The Bakery on the Cove Read online

  “Chickadee is great,” Jeannie said, switching on the coffee maker. “The air is cleaner, and I got to see Cathy after all these years. It’s great.”

  “I’m glad. Did the tenants leave the house in good shape? Or did you have to do a lot of work when you got there?”

  “Not at all. Cathy was kind enough to monitor everything for me,” Jeannie explained. “The house was in good shape for an old house. I still need to do renovations, but I will take care of that later. I rented a shop yesterday.”

  “Oh, you did?” Mason asked. “Why didn’t you call to tell me? That’s great news. I’m so happy for you, Mom.”

  “Thank you, love. I was so tired when I got back yesterday. The space is in a pleasant location, and although the price was more than I expected, I paid for it. It needs work, but it’s something I can handle.”

  “Do you need money? I can send you some right now.”

  “Oh, no, honey. I’m alright. I have enough. How are you? How’s work?”

  Mason’s sigh was loud. “Stressful. We have practiced every day of the week. It’s so tiring. But it’ll be worth it soon. I need to get in shape for the upcoming season.”

  “Don’t overwork yourself, Mason. Please. If it’s too hard, you know it’s okay to take a step back.”

  “I know. I’ll be careful. Trust me,” he said. “I need to go, Mom. It’s time for practice. I love you.”

  “Love you too, son. Call when you’re done with practice, alright?”

  “I will.”

  Immediately Mason ended the call, and Jeannie placed a call to Lily. She strolled over to the couch in the middle of the living room and sat, waiting for the coffee maker to finish and for her daughter to pick up. Jeannie understood Mason’s worry. He still saw Lily as a child. He practically watched her grow up, so it was normal for him to be concerned when he thought she was going to get hurt. The girl was wild, but she knew how to be safe, too.

  “Mom, it’s the middle of the night,” Lily groaned on the other end. “Uh, my head hurts so bad.”

  “I wonder why,” Jeannie said. “Partying on a rooftop? Really?”

  “Mason called you? Seriously? I’m not a child, Mom.”

  “Well, when a picture of you passed out by a toilet is all over the internet, it’s only right for him to worry. I thought you were trying to get into a big modeling agency, Lily. Do you really think they would hire you if they saw this picture of you?”

  “Mom, it’s not a big deal. After Anna posted it, I made her remove it. I didn’t even pass out. I was trying to get up, and it was a video. Mason was just exaggerating. I puked because I had bad shrimp, not because I was drunk. I didn’t even drink much because there were some movie directors at the party and I wanted to meet them. Mason kept calling me, telling me to go home, that’s why I didn’t reply to his texts.”

  Jeannie sighed in relief. “He only worries about you, Lily. As he should. You always get in trouble.”

  “And I always get out of it, Mom.”

  “I don’t doubt that. But the fact remains that you are still very young. Please be careful, honey. The world is a dangerous place, and you worry me. Besides, what’s that you said about meeting movie directors?”

  “Oh, I was thinking of venturing into acting. Getting minor roles in movies, just to test the waters. Stevie thought it was a good idea. That’s why we went to the party.”

  “Who is Stevie?”

  “My boyfriend.”

  “What? What happened to Martin?”

  “We broke up. Things weren’t working out.”

  “What? You just started dating Martin last week.” Jeannie rolled her eyes. “Why am I even acting surprised? So, who is this Stevie person? What does he do?”

  “He works on movie sets. Sometimes as an extra, or as a location manager. I met him at a club.”

  “Be careful, honey. I don’t want you—”

  “Falling back to my old ways? I won’t. Stop worrying,” Lily groaned. “You can always come to Beverly Hills and see for yourself. I’m being safe.”

  “Alright then. I trust you. Are you eating well?”

  “Yes.”

  “Are you sure?”

  Lily yawned. “Mom, I need to get back to sleep now. I have a casting at twelve.”

  “Oh, sorry, honey. Call me when you can, alright? You don’t call me. I call you every day.”

  “I will.”

  “I love you.”

  “Love you.”

