“Marcy?” Brad’s nose wrinkled. “You’ve never mentioned a Marcy. I want to hear more about Luke.”
“Actually,” Leah said, redirecting their attention to the binder, “my latest idea involves him. Eudora, I could use your help, too. What do you both think of carving out a café area here in the shop?”
By the time Leah had finished explaining her vision, Eudora felt she might need a nap. The girl had so many ideas. This time she gotherselfa cup of coffee. “I think it all sounds very interesting,” she said.
Brad was more skeptical. “You want to open a café and serve food in a bookstore? Why don’t we just invite that crazy old man to come back with his tomatoes?”
“That’s exactly what I’m going to do. Willet is the one who gave me the idea.”
“I don’t cook,” Brad said, holding up a hand like a stop sign. “I drew the line at kids, but I need to add cooking to the no list.”
“Relax. We could sell coffee, like we already do, but on a larger scale: I’m thinking lattes, iced drinks, that kind of thing. And a few pastries, like your grandmother makes. If that goes well, we could add a simple sandwich or soup of the day. Imagine Willet’s heirloom tomatoes for a specialty grilled paninis!” Leah looked between them. “I know you think I’m crazy, but I’d keep it small and only sell things locally sourced. And let’s not forget, this place used to be a general store. We’d be bringing back that chapter of the house’s history.”
Eudora was getting hungry just listening. And nostalgic. How many times had Milton told her about the penny candy and ice cream he used to buy here? She loved that Leah was honoring all of the captain’s house history and its many lives. A café was a lot to take on, but Leah had a point. Look at the big chain bookstores: they had cafés that drew in business. If she kept it small with a local flair, it could be brilliant. She voted yes.
By then Lucy had arrived. She, too, voted yes. “People like to eat,” she said matter-of-factly. Brad was the lone holdout.
“We’ve talked about this, Leah.” Eudora could see him putting on his financial advising cap. She couldn’t blame him. “Grow the business slowly and organically, like a garden. You’re basically dumping in genetically modified fertilizer and lighting it on fire.”
“That would smell pretty bad,” Lucy said.
As predicted, Leah remained stalwart. “We’ve got a big empty kitchen with a window that opens into the studio space. The house is practically crying out for it. I’m just listening.”
“You do realize how that sounds, I hope.” With all three women staring him down, Brad threw up his hands. “Fine. You’re going to do what you want.”
Which made Leah smile. “And you’re going to help me.” She paused, her expression growing serious. “And hopefully Luke, too. With the kitchen.”
“Why wouldn’t he help?” Brad mused, already returning to his laptop. Lucy drifted off to the children’s section and Leah to her office, leaving Eudora standing in the swirl of their wakes.
There was that vibrato again, coming through the walls of the old house. Eudora felt it in her chest. Something must have happened with Luke and Leah at that reunion. Eudora would have to find out what. For now, she’d fill her in on Lucy’s situation at home. And she’d follow up later with Brad, to wish him a nice evening with Ethan.
When Eudora’s knitting group arrived and settled in, her nerves were twitching. Only this time it was not an incoming panic advisory. There was no anxiety; this time it was something else. Something uncertain and not entirely comfortable, but definitely not panic. As Leah arrived with iced tea and Alfred scooted under his table with minimal growling, suddenly Eudora knew what it was: anticipation. Her head and her heart were buzzing back to life, out of retirement and back to work once more. Unpaid as it was, she’d not felt so rich in a long time.
