Chapter 9
CHAPTER NINE
E arly the next morning, Claire was behind the counter at Sandcastles Bakery, ringing up a string of blueberry muffins, almond croissants, and steaming cups of coffee. The cozy bakery was bustling, tables full of customers sipping lattes and savoring pastries.
Maxi burst through the door, her eyes darting around before landing on Claire. “Morning, Claire! Can I get two lemon poppyseed muffins, three raspberry scones, and a large coffee to go, please?”
Claire began to assemble the order, curiosity piqued. “You seem in a hurry. Big plans?”
“Plans? You could say that,” Maxi huffed. “I’m in the middle of covering the windows at the art gallery. I’m trying to keep the new display a surprise. Plus, I’ve got a couple of leads on artists whose work I might be able to feature. And I only have three days to pull it all together!”
“A surprise display? That sounds exciting!” Claire handed Maxi the bag and the large coffee. “Who is helping you out?”
Maxi sighed. “No one. That’s why I need all these pastries. Gotta keep up my strength.”
Claire raised a brow. “If you have a few minutes, Jane should be here soon. I’ve got a bag of chocolate chip muffins for Addie.” Claire pointed to a white bakery bag sitting on the counter.
Maxi glanced at her watch and then back at Claire. “I’d love to, but time is of the essence. I’ll catch up with her tonight at girls’ night. See you then!”
“All right, then. Good luck, Maxi! You’ve got this.” Claire offered a supportive smile as Maxi rushed out, her arms full but her spirits high.
Claire watched Maxi bustle out of the bakery and almost collide with Sam, who was outside, tying Dooley to one of the dog-friendly stations Claire had set up. Dooley, a lovable hound dog with droopy ears and soulful eyes, wagged his tail as Sam patted his head. His nose quivered, catching the scent of freshly baked goods wafting from the bakery.
During the summer months, Claire allowed patrons to bring their dogs to the outdoor eating area, and it had been an instant hit. In fact, the idea for the Beach Bones dog treat line originated from seeing how much the canines enjoyed hanging out. Now, even during the cooler months, dog stations with water bowls were placed in front of the café so people could still bring their furry friends along.
Sam walked in, the door chiming as he entered. “Morning, Claire. Could I get two bran muffins and some Beach Bones for Dooley? He seems to like the red ones.”
Claire’s eyebrows furrowed. Red ones? She didn’t make red Beach Bones. For a moment, she wondered if Sam was confused. He was getting up in years… or had he somehow gotten hold of Sandee’s Beach Bones? Were they better than hers? She pushed the thought aside.
“Red ones? That’s strange. I haven’t made red Beach Bones. But here are our original-recipe bones. Dooley seems to like them too, right?”
Sam chuckled. “Oh, he loves them! I must be mistaken about the color. Old age, you know?”
Claire prepared the bran muffins and Beach Bones for Sam, placing them carefully into a bag. “You’re not going to sit with a crossword?” Sam and Bunny came almost every morning now and did crosswords at their favorite table.
“Actually, I’m about to pick up Bunny.” Sam glanced toward the curb, where his red convertible was parked. Even in the chillier weather, he and Bunny adored the feeling of open-air driving. “We’re heading over to Andie’s antique shop to have a look at that old trunk she’s curious about.”
“Sounds good.” Claire loved that Sam and Bunny kept active even though they were in their late seventies. And it was fantastic to see that spark back in Sam’s eye. Claire hadn’t been sure she’d ever see that again after Sam’s wife passed, but then he’d met Bunny, and the rest was history.
“Thanks!” Sam held up the bag and left just as a woman approached the counter.
Claire recognized her immediately—it was Marie from the local animal rescue organization.
“Hi, Claire, how are you today?” Marie greeted her warmly.
“Doing well, Marie. What can I get for you?”
“Well, first, I wanted to give you this.” Marie handed Claire a letter with the rescue organization’s logo on it. “It’s a thank-you letter for being such a friend to animals. The way you’ve made Sandcastles a pet-friendly place has really made a difference, not just to pet owners but to the animals themselves. And the Beach Bones? They’re a hit at the rescue center!”
Claire’s heart swelled with pride as she opened the letter and quickly skimmed it. Official recognition for her efforts made her feel even more grounded in her determination to keep the Beach Bones name.
“Oh, and one more thing,” Marie continued. “I know you’re going to be manning the charity tent at the Winter Prelude event, and we’re so grateful for that. But would you consider doing a little more? We’ve got an influx of animals due to natural disasters in other parts of the country. Any chance you’d be open to fostering?”
Claire paused. She hadn’t considered fostering animals before, but the idea intrigued her. “That’s quite a responsibility,” she said thoughtfully.
“It is, but I think you’d be amazing at it,” Marie replied. “Plus you’d have a captive test audience for new Beach Bones recipes!”
Claire chuckled at that. “You make a compelling case, Marie. I’ll definitely think about it.”
“Great, that’s all I ask. Thanks again for everything you do, Claire. Oh, I’ll have a pistachio scone and a small coffee.”
Claire got the scone and coffee and rang Marie up then put the letter somewhere safe. She’d have it framed. The morning rush had died down, and some of the tables were empty, so she grabbed a rag and started wiping them down.
Her phone rang. It was her daughter, Tammi.
“Hey, Tammi. How’s your day going?” Tammi was doing an internship far away, and Claire missed seeing her every day, but she was proud of the woman Tammi had become.
“Busy but good. How about you?”
“Actually, amazing,” Claire gushed, unable to hold back her excitement. “Marie from the animal rescue just came by and gave me this thank-you letter for being a friend to animals and the community. It feels so good to be recognized.”
“That’s wonderful, Mom! You deserve it,” Tammi replied.
“Thanks. It makes me all the more determined to keep the Beach Bones name,” Claire asserted, her voice tinged with resolve.
Tammi paused, choosing her words carefully. “Mom, you and Sandee have more in common than you think.”
Claire snorted. “I highly doubt that.”
“Don’t be so quick to judge. Sandee’s a friend to animals too. She’s not the villain you think she is.”
“That’s hardly something substantial to have in common,” Claire retorted. “Unless you consider being married to your father something in common.”
Another pause on Tammi’s end had Claire worrying that she’d said the wrong thing. She’d always been careful not to be one of those divorced parents that bad-mouthed the other or their new partner.
“Actually, Dad and Sandee are getting divorced.”
“Oh.” Claire didn’t know what to say. “Well, that’s... interesting.”
“Yeah, well, maybe the two of you could find some common ground, you know? Life’s too short for grudges,” Tammi suggested.
Claire sighed. “I’ll think about it, Tammi. I really will.”
Funny, Claire had always thought Sandee and Peter deserved each other. Maybe Tammi was on to something… or maybe Peter had found an even younger woman and tossed Sandee aside. Either way, it wasn’t really her problem.
“Penny for your thoughts.”
Claire looked up to see Jane standing at the counter.
“Oh, it’s nothing.” Claire quickly brushed it off, though her mind was still racing with the new revelation about Sandee and Peter. A strange mix of emotions—annoyance, curiosity, and, surprisingly, sympathy—filled her. Could Sandee also be a victim of Peter’s insincerity? Claire knew all too well how that felt.
“I’ve got your chocolate chip muffins for Addie right here,” Claire said, handing over the white paper bag.
“Ah, she’s going to love these! Thank you, Claire.”
“Of course. Anything for Addie,” Claire replied, sharing a warm smile with Jane.
“Gotta run!” Jane turned toward the door. “See you at Barnacle Billy’s tonight?”
“Absolutely! Six o’clock, and don’t be late. We have a lot to catch up on.”