by Agatha Ball
I left Nate to get back to his day and headed down to Main Street. I had so many questions. Had the person who owned Holly's store been a thief? Had we stumbled upon some criminal? But then... why did he leave the map? Was it for himself?
The door to Bitter Beans was shut and the sign had been flipped to "Closed." A slight pang of fear shot up my spine. Mom was supposed to be watching the counter while Granny and her posse talked over Holly's design options at Wanda's shop with wine and cheese. Had something happened? I couldn't help the memories of Granny's stint in the emergency room last month from popping up.
I headed straight toward Wanda's shop, my pace increasing with every step. But on the way, I passed by Yvette's café.
It was a trendy white-and-black ice cream parlor, which specialized in soups, sandwiches, and sweets.
Sitting there in the white-paned window were Mom and Hal, heads tilted toward each other in flirty conversation. And they were splitting a slice of red velvet cake, the traitors. But why had they come here instead of just staying at Bitter Beans?
But as soon as Mom saw me, I got a pretty clear picture that it was because she didn't want me or Granny spotting them together. She was like a kid caught with their hand in the cookie jar. Caught, she waved for me to come in and join them.
I opened the door with its stained glass inset, unsure what I was walking in on.
"Paige! You're here! ...why are you here?" she asked.
"Just looking for you." I folded my arms. "And you?"
"Oh this? This is just cake," she tried to explain.
Hal reached out and took her hand in his. "Paige, your mom bought me a slice of red velvet cake for old times’ sake."
"It used to be his favorite," she added.
"It still is."
"I thought you were supposed to be minding the store," I reminded her.
"Oh, it was slow, so I just flipped the sign to 'back in ten minutes'," she replied and guiltily took another bite of cake.
I knew it shouldn't have annoyed me that much, but she hadn't flipped the sign to 'back in ten', she had flipped it to 'Closed'. And I was a real hypocrite. I flipped the sign to head out and it was no big deal. But for some reason, it really bothered me.
"You could have texted me," I said. "I would have come back. Granny is here, too. You didn't need to close the shop."
Mom put down her fork. "It's not that big of a deal. I took a lunch break. Jeez, you're as bad as she is about that place."
A tightness rose in my chest. "I happen to love Bitter Beans."
"Well, I was supposed to be here and have a nice vacation while I helped my daughter get packed and moved back home, and instead I'm stuck behind a counter while she's off gallivanting around the island."
Hal held up his hands in apology. "I am so sorry. I really didn't mean to cause all this trouble. Your mom and I were just getting caught up. We haven't seen each other in about twenty years—"
"You said he was trouble," I reminded Mom.
Instead of being irked, Hal's face lit up as Mom's turned bright red. "You said that about me?"
"Well, you are," she laughed back.
Now it was time for me to throw up my hands. "You know what, it doesn't matter. Don't worry about it. I'll take the shift this afternoon. You two do whatever it is that you're doing here."
"Go on!" Mom called after me. "Since you love it there so much!"
I stormed out the door and could hear her muttering something under her breath to Hal and then I heard them laughing.
It really wasn't that big of a deal. But Granny had been through so much this summer, she was facing financial ruin for a bunch of trouble I brought to her door, and it just didn't feel right for Mom to just abandon her post. Every sale kept Granny afloat.
I opened up the door to Bitter Beans and flipped the sign over again to "Open". I really shouldn't have bothered. No one came. Every minute that passed without a customer proved my mom right, and I hated that. I wanted there to be a stream of customers coming through the door just to prove her wrong.
Instead, the only person who walked in was Richard. His white hair was combed neatly and kept into place with some Brill cream and he was sporting a dapper tweed bowtie.
"Paige!" he said, coming in. He inhaled deeply and closed his eyes. "Oh, I love how it smells in here. Cinnamon and fresh coffee and new books. They should turn it into a perfume." He sighed happily and then got down to business. "I was hoping I would find your grandmother about."
