Second Chances in Lavender Bay (The Lavender Bay Chronicles #3)

16. Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Fifteen

T he following morning, Angie returned to work, eager to get started. Before she did anything, she went out back and checked on the cat. He stepped out from behind the dumpster and meowed.

“Good morning,” she said to him. “Soon, you’ll have a name other than ‘Cat.’” She fed him and went back inside, giving her hands a good wash.

As was now the habit, she checked Java Joe’s sandwich board parked outside his café. It read: Great minds drink coffee .

Seeing that her own sandwich board was not curbside yet, she went inside, grabbed a piece of colored chalk, and scribbled on her board before dragging it outside. Greater minds drink their coffee at Coffee Girl .

Satisfied, she marched back inside. First, she met with Melissa privately back in her office. Then she had an impromptu meeting with her employees before the morning rush and told them of her need to go for treatment soon. Her plan, she told them, was to be at the café as much as she could and for as long as she could, but for the most part, Melissa would be in charge, and any issues should be addressed to her.

She parked herself behind the counter with Joel, wanting her customers to see her front and center, as she was pretty sure everyone in town was now aware of her cancer diagnosis. Making coffee and serving her customers put her in her element and improved her mood. She noticed the shoebox was beginning to fill with ballots. The cat-naming contest would run until a few days before Christmas. Going through those suggestions would be fun, and she was looking forward to it. Until then, the stray would be known as “Cat.”

Grace Gibson, the town’s oldest resident and heiress to the Gibson’s Grape Jelly fortune, approached the counter and ordered a pear tea and a scone. The woman was still able to get around town despite being almost one hundred years old. With her was her companion, Ada, who ordered a mocha and a triple-threat chocolate muffin. Ada, a woman in her seventies with dyed auburn hair and dark eyes, had been with Grace for as long as anyone could remember. Her mother had worked alongside Grace when they were Red Cross workers during World War II. Grace was a sight to behold in her fuchsia-colored winter jacket, her jaunty pale pink knit cap, and her red slacks.

“How are you doing, Angie?” Grace asked, her facial features contorted with concern.

“I’m okay,” Angie said truthfully.

“Have you started treatment yet?”

“Soon. Chemo and radiation,” she told her.

“Well, you’re a strong person, and that will serve you well,” Grace said.

“Thanks.”

Grace looked at Ada. “Don’t you agree?”

“I do,” Ada said.

Angie hoped if she made it to Grace’s age, she’d look as good. Grace would be one hundred next year, and plans were afoot to have a big birthday bash. And because the people of Lavender Bay couldn’t keep a secret to save their lives, she was pretty sure that Grace had already gotten wind of it. Knowing her, she’d go along with it and act surprised all the same.

Grace and Ada stepped away from the counter and the next customer stepped up. With a smile, Angie said, “Can I help you?”

There was no place she’d rather be than here.