Chapter 3
Chapter Three
W as there more air outside than normal?
Mia’s relief at being freed from the store with Cody seemed all out of proportion. After all, she knew it was only a few moments before rescue, and she knew that Dani wouldn’t really mind if she was a few minutes late for their coffee date. And finally, she knew that Cody was a safe person to be stuck with.
Then why the sense of being able to breathe so much easier once the door was unstuck? She shook off the thought. Right now, she needed to concentrate on her kids and her conversation with Dani.
And somehow work up the courage to ask for a job.
Because Dani was her last hope.
Finn and Maggie skipped down the sidewalk in front of her and Dani. Well, Finn skipped. Maggie performed a little stumble hop on her chubby toddler legs. The bobble on her fuzzy purple hat danced with her antics. Even after the snow melted, Mia hadn’t been able to convince her toddler to put the winter hat away.
“Still want to grab that coffee?” Dani asked. Black jeans and a T-shirt featuring a picture of Jonathon Island draped her tall, willowy frame.
Did she still want to follow through on her plan to beg her best friend for a job? No. Did she want to leave the island? Also no. The lesser of two evils it was, then. “Yes. I need more caffeine as soon as possible. Especially if it comes with an extra helping of caramel and whip.”
Inside Good Day Coffee, the sun made the white walls glow. The twin scents of sweet syrups and bitter coffee surrounded them the moment they stepped inside. She could practically taste the caramel already.
Tara Chamberlain, the pastor’s wife, bent her silvery blonde head toward Henrietta Hudson, a retired baker, at a table near the door, coffees steaming between them. Mia gave them a quick wave. Jill Kelley stood behind the counter with her red hair tied back in a ponytail and apron over her thin frame.
Mia’s son was currently spinning the greeting card display. “Finn, stop that.” He barely looked at her, but thankfully stopped what he was doing. She approached the counter and spoke to Jill. “I’ll take a tall caramel latte with extra whip, please. And hopefully extra caffeine.” She smiled, or maybe grimaced, at Jill as she inclined her head toward her kids.
“Latte coming right up,” Jill said with a wink. “I’ll toss in an extra shot of espresso. On the house.”
Finn had now found a stack of ceramic coffee mugs and was adjusting each one so their handles faced outward. “Finn, knock it off!” Finn looked up at her from under his dark lashes. Mia sighed. “Sorry, Jill. Maybe we’d better take these coffees to go.”
Dani laughed. “He sure is full of energy today.”
“That makes one of us.” She fixed the coffee mugs then grabbed her own to-go cup.
“At least he’s not being naughty. He’s not harming anything.” Dani ruffled Finn’s hair. He gave her a goofy grin.
“All the same, it’s probably better if we let him burn off some of that energy outdoors and keep this coffee mug display out of danger.”
A few minutes later they headed down the sidewalk, Finn and Maggie scampering around them.
“So, you and Cody?”
“What do you mean?”
Dani looked at her from over the rim of her cup. “You looked pretty cozy when I showed up today.”
“I think you need your eyes checked. Cozy?” Mia made a face at Dani. Her cousin was seeing things.
“That’s what I said.”
“It was no big deal.” A fizzy sensation worked its way through Mia. “I was walking past with the kids, and he invited me in. He remembered that I used to have some paintings hung in that studio.”
Finn chased Maggie between her and Dani, her son bumping her at the last moment. She clutched at her coffee to avoid dropping it. “I haven’t seen as much of him lately. He’s been so busy. I hear he’s doing some work for you.”
They walked past Doug’s Market, the only place on the island to get groceries. In a few weeks, the flower boxes lining the front windows would be spilling out with colorful blooms. If they could talk anyone into planting some.
“Technically, he’s doing some work for your dad, since he’s the one who owns practically all the downtown buildings.” Dani waved her hand in the direction of a derelict storefront, a sharp contrast to the quaint and tidy Doug’s Market. “And he works for the town because they own the houses. We need them all looking move-in ready if this scheme is going to work.”
Ahead of them, Finn and Maggie had stopped to pet Jack. The island pet sat on his haunches accepting their love as if it was his due.
Oh, to be a dog.