"She's over at Wanda's place," I replied. "Good to see you! I didn't know you were coming over today."
He gave me a warm smile. "Well, I just wasn't sure how much longer you were going to be here and wanted to make sure I didn't miss an opportunity to spend time with you and your mom."
"Well, to be honest with you, I'm not sure how long I'm going to be here, either."
Richard regarded me. "My friend is happy to make that call of introduction to Le Cordon Bleu any time you would like."
He was so kind and so generous. I hated that I had to shrug and explain, "Realistically, it is outside of my budget."
He nodded sagely, accepting my decision without trying to talk me into it or out of it. "That is a very adult decision." He held up his finger. "And just because now is not the right time doesn't mean forever."
"I like that," I said, mulling it over. "It's not forever. It's just a decision for right now."
"Well, that settled, if you aren't going to Paris, what are you going to do instead?"
"I just don't know!" I said, frustrated. "I just... there's no clear path."
"If the world was a perfect place, what would you do?"
I picked up a dishrag and wiped the counter thoughtfully. "I think I would stay here," I finally confessed.
"That doesn't seem like an extraordinary desire. You're here. You just have to make the commitment."
"But Granny doesn't get enough business to support both of us."
"This is true. But as young and spry as she is, I think she really appreciates having an extra set of hands around. I think that you've really eased the burden."
"But I have to have a job," I said. "I can't just... become homeless and live on the beach."
"Your granny would never let that happen."
"You know what I mean. I have to find some sort of work here on the island." My eyes drifted out the door in the direction of the ferry. "Or maybe I should live on the mainland and just come visit, like you do."
"It is hard to be over there when your heart is here," Richard admitted. He grabbed one of the wooden chairs and sat down in it. "Now. We are going to put our thinking caps on and come up with a solution. Any ideas what you could do on the island if you didn't work at Bitter Beans?"
I walked around the counter and sat in the chair across from him. My brow furrowed. "Well, Nate's house is filled with all of the town records. There was supposed to be a library built a long time ago, but it just never happened. It might... well, it might be nice to help make that happen, I suppose." I took a deep breath. "I mean, it isn't baking, which is what I love to do. But it might be something that would be useful and maybe the town might be willing to offer me a paycheck for."
Richard's eyes suddenly lit up. "A history museum?" He got a dreamy look on his face. "Oh, I have always wanted to put together such a place."
I laughed. "Well, if I can make it happen, you're definitely hired."
"I have a confession for you, Paige," he said.
"What is it?"
"I, too, have been trying to figure out a way to move here to the island... permanently."
"Oh!" I said, unable to keep the surprise out of my voice. "Have you spoken to Granny about this?"
"She knows that I'm thinking about it. But the one obstacle has been trying to figure out what I would do here. Your Granny would be tied up with work here six days a week and I can't exactly go mooning about like a schoolboy. But an historical museum..." I could see the gears turning in his head. And the
n he came to a conclusion and rapped his knuckles on the counter. "Paige, you are a gift. I'm hatching a plan and I will let you know as soon as I figure everything out. But I think, I just think, I might be able to come up with a way out of our mutual predicament."
And then he strode out the door before I could even say anything more.
Chapter Nineteen
The next day, I stepped out from my cottage and looked across the rolling field. Granny and I had flipped our shift and it was amazing to have slept past the sunrise.
Despite Richard's promise that he had a solution, every moment felt like I was on borrowed time. A gift that could be taken away at any moment. I stretched, filling my lungs with the salty sea air and the scent of the sweet island grasses.
But as I gazed across the horizon, I realized that I might not have seen the sunrise even if I had been awake. The sky was churning and gray, the waves were huge and choppy whitecaps. A gust of biting wind was the final confirmation that a storm was definitely brewing.
I stepped into my cottage and threw on some cozy sweats. I pulled my long, chestnut hair into a messy bun and brushed my teeth so that if I ran into Nate, he didn't dump me on the spot.
