Lost and Found in Lavender Bay (The Lavender Bay Chronicles #2)

49. Chapter Forty-Six

Chapter Forty-Six

E verett had been home for a week, and things were going well. Maureen and Allan had laid down some ground rules, including unannounced searches of his room if they deemed it necessary, as well as a curfew of eleven p.m. He’d been agreeable to all.

September was shaping up to be a beautiful month. The early autumn sun cast a golden hue over everything. There was still the warmth of the summer without the blast-furnace heat. The trees were still a lush green, and the nights were comfortable.

Maureen stopped at Coffee Girl to say hello to Angie as she hadn’t seen her in a while. As she approached the front door, she spotted her sister exiting Java Joe’s across the street, followed by Java Joe himself.

Angie’s mouth was set in a grim line. From behind her, Java Joe said something to her, but she did not turn around, only held up her hand to indicate that he should stop. But he wasn’t easily dissuaded and followed her across the street toward her café. As they neared, Angie spotted Maureen and rolled her eyes.

Maureen wanted to laugh but refrained. These two were something else.

Angie and Java Joe stepped up onto the curb together.

“Hey,” Angie said. “How’s everything?”

“Today, everything is good,” Maureen said honestly. She was trying not to look too far into the future. Taking things one day at a time was proving to be challenging.

Java Joe stood next to Angie and folded his large, muscled arms across his chest. “I heard your son—Everett, right?—is home from rehab. How’s he doing?”

Angie rounded on him. “What business is that of yours?”

He immediately threw up his hands. “Only asking out of concern.”

Before the two of them went off, Maureen said, “He is home. So far, he’s fine. Thanks for asking.”

“He need a job?” Java Joe asked. Angie scowled at him.

“Actually, he does,” Maureen said. It had been almost impossible for Everett to find a job; the whole town was aware of his problem with drugs. And as much as everyone sympathized and asked after him, no one wanted to take on the risk of employing him. She supposed she couldn’t blame them.

“Great. Tell him to meet me tomorrow morning at eleven after the breakfast rush. Everyone starts at the bottom.”

Maureen was overwhelmed. “I appreciate this. Thanks for giving him a chance.”

He shrugged it off. “I’ve been there. Not drugs but alcohol. I know firsthand what rock bottom is all about. Couldn’t get a job or if I did, I couldn’t hold one down. Once I got sober, one man gave me a second chance and I never forgot it.”

“How long have you been sober?” she asked. She slid her gaze over to her sister, who stared at Java Joe, her expression softening. Slightly.

“Fifteen years, three months, and twelve days,” he said proudly.

“That’s wonderful.” Maureen sighed. “It gives me hope.”

“I’ll keep him busy, and I’ll keep an eye on him,” he promised.

“Thanks, Joe.”

A grin spread across his face. “Actually, my name isn’t Joe. It’s Tom.”

Angie looked at him, her mouth hanging open. “I always thought your name was Joe.” She rolled her head back and forth for emphasis. “You know, Java Joe ?”

Still grinning, he said, “You know what happens when you assume, Evangeline.”

Angie opened her mouth to say something smart, Maureen was sure, but Joe—er, Tom—cut her off. “Besides, Java Tom doesn’t work at all!”

Maureen scrunched up her nose. “I agree. But you know, you’ll probably always be known as Java Joe.”

If her sister ever smiled, it would be a miracle, Maureen thought. She gently nudged her with her elbow and gave her a look that read, lighten up . The man had offered her son employment; going forward, Angie would need to cut him some slack.

“I’ve got to get back to my crib,” he said. “Maureen, tell Everett to come by in the morning.” And then with a grin, he said to Angie. “Evangeline, I’ll see you around.”

“Thanks, Tom,” she replied softly.

He lifted an eyebrow, grinned, stepped off the curb, and ran across the street to his restaurant.

Angie stared after him. “I did not know that his real name was Tom.”

“See? You learn something new every day,” Maureen said.

“It was nice of him to offer Everett a job,” Angie admitted, but then she looked at Maureen, narrowing her eyes. “I would have given him a job.”

Maureen shook her head. “No, I don’t want any trouble between us.”

“It wouldn’t have caused trouble between you and me,” Angie said.

“Anyway, never mind that now,” Maureen told her. “It’s all taken care of.”

They continued to stand there, looking across the street.

“You know, I think he’s quite smitten with you,” Maureen ventured.

Angie pursed her lips before asking, “What’s wrong with you?” She turned on her heel. “Come on, let’s go inside and get coffee and a pastry.”

“Sounds good.” Maureen followed her sister inside Coffee Girl, noticing that Angie had not disagreed or even protested about her comment regarding Java Joe.