Lainey mentally flipped through which part of the project would benefit from the before and after photos. The crew had started on one of the bigger buildings that would house offices and was still working on the bakery.
She reached into the bag of goodies, pulled out a peach Danish, and took a bite. The buttery, flaky pastry was still warm, filled with fresh sweet peaches, softened with brown sugar and cinnamon. “Yum.”
Autumn grinned. “Am I buttering you up?”
Lainey shook her head, chewing. “Who knew coffee and a delicious pastry were such a good bribe?”
“Okay, after we finish here, we’ll start with Stella’s Bakery.”
“Deal.”
Twenty minutes later,they stood in front of the bakery, the old storefront dappled with the morning light.
The arched antique windowpane over the door, shattered days ago, was still boarded up with plywood. The front door was solid oak. Two front display windows with mullioned panes flanked the entrance. Ivy curled along one side of the brick.
Thankfully, the crew had repaired the damage to the windowsill, the mortar still a lighter shade than the rest.
Autumn raised her camera. “This is beautiful. I can’t wait to see it when it’s finished.”
“I know.” Lainey could already see it. The brick would be cleaned. The arched antique window would be whole again, sunlight streaming through the glass, the gold leaf lettering redone by hand just like it used to be. The display windows would be lined with wooden shelving, displaying baskets of fresh bread and pastries. She could already smell the scent of freshly brewed coffee in the air and hear the sounds of people laughing and talking while they enjoyed their treats. It would bring people together, connecting them to the neighborhood.
Autumn snapped photos from several angles, then crouched to get a shot of the sunflower mosaic tile threshold. “You’re really bringing this place back to life,” she murmured, not looking up.
Lainey didn’t answer. She couldn’t. This was her goal. She wanted that to be true.
But what if she failed?
What if all she did was disappoint one more group of people counting on her? The crew. The town. Herself.
Autumn stood, brushing the dust from her knees. “Hey. So, Mia Whitmore is catering a benefit for Willow Haven next week. I think you should come.”
“I don’t know Mia or Willow Haven,” Lainey replied.
“Mia owns Plated Perfection and is a fabulous caterer. You might have seen her pink van around town.”
Lainey nodded. She’d seen it around town.
“Willow Haven Women’s Shelter isn’t far from here. It’s a Victorian three-story house that shelters women and kids from abusive homes. The fundraiser is for transitional housing and community outreach.”
Hearing that was a surprise, although it shouldn’t have been. Lainey wasn’t so naive that she didn’t know about shelters. She just didn’t think an idyllic town like Haywood Lake would have one.
“It’s a great cause. A good opportunity for you to meet some locals.”
Lainey arched a brow. “You mean potential allies.”
“Or friends,” Autumn said softly. “We all need a few.”
“That’s true,” Lainey replied. “I’ll think about it.”
Autumn didn’t push. She just gave a satisfied nod and slung her camera over her shoulder. “I’ll text you the good shots. And more information about the fundraiser.”
Later that evening,Lainey sat on her back lanai, barefoot, a glass of wine in her hand while watching Luke build a Lego pirate ship.
The evening was cooler, still humid, but the overhead fan helped. The pond was quiet. A soft breeze skimmed over the top of the water, causing little ripples.
For the first time in days, she felt herself relax.
Her phone buzzed. Autumn.
