Chapter 25
C liff came in every morning for breakfast, and Beverly couldn’t help the automatic smile that came to her lips every time he walked through the door…
or the flutter in her heart. But in spite of the joy in her heart, it had been a rough week.
A town meeting had been called about Cliff’s project.
And it didn’t help that Maxine and Dale were on vacation together, so she didn’t have her best friend to talk to.
Beverly flipped the sign to open at Coastal Coffee, inhaling the rich aroma of freshly ground beans that wafted across the cafe. Sunlight was just beginning to light the sky out the window. Although the pink sky of sunrise promised the beginning of a nice day, a heaviness hung over her.
The town meeting about Cliff’s development project was scheduled for tonight, and she’d watched the tension building all week.
The hurricane recovery had brought Magnolia Key together in a beautiful way, with neighbors helping neighbors and differences set aside for the common good.
But as repairs progressed and life started to return to normal, the divisions were resurfacing, deeper than before.
She arranged pastries in the display case, trying to ignore the knot in her stomach.
Her feelings for Cliff had grown stronger since their kiss, but their relationship existed in a strange limbo.
How could she fall for someone whose vision for Magnolia Key threatened to change everything she loved about her home?
The bell above the door jingled as her first customers arrived. “Morning, Nash,” she called out as he took a table.
As the usual morning crowd of locals stopped in before work, she greeted them with a practiced smile, pouring coffee and making small talk as she had thousands of times before.
But today, she noticed the subtle divisions.
People clustered at different tables and conversations hushed when certain folks walked by.
Mrs. Peterson leaned over the counter as Beverly refilled her cup. “You’ll be at the meeting tonight, won’t you? We need sensible voices to speak up against that monstrosity.”
Before she could answer, Tim Marshall called from his nearby table. “That so-called monstrosity will bring jobs we desperately need, especially after the hurricane. Some people just can’t see past their own front porches.”
Mrs. Peterson’s face reddened. “Some people would sell their grandmother for a dollar.”
“No one’s selling anything,” she said softly, trying to defuse the tension. “The council just wants to hear everyone’s thoughts.”
But her words went unheard as Tim pushed back his chair and approached the counter, coffee mug in hand. “The bridge is gone. Tourism is down. What’s your plan for keeping this town alive? More bake sales?”
She set down the coffeepot. “Tim, please. Can we just?—”
“It’s not about jobs,” Mrs. Peterson interrupted. “It’s about protecting what makes this place special. Once those big buildings go up, we can’t go back.”
Tim scoffed. “Special won’t pay the bills when half the businesses close.”
Her chest tightened as she watched the exchange. These were people who’d been friends for decades, who’d helped each other clear debris after the hurricane just weeks ago. Now, they could barely speak civilly. Tim turned and stalked back to his table.
Other customers joined in, voices rising around the cafe. She moved between tables, refilling cups and trying to maintain peace, but the arguments only intensified.
“That Griffin boy never cared about this town,” someone called out. “Just another developer looking to make a buck.”
“That boy stayed behind during the hurricane and has been helping rebuild ever since,” another countered.
She turned around, coffeepot in hand, as heated voices erupted from a table by the window. Sarah Smith and Greg Wark were nearly nose to nose, faces flushed with anger.
“You’re being selfish!” Sarah snapped. “Not everyone has a trust fund to fall back on.”
“And you’re being shortsighted!” Greg shot back. “This is about our children’s future too!”
She started toward them, determined to intervene before things escalated further, when movement at the door caught her eye. The bell jangled loudly as someone burst in, and to her complete surprise, she saw Maxine rush into the cafe, looking windblown and slightly frazzled.
She stopped in her tracks. “What are you doing here? You’re not supposed to be back for two more days.”
Maxine weaved through the tables, ignoring the ongoing arguments. “We decided we needed to be back for tonight’s town meeting. It’s important.”
She wrapped Beverly in a fierce hug, and the familiar scent of her friend’s perfume momentarily drowned out the tension in the room. She clung to her, suddenly realizing how much she’d needed her friend’s presence.
“Thank goodness you’re here,” she whispered. “It’s getting nasty.”
Maxine pulled back, glancing around at the heated conversations still bouncing off the walls of the cafe. “So I see. Dale will be here in a minute. He’s parking the car.”
“Coffee?” Beverly asked, already reaching for a clean mug.
“Please. Strong enough to stand a spoon in it.” Maxine slid onto a stool at the counter, dropping her purse beside her. “Drove all night to get back.”
She poured her a cup. “You didn’t have to cut your vacation short.”
“Of course we did. This is our town too. And I wasn’t about to let you face this alone.”
The cafe door opened again as Dale entered, looking travel-weary. He gave her a quick wave before stopping to break up Sarah and Greg’s increasingly loud argument.
“Has it been like this all week?” Maxine asked, lowering her voice.
She nodded, leaning against the counter. “It started small. It was just comments here and there. But it’s getting worse. People who’ve been neighbors for decades suddenly can’t stand each other.”
“And Cliff?” Maxine raised an eyebrow.
Her cheeks grew warm. “He still comes in for breakfast, but I haven’t seen him much besides that. He’s been really busy. Getting ready for tonight’s meeting, I guess. But we’re careful not to discuss the development when we’re together.”
“That doesn’t sound… sustainable.”
“It’s not,” she admitted. “But I don’t know what else to do. I care about him, Maxine. More than I thought possible. But I also care about Magnolia Key staying Magnolia Key.”
A crash from across the room made them both jump. Someone had knocked over a chair while gesturing emphatically.
“Enough!” she called out, louder than she’d intended. The cafe fell silent, all eyes turning toward her. “This is still my coffee shop, and I won’t have neighbors treating each other this way. Save it for the meeting tonight.”
People shuffled awkwardly, murmuring apologies as they returned to their seats or gathered their belongings to leave. She took a deep breath, surprised by her own outburst.
“Well done.” Maxine smiled with approval.
She shook her head. “I hate this, Max. It feels like the hurricane brought us together, and now Cliff’s project is tearing us apart again.”
“People are scared. Change is always frightening, especially when it’s happening to something you love.”
“I know. And that’s what makes this so hard.” She absently wiped the counter. “Part of me understands Cliff’s vision. The bridge is gone, tourism will suffer, and businesses are struggling. But another part of me loves this island exactly as it is.”
“And you’re caught in the middle.”
She nodded, feeling trapped. “I keep thinking about what Eleanor said about her great-aunt Vera and how she chose love over what was expected of her. But this isn’t just about Cliff and me. It’s about the future of our whole community.”
Dale approached the counter, having successfully calmed Sarah and Greg. “If those two are any indication, tonight’s meeting is going to be a doozy.”
“That’s what I’m afraid of,” she said.
Dale’s eyes were twinkling, though, as he draped an arm around Maxine’s shoulders. “Did you tell her?”
“Not yet. I was waiting for you.”
“Tell me what?” She eyed them suspiciously.
“This.” Maxine held her hand up with a flourish. “We’re engaged! Dale asked me to marry him.”
She hurried around the counter and threw her arms around her friend. “Oh, Maxine, I’m so happy for you.” She pulled back and grinned at Dale. “You got yourself a good one.”
“Don’t I know it.” Dale beamed.
Her heart was happy for her friend. Maxine deserved this and so much more. At least there was one bright spot in this turbulent day.