  Jeannie sighed and shut her eyes. The fact that her eighteen-year-old was somewhere in the world without her family made her uncomfortable. But Jeannie had agreed to let her go and live her life, so she was going to do just that.

  Jeannie took her time getting ready for the day. She was meeting Cathy later that afternoon for a drive around the town. Jeannie wanted to visit their former high school and see the changes in the town. Besides, a drive with Cathy sounded exciting. It had been so long since Jeannie had this much time to herself. She was planning on making the most of it.

  After spending the morning perfecting a blueberry muffin recipe, Jeannie stepped out of the house in denim jeans and a black, lightweight sweater. She left her hair in a low ponytail. It had been days since she washed it, and it was most definitely matted somewhere in the middle.

  “Good morning, Jeannie,” Cathy beamed as soon as Jeannie sat in the passenger’s seat. “You look lovely this fine morning.”

  Jeannie smiled. “Good morning, Cathy. You look rather beautiful yourself.”

  “Thank you.”

  Jeannie leaned back and placed her bag in the backseat. “Quick question. Can we stop at the salon after we’re done touring the town? My hair is a mess, and I physically do not have the arm strength to detangle, wash, and style it by myself.”

  “Absolutely,” Cathy said. “I was thinking of getting my hair done, too. I barely have time for myself these days. Derek took the kids to his mother’s today. I have the whole day to myself. We might as well use it to the max.”

  “Thank you.” Jeannie sighed in relief. “So, where to first? The high school?”

  Cathy started the engine. “Uh huh. We’re not going in, are we?”

  “Definitely not. I just want to see it, reminisce on a few memories, and we zoom right off. I heard Georgy Chambers is the principal of the high school?”

  “He is,” Cathy said, driving slowly into the road. “I was shocked myself.”

  Jeannie covered her mouth with her hands. “That boy was such a bully, Cathy. Remember he used to give that classmate wedgies so much that one day he glued his pants to his skin just so he didn’t get wedgied.”

  Cathy stifled her laughter. “I shouldn’t be laughing about this, but it was hilarious. He had to go to the hospital because George yanked his pants so hard, it ripped off his skin.”

  “If I remember correctly, George got suspended, didn’t he?”

  “He did. And now, he is the principal. Life can be very amusing sometimes.”

  “It sure can.”

  Jeannie kept her eyes on the streets as they talked. Everything seemed so colorful, unlike how things were when she was growing up. The grass was greener, there were more children on the streets, more cars, the buildings were taller…almost everything had changed in over twenty years.

  “I called her this morning,” Jeannie said as their conversation segued to her youngest daughter. “Mason was worried about something, but it’s all sorted out now. She’s at home.”

  “Is Lily okay now? Mentally? Physically? I see her pictures, but I can’t be totally sure.”

  Jeannie turned to Cathy. “She’s okay now. You know she suffered from depression for a short while. Then there was the anorexia. It’s just been a rollercoaster with Lily, but I’m glad that she’s past all of that now.”

  “It’s the reason you can’t say no to her, isn’t it?”

  “Lily worries me, Cathy. But I want to trust that she’ll make intelligent decisions. The one thing that terrifies me now is how she has a new boyfriend almost every week. I call her every day to ask how she’s faring, and when I ask how her boyfriend is, I’m hearing about a new guy. I don’t like it one bit.”

  Cathy chuckled. “Oh, she is living the total opposite of how you lived as a young woman, that’s why you find it strange. You have only been with one man your entire life.

  “That’s not the point, Cathy.”

  “I understand the point, but what can you do? You can only encourage her to be safe. She won’t listen to you. She’s at that age.”

  Jeannie stared out the window again. She wondered if it would make a difference if Emily talked to Lily. Emily was Lily’s favorite sibling. On the day Emily packed out of the house to start her new job, Lily had cried. Perhaps if she asked Emily to talk to Lily, she’d cut down on the late nights and partying.

  “Did I already tell you about the eligible bachelor in town?” Cathy asked.

  “Yes, you did. What is it with you and this eligible bachelor of yours?” Jeannie asked. “I’ve only been in town a week and you’re already trying to play cupid.”

