Chapter 5
CHAPTER 5
T he next morning, Jenna headed to Coastal Coffee. She had groceries to make her own breakfast, but she found herself craving some company. She strolled along the sidewalks as the early morning sun warmed her face. A light breeze off the water lifted tendrils of her hair. It was nice to be able to walk to so many places here on the island. Her car had barely moved since she’d been here.
She stepped into the cafe, smiling as the bell over the door jingled its welcome. The cozy atmosphere embraced her, along with the enticing aroma of freshly brewed coffee and baked goods.
Beverly waved to her. “Take a seat. Be with you in a sec.”
She took a table, careful not to sit at the one she’d been told was Miss Eleanor’s. Beverly came over and plopped a mug on the table. “Coffee?”
“Yes, please.” She gazed up at the chalkboard over the counter and her mouth watered. Everything sounded delicious.
“You just missed Nash,” Beverly said as she set the coffeepot down on the table.
Jenna arched an eyebrow. “Missed him?”
Beverly chuckled. “I heard you had dinner with him at Sharky’s last night.”
A blush crept onto her cheeks. “He told you that?”
“Hon, I knew it before your food even hit the table.” Beverly laughed, a warm, melodic sound. “News travels faster than a summer storm around here. This is a small island.”
Jenna smiled at the woman’s candor. “I guess it does.” She fiddled with the napkin roll. “We just happened to run into each other at the hardware store. He helped me pick out the house paint color. I went with one called Sea Glass. It’s a pretty light blue-green color. He says he’ll pick up the paint for Monday.”
“Sounds lovely.”
She frowned slightly as she realized Nash would have to pick up a lot of supplies to do the work on her cottage. “How does Nash get all his supplies here? On the ferry?”
Beverly shook her head. “Sometimes he does take the ferry over. But Nash also has his own boat that he uses to run back and forth when needed. Keeps an old work van parked at the marina to use.”
“Makes sense for a contractor doing a lot of work on the island.”
“Back to discussing last night.” A mischievous smile slipped across Beverly’s features. “So after you two picked out the pretty paint color, you two decided to go out on a date to Sharky’s?”
Heat flooded her cheeks again. “Oh, no. It wasn’t a date.” Although… Nash had insisted on paying for their meals. Did that technically qualify their dinner as a date? She quickly pushed that thought aside. “He was just headed to Sharky’s and asked me to join him. I think it was just a friendly, neighborly gesture.”
Beverly gave her a skeptical smile but didn’t argue. “I’m sure. Well, I’ll give you a minute to decide on your order.”
Jenna blew on the steaming coffee, anxious for her first sip. She glanced up at the board again. So many choices. She finally made a decision and gave Beverly her order. The spinach quiche and a side order of hash browns. Though she was tempted by the peach scone…
She sipped her coffee and looked around the coffee shop. Customers sat chatting and laughing. A woman sat with an infant in her arms, carefully eating her breakfast above the baby’s head. Two men had a game of checkers going on between them. One young couple was struggling to keep their toddler in his seat, insisting he sit back down every time he popped up.
Beverly brought her quiche with crisp hash browns on the side, and as she hurried off to wait on another table, Jenna surveyed the bustling coffee shop again. Tables filled with chattering groups and couples, laughter intermingling with the gentle clink of ceramic mugs. For a moment, she felt a pang of loneliness as the sole solitary diner. But it didn’t bother her. Mostly.
Back in San Francisco, eating alone had been the norm—hasty bites snatched between assignments or takeout containers consumed at her desk. But here on Magnolia, it appeared that the thing to do was to indulge in companionship over a leisurely breakfast.
Her thoughts drifted to the previous evening, the easy camaraderie she’d shared with Nash over dinner at Sharky’s. A small smile tugged at her lips as she recalled their effortless conversation. That had been nice. Easy dinner conversation. She’d make it a point to try and make friends here. Beverly was friendly—although always busy here at the shop when she saw her.
Beverly stopped back by the table. “Can I bring you anything else?”
“No, I’m good.”
“Are you busy tonight? The high school drama club is putting on a play this weekend and I have an extra ticket. I always like to go and show my support. We have a few talented student actors and I always enjoy watching the plays they do.” Beverly refilled her coffee mug. “Would you like to join us? I’m going with my friend, Maxine. I’m not sure if you’ve met her yet. She works here at the shop, but I don’t think she’s been working when you’ve been in.”
“I haven’t met her. And I’d love to join you.” She smiled, grateful for the invitation to connect with more locals.
“Great. Meet us in front of the theater about six-forty-five. The show starts at seven.”
“Thank you. I’ll be there. That’s nice of you to ask me.”
“Got to introduce you to more people here in town if you’re going to be a regular.” Beverly smiled and headed off to wait on another table.
Jenna sat finishing her coffee, savoring the last few sips as the pleasant hum of conversation surrounded her. It would be nice to get to know other locals and start feeling more at home here.
Jenna arrived at the theater that evening with a few minutes to spare. She certainly didn’t want to keep anyone waiting, especially after they had extended such a thoughtful invitation. She stood near the bottom of the steps, taking in the scene as the crowd mingled around her. Groups of friends gathered together, their animated chatter filling the warm evening air. Parents with younger children in tow headed inside, their excitement evident as they anticipated seeing their older sons and daughters perform on stage.
At precisely six-forty-five, Beverly came walking up the sidewalk with another woman at her side. “Jenna, great, you made it.” Beverly sent her a warm, welcoming smile. “Maxine, this is Jenna.”
