Chapter 1
She was supposed to be the one that had her act together, Maxi Stevens thought as she picked at her bran muffin and pretended to pay attention to the conversation she was having with her two best friends, Jane Miller and Claire Turner. They were at Sandcastles, the bakery and café that Claire owned, seated outside at a cozy café table with steaming mugs of coffee, a plate of Claire’s delicious pastries on the table, and Jane’s golden retriever, Cooper, at their feet.
The summer morning was bright with sunshine, the warm air spiced with the salty scent of the ocean just one street over, the café abuzz with the murmur of conversation from patrons.
But Maxi didn’t notice any of that. Not the vibrant purple, red, and pink flowers that overflowed the large planters separating the café area from the foot traffic, not the colorful awnings hanging above the windows of the quaint shops in the seaside town, and not even the familiar bitter, earthy taste of the dark roast coffee that Claire had brewed just the way Maxi liked it.
Her mind was too busy trying to process the horrible revelation about her husband, James, to notice the everyday things in her hometown that usually brought her comfort and happiness.
How could she have been so stupid? Sure, things had been strained between them, but Maxi had assumed it was a natural adjustment, since their youngest had just moved away to college.
But that was before she’d found the card with the woman’s number in his pocket.
And not just any woman either. The number and name were those of Sandee Harris, the very women Claire’s husband had cheated on her with years ago. Sandee was a realtor in town, so at first blush, it might make sense that James had her card—except she and James weren’t in the market for any real estate. And the number was handwritten. Sandee had her business number printed on the front of the card, so what was up with the handwritten one on the back?
“...and she wants us to make the floral arrangements with ribbons to match the exact shade of the bridesmaid dresses.” Jane turned to Maxi, her side-swept silver bangs fluttering in the breeze, blue eyes inquisitive. “Don’t you think that’s a little too matchy-matchy?”
Maxi’s heart swelled at her friend’s confidence in her design abilities. The wedding at Jane’s family’s inn, Tides, was very important to Jane. It was part of her initiative to get the family business back on track and the very first wedding she’d ever hosted there. The reviews and referrals from this one wedding could have a profound impact on the future of Tides. Jane was gambling everything on that future, not only because the inn had been in her family for four generations but also because she needed the money to pay for her mother’s care at Tall Pines, the area’s foremost memory care facility.
Maxi considered the question carefully. “I think it could be okay as long as everything that has to do with the wedding isn’t that same shade and you don’t mind finding more ribbon. Have you already bought some?”
“We were going to do it all in white. White roses, baby’s breath, white ribbon, a white tea candle inside clear glass. So we bought the supplies, I made one up and sent a picture, and she complained about the white.” Jane rolled her eyes.
Maxi wrinkled her nose. “Sounds like she wasn’t too nice about it.”
“Andie called her a bridezilla.” Jane pulled a piece of fabric out of the pocket of her jean shorts. “She sent me this swatch of the bridesmaids’ gowns so I could match.”
Maxi took the small piece of sky-blue fabric. “Pretty color. Sounds like it wouldn’t be too bad to just get some ribbon over at the fabric store.”
Jane nodded. “She also wanted tall candles with stripes to match a lighthouse but in this same blue color.”
Maxi pressed her lips together. “Oh. That sounds like a bit more work.”
“And she’s demanded that I make the frosting of the sandcastle cake the same shade.” Claire cut into a chocolate croissant that was on the platter. A thick blob of chocolate oozed out of the middle as she put half on her plate. Cooper’s ears perked up at the sound of the knife on the plate, but he didn’t move from his spot. “How am I going to make an exact match? It’s not like I have a full palette of colors to work with when mixing frosting.”
Claire’s pride and joy were the cakes she made that were shaped like sandcastles and covered with sugar-coated fondant that resembled beach sand. She was probably regretting agreeing to provide them as wedding cakes for the beach themed weddings at Tides right about now.
“Oh no. Surely she doesn’t expect the shade to be exact.” Maxi looked down at the fabric swatch in her hand. “I mean, a ribbon is one thing, but painting the candles and the frosting is another.”
“She’s very specific, and when we talked on the phone, I could hear her mother in the background making things worse,” Jane said. “I need this wedding, but I almost wish I’d never gotten myself into this. Hopefully all brides don’t act like this.”
