All eyes turned to her, and she felt a sinking sensation in her chest. Had she just offered to rent a cottage? What would James say?
“Maxi! What are you going to do with a cottage? You have a gorgeous house on the cliff,” Jane said.
“Right. I know. But maybe I can use it as a retreat. I mean, it’s right on the beach, and I’ve always wanted an artist studio or cottage on the beach.” Maxi looked down into her coffee mug, away from their shocked gazes. “And besides, things are changing between me and James. It might be smart to have someplace to go.”
“Are you sure?” Hailey asked. “It’s really run-down. You might not like it.”
“I’m sure. Give me your grandfather’s number, and I’ll call him right away to make arrangements.” Hailey rattled off the number, and Maxi put it into her phone. Now that she thought about it, renting the cottage was a great idea. She wasn’t sure if she would even tell James. Even though her house on the cliff was gorgeous, she’d always loved being right down on the beach. She could turn it into an art studio. And if Claire was right about her just needing something else to put her mind on, then this would be the right move. She excused herself from the table to call Hailey’s grandfather.
Sally frowned and shook her head, her gaze following Maxi. “When I suggested a time-out, I meant like a girls’ weekend away, not renting a whole cottage.”
“I hope Maxi doesn’t do anything drastic,” Jane said as she slipped another piece of muffin under the table to Cooper.
She glanced over at the corner of the building where Maxi was on the phone. Today Maxi was wearing one of her more casual outfits, a flowing pale-yellow skirt and white linen sleeveless top. Her silvery-blond hair hung loose just past her shoulders. Normally Maxi had more of a tailored look, which Jane suspected was what James preferred. But lately her friend had been dressing more and more casually. Things were changing with Maxi, and Jane hoped it was for the better.
“Yeah, renting that cottage was kind of sudden. I didn’t realize things were that bad, and honestly, it doesn’t seem that they are from where I’m sitting. I still remember how it all went down with Peter and me, and unless Maxi isn’t telling us everything, things might not be as drastic as they seem.” Claire glanced across the street, and Jane followed her gaze.
Claire was looking over at Bradford Breads, no doubt feeling thankful that she’d connected with the owner, Rob Bradford, and things were going good for them. Jane didn’t have any divorce experience to compare with—her husband had died young—but she, too, had a new romance to be thankful for. She hoped Maxi wasn’t going to have to go through a painful divorce, but she’d had suspicions of James for a week now. “I thought I saw James with Sandee in one of the cottages on the beach last week when I was walking Cooper. I asked Maxi if they were thinking about buying a cottage, but she knew nothing about it.” Jane’s gaze drifted again to Maxi, who was still on the phone with Hailey's grandfather. “But I could have been mistaken. I didn’t get a good look.”
Claire frowned. “You don’t think James and Sandee...”
Jane sighed. “I don’t know what to think.”
Sally, who was now munching on a chocolate chip muffin, brushed some crumbs off her shirt. “Sandee does like to cheat with married men.”
Claire made a face. “Yeah, but James? He’s as steady as they come.”
“And he and Maxi have been together forever.” Jane hoped Maxi was just being overly sensitive and that the man she’d seen with Sandee was someone else. But then, relationships could be uncertain. Maybe she’d better take it slow with Mike. She hadn’t dated anyone else since Brad died ten years ago, and she didn’t need another heartache. Plus she’d only known Mike a few weeks, and if husbands who had been married for decades could dump their wives without batting an eyelash, she had to think of what a guy who’d only been in town for a few weeks would do.
“I’m sure things will work out.” Claire had picked up the swatch and was frowning at it. “I just hope I can match this color on the cake.”
Jane put her hand on Claire’s arm. “Don’t stress about it. If you can’t match it exactly, she’ll just have to understand. I appreciate everything you’re doing for me.”
Claire smiled. “Hey, whatever it takes. We’re going to pull this wedding off. At least you have Andie here to help.”
The mention of Jane’s sister made her smile. They’d been close as kids, but when Andie left after high school, they’d gradually drifted apart. Andie hardly ever came back to Lobster Bay, but now that their mom’s dementia had progressed to the point that she had to be in a facility, Andie had come back. It did look like she was sticking around, at least for a while. Their relationship was coming back to what it used to be, but there was still a lot of work to be done in that department. Jane didn’t dare get her hopes up. “Andie has been a big help. Both with Mom and the wedding.”
“Isn’t that her over there?” Claire waved to someone behind Jane. “Should we have invited her to our morning coffee catch-ups?”
Jane turned to see her sister coming toward them. Though Andie was four years older than Jane’s forty-eight years, she looked about ten years younger with her long dark hair and slim figure. Today she was wearing oversized sunglasses, a black tank top, and tan capris. Her style was more reflective of New York City, which made sense as that was where Andie had lived most of her adult life. “I doubt she’d be interested in that, and besides, she might not even still be here the next time we have one.”
“There you are! Do you have that blue swatch? I’m going to the fabric store and thought I’d try to match some ribbons for the centerpieces.” Andie stood on the other side of the three-foot-tall planters that separated the café from the main sidewalk. Her position on the opposite side of the planters was further evidence to Jane that she didn’t want to join in on their morning coffee routine.
Claire held it up. “It’s right here.” She stood and leaned over to pass it to Andie. “Can I get you a coffee? Some pastry?” She pointed at the plate.
Uncertainty flicked through Andie’s gaze. “Oh... thanks. Um... I guess I’d better not. I have a lot of work to do today.”
Jane stood. “We’re just about done here anyway. I’ll go with you to the fabric store if you’d like.”
Andie smiled. “That would be nice.”
Jane stood and grabbed Cooper’s leash. “Thanks for coffee.” She glanced over at the corner of the building where Maxi was still on the phone. “Say bye to Maxi for me and tell her I’ll message her later.”
Andie glanced back at Sandcastles as she and Jane walked toward the fabric store. Claire’s invitation had been tempting. The mugs of steaming coffee, the plate of pastries, the camaraderie. They’d never asked her before, and she wasn’t sure if Jane wanted her horning in. If anyone should invite her, it should be Jane, so Andie had declined.
Granted, she’d only been in town for three weeks, and how long she’d remain was uncertain. The fact that she was still here was a surprise to everyone, including Andie. She hadn’t expected it to feel so much like home, and spending time with her mother at this critical time of her health was important.
But there wasn’t much for her here in Lobster Bay. Even at middle age, Andie wanted to do something important, and she’d worked hard to become one of the top antique appraisers at Christies. She couldn’t just throw that all away, which meant she’d have to go back to New York. The best antiques were in the big city, weren’t they?
