“You can tint Bailey’s Irish Cream with food coloring,” Lucy said. “Just not too much because it’ll make it thin and it won’t create the right effect. It’s just years of knowing the different ingredients and how they layer and interact with each other.”
“I bet they’d love that up at the resort,” Willow said. “They host so many events there.”
Lucy nodded, though she didn’t take the bait. The resort a little way up the coastline might host a lot of events, but it wasn’t Miami. It would be seasonal work, and it wouldn’t be nearly as much. Also, it wasn’t in Florida.
The bell over the door rang, and Willow sighed. “Be right back.”
On the one hand, the fact Willow had cleaned off a small table in the back of the kitchen so Taylor could sneak in the back door and they could all have coffee together was ridiculous. On the other hand, they all got to have coffee together, which was the important part.
“Lucy, it’s for you,” she heard Willow call.
“That’s odd,” she said, closing her notebook and getting up. The only people who could be looking for her were Nick and Mattie, and either of them would have sent her a text message. Or called.
It wasn’t until she was already pushing open the door that she thought of the online trolls. It had been a while since she let them take up space in her head. But she was already committed, and if it was one of them, they’d just follow her into the kitchen anyway, Employees Only sign be damned.
Then she saw the woman who’d come in and squealed with excitement.
“Gran!” As tempting as it was to try to leap onto and over the pastry counter like an action movie star, Lucy recognized her limitations and took the time to walk around it. “You’re home!”
Very few things in Lucy’s life had ever felt as good as Helen’s arms wrapping around her and squeezing did. “Oh my goodness, sweetheart, it is so good to see you.”
“I didn’t know you’d be home today. You didn’t even tell me you left!”
“I wanted to surprise you the way you tried to surprise me, and I thought I’d be later, but I took the highway instead of the scenic route and made good time.”
Lucy wanted to reply, but all she could do was nod. While she’d talked to Gran so many times since she’d arrived, and felt the love and support, there was nothing like a good squeeze hug.
“Lucy, are you crying into my hair?”
“Of course not,” she said, sniffling as she lifted her head. She tried to swipe away her tears before she stepped back, but she was absolutely busted.
But Helen was crying, and she was wiping away a few tears, too.
“Have you been home yet?”
“Not yet. I saw your car wasn’t in the driveway and thought you might be here. I can use a coffee and a sweet snack after all that driving.”
“This will probably sound weird, but we’re actually having coffee and sweets in the back of the kitchen right now.”
Gran looked around the empty shop, clearly confused. “Does somebody have the tables all reserved?”
“Actually, it’s because Taylor joins us, and it’s better for business than covering the windows so nobody can see her and rat her out to Kim.”
“I have to go anyway,” Taylor said, and they turned to see her face barely peeking out through the door. “My break’s over, but I’ll call you later, Lucy. It’s good to see you, Mrs. Griffin.”
“It’s good to see you, too, Taylor.”
After grabbing their mugs and plates, as well as Lucy’s notebook, they joined Helen at a table in the front of the shop. It worked out for the best, as customers began trickling in for a midafternoon pick-me-up, so Willow was up and down.
They talked about Helen’s adventures until well after their mugs were empty. She had a ton of photos, of course, but they saved those for when they could sit side by side on the couch.
When Helen excused herself to use the restroom, Lucy realized with a start that she hadn’t even thought about Nick. She needed to tell him her grandmother was back because it was going to change everything.
She pulled out her phone and typed in a quick message.Gran is back in town. She wanted to surprise me. We’re at the Scuttlebutt but I wanted you to know.
Helen was sliding back into her chair when Lucy’s phone dinged with his reply.I had to make a run to the hardware store and heard her car had been spotted. I probably won’t beat you back to the cottage, but I’ll be there shortly.
Lucy realized he’d saidthe cottageand nothome, and a pang of sadness took a little of the joy out of the day.