They reached Finn and Maggie and stood in silence for a moment.
Mia’s heart stirred. Dani’s idea could work. It would have to for the town to survive. They needed to rekindle tourism to the island. She imagined the people and places it would take—a few tchotchke shops, a new fudge place, maybe some more restaurants.
And maybe a new art gallery would fill the place where the old one stood empty.
They paused and looked out over the harbor, the kids mercifully quiet for the moment. Only a few boats bobbed at the marina, most of the slips empty and waiting for the full return of summer.
Mia willed her pulse to stop jumping. “I actually wondered if you needed help with all of that.”
“The town council is helping. They want to be able to vet all the applicants for the venture.” Dani took a long drink of her coffee. “They’ve been pretty hands-on so far.”
Mia’s body grew heavy. “Oh.”
“But what I could use help with is advertising the opportunity. As well as making listings for each of the houses and business spaces available.” She dropped Mia’s arm and pulled a step away, her eyes hooded. “I keep thinking I can do that, but helping Liam with the Grand Hotel repairs and renovations and planning how to keep the tourists here once we get them to come back…it’s a lot suddenly dropped on my plate.”
“Maybe I could help with that.” The words hung between them for a minute.
“I’d appreciate that, really I would.” Dani twisted the cup in her hands. “And honestly, I was thinking the same thing. With your realtor skills…But here’s the thing. I can’t pay you. I know you need a job, but I can’t ask you to work for free. Thanks for the thought though.”
Her heart sank faster than an anchor. “I understand. I’m disappointed, but I understand.” Now what was she going to do?
Across the bay, Mia could see the Grand Hotel. For the past two weeks, workers had been chipping away at the burnt portions of the once great hotel. The renovation work had begun in earnest. Hopefully, Mia would still be on the island to see the finished product.
“I just really need…” She sucked in breath. “I’m going to lose the house, Dani. I’ve got a month to get my late payments made on my mortgage or…”
“Oh, Mia. I didn’t know.” Dani reached a hand to her shoulder.
“I didn’t want you to know. I’m so embarrassed.” She dropped her gaze to the ground.
“You don’t have to be embarrassed. You’ve gone through so much. More than any twenty-four-year-old should have to. Wait. What if…” Dani stopped, seeming to collect her thoughts. “We really don’t have the money to pay you a salary, but what if I could convince the board to include your house in the deal they’re making to the others? Maybe in exchange for helping us out full-time, you could pay off your mortgage for a dollar.”
“You could do that? That would be amazing!” If she didn’t have a mortgage, she wouldn’t need as much to make ends meet. Her eyes welled up at the thought.
“I can’t make any promises, but I can certainly try. I don’t know why they would do it for the new people but not for someone who has proven she wants to live on the island.” Dani gave her shoulder a squeeze before dropping her hand. “I can’t tell you how much it would help me out to pass some of this to you.”
“Now is the time my mom would say ‘this is a God thing.’” And maybe Mom was onto something. This moment had a definite miracle feel to it.
Dani looked at her, concern written in her eyes. “But I have to ask. Will this be too much for you? Two little kids, no money coming in, and a job that doesn’t pay?”
“I still have Troy’s social security checks. I think I could make it all work if I didn’t have a mortgage to worry about.” Could she do it? A fifty-pound bag of bricks lifted off her shoulders at the thought of not having a mortgage. “It’ll be tricky with the kids, especially with Constance tied up with Grandma Harmon. But maybe Mom can help out, and Evie sometimes too.” Not to mention, this kind of work could be done after the kids were in bed at night. She squared her shoulders. “I’m sure it won’t be a problem.”
“Okay. I’ll make some calls.” Dani smiled at her, excitement shining in her eyes. “I really think this plan could work.” She checked her phone. “I should get back to work. I’ll give you a call later.”
Mia gave her cousin a hug and waved goodbye.
“Come on, Finn. Maggie, you too. Time to head home.”
Home. And now she might never have to leave.
* * *
If only he could clear away his thoughts as easily as this tree. Cody wiped a line of sweat from his hairline before reaching down to grab another section of the paper birch lying in his parents’ backyard. After he and his dad had cleaned up those branches a few days ago, they’d had another storm, snapping this birch in half. The tree had narrowly missed taking out the rickety swings Cody and his sister, Lily, played on as kids.