  “It’s about time,” Cathy said. “You’ve been single for quite a while. Aaron Horn will be perfect for you. He’s fifty-one years old, he has silky, black hair, green eyes, a firm build…he’s a stud, Jeannie. And a gentleman at that. A lot of women our age have their eyes on him, but he hasn’t put a ring on any of their fingers. I’m taking that as a sign that God is keeping him for you.”

  Jeannie threw her head back laughing. “What is wrong with you, Cathy? Did God tell you that?”

  “Oh, you know what I mean. He’s Derek’s friend, so I can arrange for you both to meet. Derek also thinks you two would make a terrific match. How about you give it a shot?”

 
“No, thank you, Cathy.”

  “Come on, Jeannie. You are gorgeous. You have a nice body for someone who has pushed out four children, and you are the most hardworking person I know. Aaron would be lucky to meet you.”

  “Thank you for the compliment, but my answer stays the same,” Jeannie said calmly. “You know what I went through with Luka. I’m not interested in men right now. I just want to focus on my bakery.”

  “Jeannie, that was two years ago.”

  The divorce had been messy. Two years ago, Jeannie had been going through the worst time in her life. She was parting ways with Luka after years of a rocky marriage. When she was twenty-one, Jeannie had thought that she would spend her entire life with Luka, but so much had happened. Luka had hurt her with his cheating and running off repeatedly. Still, Jeannie’s dumb heart refused to stop loving him. It was one reason the divorce was hard. It took her a lot of time to get over Luka and convince herself she needed him gone for good. She did not have to stay up half the night anymore, wondering if he was going to show up.

  “Cathy, I’m not ready. No,” Jeannie said. “I’m not ready for a relationship like that with any man. Perhaps in the far future when my bakery is up and running. Right now, my answer is no. No romance for me.”

  Chapter Three

  Jeannie sprayed the glass cleaner on the window and wiped with a cloth. She had never been this excited to clean before. She was finally putting in the work to bring her dreams to reality. There was a lot to be excited about.

  It was the start of summer, and the heat was getting to Jeannie. During the summer, Jeannie preferred to spend her time indoors. She hated to sweat, and working in the blazing, scorching sun agitated her. But things were different this time. Jeannie planned on coming to her shop every day until she could open its doors for business.

  Jeannie still thought about her work in kindergarten from time to time and wondered each time if they missed her as much as she missed them. It wasn’t the easiest of jobs, but it was the thing she loved about New York. Although teaching was never her passion, Jeannie had somehow made it work. Over time, she came to like it.

  “What are you so deep in thought over?”

  Jeannie gasped with shock before whirling around. It was only Cathy, but her heart was still racing, so she took a minute to compose herself.

  “Cathy, don’t you go to work?” Jeannie teased. “You scared me to bits.”

  “Is it such a bad thing that I prefer to spend the day with you?” Cathy asked. “I missed you. So after I dropped off the kids at school, I came straight here.”

  Jeannie smiled. “What about work, Cathy? I will feel guilty if you’re fired because of me.”

  Cathy waved her hand in the air. “It’ll be fine. Besides, even if they do, I could just come work for you. You’ll hire me, right? I might not have a college degree like you, but I can make a mean chocolate chip cookie.”

  “Cathy!” Jeannie chuckled. “Go to work. I’m not going anywhere. We will have plenty of time to spend together. Come over when you’re done.”

  “I can’t. I have to make dinner for the kids and Derek,” Cathy said.

  “Well, I can come over to your place. We could make dinner together, and if you don’t mind, I could have dinner with you and the kids.”

  Cathy’s face lit up. “Seriously? The kids have been wanting to meet you in person. They only see you through video calls and in pictures.”

  “I would love to meet them. It would mean so much to me.”

  “Great then,” Cathy said. “I’ll see you tonight.”

  “I’ll be there,” Jeannie said. “Whew, it’s going to take a while to clean out this place.”

  “Oh,” Cathy said, peeking into the shop. Her forehead furrowed when she noticed a pair of shoes in the corner. “Is someone inside?”

