Andie could feel the excitement bubble up inside her as she talked about the garden. She’d forgotten how much she’d loved gardening as a kid. Her current lifestyle in New York City didn’t give her much time to think about gardens. Much of her job consisted of being locked away in dusty attics and moldy basements hunting for valuables amid broken-down castoffs. She hadn’t realized how much she missed working outdoors.
Not to mention that rambling on about hydrangeas, petunias, and hostas got her sister off the subject of Shane Flannery. Talking to him in the garden earlier had stirred up old feelings that she’d thought had been long buried.
“You must be eager to get back to your job. It sounds like you missed out on an opportunity, from what Chandler Vanbeck said the other day.” Jane’s look of concern warmed Andie’s heart.
“Yeah, but I think taking some time off is doing me good.” Andie hadn’t missed the job as much as she thought she would. She was keeping herself busy, and the garden work was important. The bathroom project had been invigorating and a good change of pace. These projects would help bring Tides back to profit, and that was important. But once they were done, would Lobster Bay seem like the same boring small town it had been in her youth, or had her priorities changed?
“The ocean has a way of setting one’s perspective.” Jane turned to her. “I’m glad you’re here. Mom has perked up a lot since you came.”
“She has?” Andie hadn’t considered that her presence would have a healing effect on their mom.
Jane nodded and picked up the wine bottle. “More?”
Andie held out her glass. “I like Tall Pines. It’s a nice place. You did a good job finding it. I’m sorry I didn’t help more with that.” Whew, there! She’d been working out how to convey to her sister that she felt guilty about not being here to help with those decisions. One small little apology didn’t make up for all of it, but it was a start.
“It’s been a big help having you here to visit with her, especially with this project.” Jane gestured toward the bathroom project and the area where the wedding would be held. “I wouldn’t be able to manage it if I didn’t have you to help out with visiting her.”
Andie settled back and sipped her wine. Jane’s words soothed her and removed the doubt that her sister didn’t want her here. Would it be possible for her to start over in her hometown? What would she do here? Would she get bored? It was definitely a slow pace, but she was getting tired of the cutthroat antiques business. People didn’t realize how much competition there was for the good estates, and one had to be on their A game all the time. Andie wasn’t getting any younger, and the constant competition had become a bit tedious. She wasn’t exactly excited about the idea of going back and working with Doug again either.
Maybe she would never find that big antiques score here in Lobster Bay, but the town did have other benefits. Not the least of which was that she’d be able to visit her mother every day and reconnect with her sister. Her mother’s words came to mind.
The city won’t give you what you really want. Your roots are here.
She’d been in the city for thirty years and still felt a void. Her mother might be losing her memory, but apparently her advice was still spot-on.
Chapter 27
The inn was fully booked for the wedding, but Jane wouldn’t allow herself to feel hopeful. She still hadn’t received a call from the sewer department. She’d hoped a miracle would happen and someone would cancel or they’d finish up some other jobs faster. Maybe that had just been wishful thinking.
If she didn’t hear from them soon, she’d have to tell the bride there would be no wedding unless they had porta potties. They might cancel, and there would go all her bookings. But it wasn’t fair to the bride to wait until the last minute. She might be able to book something more suitable if she had enough notice.
If only Andie could work a miracle like she had with the bathroom situation in the first place. Hadn’t Mike said he thought he could help? She hadn’t heard from him since.
As if the universe was reading her thoughts, her phone pinged with a text from Mike. He couldn’t make it for breakfast.
Don’t worry about payment. You’ve paid me enough and have been taking Cooper. We’re even!
Jane’s spirits sank. Mike was saying goodbye. He must be getting ready to go back home and didn’t want to get her hopes up about their friendship and so was distancing himself. That meant he’d be thinking of what to do with Cooper.
Jane looked down at the dog sleeping at her feet. “Well, Coop, looks like we might have to do something drastic to stay together.”
She clipped the leash on Cooper’s collar and went out the back to walk on the beach. Mrs. Weatherlee was seated at one of the round tables Jane had put out for people to dine on the back deck. The old woman called out to her as she started down the steps, “The place looks great!”
“Thanks.” Jane backtracked and stopped at her table.
Mrs. Weatherlee seemed delighted to see Cooper, feeding him a piece of bacon and petting him excitedly. “It does me good to see the old place getting a face-lift and a new purpose. Your grandparents would be happy.”
“You knew my grandparents?” Jane had never even thought to ask her.
“Oh, sure. Everyone in Lobster Bay knew everyone else back in the day. It’s much the same now, at least with the families that have been here for generations, isn’t it?”
“Yeah, I guess it is.” Though the town had grown and she didn’t knoweveryoneanymore, Jane felt proud to be part of such a community where the people you did know went out of their way to help out.
“Now, don’t you worry dear. Everything is going to be fine,” Mrs. Weatherlee assured her as Jane headed back down the steps. Jane wished she could be so sure.
She took Cooper for a brisk walk. Even watching the carefree dog bound along after the sticks she threw didn’t raise her spirits. She checked her phone for the millionth time. No call or message from the sewer department. After an hour, she headed back to Tides. She was running out of time.
They detoured over to the bathhouse, where Andie was supervising the offloading of toilets. Jane peeked in the building to see Ralph Marchand on his back under the sink, connecting the pipes. A bag of pastries with the Sandcastles logo sat on the vanity.