Maxine held out her hand. “Great to meet you. I hear you’ve moved to the island and you’re fixing up the old Weston place. Good for you. It certainly needed some love and attention.”
Jenna took Maxine’s hand, returning the friendly handshake. “I did buy the Weston place, and it needs quite a bit of work. But I absolutely love it. I think it will be wonderful when we’re finished with it.”
“We?” Maxine raised an eyebrow, a curious expression on her face.
“Oh, I meant Nash and I. Well, not we, as in us. Just I’m doing some work and Nash is doing some work.” Jenna felt her cheeks flush slightly as she tried to correct her remarks. She hoped she didn’t sound too silly or flustered.
“Yep, we get it.” Beverly laughed, her eyes crinkling at the corners with amusement. She gave Jenna a reassuring pat on the shoulder.
The three women stood together for a moment, the easy companionship between them making her feel welcome. All around them, the theatergoers continued to arrive, their anticipation for the evening’s performance building. The soft glow of the theater lights spilled out onto the steps, beckoning them inside.
“Oh look. There’s Tori.” Maxine waved another woman over. “Tori, this is Jenna. New to the island.”
Tori gave her a friendly smile. “I’m fairly new myself. You couldn’t have picked a better place to settle down. I love it here. Welcome.” Her voice was sincere, and Jenna could sense the genuine affection Tori felt for the island.
“Thank you.” She wondered how long it took Tori to feel like she fit in.
“Tori restored the theater and got it back up and running,” Beverly explained.
“I can’t wait to see the kids’ production live tonight. They’ve been rehearsing endlessly. I think you’ll really enjoy it,” Tori said enthusiastically. Her eyes lit up as she spoke about the upcoming performance, and Jenna could tell that the theater was a true passion for her.
“I’m sure it will be wonderful. I’m just glad you’re back open so they can have their productions here again. We should probably go in and grab our seats,” Beverly suggested as she started to climb the stairs.
Jenna trailed behind Maxine and Beverly as they entered the theater. The theater was filled with the sound of people talking and laughing. She glanced around, taking in the cozy ambiance as they found their seats. A fleeting glimpse of movement caught her eye—someone quickly peeked out from behind the heavy velvet curtain before vanishing backstage.
An undeniable sense of community ran through the crowd, with familiar faces greeting one another like old friends reuniting. Jenna felt a pang of loneliness wash over her. She suddenly felt lost, adrift in a sea of camaraderie that she wasn’t yet a part of.
As Maxine and Beverly delved into an animated discussion about a recent Heritage Festival, their words a whirlwind of unfamiliar traditions and shared memories, Jenna gently shook herself out of her pity party and away from the melancholic thoughts. She’d made this choice to come here to Magnolia and start over. She just needed to give herself time to make friends, that was all.
The lights dimmed, and a quiet anticipation settled over the theater. With a graceful swish, the velvet curtains parted, revealing the two lead characters poised on stage. As the play unfolded, Jenna found herself immersed in the story, the fact that it was a high school production fading from her mind. The young actors displayed a level of talent that impressed her, proving Beverly’s words about the island’s artistic community to be true.
When the show ended, she rose to her feet, joining rest of the audience in enthusiastic applause. She and Maxine and Beverly made their way outside and stood in front of the theater. Families lingered, engaging in lively chatter with friends and neighbors.
A man approached the female lead, presenting her with a beautiful bouquet of flowers. The young actress embraced him warmly, exclaiming, “Thank you, Daddy!” Her joy and gratitude were evident in her beaming smile.
Jenna’s attention was drawn to a woman approaching them. The woman from the coffee shop—Miss Eleanor—came up to them with a man at her side. Beverly stiffened beside her.
“Evening, Miss Eleanor,” Maxine said as she draped her arm protectively around Beverly’s waist. Then, turning her gaze to the man, Maxine addressed him with a chilling intensity. “Cliff…” Her voice carried a hint of warning, and the look she fixed upon him could have frozen the very ocean itself.
The man arched one eyebrow but seemed unaffected by the icy greeting.
“Miss Eleanor, have you met Jenna?” Maxine turned from throwing dagger looks at Cliff.
“Not yet. Welcome to town, Jenna.” Miss Eleanor reached out her hand.
Jenna took it, and her hand was enveloped by a surprisingly strong grip. “Thank you.”
“This is my son, Cliff. He never did like coming to the shows much. Had to drag him with me tonight. Not much changes.”
“No kidding,” Beverly said, almost under her breath.
Jenna wasn’t sure what was with the undercurrent between everyone, but she didn’t miss the glare Beverly sent in Cliff’s direction. Cliff promptly returned the glare with a grin.
“We should go. It’s getting late,” Maxine insisted.
“We should.” Beverly nodded and turned to Jenna. “Thank you for joining us tonight. Hope you had a good time.”
“I did. It was wonderful. And nice to meet new people.”
The crowd began to disperse, and Jenna headed back to her cottage. Walking alone. Not that she was frightened of walking alone at night in Magnolia, and her cottage was just a short distance away. But it would have been nice to have a friendly conversation on her journey home. At least she’d taken the first small step toward making more friends. She’d met Maxine, Tori, Miss Eleanor, and Cliff. Though it was obvious that Maxine and Beverly were not fans of Cliff. Maybe someday she’d hear that story, but for now, it just made her feel more like an outsider.