“Your dad could use your help,” his mom said on the phone that morning.
“I don’t think Dad wants my help, Mom.” Last week his dad had said a total of six words to him during their cleanup efforts. I’ve got it from here, Cody. No “thank you,” no “good to see you, son”. Not that Cody needed the thanks, but this cold shoulder rubbed vinegar right into his stinging wounds.
“Nonsense. He’s just going through some stuff right now.” Mom plowed right over his concern. “This will give you two a chance to talk about the business.”
“Mom.” His mom knew how much Cody wanted to take over the business his dad had quit after the accident. “He doesn’t want my help, and he definitely doesn’t want to talk about the business. I know he blames me for the accident.”
“Pssh. He doesn’t blame you. There was a sudden storm. You’re both just being stubborn. I’m tired of my two favorite guys not speaking to each other.” He heard some pans clanking together on his mom’s side of the phone. “Come over and we can have supper together after.”
So, here he was. Schlepping this tree from point A to point B, Dad silent beside him.
He glanced at his dad. When had he gotten so much older? At 61, he’d spent more than forty years working on the water. His face, leathery and tanned, bore more gray in his stubbled beard, the thinning hair on top of his head also more gray than the full dark it used to be. His dad wore his usual uniform of khaki work pants and a black T-shirt.
His mind drifted to an image from earlier in the day. The one near the entry of Sampson’s when he and Mia discovered they were locked in. Mia’s laugh washed over his memory.
“Look out!” Dad’s shout interrupted his thoughts.
A log landed on Cody’s foot. The pain hit a moment later, even though the steel-toed boot kept the log from breaking something. He grimaced.
“You’ve got your head in the clouds today.”
Wow, Dad. A whole ten words. But he had a point. Cody needed to wrangle his thoughts. He was working with power tools here. He shook out the pain in his foot. Could’ve been a lot worse.
“Sorry.”
His dad grunted in reply.
“Where do you want these bigger logs?” Cody followed his dad’s pointing finger and started a stack of firewood near the back of the house.
The mid-May sun pushed its way through the cloud cover, mottling the ground where it fell. Cody’s work boots squished through the muddy grass, sending up the musky, earthy scent of spring. The yard probably would have dried out by now if they hadn’t had a rash of storms for the past week.
His parents had lived in the single-story rambler since before he and his sister, Lily, were born. The house in the north end of the Driftwood Hills neighborhood had been the first big purchase his parents had made after getting married. His dad always talked about buying one that was bigger, fancier, but Cody’s mom resisted, insisting that she loved the house and the quiet neighborhood.
He dragged another branch from the downed tree and laid it on the pile next to the firepit. That pit hadn’t seen much use in the past few years, but before that, they’d had a bonfire party every weekend. Those parties saw the whole neighborhood turning up at one point or another, adults and teens and kids.
Some of the best times of Cody’s life happened right here by the firepit, laughing with Troy, teasing Mia, and horsing around with their other classmates. Usually around ten, the adults would drift off, back to their homes and beds, but the teens stayed much longer until they too followed their parents home. Then it was just the three musketeers: Troy, Mia, and him. “Hey, Dad, remember those bonfires we used to have?” But before he could finish his thought, the chainsaw revved and whined as Dad chopped another piece off the fallen log. The smell of sawdust lingered in the air.
A breeze picked up, sending a shiver down his spine.
The back door opened and his mom came out, wrapping a sweater tightly across her chest. Her salt and pepper hair was held back from her face with a pair of clips, softening the fine lines around her eyes. Picking her way around the tree debris, she halted next to Dad.
“You’re making good progress out here,” she said during a break in the chainsaw’s activity. His dad grunted again. She turned to Cody. Talk to him , she mouthed. “I’ll leave you to it.” She leaned over and kissed Dad on the cheek then rubbed a circle on his back. He gave her a swift smile before turning back to his task. She gave him one last pat before returning to the house.