I had a little kitchen, but strangely enough, it didn't have a coffee machine. I always grabbed my cup when I went to work. Desperate times call for desperate measures, so I grabbed my bike and headed down the hill.
I hopped off behind Bitter Beans and walked around to the front, shoving my cold hands deep into my pockets. I had only packed summer clothes, and I realized I was going to need to grab some gloves from Wanda's store if this weather held.
But before I could get to the door, Lottie stopped me.
"Paige! Hello!" she called. "Hold up!"
I was really surprised. After the story, she had headed back to the mainland to continue with her life as a reporter.
"Hey!" I said. "What are you doing back? Couldn't keep away from my lattes?"
She laughed as she jogged over and started digging around her huge messenger bag, pulling out notepads and pens and a colorful scarf. "I was assigned to cover the storm."
I looked at her in confusion. "I'm sorry... what?"
Her eyes got big. "Wait. You didn't hear about the storm that's coming?"
"No," I said, shaking my head. "Big?"
She shrugged. "You know what it's like. Everyone loves a shot of a reporter standing in the middle of the road, rain dumping down on them. And guess who has two thumbs and got picked to get wet?" She pointed at herself.
"I thought you wrote for the paper," I commented.
She nodded. "I do, but I freelance. Times are tough and you gotta take the gigs where you can get them."
It made sense. It seemed like there were stories every day about journalists getting laid off. "Well, let's get you something to keep you warm," I replied, blowing on my icy fingertips and opening the door.
Granny had asked if she could pull the early shift because she said she wanted to do a special bake. As I grabbed a rag to wipe some fingerprints on the pastry case glass, I saw that I wasn't the only one miffed that my mom went to Yvonne's Café. There was the most perfect, four-layer, red velvet cake. The sides were exposed to show off the precision of her bake, the cream cheese frosting even and thick between each layer, and then the top was smothered beneath a cloud of fluffy peaks.
Granny came out of the kitchen at the sound of the doorbell, wiping her hands. She had on a cute little plaid camp shirt tied at the waist and jean colored capris. "Oh, Paige! You were supposed to sleep in!"
"Someone never got me a coffee machine for my cottage," I joked.
She rested her fist on her hip. "And isn't it funny we didn't have a need until the end of the summer." She saw Lottie and gave her a friendly wink. "And you brought a friend. What can I get for you?"
She had been digging through her messenger bag the whole time and finally found her wallet. "Two cinnamon lattes. To go."
Suddenly Richard walked in the front door. He turned and closed it gently behind him. "Paige! Good to see you this fine morning! Bit of a nip in the air out there." He rubbed his arms to get the heat going.
Granny took that as her cue to walk around the counter and wrap him up in a great big hug. "Don't you worry none. I'll heat you up, baby."
He laughed. "I didn't see this on the menu."
"It's on the secret menu for special friends."
I rolled my eyes at how adorable they were and jerked my head toward the counter. "Come on, Lottie. I'll get you hooked up."
Granny let go of Richard and hustled behind the counter before I could get there. "She is such a taskmaster, Lottie. A grown woman can't even greet her customers without her complaining about excessive customer service."
"That was not your average greeting and I don't know what sort of services you're providing these customers," I scolded.
Richard walked over and stuck out his hand. "I'm the proprietor's special friend," he said. "Name is Richard."
Lottie juggled her wallet and her money and managed to find a free hand to shake his back. "Lottie. Were you the one who sent the information about the time capsule?"
"I did!" he said with a smile. "So pleased you covered it."
"My boss was thrilled for the scoop."
"Tell him I say hello and he still owes me $20."
"Will do!" she laughed. "I'm here to cover the storm," she continued.
Richard's face fell. "Oh dear. How bad are they predicting? If it is big enough for news coverage, it is obviously going to be something."
Lottie again shrugged. "It'll be big, but hopefully not too bad. Personally, I'd stay away from the ferry until this thing blows through."
