“Well, that sure is savory.” Pearl patted her lips with a napkin.
“Savory? It’s strawberry pie!” Gina frowned at the pie before cutting off a sliver for herself and taking a bite. “Oh, I see what you mean.”
“Maybe it needs more sugar or some spices,” Pearl suggested. “Rena used to have a cinnamon crust she would make that was out of this world.”
“I remember that crust.” Rose eyed Gina’s pie then saw Pearl’s plate with most of the piece still on it and opted for coffee cake.
“Pie takes practice,” Leena said. “I think things went better than expected tonight.”
“Agreed.” They all moved over to a corner of the room with their plates.
Rose nodded toward Maddie, who was busy talking to some shop owners. “Your cousin is a born organizer, a real asset to the town.”
“Maybe she’ll head up the chamber of commerce,” Pearl said.
“Are you looking for someone to do that?” Gina asked.
“We will be if things work out.” Rose wiped coffee cake crumbs from her lips. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. We need to focus on how to capitalize on this baking contest. I’ve already seen more people driving around town since it was announced.”
Pearl turned to Jules. “I heard the motel is booked with cast and crew of the show. I bet you get more inquiries from people who want to stay in town for it. The show is quite popular, and people generally flock to wherever it’s being held.”
“We’re full, but that would be great just to know people want to stay there,” Jules said, her gaze fixed on the door where Henry was just exiting.
As they watched, he glanced over at them and nodded before turning and leaving.
“Did he just nod at us?” Pearl asked.
“I thought I might have seen a ghost of a smile,” Rose said.
Leena snorted. “I doubt it. He’s still crotchety. I ran into him the other day, and his demeanor has not improved.”
“I don’t know,” Jules said. “He seems more sad than crotchety, if you ask me.”
Rose tossed her plate in the trash and brushed the crumbs off her shirt. “Let’s not waste time worrying about him. We have a ton of work to do if we want to get this town fixed up by Monday.”
* * *
Henry felt lighteras he got in his car in the parking lot of the town hall. He’d spent so many years thinking nothing could revive the town. It was difficult for his old brain to process the fact that maybe it could be restored. Maybe if this had happened years ago, Rena wouldn’t have left without even saying goodbye. Funny that it took her granddaughters to make it happen.
His thoughts turned to Rose, Pearl, and Leena. They’d been friends once, even before Rena came to town, but in his bitterness, he’d broken ties with them. For the life of him, he couldn’t really remember why. Had he been so deep in despair that he simply wanted to wallow in loneliness with only Nick for company?
Where had Nick gone today, anyway? He’d mentioned an errand out of town, but he’d seemed evasive and nervous, as if there was something he didn’t want Henry to know. Could it be related to the loan for the Beachcomber? The other day, Rose and Jules had made it sound like the loan might still happen. But if that were true, it would mean that Nick was going behind his back. The thought of that made Henry smile. It was about time the boy put his neck on the line for something important to him.
As Henry drove away, he glanced back at the old meetinghouse. He could see in through the tall windows, and people were milling about, paper plates of food in their hands. The room had an energy of excitement, and for the first time in a long time, the people of Shell Cove appeared optimistic. His heart softened, and he felt a pang of longing when he spotted Rose, Leena, and Pearl standing in a tight group.
Things were changing in Shell Cove. Maybe it was time he changed too.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Maddie pulled the last T-shirt off the hanger, folded it neatly, and put it in the suitcase on the bed. She was only moving a few rooms down to bunk with Jules so they could rent more rooms to the guests, but she liked things to be neat and organized, as opposed to her cousin, who she’d seen walking past her room with a stack of clothing spilling from her arms.
At least she only had her clothes and a few personal items to move. She’d put most of her things in storage back home since she didn’t know if things would work out in Shell Cove or not. Maddie hefted the suitcase off the bed and rolled it out toward her new room.
“I’ll take this side of the closet, okay?” Jules was already hanging up her wrinkled shirts.
“Fine.” Maddie looked around the room. It was a little bigger than the one she’d had previously but more crowded, given the two beds. It was missing some artwork on one wall and needed interior painting, but they all needed that. “Do you think we’ll be able to get these rooms painted in two days?”
“Maybe we could hire someone.” Jules turned around and raised her eyebrows. “Like Dex.”