“It’s almost as if she’s making it as difficult as possible to pull off the wedding of her dreams.” Claire stuffed an auburn lock back into the barrette at the back of her head where she secured her thick shoulder-length hair.
“Maybe that’s what she is doing. Subconsciously, I mean. Who could blame her? Being married isn’t all it’s cracked up to be,” Maxi blurted out.
Ooops... Now why had she said that? Too late to take it back now. Claire and Jane had stopped talking and were staring at her, so she’d have to come clean. But not all the way—she didn’t actually have solid proof that James was cheating, and she owed it to him not to accuse him until she did.
“Is there something you’re not telling us?” Jane asked.
Maxi felt bad. Usually the three of them told each other everything. But Claire’s new relationship with Rob Bradford was going so well, and Jane had her own problems with her mother, plus a budding romance of her own. Maxi hadn’t wanted to bring them down with her problems. Besides, she didn’t have anything concrete to say. Still, she supposed she had to say something now.
“Not really. It’s just that things have been weird between James and me for a while now.”
Claire put her hand lightly over Maxi’s. “I’ve noticed you mentioned a few things over the past weeks, but I didn’t want to pry. Tell us what’s wrong. You know we have your back no matter what.”
The comfort of her friends’ support buoyed her, and Maxi took a deep breath. “It’s just that he’s never home anymore. I can’t tell you how many cold dinners I’ve thrown in the trash.”
“Where is he? At work?” Jane peeled the wrapper off a corn muffin and slathered it with butter.
“So he says.”
Jane and Claire exchanged a look.
“I suppose as the bank president, he does have a lot of work to do,” Claire said.
“He’s become distant. We hardly ever talk.” Maxi wrapped her hand around the coffee mug as if seeking comfort from its warmth. “When the kids were home, the dinner conversation was filled up with what they’d done. What they were learning in school, sports, that sort of thing. Now that it’s just me and James, apparently there is nothing to talk about.”
“I think that’s natural.” Jane pinched off a tiny piece of muffin and fed it to Cooper. “You focused on the kids all your lives. Now that it’s just the two of you, things are different. I bet James came home late a lot before too. You just didn’t notice as much because of the kids.”
“Yeah, and you were busy driving them to sports and activities. Now you have a lot more time on your hands,” Claire added. “You could be reading too much into things if you’re focusing on what is or isn’t going on between you and James. Maybe you should pick up a hobby.”
“Great idea,” Jane said. “I know you’ve been sketching on napkins, but what about taking it even further? You used to love painting when we were in high school. Didn’t James suggest that you do that anyway?”
“He did, but...” Maxi’s voice trailed off. She didn’t want to say what she was thinking, that James had suggested she take up painting again to keep her busy and distracted so she wouldn’t notice what he was doing. Claire and Hailey—Claire’s assistant at the bakery—had said their cheating husbands had done that. And why would he suddenly want her to start painting? She’d put aside her ambitions to become an artist so she could focus on raising the kids, and even when they got older and she had more time, James had discouraged her creative tendencies. Back then, he was working his way up in the bank. He wanted to become president someday and didn’t think being artsy was befitting of a bank president’s wife. Appearances were important to James.
“Have you talked to him?” Claire signaled to Hailey, who was circling the area with a coffeepot to top off people’s cups. “Maybe you should tell him how you feel, suggest some things that you could do together that would bring you closer again. Or some things that would give you goals and a purpose.”
“I’ve mentioned a few things, but James acts dismissive of them. I’ve mentioned getting a pet before, but he doesn’t want animal hair on his suits.” Maxi bent down and scratched Cooper behind the ears. She loved animals and had broached the subject of a dog or cat a few times. James wasn’t interested, so she supposed she’d have to make do with Jane’s dog, Cooper, and Claire’s cat, Urchin. “I saw the most adorable kittens at the animal shelter the other day. Little balls of fluff, one white and one black, but when I approached James, he basically just changed the subject.”
“Maybe he needs time to think about a pet. It’s a big commitment. What about some things the two of you can do together?” Claire persisted.
Maxi shrugged. “We don’t have a lot of the same interests anymore. James is mostly interested in work.” And apparently Sandee Harris. “I’ve mentioned a few things to him. A trip to Myrtle Beach. Oh, and ballroom dancing.”
