“That is odd about the permit. I wonder what Nick is up to.” Leena shot a smug look at Pearl. “Maybe he is playing some games with our little friend.”
“Nick’s not really a game player, but it does seem curious,” Pearl said.
“The usual, ladies?” Cassie asked from behind the counter.
“Yes, please,” all three answered.
Rose’s phone pinged as they made their way up to the counter, and she rummaged in her purse. “It’s from Dex. He can start on the motel tomorrow.”
“But the girls haven’t even agreed,” Leena said.
“Don’t worry. They will.” Rose sounded sure of herself.
Pearl tutted and shook her head. “Well, that ought to be interesting. Three pretty girls and that charmer grandson of yours. What could go wrong?”
Chapter Fifteen
Maddie practically jumped off the ladder when Jules showed up with coffee from Ocean Brew.
“Thanks so much. How did things go at the town hall?” She accepted the Styrofoam cup from her cousin.
“I filled out the permit application, but we need an inspection.” Jules’s eyes fell to the big hole in the porch. “She said the inspector might come tomorrow.”
“We do? But we’re still renovating.” Maddie wondered about the outcome of the inspection. What if they failed?
“I guess they take that into consideration. Rose said something about her grandson coming to fix the porch, anyway.”
“Yeah,” Gina piped in, the first thing she’d said since Jules came back, and she silently accepted the coffee.
While the cousins weren’t arguing anymore, they weren’t exactly buddies either. Maddie would have to work harder on that.
“Rose mentioned him to me. We were just discussing him earlier and thought we’d wait for you to get back so we could discuss it.”
Maddie’s gaze was pulled toward the ocean. It had been calling her all day with the gentle breeze and the cadence of the waves, the seagulls cawing up above. She was dying to dig her toes into the fine white sand on the beach. “How about we enjoy our coffees on the beach while we talk?”
“Great idea.” Jules was the first to reach the steps, and Maddie and Gina followed her down.
Maddie sat on one of the large rocks and dug her toes into the warm sand while Jules sat on a piece of sun-bleached driftwood that had washed up long ago.
“So, what do you know about this Dex?” Jules asked Gina.
Gina shrugged. “Rose didn’t say much about him. Really, just he’s good and available.”
“Of course she would say he’s good. It’s her grandson.” Maddie was still skeptical about the guy. Being so organized herself, she couldn’t imagine someone who was any good having an opening for work. Maybe he wasn’t very ambitious, which might not bode well toward getting the project done in a timely manner.
“Maybe we should get a few quotes,” Jules suggested, apparently sensing Maddie’s hesitation.
Maddie sighed. Her earlier Google search for local carpenters had not met with success. “The closest one is at least an hour away.”
“Who will want to drive an hour for a small job like that hole?” Gina had remained standing, probably so she wouldn’t have to sit next to Jules.
Maddie had racked her brain for ways to get them to ease into being friends again. She felt sure if they just worked on a project side by side, the ice would crack. But what project?
“I guess we don’t have much choice, then. If someone has to drive an hour to get here, that’s going to increase the costs dramatically. Maybe we should try this Dex guy out,” Jules said.
“I suppose you’re right.” Maddie set aside her misgivings and returned to her usual optimistic self. “We’re going to need to get that porch fixed quickly, and soon we’ll be starting on the inside. I think we should order those items you found, Jules.”
Jules looked excited. “Really? But what about the money?”
