“Okay, I’ll be up and ready to go.” She swore she was not going to let Beverly down. She’d be good at this job and really help out. At least she hoped she wouldn’t disappoint Beverly and get fired from this job like the last handful she’d had.
They sat outside for a long time, with Beverly filling her in on town gossip. What was going on. Who had moved to town, who had moved away.
“And I have to figure out something to donate to the fundraiser. Miss Eleanor made me promise.” Beverly laughed. “I’ll think of something.”
“And I guess I’m volunteering for it, too. Because she’s sure to hear I’m staying in town and will demand—I mean,expect—me to.” Maxine laughed. “She’s still a force to be reckoned with, isn’t she?”
“She is, and I think she always will be. No matter how much she ages.”
“She must be, what? Close to seventy or seventy-five now?”
“I’d imagine so, not that she’d ever tell her age.”
“Any of her family still live on the island?”
“No, they’ve all moved away. Her one granddaughter comes to visit fairly often, though. That’s about it. Haven’t seen her other family in years.”
“So she still lives in that big old house all alone?”
“Just Miss Eleanor and her dog, Winston.”
Maxine frowned. “I wonder if she’s lonely.”
“Miss Eleanor was kind of a loner, even when she was married and her kids were young.” Beverly leaned back in her chair and stretched out her legs.
“Or maybe the word you were looking for was aloof.”
“That, too. I’m not sure many people measure up to her expectations. I’m thinking that’s why her kids all fled town as soon as they were old enough. Remember how strict she was with them?”
“Only that oldest son of hers turned out to be the wildest boy in town, didn’t he?” Maxine shook her head.
Beverly’s eyes widened for a moment, then she gave a rueful smile. “He was certainly always full of surprises.”
Beverly got quiet and looked lost in thought. Ah, well. Memories had a way of doing that, didn’t they?
CHAPTER4
Beverly was pleased that Maxine caught on quickly to working at Coastal Coffee. By the third day, she was a pro. Handling orders, refilling coffee, and helping out in the kitchen. Quite a few of the regulars knew Maxine from when she was growing up on the island and were pleased to see her. It appeared this was going to work out for both of them.
Maxine offered to work more hours when Janine needed time off when her mother needed yet more doctor appointments. She didn’t know what she would have done if Maxine hadn’t popped up when she did.
As they were closing up after the lunch crowd left, Beverly paused and looked over at an empty wall near the coffee bar. “You know. I think that wall needs a bookcase on it. A small one should fit. And we could fill it with books. I’ve always wanted a lending library here. People could grab a book and return it or donate one that they’d finished. Might be easier than always having to go over to the mainland to the library or the bookstore.”
“That’s a great idea.”
“I’ve got some accounting to do before I leave today, but how about you go over to Second Finds and see if you can pick out a bookcase that will work? You always did have a good eye for that kind of stuff, and I know you love antiquing.”
“I’d love to do that. Does Ginger Bailey still run it?”
“No, her nephew, Dale, runs it now. Ginger passed away a few years ago.”
“Oh, that’s too bad. She was such a nice lady.”
“Anyway, if you find something, Dale will send me an invoice for it. I’m always getting something from him. Replaced some chairs here at the cafe. And that picture over there…” She paused and pointed. “I got that from him too. Not sure who painted it, but someone did years ago. It’s that little cove off the bay. Remember going there?”
“I do. It’s so peaceful there.” Maxine glanced at the painting. “It had to have been quite a while ago. See, the old lean-to structure was still there. It was in ruins by the time we were kids.”
“The painting isn’t signed, and Dale—even though he’s kind of a history buff when it comes to the island—didn’t have any ideas.”
