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CHAPTERFOUR
The outdoor seating at Sandcastles was full, just as it was every morning, despite the slight chill in the morning air. Hailey was topping off coffee mugs. Maxi was mostly content sitting there with her best friends since childhood, Claire and Jane, and waiting for Andie to arrive. She pinched a piece off her bran muffin and slipped it under the table to Cooper, who was sitting obediently at Jane’s feet.
Cooper looked up at her with adoring eyes, and she tried to analyze the look in them for the pet portrait she had been commissioned to paint. Was it the highlights that made them so expressive? The depth of color? The shading?
She was worried about the pet portrait. She’d finished many paintings before, but those were landscapes. She’d never painted animals, and this commission was important because it was to commemorate Sandcastles regulars Bert and Harry’s pug, Goblin, who had recently passed away.
She bent down to get a closer look at Cooper, pushing silvery-blond curls out of her face as she studied the dog.
“Did you drop something?” Claire asked from the other side of the table.
Maxi looked up at her friend, who was tucking a strand of her wavy auburn hair into a clip, a questioning look in her golden-flecked hazel eyes. “No, just studying Cooper for my commission. I’m a little nervous about getting it right.”
“You’re having a hard time with it?” Jane asked.
“Unfortunately, yes.”
“Don’t worry, you’re a great artist. You’ll nail it,” Jane reassured her.
But Maxiwasworried. “I just want to capture Goblin’s essence and show her heart so when Bert and Harry look at the painting, they can feel the joy they had with Goblin and not be sad that she isn’t around anymore.”
“That’s sweet.” Claire put her hand on Maxi’s arm. “I’m sure you’ll pull it off.”
“What’s sweet?” Andie appeared at the table, frowning at Claire. The expression in Andie’s hazel eyes indicated she didn’t like anything sweet or mushy. Today, she was wearing her long dark hair in a messy bun on top of her head and had on a plain T-shirt and jeans that apparently had some dust on the side. Knowing Andie, she’d probably just come from rooting around in an attic for antiques.
Jane scooted over to make room as Hailey set a mug in front of Andie and poured some coffee into it.
“Maxi’s doing a painting of Goblin for Bert and Harry,” Claire said.
Andie’s face softened. “Awww, that is nice.”
“So, anyway, how are things going with you guys?” Maxi changed the subject. She was uncomfortable talking about herself and didn’t want to bring everyone down with her problems. She gestured to the papers on the table in front of Claire. “What’s all this?”
“I’m trying to come up with some new recipes for fall. Pumpkin muffins, spiced coffees, that sort of thing. Rob is doing the same at his place. He’s been baking tons of pumpkin bread.”
They all looked across the street to Bradford Breads, where Rob was putting out a sign with the latest sale items. He glanced over and waved.
Claire blushed. Once, the two had been competitors. Now, they were an item. They were deliriously happy together, which pleased Maxi. It was funny to think that at one time Claire thought Sandcastles would be threatened by the new bread store Rob had opened across the street.
“I ordered some of his pumpkin breads for Tides,” Jane said.
“How is business with the summer winding down?” Maxi asked.
“Slowing down a bit, but I’m going to do some fall specials to bring people in. Getaway weekends, apple cider tastings, that sort of thing.” Jane slathered butter on half of her blueberry muffin. She had two chocolate chip muffins in a bag for her mother, Addie. Claire always sent a few of Addie’s favorite muffins when Jane went to visit her mother at Tall Pines. “Liz Weston is back in town and staying at Tides while she cleans out her family home. You guys remember her?”
Andie frowned. “I think I remember her brother. Peter?”
Claire shook her head. “The last name is familiar, but I don’t think I knew any of them.”
“I remember them vaguely,” Maxi said. “Their dad was kind of mean, wasn’t he?”
Jane looked up from her muffin. “Liz alluded to that as well, but I met him a few times at Tall Pines, and he was very nice.”
Max shrugged. “People change.”
Jane nodded. “Anyway, she’s the only guest right now, but we have a few other reservations. It’s pretty slow overall, though, and as I recall, this is the slowest time with kids going back to school and no one going on vacation. Which is a good thing since I can’t seem to find anyone to work there.”
“No luck in the search?” Claire looked up from the paperwork. “Maybe Hailey knows someone.”