Richard patted his pockets and then found his cell. It was a little flip phone with big numbers that only was good for making calls. "I'll have to see if I can get a room at the Grand Hotel."
Lottie winced apologetically. "I'm so sorry. When we checked in, the lobby was pretty full."
Granny waved at him that he was being silly. "Nonsense. You'll stay right here with me."
"I don't want to cause any trouble," he apologized.
"If the lights go out, I'll need someone here to keep me company so I don't get scared," she teased. Captain raised his orange stripy head from his chair and gave a little meow. "See? Even Captain agrees with me. It's settled. You're staying here."
A bashful grin crept across Richard's face. "What will the neighbors say?"
"Let them gossip about how I succumbed to your charms, Mr. Casanova. Now, get you to the general store and pick up a toothbrush."
But before Richard could step out, Hal and Mom walked in. I noted they were walking awfully close to one another.
"Hey!" Mom said to Granny, giving her a wave. "Just out getting some exercise and ran into this guy." She jerked her thumb at Hal and giggled.
He walked over and pulled out some money from his pocket. "I told her I would treat her to a cup of something warm. Breezy out there—" Suddenly, his eyes fell on the red velvet cake my Granny had made. He gave a low wolf whistle. "Did you make that?" he asked. When Granny proudly nodded her head, he replied. "That is a thing of beauty. I’m thinking I need to start a documentary about all of the pastries on this island. Get me a slice of that, too. For later." He patted his flat stomach. "I better watch myself. That boat is going to sink beneath me."
Mom gave another girlish giggle and I just wanted to scream.
But as if the morning wasn't uncomfortable enough, suddenly Madison burst through the door. I groaned, thinking I should have just stayed in bed.
"Did you hear about this storm coming in?" she practically shouted at us.
Hal suddenly registered Lottie for the first time. To be fair, she had faded into the bookcases as she waited for Granny to actually get around to making her lattes.
"What are you doing here?" he asked.
She pointed outside. "Covering the storm."
"Must be something pretty nasty rolling in."
"It's a slow news day.”
Madison seemed horrified by Lottie's nonchalance. "Um. Excuse me. There is a storm coming in and all of our customers are going to be gone."
"Could always throw a storm party at Trevor's Saloon, Madison. Going to be a lot of people wanting a warm place to grab a drink," offered Granny.
It was like a light switch had been flipped and suddenly Madison's outrage that the storm may have negatively impacted her bank account switched to pure delight that this might be a money-making opportunity. "Oh. That's a really good idea. Excuse me." She pulled out her phone and started texting something. "I need to get the event page put together before someone else gets this idea." She wandered toward the door and opened it, not looking up from her phone once as she wandered out.
"And she touts herself as some sort of marketing guru," said Granny.
"Maybe we'll luck out and the saloon will wash out to sea," I offered.
"We can only hope."
"MOM!" my mom exclaimed.
"Cool your jets," Granny replied, finally getting Lottie her drinks. "You don't know what a miserable cow that girl is."
"Um... I should probably... go..." Lottie weakly said, uncomfortable by all the everything being thrown at her from the moment she walked through Bitter Beans’ door. "Thanks! Um..."
"Thought you came for the squall?" Granny joked.
"I was hoping for a more literal one," Lottie replied. "It's safer."
Granny put Hal's order together and he turned to my mom to plant a kiss on her cheek. "I should probably run myself. See if I can find those boys of mine and get them to cover the storm party."
Her face fell. "Oh. But I... I thought we were going to have more time together today."
"Gotta make sure I document the before and after of this thing," he replied. "This may seem callous, but it is viral gold. We need to raise money for this project and if we can get some ad revenue flowing... this is the footage that could sell it."
"But of course we are more concerned with everyone's safety rather than the success of a little film project, aren't we?" Granny chided.
"Absolutely!" Hal replied, giving her a salute, but he used his full hand and hit himself in the face with his cake bag. "Safety first!"