Once outside, she headed down to the water’s edge, walking along the foamy remains of the waves. As she approached the lighthouse, she admired the familiar building standing guard over the island as it had for so many years.
She stood beneath the lighthouse, looking out to sea, the moment familiar and yet so different without Nana by her side. She bent down and picked up a delicate shell with traces of pink on it, then wrapped her fist around it and closed her eyes.
She made her wish, opened her eyes, and tossed the shell out into the water, watching it disappear beneath the surface. Not that she believed her wish would come true.
CHAPTER 5
Evie woke up the next morning, momentarily confused as to where she was. Then she remembered. Nana’s. The silence of the cottage surrounded her. There was no sound of Nana’s cheerful humming or bustling movements coming from the kitchen.
She slid out of bed, determined to shake off the melancholy that threatened to settle over her. A sudden thought popped into her mind. Why not go out for breakfast? She could see if Magic Cafe was still here. She’d loved going there with Nana. And the cafe was always filled with people, and chatter, and laughter. Just what she needed right now.
She slipped on shorts, a T-shirt, and sandals and headed to the cafe, pleased to find it still here after all her years away.
Pushing open the door, she was greeted by the comforting aroma of freshly brewed coffee and baked goods. The interior was just as she remembered—cozy and inviting, with a touch of coastal charm in its decor. Tally, the owner, stood behind the counter and looked up as she approached.
“Good morning. Welcome to Magic Cafe.” Tally smiled at her, then the dawning of recognition spread across her face. “Evie? Is that you?”
“Yes, it’s me.” She grinned at the fact that Tally still recognized her.
“Evie, dear, it’s so good to see you.” Tally came around and wrapped her in a big hug. “Oh, honey, I was so sorry to hear about Genevieve. She was such a special lady.”
Tears crept into the corners of her eyes and she wondered if she was ever going to be able to hear about Nana or talk about her without tears threatening to fall. A lump formed in her throat at Tally’s kind words. The genuine compassion in Tally’s expression comforted her grieving heart. She offered a grateful smile in return. “Thank you. She was special. And Nana loved to come here. It feels good to be back.”
“You come on in. I’ll get you a table right by the beach, just like you always liked.”
“Thanks, Tally.” She followed her out across the wooden deck to a table near the edge of the beach. As she settled into her seat, the clink of coffee mugs and murmured conversations filled the air around her. The gentle hum of life in the cafe wrapped around her, grounding her in the present moment.
She glanced at all the Christmas decorations on the railings and twinkle lights hung from the ceilings. Tally noticed her perusal and grinned. “Yep, still go a bit overboard for Christmas.”
“It looks great.” Looks familiar. Just like she remembered. And the familiarity was comforting.
Tally poured her a cup of coffee and handed her a menu. “Menu is mostly the same. We don’t like change much around here.”
“I’m finding I don’t like change either.” She took the menu from Tally.
“I’ll be back in a flash to get your order. Then I think I’ll sit down with you if you don’t mind and we’ll catch up.”
“I’d like that.”
She ordered an omelet and hash browns, and soon Tally brought it out and sat across from her.
“Feels good to sit down for a bit,” Tally said as she took a sip of coffee. “So, tell me what’s new with you.”
“I’m here to deal with all of Nana’s things. I admit, it’s a bit overwhelming. I’m not making much progress.”
“There’s no hurry to it, is there?”
“Well, if I want to get it on the market, I’ll need to clear it out.”
“You selling it?” Tally raised her eyebrow. “I just figured you’d keep it as a vacation place, if nothing else.”
“I don’t really need two places, and I have my condo back in Baltimore.”
“I guess you do need to get back to your job.”
She sighed. “Not really. I got let go.” Lost Nana, let go from her job, and her boyfriend dropped her, all in a two-week span.
“I’m sorry. But I’m sure you’ll find a new one lickety-split. Genevieve was always bragging about the promotions you were getting.”
