Drinks at Splash 5pm?
Splash, a small restaurant on the beach, was their favorite place to gather for a cocktail. In years past, they’d been able to do it quite regularly. Since Claire had opened Sandcastles and Jane had started helping at Tides, their meetings had been sporadic at best. But when one of them needed someone to talk to, they usually texted a request.
Either Addie must be doing well and Jane had extra time, or she was doing poorly and Jane needed a break. Either way, drinks with her friends was just what Claire needed. She texted back immediately.
Chapter Six
Maxi left a few minutes early to meet Claire and Jane at Splash. She wanted to walk the Marginal Way to the beach and take her time enjoying the gorgeous view. The sun glinted off the greenish-blue ocean. The foamy tops of the waves crashed on the jagged rocks below. A lone seagull soared above the cliffs.
If Maxi had an easel and her paints, she could have captured the pure white of the gull’s wings as the sun hit them and the sea-green hue of the crest of the wave right before it curled over. But she didn’t have her easel or her paints. In fact, she no longer owned any. When she was younger, she’d dreamed of making a living as an artist, setting up an easel on the beach, maybe even living a simple existence in a beachside cottage where she could paint the ocean any time of day. But then she’d fallen in love and gotten married, and more practical endeavors had taken over. There was a house to clean and children to raise—none of which she regretted.
Once the kids were older, she might have taken it up, but James frowned on her painting. He considered it too bohemian. She’d given up trying to convince him otherwise years ago. In the end, it wasn’t worth the trouble.
Now that the kids were gone, she had plenty of time. James was always busy with work. He’d been spending such long hours at the bank that she doubted he would know what she did with her time. Sometimes she wondered if he even cared. She still kept the house, planned meals, balanced the budget. But she had so much free time, especially compared to her two best friends. Maybe now that James was more established and she wasn’t so busy with the house, he would see her desire to draw and paint differently. It had been years since she’d broached the topic. Maybe she should ask again.
As the path spilled out onto the beach road, she took a deep breath. The rich, tangy aroma of fried clams hit her nose. She was lucky to live near the ocean, where there was great seafood. As she passed one of the restaurants, she glanced at someone’s plate. Stuffed lobster tail. Her stomach grumbled, hopefully Claire and Jane would want to share some appetizers along with the drinks.
Twinkle lights decorated Splash’s patio, already full of people despite the predinner hour. Jane was easy to spot with her silver pixie hair at the corner table she’d chosen on the edge of the deck overlooking the water.
People were still on the beach, though not as many as during the day. A few brave swimmers faced the churning water. Children dashed to and fro, the waves nipping at their heels as they shrieked with laughter and collected seashells. With the sun setting to the west behind them, the sky was painted pink and light blue. Jane turned and waved her over.
“Pretty isn’t it?” Jane twirled the stem of the paper umbrella in her drink.
Maxi lifted her hand to flag down a waitress as she spoke to Jane. “Gorgeous. How was your day?”
A tentative smile pulled at Jane’s lips. “Pretty good. Mom was her usual argumentative self most of the day.”
Maxi gave her a sympathetic smile and plucked at the triangular drink menu perched in the middle of the round table, scanning through the options despite the fact that she’d been there a hundred times before. The waitress came, and Maxi ordered the same thing Jane had—a beach breeze. “Where’s Claire?”
“She’s coming.” Jane traced the rim of her glass. “I keep seeing the look on her face when I told her about Bradford Breads. I just hope she’s not getting worked up about it.”
“Well, that’s why we’re here. To make sure she doesn’t.”
“Might not be that easy. Don’t forget, she has her heart and soul tied up in Sandcastles. A bread store across the street might not seem like a big deal to us, but Claire might look at it differently.” Jane sipped her drink.
The waitress returned with Maxi’s order. After sipping on it—fruity with the smooth taste of rum—Maxi said, “I suppose you’re right. Claire has blinders on. She’s worked so hard on that bakery. I think it’s more than just a store to her. It’s a symbol of her independence.”
Jane nodded. “And proof that she can make it on her own. Especially since Peter always made her feel like she couldn’t do anything except be a housewife.”
“We’ll just have to help her see the light. The bakery doesn’t define her ability to be successful or independent. She’s not thinking straight about Bradford Breads. If she thought about it, she might see the possibilities instead. The two businesses might complement each other.”
Jane laughed. “You want to help Claire see the light? That will take some doing.” Her smile slipped, and her cheeks turned pink as her gaze slid past Maxi’s shoulder. Looking guilty, she sat taller in her chair and whispered, “Here she comes.”
Maxi lowered her voice. “Maybe now that the news has sunk in, she’ll be feeling better.”
Jane grimaced. “I don’t know. If you ask me, she looks more stressed now than when we left her this morning.”
Claire spotted her friends in the corner of Splash’s patio, both nursing pink drinks in margarita glasses. She quickened her step, suddenly excited to tell her friends about her plans.
But first, Jane. Her friend must have called them there for a reason. Jane and Maxi cut off their conversation to wave as Claire stepped closer. She greeted both of her friends with a hug then claimed an open chair at the table. She squeezed Jane’s arm.
“How’s Addie? Is she doing okay?”
“Yes,” Jane answered with a falsely bright chirp. “She had a pretty good day today.”
“Really? That’s great.” Despite Jane’s positive words, Claire could see the concern in her friend’s eyes. She put her hand on Jane’s arm. “We’re here for you whenever you need to talk.” She wished she could do more for her friend, but talking helped.
Jane nodded and smiled, the tension in her face easing. “I’m fine, really.”
