Falmouth Echoes (A Cape Cod Series Book 2)

Chapter 6

“Everybody, gather around, please.”

Nora stood in the middle of the kitchen in her usual colorful ensemble of a long skirt and billowing blouse, the streaks of silver in her hair glistening and a strange glint in the depths of her hazel eyes.

Sophia studied her from where she stood in the back, and she could’ve sworn she saw a flicker of sadness on the woman’s face.

It had been a while since Nora called in a staff meeting.

Since she’d been in the business for years, her bakery practically ran itself, and Nora had been coming in less and less. Now and again, Sophia wondered if Nora had come in out of habit or a genuine need to have something to do with her time. Either way, she didn’t think it was her business.

She liked working for Nora, but she wouldn’t say they were friends. Not when Sophia only took the job out of necessity.

Once everyone stopped what they were doing and turned to look at Nora, she stood up straighter, and her eyes swept over the room. “I know you’ve all noticed that I’ve been coming in less and less lately. And some of you have even stopped by a few times to make sure I’m okay. Thank you for your concern.”

Guilt churned in the pit of Sophia’s stomach as she realized that she’d been putting it off for too long.

Nora was a good boss who deserved better.

She lowered her gaze and shifted from one foot to the other.

“I’ve been giving this a lot of thought. When I first opened Nora’s Delights, we were the only specialized bakery for miles, and there used to be lines of people every day. I’ve watched it grow and flourish, and I’m proud of what the bakery has become. And it’s thanks to good employees like all of you that I’ve been able to keep it going for as long as I have.”

Silence settled over the crowd, and a few people coughed.

Nora cleared her throat. “However, I’ve been thinking about this for a while, and my kids are right. It’s time for me to retire.”

A murmur of surprise moved through the kitchen staff.

Sophia glanced up, a furrow appearing between her brows. “What’s going to happen to the bakery?”

Several pairs of eyes turned to Sophia, but she ignored them all.

“Oh, it’ll still be in business; don’t worry,” Nora assured them with a bright smile. “I know a lot of you like working here, and there’s no reason any of that has changed. I am, however, going to be announcing the person I’ve chosen to be my successor.”

A few more whispers rose, and people kept exchanging furtive glances.

“I’ve decided that the person who will take over and lead Nora’s Delights in my stead is none other than…Valeria Carmichael.”

Polite applause erupted.

Valerie, a tall, red-haired woman with blue, catlike eyes and long, manicured nails, stepped forward and spun around to face everyone. In her tight shirt and designer jeans, she looked out of place in the middle of the kitchen, yet Sophia knew exactly why Nora chose her.

People liked Valerie, and they gravitated toward her.

Plus, she was charming when she wanted to be.

“I won’t let you down, Nora,” Valerie said, raising her voice a little toward the end. “And don’t worry; the bakery is in good hands here. I know exactly how to keep this ship running.”

Silence fell over the room again.

When Valeria looked over at Sophia, grinning triumphantly as she did, Sophia glanced away and busied herself with the batch of cupcakes in front of her. She picked several up and held them closer to the light to examine them, as if she hadn’t already done that.

While a part of her was disappointed that she hadn’t been named as Nora’s successor, she wasn’t surprised. Like it or not, Valerie had been there longer, and she knew how to rub elbows with the best of them. Sophia, on the other hand, kept to herself, minded her own business, and exerted the barest amount of effort when it came to her coworkers. Her whole life, Sophia had been shy and had a hard time coming out of her shell, and Nora’s was no exception.

Yet, it still hurt to know that Nora hadn’t even tried to look past the exterior.

It’s not like you want to take over anyway, remember? You just took this job to pay the bills till you figure out your next move.

Teddy, the foster she’d named after a teddy bear she’d owned as a kid, rubbed his nose against her hand, and she absentmindedly scratched behind his ear. He made a low whimpering sound, and Sophia set the cupcake down to look at him. When he tilted his head to the side and stared up at her, a little piece of her heart melted.

Darren was right; he was cute. But she didn’t want to get attached, not when he was only staying temporarily.

As soon as Valeria came over, Sophia stood up straighter and fixed her attention on the task in front of her. “Congratulations. I think Nora made the right decision.”

Valerie scoffed. “Of course, she did. I knew she was going to.”

Sophia pressed her lips together and said nothing.

Valerie stepped closer, and the smell of her sickly sweet perfume made Sophia’s eyes water. “I don’t care what Nora allows you to get away with; I’d watch my back if I were you.”

Sophia twisted her head to look at Valerie and frowned. “What are you talking about? Nora doesn’t let me get away with stuff.”

Valerie tossed her hair over her shoulders. “Yeah, she does—just because she feels sorry for you because you made a mess of your life and still don’t know how to pick up the pieces two years later. I’ll be running a business, not a charity.”

Sophia stared at her and said nothing.

Valerie glanced down at Teddy and took a step back. “And the first thing to go will be that mongrel. I don’t even know why she lets people get away with stuff like that. It’s a bakery, not an animal shelter.”

With that, she spun on her heels and stomped off, heels clicking steadily against the floor. Sophia waited until she pushed through the double doors of the kitchen and made her way outside to sag against the counter and pull a face. Then she tilted her head in the direction of the doors, saw Valerie’s back, and grimaced.

Valerie wasn’t going to make it easy for Sophia to bow out gracefully.

By the looks of things, she was going to go out of her way to rub Sophia’s face in it, and Sophia had no idea how she was going to turn the other cheek. All she knew was that she had to try for the good of the bakery and for the sake of her own sanity.

