Chapter 4
CHAPTER FOUR
J ane returned to Tides after talking Maxi down off the ledge. Cooper, her golden Lab, bounded into the foyer, his tail wagging energetically. Jane bent down to give him a quick scratch behind the ears. “Hey, Coop. Miss me?”
Cooper’s wagging tail seemed to say “Always” as he circled her legs before settling down, eyeing the decorations on the counter with canine curiosity.
As she straightened up, Liz Weston looked up from the front desk and greeted her with a smile. “You’re just in time. Olga Svenson dropped off some Norwegian Christmas decorations that she made herself. She thought they’d be perfect for the Prelude.”
Jane’s eyes widened as she approached the collection spread out on the counter. Traditional straw ornaments, delicately carved wooden figures, and intricately woven heart-shaped baskets caught her eye. A small tomte, a mythological creature resembling a gnome, sat in a corner, its red cap tilted just so.
“Olga really outdid herself, didn’t she?” Jane beamed, clearly pleased with the array.
“She likes to keep busy,” Liz agreed, casting a glance at Cooper, who seemed intrigued by the straw ornaments.
“I’ll say.”
“Her children keep pressing her to move to assisted living, you know.” Liz shook her head. “She’s ninety-five and can craft better than anyone I know. Not to mention she still manages to walk three times a day. She’s more than capable of living on her own.”
“I couldn’t agree more.” Jane nodded, picking up one of the straw ornaments and twirling it gently between her fingers and looking around to pick out a place to put it. “I think the baskets could go over here, and maybe we could hang the paper chains on the window.” Jane stopped and narrowed her gaze at the window in the foyer, where the top trim seemed to be a bit loose. “Guess I’ll need to call Sally to fix that first.”
There was always something to repair in these old houses, and Sally was the local handywoman who Jane practically had on speed dial.
Jane looked up from her conversation with Liz to see Susan, Betty, Carol, and Margie coming in the front door, arms loaded with shopping bags from their early outing.
Cooper bounded over to the ladies.
“Cooper!” Carol cooed, dropping her bags to hug the exuberant dog.
“He’s a sweetheart, isn’t he?” Jane said, beaming as Cooper wagged his tail furiously, clearly enjoying the attention.
“We’re going upstairs to change,” Betty announced after all four of them had fawned over the dog. “We want to walk the Marginal Way. We always loved it as kids, and it’s something of a tradition for us, even if it’s a bit chilly right now.”
“We’ve got our new Lobster Bay sweatshirts,” Susan added, lifting a bag as proof.
“Sounds like a lovely plan,” Jane said.
Margie caught sight of the festive setup. “Oh my, these Norwegian decorations are absolutely adorable!”
“Thank you! They’re courtesy of our neighbor, Olga Svenson. She’s in her nineties and still as crafty as ever,” Liz chimed in.
“Aww, how sweet,” Susan said.
“As a little evening treat, would you ladies like to have a glass of wine in the living room later? The view of the ocean is quite spectacular,” Jane offered.
“That sounds heavenly,” Carol said. “A glass of wine would be perfect.”
“How about I set out some cheese and crackers as well?” Jane suggested.
“Oh, you’re a gem, Jane. That would be fantastic,” Betty said, her eyes twinkling.
Carol turned to Cooper. “We’ll even bring a treat for you. We’ll pick up some Beach Bones from Sandcastles.” Carol glanced up at Jane. “If that’s okay with you?”
Jane smiled. “Of course. He loves them.”
The ladies went upstairs, and Jane and Liz continued finding places for the Norwegian Christmas decorations, but now Jane’s mind was on Beach Bones and Claire’s situation with Sandee. With both Claire and Maxi having some drama, Jane was glad things were calm for her. Still, she couldn’t wait for girls’ night out so that she could try to help her friends solve their problems.