Jane knew Claire, knew her inside and out, just as Claire knew Jane. She’d known ever since Claire had opened the bakery—a sign that she was moving on with her life after an admittedly terrible marriage—that her friend’s self-worth was tied up in its success.
Claire led her life with her heart on her sleeve. She didn’t respond to logic the way Jane did. Telling Claire that her business would survive because of all its merits didn’t help to ease her friend’s worry. Claire was stubborn. She would have to see that for herself.
When Jane stepped out of the fridge, Addie was already back at the stove, instructing Brenda as they arranged bacon and eggs into the two covered trays. Jane couldn’t help but smile at the familiar scene. Her mother was always meticulous about presenting things to her guests just so.
Noticing Jane’s return, Addie cast a quick smile over her shoulder as she hovered at Brenda’s side while the other woman carried the tray. “Please thank Claire for that muffin, dear.”
Sheremembered. It had been minutes, not hours or days, since Jane had given her the muffin, but there were days when Addie seemed to forget details the moment she heard them.
Jane beamed. “I will.”
As Brenda shuffled through the swinging door into the dining room, Addie turned her attention back to food prep, humming under her breath as she took out measuring cups and a bowl. As she sifted flour into the bowl, Jane leaned against the door to the refrigerator and smiled. She counted the cups of flour, noticing that her mother didn’t hesitate with the often-used recipe.
Turning, Addie frowned, hands on her hips. “Are you going to help me with these pancakes, or aren’t you? I need eggs and milk.”
Jane jumped to attention, just like in years long gone. “Yes, ma’am.”
As she slipped back into the cool refrigerator, she tried to focus on the fact that this was a good day. She had her mother for however long she was lucid. Sooner or later, she would have to make hard decisions about her care, but until then she would cherish every last moment like this.
Chapter Four
“Your instincts are as sharp as ever, Sally,” Ralph said, descending the ladder he’d used to inspect the pipes at Sandcastles. Despite the compliment, his face was grim as he glanced at Claire.
“Are they bad?” Claire asked.
Ralph nodded in agreement. “Ayuh.” He scratched his thinning pate. “I might be able to solder a patch here and there, but I can’t guarantee how long they’d hold. They’re the original copper pipes, and the fittings break down over time. Could be a year. Could be a day.”
Darn it!Claire had known the building was old when she’d bought it. That was part of its charm. But five years ago, the building was in good repair. It’d had no major problems until now, only small odd jobs she’d called Sally to fix. They made things better back when the old building had gone up. Surely those old pipes would hold out for a while. Ralph was probably being overcautious.
Sally gave Claire a sympathetic glance then turned to the town plumber. “Can you fit her in, Ralph?”
“Ayuh.” He scratched at his head again, seeming at a loss. “You’ll have to close, as I’ll need to rip some things apart in here, and it won’t do to have customers hanging around. I’ll warn you: you’ll need to get some repair work to the walls after.”
Close in the middle of tourist season?The sunny days were her best revenue days. During the winter months, maybe she could manage to close the shop and not suffer for it, but now, with a new bakery moving in, closing Sandcastles was not an option.
Claire chewed on the inside of her cheek. “How much?”
Ralph rocked back on his heels, considering. “I could do it for about ten grand, give or take. I’d have to price out materials before I can give you a better estimate.”
“Ten grand?” The words barely escaped through Claire’s tight throat. She didn’t have that much in her savings account. And after her conversation with Tammi, she’d relegated a good portion of her savings for advertising. Without it, there would be no savvy marketing. There would be no throngs of customers lined up in front of her bakery to show Bradford Breads who the town’s favorite baker was.
“It has to be done,” Sally said. Her practical manner helped to ground Claire. She was right, of course. Claire knew she would have to do it, but how would she find ten thousand dollars? Her gaze skated around the kitchen. Sandcastles was her dream. She’d put a lot of sweat and tears into it. She wasn’t going to let a few pipe repairs bring her down.
Jaw firm, she said, “I’ll try to get a loan from the bank to cover the cost. How long will you need the shop closed?” Two or three days, she might be able to work into the schedule. She could have a grand reopening and use some of Tammi’s marketing suggestions to draw in customers. Not to mention, she could continue to bake the custom-ordered cakes at home and deliver them personally. It might work out to her advantage after all.
“About two weeks, I’d say.”
Claire took a deep breath.Two weeks? No way, not right now.Not with that bakery about to open across the street. The pipes had lasted a hundred years. Surely they could last until the end of summer.
“I’ll talk to the bank. I might not be able to swing it until October.” The pipes groaned ominously, as if warning Claire to speed up the timeline.
Ralph raised a brow at Sally then turned to Claire. “Okay, I’ll patch the leaks for now. Give me a call as soon as you know when you want me to start.”
Hailey noticed the worried look on Claire’s face as she let Sally and Ralph out the back. Something was really bothering her boss, and she wanted to find out what it was. It was a slow time of day, so she filled two mugs with coffee and ushered Claire over to a table in the corner.
“Sit. Let’s chat. We haven’t done that in a while.” Hailey pushed Claire into a chair.
“Aren’t you supposed to leave now?” Claire wrapped her hands around the mug.
