by Nicole Ellis
She looked over at the mural wall to her left. A soft ray of light reflected off a metal napkin dispenser, illuminating the image of the man and woman sitting on the bench overlooking the Pacific Ocean. It was almost like Sofia Valencia was smiling down on the bakery, happy to see so much love and laughter in the room. Cassie let her gaze soften as she stared at the couple in the painting. Originally, the mural’s subject had made her ache with memories of the past. Now, it was a beacon of light and hope for everything the future would bring. One thing was for sure – she knew exactly where she and Kyle would be spending their second honeymoon.
Epilogue
Meg
“Less than a week until we open.” Zoe surveyed the exterior of the Inn and then fixed her attention on Meg, who was standing next to her. “Are you as nervous as I am?”
Meg grinned. Zoe was doing enough worrying for both of them. “Maybe not as much as you, but I am a little.” She shaded her face with her hand to take a closer look at the Inn. Sun gleamed off of the new windows, their white trim freshly painted. A soft breeze swept through the flowers bordering the front porch, scenting the air with their fragrance. Across the lawn, the gazebo stood tall, waiting to shepherd couples into marriage. “I never thought I’d say this, but I think we’re ready for the first wedding on Saturday.”
Zoe took a deep breath, then smiled. “You’re right.”
Meg gave her a quick hug. “I know I am. Everything you’ve done here is paying off.” She gently turned her friend around to face the Inn’s front door. “Now, I think a special someone is waiting to take you to dinner.” She waved at Shawn, who was standing on the porch, gazing at Zoe with a bouquet of yellow roses clutched in his hands.
Zoe’s face lit up when she caught sight of the roses. She shook her head slightly and whispered, “How did I get so lucky? The resort, Shawn, all of this.”
“It’s not luck.” Meg rested her hand on Zoe’s shoulder to reassure her. “You’ve worked hard all your life and you’re one of the most amazing people I know. You deserve all of the goodness life can give you.”
Zoe bit her lip and nodded. “Thank you.” She smiled. “You always seem to know what to say.”
“Well, at least I’ve got that going for me.” At the moment, the rest of her life wasn’t too stellar, but at least she could be there for her friend.
Zoe hugged her tightly, whispering in her ear. “It’ll be your turn soon.”
Meg scoffed, but her stomach tightened. If only it were that easy. “Get up there and accept those flowers from him.”
Zoe laughed, and waved at Meg before jogging up the stairs, directly into Shawn’s arms.
As he pulled Zoe into a tight embrace, the knot in Meg’s stomach constricted further. Zoe was so happy, and Cassie and Kyle had reunited. Even Libby seemed happier these days. But where did that leave Meg?
She walked away, her feet taking her in the direction of the old barn behind the Inn, as if on autopilot. Once upon a time, it had stabled up to eight horses, offering guests a chance to ride on the beach or one of the other trails in existence at the time. Now, it was used only for storage.
She lifted her head, noting the broken and missing glass in some of the window frames. The barn had once been bright red, but the paint had long ago cracked and faded away, exposing the battered gray of the wood below. The surrounding lawns had been manicured to the same exacting detail as the rest of the grounds, but longer grass licked at the barn’s foundation.
She tugged on the handle of the side door, scraping aside small rocks and dirt as she opened it. Inside, sun shone through the missing windowpanes, catching dust motes dancing through the air. Beds and dressers had been pushed into horse stalls and miscellaneous machinery covered huge swaths of the main aisle. Cleaning out the barn would be a huge undertaking, one she wasn’t looking forward to.
Meg picked her way around a farm tractor to reach the ladder to the hayloft. Although Shawn had done a thorough inspection of the barn and pronounced both the main structure and its interior to be safe, she tested the first rung of the ladder by stepping on it and bouncing a little. It creaked, but held her weight.
She climbed to the top, moving about a foot away from the ledge to sit cross-legged on the floor. The loft was strewn with straw and remnants of twine from decades-old hay bales, but hadn’t been filled to capacity with junk like the main floor of the barn. Looking out over the edge, she was struck by the sheer size of the building. The barn didn’t look that big from the outside, but from here, she could fully imagine it as a restaurant – her restaurant.
She intended to paint the interior and exterior walls white to achieve a clean, yet rustic appearance. The kitchen would be located under the hayloft, but most of the main floor would serve as a dining room, with the capacity to host large wedding receptions. She pushed herself up, stifling a sneeze as she brushed hay off her jeans. After visually assessing the floorboards for stability, she made her way over to the large window at the end of the loft.
Most of the panes were covered with so much dirt that she couldn’t see out of them, but the broken sections offered her a chance to check out the view. As she’d hoped, there was a clear line of sight to Willa Bay. The upper level would be perfect for romantic sunset dinners.
What would it be like when the restaurant opened? She closed her eyes, imagining waiters bustling around, the clatter of a busy kitchen, and the low murmur of patrons chatting and enjoying her food. She smiled at the vision, her spirits lifting.
The pocket of her lightweight jacket vibrated as her phone rang, and she reluctantly pulled herself back to the present. Theo’s number popped up on the screen, and she glanced at the phone’s clock. More time had passed by while she was lost in her daydream than she’d realized.
She answered. “Hey, hold on a moment.” She scrambled down the ladder. “Sorry about that, I was up in the barn’s hayloft.”
“No worries,” he said. “Are we still on for dinner tonight?”
“I’m so sorry. I lost track of time. I’ll be there in ten minutes, okay?” She leaned against the barn’s open side door, waiting for his response.
“Sure. Sounds good. I’ll see you soon.”
“See you.” She ended the call and stuffed the phone back into her pocket, taking one last look inside. Like a Cinderella story, the whitewashed walls of her restaurant had turned back into a rundown barn.
Her excitement faded as she shut the door tightly behind her. Realistically, with all the projects planned for the Inn at Willa Bay, they wouldn’t start remodeling the barn for at least three months. Whether she liked it or not, her life was in a holding pattern.
At least she had Theo. That was the one bright spot of her current situation. They’d been dating for a little over a month and had intentionally kept their relationship light. Cassie and Zoe seemed so happy in their serious relationships, though. At thirty-two, was she supposed to want something more? She shook her head. For now, she was having fun – something she’d sorely missed over the last two years.
Meg stopped in the middle of the lawn separating the Inn from the barn and looked back. She closed her eyes once more and her restaurant came alive again, with twinkling fairy lights hanging whimsically from the barn’s white eaves. She opened her eyes, and smiled. Someday, hopefully soon, her dream would become a reality.
Author’s Note
Thank you for reading The Sea Star Bakery! If you’re able to, please consider leaving a review for it.
Wondering what’s in store for Meg? Find out what happens next with Book 3, The Haven on the Bay.
If you haven’t read Willa Bay’s sister series, the Candle Beach Novels, check out Book 1, Sweet Beginnings.
Happy reading!
Nicole
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