Getting into another drawn-out fight with Valerie wasn’t worth it. Especially not when she and Valerie were never going to see eye to eye. They never had, and Sophia had to learn to make her peace with it.

With a sigh, she patted Teddy on the head and went to the sink to wash her hands. For the rest of the afternoon, she sifted flour, measured sugar, and decorated cupcakes until her arms were sore and her mind was clear. On the drive home, Teddy stuck his head out the window, his ears flipping in the wind, and Sophia kept sneaking glances at him.

Halfway through the drive home, Lily’s name flashed on the car screen, and it brought a smile to Sophia’s lips. She leaned back in her chair, answered the call, and swatted a lock of hair away.

“Hey, sis. How’s it going?”

“Don’t you ‘hey sis’ me. How come you didn’t tell me that someone broke into your apartment last night?”

Sophia winced and pulled onto her street. “Honestly? It slipped my mind. I’ve been having a busy few days since then.”

“Are you okay? Did they catch the guy?”

“They haven’t caught him yet, but Ian said he’s going to mess up sooner or later, and he’s now known in several towns around the area.”

“Do they have a description?”

Sophia pulled up into the driveway and killed the engine. “No, unfortunately, they don’t, but I’m sure someone is bound to see something.”

Lily exhaled. “I can’t believe you beat him up with a baseball bat.”

“Most little girls wanted to take gymnastics or ballet. I wanted to do karate,” Sophia revealed with a quick look in the rearview mirror. She patted her hair down and then gathered it into a bun on top of her head. “Dad caved, and I ended up only going to a few classes. The baseball bat belongs to Zac.”

Lily burst into laughter. “I thought you were going somewhere with that story, and I started to get really confused.”

“I just got lucky,” Sophia replied. “And I’m fine; don’t worry. Who spilled the beans anyway?”

“Ian,” Lily admitted. “I wish you’d have told me. Do you want me to come and stay with you for a few days? I can work on the book while I’m there and do online sessions with my clients.”

“No, I’m fine; don’t worry. Besides, I think Ben would miss you too much.”

“He can handle himself for a few days.”

Teddy tilted his head in my direction and barked.

“Who is that? When did you get a dog?”

Sophia scratched behind Teddy’s ears, and he panted, his lips lifting into a sloppy grin. With a smile, she reached for the purse in the middle of the backseat and let him out. He pressed his nose to the ground, sniffed the grass, and made a beeline for her dad’s bushes.

“That is Teddy. Darren went to the shelter and got him. He’s staying with me till I can find him a forever home. In the meantime, Darren thought it was a good idea to have him for protection.”

“I want pictures and lots of videos. He sounds like a cutie.”

Teddy lifted his head up and barked again.

Both women erupted into laughter.

Teddy was still sniffing the bushes and rolling around on the grass when Zoe rolled up in her yellow bug, bringing it to a stop behind her mom’s car. She pushed the car door open and bent down to reach for something. When she spun back around, she had a bag of plastic toys in one hand and her purse in the other.

Teddy jumped up as soon as he saw her and nearly tackled Zoe to the ground.

With a laugh, Sophia ended the phone call and offered her daughter a sympathetic smile.

Zoe crouched low, took his face in her hand, and pressed a kiss to the center of his head. “Aren’t you a sweet little boy?”

Teddy’s tail thumped hard.

“There’s nothing little about him,” Sophia muttered, shaking her head. “What do you got there?”

“I got him a few more toys.”

Zoe reached into the bag, pulled out a ball, and threw it across the lawn. Teddy darted off, a blur of color and movement, his bark slicing through the air. As soon as his teeth closed around the ball, he trotted back to where they stood, looking very pleased with himself.

“You’re going to spoil him rotten,” Sophia pointed out, pausing to fold her arms over her chest. “He deserves it, though.”

“I don’t know how anyone would have the heart to abandon such a sweet dog,” Zoe agreed, a furrow appearing between her brows. “Do you think we’ll be able to find him a forever home?”

Sophia nodded. “I think Teddy is going to be just fine.”

“Teddy?”

Sophia shrugged and fixed her eyes on an unmarked spot in the distance. “He reminds me of a teddy bear. By the way, I’ve been thinking about what we talked about, about the habitat program and what you’re going to do after college.”

From the corner of her eye, Sophia saw Zoe tense and square her shoulders. “Mom, can we not talk about this right now? It would be nice to have a conversation that didn’t end with one or both of us being upset.”

Sophia spun around and took both of Zoe’s hands in hers. “I agree, and I don’t want to upset you. I’m just trying to look out for you, so I have an idea.”

Zoe lifted her gaze up to her mom’s, her silver eyes so much like her father’s that it stunned Sophia into silence. “What is it?”

Sophia swallowed. “How about you intern for one month at Wilson Realty? I’m sure one month won’t make a difference, right? And if you still feel like it’s not a good fit, you can join the habitat program then. There’s no deadline to join, right?”

Zoe swatted at an errant lock of hair, her expression turning thoughtful. “No, I guess not.”

Teddy trotted back over, dropped the ball at their feet, and glanced between the two of them. Sophie squeezed Zoe’s hands and released them. Then she bent down to pick up the ball and threw it as hard as she could.

For the first time in a while, Zoe didn’t leave in a huff or in tears.

The two of them stayed outside till the sun dipped below the horizon, and a warm evening breeze blew through them. When Sophia called Teddy back, and the two of them ducked back into the house, she was pleasantly surprised that Zoe stuck around for dinner.

Maybe there was still hope for them.