Somewhere along the way, rumors about me raising hell at the hospital spread and took on a life of their own. According to some, I barged in there with a roll of hundred-dollar bills and demanded the doctors and nurses move Sunny to a private room. A few others claimed I called the president of the hospital and insisted she personally oversee Sunny’s treatment. Others maintained that I helicoptered in a neurologist from New York City and I had Dex send his orthopedic surgeon.
That one was amusing, especially given that Dex wasn’t even reading my texts and, if the sports news stations could be trusted, he was out for the season with an injury of his own. Not surprisingly, he wasn’t returning anyone’s calls or texts. I had the sense that something was very wrong, maybe something unrelated to major league ball or the injuries that had dogged him since high school, but I didn’t even know where to start looking for him.
The funny thing was, I knew what Dex would say. I didn’t know any of the details as to why he was reportedly out for the season but I knew he’d hunch forward, his hands clasped between his legs, and tell me the situation was well and fully shucked. He’d say it and I’d laugh because I always laughed when he determined a situation was shucked.
Aside from this tsunami of love for Sunny and the grudging admiration for me, the town was fired the fuck up. The walking club had taken it upon themselves to lobby for the installation of speed bumps near the intersection of the bike path, and they’d already collected enough signatures and letters of support on the issue to land a spot on the next town council agenda.
Ranger and Phil Collins dropped by over the weekend with a peace lily the size of a St. Bernard and a promise to put pressure on the local police to make moves on the hit-and-run case. Ranger was certain someone on Old County Road had a doorbell camera that caught sight of the car either before or after the accident, and he had no problem knocking on doors to find out.
Everyone wanted to know what they could do to help. Since lawn mowing and peace lilies couldn’t mend bones or heal a brain—and I was quite exhausted from being cordial to all the people banging on her door—I redirected that concern by sending them to Naked. The best thing they could do to help Sunny was to make sure the café didn’t struggle without her.
Unfortunately, Naked did struggle. Whether it was a coincidence or a result of this crazy town’s collective power, Naked rocketed to local fame overnight. Two regional news stations showed up on the same day to profile the shop—seemingly unaware that Sunny had been involved in a hit-and-run accident—and several high-profile foodie influencers visited throughout the week, all posting on their social sites and flooding the café with their hungry followers. One of them even posted a wacky shot of a giant chocolate cookie sticking out of the back pocket of her jeans.
That drewa lotof attention.
Yesterday, Muffy texted me to arrange a parking lot meeting. She marched outside with her braids tied up in a pair of buns and her apron splattered with red and purple.
I motioned to the apron. “Double homicide?”
“Close enough. Cherry season.” She folded her arms over her chest. “Now listen, Loew. I know what you’re doing and I love you for it but if you don’t ease up, we’re going to have a real problem.”
I eyed the people queued up to get inside Naked and those crowding the back patio. “Why? What’s wrong?”
“We cannot keep up,” she said, her voice pitching higher with each word. “We’re selling out of everything before noon. We ran out of teayesterday.Tea. And the phones don’t stop ringing. We’re getting calls about catering parties and weddings.Weddings,Beck! We don’t have the production capacity to meet this level of demand and we don’t have the staff to serve this many people. Beth and Meara have been working all day, every day since the accident.” She pointed to the café. “They’re probably dying in there because I’ve been gone for five minutes. And all because you said Sunny wanted everyone to visit Naked.”
“I did say that.” I dipped my hands into my pockets. “And I can help with those issues.”
She barked out a laugh. “You’re cute but that doesn’t mean you know how to knead my dough.”
“I certainly do not,” I said, “but I can lend you some people who do.”
And that was how I ended up working the counter at Naked while Muffy put two of the oyster company’s line cooks to work.
chaptertwenty-six
Sunny
Today’s Special:
Mini Meltdowns with a Dusting of Organic Panic
Beth:Hi! I was wondering if you’d like a visitor today. I have a care package with your name on it but I can leave it at the door if you’re not up to seeing anyone.
Sunny:Yes, I want to see you! Always!
Beth:How about two-ish?
Sunny:Wait. Did Beck put you up to this?
Beth:I don’t need Beck to put me up to visiting one of my best friends!
Sunny:So, he strongly encouraged it?
Beth:Don’t insult me, Sunny.
Sunny:Don’t bullshit me, Bethany.
Beth:He said he had to go to an important meeting with his lawyer and your parents were there, and it would be a good day for any of us to swing by if we wanted BUT I was planning on texting you anyway because of the care package.