Cody rubbed at the sudden ache in his chest. For all his dad’s faults, Cody never doubted his love for his wife. The two of them shared a bond that seemed to get even stronger after almost thirty years of marriage.
“Mom says Lily is coming home in a couple of weeks,” Cody said to his father’s back.
“Yep.” His dad tossed a log aside.
Cody picked it up and moved it to the pile. “Will you be picking her up at the airport here?” The island boasted a small airport, mainly used as an air ferry stop.
“Yep.”
“Is she staying long?”
“A week.”
Okay, then. I tried, Mom . How was he supposed to talk to his dad about buying the business if his dad wouldn’t even talk to him about something as mundane as his sister coming home?
The back door opened again. Mom came out carrying two steaming mugs. “I brought coffee!” She handed them each a cup. “And I have a request. Can you cut me some pieces like this?” She pulled her phone from her pocket and swiped to the internet browser. Pictured were several pieces of paper birch, each with a small hole cut in the top. “It’s a candle holder,” she explained. “I thought it would look cute on the mantle. I’ll take care of the details, but if you could cut a few pieces of different lengths and sizes? I need a creative outlet since I’m not doing as many cakes or any fudge right now.” She put her phone away then massaged a few knuckles on her left hand.
“Will do,” Dad said. “How many you want? There’s five in that picture.”
“You should probably cut some extra in case I mess up the first ones. Maybe nine or ten.”
Dad nodded and the group fell silent.
“How is your boat project coming, Cody?” Mom asked, her eyes wide with innocence. Dad stiffened. Cody could almost feel the cool breeze coming off his dad’s cold shoulder.
“Slow but steady.” Cody resisted the urge to run his hand through his hair. That nervous habit would scream his lack of confidence.
“It worked for the tortoise.” His mom winked at him. Then she inclined her head toward Dad in a short, swift motion. If Cody had blinked, he would have missed it.
What did he have to lose? It seemed like it was now or never. Dad already wasn’t speaking to him. “Have you given any more thought to me buying you out, Dad? With the money I’m earning from the town, I’ll have the full amount by the end of the summer.”
The wind chose that moment to quit blowing, and everything around them stilled.
“I told you no before, and that’s still my answer. Nothing to think about. It was never about the money.” Dad handed his empty cup back to Mom and picked up the chainsaw again.
“But why? I don’t understand.”
“Why are you so all-fired ready to get back out on that water?” His dad’s bark made Cody catch his breath. “No means no.”
“But—”
“But nothing. Besides, I have an offer for the last of the gear from an outfit on the mainland. They’re wanting the license too.”
Cody took a step back. The state of Michigan only issued fifty commercial licenses for the whole state. If his dad sold the license he’d held for almost thirty years, there was no guarantee Cody would be able to obtain one.
Dad tossed a log onto the stack Cody had made. Several pieces fell off the top of the pile and onto the ground, scattering like a school of fish when startled.
“Randy!” Mom’s face had paled. “That license is older than our marriage. Are you sure? You didn’t tell me that part.”
“I’m sorry.” Dad reached out a hand to her but let it fall before touching her arm. “I thought you understood that I was finished. Selling it all. I just wish it hadn’t taken this long to get it done.”
“And I support you in that, but I never thought you’d let the license go.” Mom groped behind her until her hand hit the railing along the stairs. She gripped it until Cody saw her knuckles turn white. “I never thought…” The words hung between them.
“Why, Dad?” Cody’s words ground out of him. “Can you at least tell me that?”
“You of all people should know.” His dad pulled on the cord of the chainsaw. It roared to life, drowning out any other sound. He lowered the saw to the tree in front of him, and the chain ripped through the bark.
So. It was true then. His dad blamed him for the accident. He remembered his dad’s face at Steve’s funeral, and then Troy’s a few days later. The sorrow in his eyes accompanied by the small shake of his head when he looked at Cody told Cody everything he needed to know.
Cody handed his mug to his mom. “I’m going to take off.”
Mom opened her mouth. Shut it. Then, “What about supper?”
“Sorry, Mom. I’m not hungry anymore.”
Forget getting the parts for the boat. If his dad wouldn’t sell him that license, his dreams drifted dead in the water.