Her phone rang. It was her daughter, Tammi.
“Hey, Tammi. How’s your day going?” Tammi was doing an internship far away, and Claire missed seeing her every day, but she was proud of the woman Tammi had become.
“Busy but good. How about you?”
“Actually, amazing,” Claire gushed, unable to hold back her excitement. “Marie from the animal rescue just came by and gave me this thank-you letter for being a friend to animals and the community. It feels so good to be recognized.”
“That’s wonderful, Mom! You deserve it,” Tammi replied.
“Thanks. It makes me all the more determined to keep the Beach Bones name,” Claire asserted, her voice tinged with resolve.
Tammi paused, choosing her words carefully. “Mom, you and Sandee have more in common than you think.”
Claire snorted. “I highly doubt that.”
“Don’t be so quick to judge. Sandee’s a friend to animals too. She’s not the villain you think she is.”
“That’s hardly something substantial to have in common,” Claire retorted. “Unless you consider being married to your father something in common.”
Another pause on Tammi’s end had Claire worrying that she’d said the wrong thing. She’d always been careful not to be one of those divorced parents that bad-mouthed the other or their new partner.
“Actually, Dad and Sandee are getting divorced.”
“Oh.” Claire didn’t know what to say. “Well, that’s... interesting.”
“Yeah, well, maybe the two of you could find some common ground, you know? Life’s too short for grudges,” Tammi suggested.
Claire sighed. “I’ll think about it, Tammi. I really will.”
Funny, Claire had always thought Sandee and Peter deserved each other. Maybe Tammi was on to something… or maybe Peter had found an even younger woman and tossed Sandee aside. Either way, it wasn’t really her problem.
“Penny for your thoughts.”
Claire looked up to see Jane standing at the counter.
“Oh, it’s nothing.” Claire quickly brushed it off, though her mind was still racing with the new revelation about Sandee and Peter. A strange mix of emotions—annoyance, curiosity, and, surprisingly, sympathy—filled her. Could Sandee also be a victim of Peter’s insincerity? Claire knew all too well how that felt.
“I’ve got your chocolate chip muffins for Addie right here,” Claire said, handing over the white paper bag.
“Ah, she’s going to love these! Thank you, Claire.”
“Of course. Anything for Addie,” Claire replied, sharing a warm smile with Jane.
“Gotta run!” Jane turned toward the door. “See you at Barnacle Billy’s tonight?”
“Absolutely! Six o’clock, and don’t be late. We have a lot to catch up on.”
CHAPTER TEN
Jane stepped into her mother Addie’s room, which was warm and comforting. It was filled with the familiar furniture that had once adorned their family home, each piece a treasured relic of their shared past. The bed was covered with a patchwork quilt that Jane had seen since her childhood, each square a testament to the years gone by. Outside the window, a bird feeder hung from a branch, attracting an array of colorful birds that Addie loved to watch.
Cooper ran in ahead of Jane, and Addie’s face lit up. “Cooper! I always love seeing you!” Addie leaned down to pet the dog, who wiggled with delight.
Jane handed her mother the bag of chocolate chip muffins from Sandcastles Café. Addie’s eyes lit up as she caught the aroma wafting from the bag.
“Oh, these smell divine! Did Claire make these?” Addie asked as she took a muffin and bit into it, savoring the taste.
“Yes, Mom, she did,” Jane replied, pleased that her mother remembered her friend.
