“That Griffin boy never cared about this town,” someone called out. “Just another developer looking to make a buck.”
“That boy stayed behind during the hurricane and has been helping rebuild ever since,” another countered.
She turned around, coffeepot in hand, as heated voices erupted from a table by the window. Sarah Smith and Greg Wark were nearly nose to nose, faces flushed with anger.
“You’re being selfish!” Sarah snapped. “Not everyone has a trust fund to fall back on.”
“And you’re being shortsighted!” Greg shot back. “This is about our children’s future too!”
She started toward them, determined to intervene before things escalated further, when movement at the door caught her eye. The bell jangled loudly as someone burst in, and to her complete surprise, she saw Maxine rush into the cafe, looking windblown and slightly frazzled.
She stopped in her tracks. “What are you doing here? You’re not supposed to be back for two more days.”
Maxine weaved through the tables, ignoring the ongoing arguments. “We decided we needed to be back for tonight’s town meeting. It’s important.”
She wrapped Beverly in a fierce hug, and the familiar scent of her friend’s perfume momentarily drowned out the tension in the room. She clung to her, suddenly realizing how much she’d needed her friend’s presence.
“Thank goodness you’re here,” she whispered. “It’s getting nasty.”
Maxine pulled back, glancing around at the heated conversations still bouncing off the walls of the cafe. “So I see. Dale will be here in a minute. He’s parking the car.”
“Coffee?” Beverly asked, already reaching for a clean mug.
“Please. Strong enough to stand a spoon in it.” Maxine slid onto a stool at the counter, dropping her purse beside her. “Drove all night to get back.”
She poured her a cup. “You didn’t have to cut your vacation short.”
“Of course we did. This is our town too. And I wasn’t about to let you face this alone.”
The cafe door opened again as Dale entered, looking travel-weary. He gave her a quick wave before stopping to break up Sarah and Greg’s increasingly loud argument.
“Has it been like this all week?” Maxine asked, lowering her voice.
She nodded, leaning against the counter. “It started small. It was just comments here and there. But it’s getting worse. People who’ve been neighbors for decades suddenly can’t stand each other.”
“And Cliff?” Maxine raised an eyebrow.
Her cheeks grew warm. “He still comes in for breakfast, but I haven’t seen him much besides that. He’s been really busy. Getting ready for tonight’s meeting, I guess. But we’re careful not to discuss the development when we’re together.”
“That doesn’t sound… sustainable.”
“It’s not,” she admitted. “But I don’t know what else to do. I care about him, Maxine. More than I thought possible. But I also care about Magnolia Key staying Magnolia Key.”
A crash from across the room made them both jump. Someone had knocked over a chair while gesturing emphatically.
“Enough!” she called out, louder than she’d intended. The cafe fell silent, all eyes turning toward her. “This is still my coffee shop, and I won’t have neighbors treating each other this way. Save it for the meeting tonight.”
People shuffled awkwardly, murmuring apologies as they returned to their seats or gathered their belongings to leave. She took a deep breath, surprised by her own outburst.
“Well done.” Maxine smiled with approval.
She shook her head. “I hate this, Max. It feels like the hurricane brought us together, and now Cliff’s project is tearing us apart again.”
“People are scared. Change is always frightening, especially when it’s happening to something you love.”
“I know. And that’s what makes this so hard.” She absently wiped the counter. “Part of me understands Cliff’s vision. The bridge is gone, tourism will suffer, and businesses are struggling. But another part of me loves this island exactly as it is.”
“And you’re caught in the middle.”