A snort came from behind the planter, and Sally Littlefield, Lobster Bay’s favorite handywoman, peeked around the side. She had her work overalls on and a paintbrush in her hand as she was apparently giving the planters a fresh coat of paint.
“Sorry, but I can’t picture stodgy James taking ballroom dancing.”
“Yeah, he didn’t seem too keen on it,” Maxi said.
Sally rested her brush on the open can of paint and stood, wiping her hands on the rag hanging from the loop at her hip. A thick braid of gray hair hung over one shoulder. Sally was on the other side of seventy, but that didn’t slow her down. As one of Lobster Bay’s most sought-after handywomen, she was known for her meticulous work and unsolicited advice. “I couldn’t help but overhear. Maxi, you’ve invested a lot in your marriage. You have kids, a home. You can make it work. Maybe you just need a little break.”
Hailey had made her way over to the table, and Maxi held up her cup while she thought about what Sally had just said. Maybe she did just need a break, but what exactly did that entail?
“How are you ladies this morning?” Hailey asked as she made the rounds with the coffee, serving those at the table as well as Sally, who had a mug stashed next to the paint.
“Good. How about you? How’s Jennifer?” Maxi liked the young single mother. They all did and had taken her under their wing, acting somewhat as pseudo-grandmothers to her twelve-year-old daughter Jennifer. Hailey had had a rough time. Her husband had lost all their money then cheated on her. She didn’t have much for family, either, just a grandfather, so Maxi, Jane, and Claire tried to treat Jennifer a little specially.
“We’re good. Jennifer is doing a summer camp and—” Hailey’s apron pocket erupted in song, and Hailey pulled out her phone. She frowned at the screen. “It’s Gramps. He never calls. I better take this.”
Hailey put the coffeepot on their table and stepped around the planter, the phone to her ear.
“I hope nothing’s wrong.” Jane’s gaze followed Hailey, her words echoing Maxi’s thoughts.
On the other side of the planter, they could see Hailey’s shoulders droop as she talked into the phone. A few minutes later, she came back to the table for the coffeepot, her face tight with worry.
“I hope that wasn’t bad news,” Claire said. “I can handle things if you have to leave.”
“I don’t have to leave. It was about Gramps’s cottage. The one on the beach.” She looked at them, and they nodded. Hailey’s grandfather wasn’t a rich man but did have a small run-down cottage on a more isolated part of the beach that had been in his family for generations. Maxi remembered Hailey saying one time that he could barely pay the taxes and had to rent it out. He didn’t want to let it go—too many childhood memories that he wanted Jennifer to also experience.
“What about it?” Jane asked as Hailey bent down to pet Cooper.
“It’s getting really run-down, but he’s been able to rent it every summer. Except the people that rented it this year took one look and refused to stay,” Hailey said.
“Oh no. Can he get someone else?” Claire asked.
“Unfortunately not. The people sent pictures to Airbnb, and they terminated his listing. Said it wasn’t fit to rent.” Hailey’s expression turned grim. “He needs that money for the tax bill. Now he might have to sell.”
“No, he won’t. I’ll rent it,” Maxi blurted out.
All eyes turned to her, and she felt a sinking sensation in her chest. Had she just offered to rent a cottage? What would James say?
“Maxi! What are you going to do with a cottage? You have a gorgeous house on the cliff,” Jane said.
“Right. I know. But maybe I can use it as a retreat. I mean, it’s right on the beach, and I’ve always wanted an artist studio or cottage on the beach.” Maxi looked down into her coffee mug, away from their shocked gazes. “And besides, things are changing between me and James. It might be smart to have someplace to go.”
“Are you sure?” Hailey asked. “It’s really run-down. You might not like it.”
“I’m sure. Give me your grandfather’s number, and I’ll call him right away to make arrangements.” Hailey rattled off the number, and Maxi put it into her phone. Now that she thought about it, renting the cottage was a great idea. She wasn’t sure if she would even tell James. Even though her house on the cliff was gorgeous, she’d always loved being right down on the beach. She could turn it into an art studio. And if Claire was right about her just needing something else to put her mind on, then this would be the right move. She excused herself from the table to call Hailey’s grandfather.
Sally frowned and shook her head, her gaze following Maxi. “When I suggested a time-out, I meant like a girls’ weekend away, not renting a whole cottage.”
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