“We’re going upstairs to change,” Betty announced after all four of them had fawned over the dog. “We want to walk the Marginal Way. We always loved it as kids, and it’s something of a tradition for us, even if it’s a bit chilly right now.”
“We’ve got our new Lobster Bay sweatshirts,” Susan added, lifting a bag as proof.
“Sounds like a lovely plan,” Jane said.
Margie caught sight of the festive setup. “Oh my, these Norwegian decorations are absolutely adorable!”
“Thank you! They’re courtesy of our neighbor, Olga Svenson. She’s in her nineties and still as crafty as ever,” Liz chimed in.
“Aww, how sweet,” Susan said.
“As a little evening treat, would you ladies like to have a glass of wine in the living room later? The view of the ocean is quite spectacular,” Jane offered.
“That sounds heavenly,” Carol said. “A glass of wine would be perfect.”
“How about I set out some cheese and crackers as well?” Jane suggested.
“Oh, you’re a gem, Jane. That would be fantastic,” Betty said, her eyes twinkling.
Carol turned to Cooper. “We’ll even bring a treat for you. We’ll pick up some Beach Bones from Sandcastles.” Carol glanced up at Jane. “If that’s okay with you?”
Jane smiled. “Of course. He loves them.”
The ladies went upstairs, and Jane and Liz continued finding places for the Norwegian Christmas decorations, but now Jane’s mind was on Beach Bones and Claire’s situation with Sandee. With both Claire and Maxi having some drama, Jane was glad things were calm for her. Still, she couldn’t wait for girls’ night out so that she could try to help her friends solve their problems.
CHAPTER FIVE
Claire filled in the last restaurant assignment in the Taste of the Town event sheet. There, that should do it! She’d somehow managed to wrangle the other town restaurateurs into some sort of schedule and series of foods that would be fun for visitors and not too repetitive.
Putting the pencil behind her ear, she sighed, stretched her arms, and looked over the busy café. Sandcastles Bakery was doing well, filled with the aroma of freshly baked pastries and the chatter of satisfied customers. Her signature sandcastle-shaped cakes sat proudly in the display case, enticing everyone who walked by.
When she glanced across the street, her eyes met Rob’s, who was standing in the window of Bradford Breads. He gave her a warm wave, which she happily returned, feeling a surge of warmth and affection.
Turning her attention back to the café, she saw Hailey, her ever-efficient assistant, topping off coffees for the customers. Among them were Bert and Harry, their newly adopted dog tied up outside the café. Claire smiled; they looked content. Then there were Sam and Bunny, snuggled in a cozy corner booth. It warmed Claire’s heart to see them so smitten in their later years.Sam’s dog, Dooley, was outside, munching on one of Claire’s popular Beach Bones dog treats.
The thought of Beach Bones made her grimace. She still needed to confront Sandee about the whole name-stealing issue.
As if conjured by her thoughts, the door swung open, and in walked Sandee, a slim, young blonde dressed in high heels and an outfit that screamed high-maintenance. There was no avoiding her now. Sandee was headed straight for the counter.
Claire took a deep breath, preparing for the inevitable confrontation. The warm and fuzzy feeling from waving at Rob was now replaced by a knot of tension. But it had to be done. She braced herself and greeted Sandee with a practiced smile. “Hi, Sandee. What can I get for you today?”
Sandee’s eyes darted over to the Beach Bones display before settling back on Claire. “We need to talk,” she said, her voice tinged with a mixture of accusation and vulnerability.
“About the Beach Bones?” Claire guessed, feeling her own defenses rise.
“Exactly,” Sandee replied, crossing her arms. “Why would you steal my product name? Is this some sort of payback for me marrying Pete?”
Claire sighed, her eyes narrowing slightly. “Hardly, Sandee. First of all, I had no idea you had a dog biscuit company named Beach Bones. And for all I know, you could have stolen the name from me.”
At Claire’s words, a flicker of hurt crossed Sandee’s eyes. For a moment, Claire saw a glimpse of something more complex behind Sandee’s polished exterior. Perhaps it was vulnerability or even a tinge of regret.
“So you didn’t do this intentionally?” Sandee finally asked, her voice softer than before.
“Of course not,” Claire responded, her own voice softening as well.
“Then you won’t mind changing the name,” Sandee said, her voice resuming its earlier edge.
The suggestion rankled Claire. It would be just like Sandee to expect Claire to change to accommodate her. “Actually, I think you should be the one to change the name. I’ve built up my bakery, and Beach Bones has already been integrated into my brand.”