  Jeannie nodded. “Yes, Rosco. The carpenter you recommended from down the street. He’s going round to see how much work needs to be done and how much everything will cost me.”

  “Alright then. Don’t overwork yourself, though. I will be more than happy to help you with the cleaning tomorrow. After I drop off the kids at school, I have two hours to spare. I’ll be here early tomorrow to help you clean the shop out.”

  Jeannie dropped both hands to the side. “Cathy, you are literally an angel.”

  Cathy shrugged her shoulders. “I know. Besides, I love cleaning. It’s therapeutic for me.”

  “Well, thank you. See you later.”

  “See you.”

  Jeannie waved Cathy goodbye and got back to cleaning. There were four rooms in the shop, and Jeannie planned on sweeping all the floors before calling it a day. Now that she was back in town, she needed to find a new doctor. Her ankle hurt from time to time, and although her doctor in New York put her on pain medications, she still needed a prescription to get some more at the pharmacy.

  Jeannie glanced to the side in time to glimpse someone peering in at her. He looked away immediately and pretended to be reading his newspaper. Jeannie arched her eyebrows and got a better look at the stranger. He was much older than she was, with gray hair and a full mustache. She did not know him; and even if she did, she didn’t remember him.

  Deciding to ignore it, Jeannie shrugged her shoulders and continued wiping down the window. She had a lot to do that day, hence no room for distraction.

  “Good morning.”

  Jeannie jumped, startled once again, but now by another voice.

  “Good morning,” she answered, stepping back. The man had hurried. He had been several feet away two seconds ago.

  “You don’t remember me, do you?”

  Jeannie squinted her eyes, pretending to think. “I don’t, I’m sorry.”

  “You’re Keith Miller’s daughter, aren’t you? They lived just a couple of streets away from here. I don’t remember your name, but I’m sure of it.”

  Jeannie lifted her eyebrows. “Oh, I am. I’m their only daughter. Jeannie Miller.”

  “I knew it.” The man laughed. “I was a friend of your father’s. I don’t think you’ll remember me, but we went to the same church. We used to see each other every Sunday.”

  Jeannie could not recognize him no matter how hard she tried. It was embarrassing, since the man was much older and he still knew who she was.

  “It’s nice to see you, sir,” Jeannie said. “Please forgive me. I’m terrible with faces. If I could get your name, perhaps it would ring a bell.”

  “I don’t blame you. It’s been decades. I’m Joshua Bennett. I own the flower shop across the street.”

  It still didn’t ring any bells. “It’s nice to see you again, sir.”

  “Likewise. I recall you leaving for college, but you never returned. Did something happen?”

  “Oh, no. I got a job right after college and stayed back.”

  It wasn’t the actual truth, but it was the explanation she ran with every time someone from Chickadee found her on social media. After she got pregnant, her father wanted to keep the news within the family, so he told no one and didn’t let her visit until she was done with college. When Jeannie got out of college, she made the terrible decision of trusting Luka and moving to New York against her parents’ wishes. By the time she finally visited Chickadee and her parents, it was too late.

  “I see you opened a shop,” Joshua continued. “Congratulations. What do you plan on selling?”

  “Thank you, sir. I’ll be selling pastries, confectioneries, the likes.”

  “Well, I wish you all the best. It’s nice to see you again. If you need anything, I’m right across the street, alright?”

  “Thank you, Mr. Bennett. Have a nice day.”

  One thing Jeannie secretly wished for was to look that healthy when she was as old as Joshua. She hoped she would remember things that good when she was that old, but she was barely fifty and already forgetting things.

  “So, I finished checking the place, ma’am,” the carpenter said, stepping out of the shop. He handed her a piece of paper and stepped back to put his measuring tape back into his belt.

  Jeannie stared at the quote with her mouth ajar. “Lumber? You’re charging me over five hundred dollars for just wood?”

  “Oh, yes. I’m going to make it work because I didn’t add any extra to spare. If you look down, you’ll see the price for the furniture, too, and then your total bill.”