me. I can’t take this any longer, and I don’t think I should have to.”

  “Lib …” He shuffled his feet.

  “No. If you don’t want to be married to me any longer, I deserve to know.” She leaned the small of her back against the counter for support, not taking her gaze off him.

  He crossed the room and wrapped his arms around her, lightly touching her back with both hands. “I’m not cheating on you.”

  Libby stood there, unspeaking, her body as stiff as a board. It had been so long since he’d shown any sign of affection for her that she wanted to relax into his embrace, but he hadn’t given her any reason to trust him. She had to know what was going on between them.

  She looked up at him, her fingers pressed firmly against her legs, refusing to reciprocate his affection. “Why have you been so distant then?”

  He sighed again and stepped back, releasing her. She didn’t take her eyes off him.

  “Okay. You really want to know the truth?” He scanned her face, even as his own contorted with uncertainty.

  “Yes! Of course I want to know the truth.” She held her breath. Was this the end of her marriage? A sense of calm came over her. Whatever happened, she’d take things one step at a time. She had the support of her family and friends. No matter what, she and the kids would be okay.

  In a small voice, he said, “My company has filed for bankruptcy. I’m probably going to lose my job soon.”

  Her eyes widened. Gabe had worked at the same medical supply company for over six years, and as far as she knew, there had never been any hint of a financial problem before. In fact, it had only been a few years ago that they’d had a record year, and Gabe had received a big promotion and raise. “What happened?”

  He shrugged. “Sales are down, and expenses are up. They’re restructuring some of their debt, but I don’t know if they’ll survive.” He reached behind him, gripping the counter until his knuckles turned white. “I’m sorry, honey.”

  “You’re sorry?” She stared at him. “Why are you sorry? It’s not your fault.”

  He hung his head. “I’ve been working so hard these last few months to get as many sales as I can, but even with doubling my efforts, it hasn’t been enough. I didn’t want to tell you how bad things were because I felt like I’d let you and the kids down.”

  The enormousness of the situation hit her. Gabe hadn’t been ignoring her or thinking about a divorce. He’d been trying to save his company and his job. But why hadn’t he confided in her before?

  She moved closer to him, reaching out to touch his arm. “You’ve done everything you could do. It’ll be okay.”

  He bit his lip. “We don’t have the savings to weather me being out of work. With your mom being so sick last year and the catering business not bringing in much money, we’ve depended on the income from my job.” He hurriedly added, “Not that I blame your mom. I know she needed the time off to recover. It’s just that it’s all hitting us at the same time.”

  Libby nodded. “I know.” Her mind was spinning, calculating what they needed to survive. Raising four kids wasn’t cheap. They had their mortgage, utilities, groceries, and a myriad of other expenses to take into account. Although the thought of Gabe losing his job was terrifying, part of her was relieved that he’d been avoiding her because of shame, not because he was cheating on her. This news, she could handle. She took a deep breath.

  “This isn’t something you needed to shoulder all by yourself. I’m your wife, your partner. You need to share things like this with me. I’ll talk to Mom and see if we can take on additional catering contracts. And I’m sure you’ll find a new position. It just might take some time. We’ll figure it out – together.” She moved forward until she was standing directly in front of him, and put her hands on his shoulders, turning her face up to peer into his eyes. “I love you.”

  A look of relief came over him and he bent down to kiss her on the lips. “I love you too.” He put his hands around her waist and pulled her close, whispering into her hair, “Thank you.”

  With her cheek pressed up against his chest, she couldn’t see his face, but from the raggedness to his voice and the way his arms trembled as they tightened around her, she knew she wasn’t the only one crying. Her husband had tried so hard to hold everything together for their family, not wanting to burden her. Now, it was time for them to share that load.

  Her muscles relaxed as she melted into him. Whatever the future brought them, they’d work through it as a team.

  19

  Zoe

  Zoe regarded her to-do list with a critical eye. She’d never have believed it two weeks ago, but they were actually on track to complete all essential items by the end of July. It was a good thing, too, because they were now fully booked for weddings every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday in August.

  The roofers would be gone by that afternoon, taking their massive garbage dumpsters with them – and, with any luck, leaving behind a beautiful new roof. Shawn planned to start renovating the guest rooms as soon as they left. For now, they’d just be hosting weddings on the lawn in front of the gazebo and down on the beach. Later, they’d offer overnight accommodations, but there was no way
to have the Inn’s interior ready by August.

  She walked across the grass to the gazebo and climbed the steps, admiring the sheen of the new white paint as she peered into it. Shawn and his assistant had outdone themselves with the structure, even down to the smallest details, like the smooth curves on the backs of the benches inside. It was every bit as enchanting as the original building, but now she could stand in it without fear that she’d fall through a rotten floorboard to the ground below. In a few weeks, newlyweds would be standing on these steps, ready to begin their lives together.

  The old Inn at Willa Bay had undergone its own renaissance of sorts, gaining new life as a wedding venue in modern-day Willa Bay. Thanks to Danville Hall’s abrupt closure, the Inn had been inundated with requests for wedding dates, being in the unique position of not yet having any events booked for the rest of the summer. Every wedding vendor in town had pitched in to help those affected, and Zoe was glad that her new venue would be open in time to assist as many of them as they could. Even better, Zoe had snagged the Hall’s staff florist and string quartet to bring on at the Inn before they could find employment elsewhere.

  Zoe left the gazebo and continued walking around the grounds. Today was special, because for the first time, Luke was bringing Pops to Willa Bay to visit. Pops no longer drove, so in all the years she’d lived here, she’d always gone home to Haven Shores and Candle Beach to visit them. Finally, Pops would be able to see where she’d lived for the past decade – and, most exciting of all, see everything she, Shawn, and Meg had accomplished.

  It would also be the first time Luke had been back to Willa Bay since he’d agreed to invest in the Inn. Anxiety nibbled at her stomach, but she pushed it away. She knew Luke had faith in her ability to make the Inn a successful venture, despite the times she’d doubted herself. Now, though, everything was coming together.