Summer of Second Chances - Andrea Hurst Page 0,137
revealed a gift shop adjacent to the café. Perfect for lunch, she thought as she looked for a place to park. She could scout for the ice cream parlor later.
Front Street appeared to be the main drag, sporting Grandview Bank and the old ivy-covered brick building that housed the Island County Library. The multitude of shops promised local artisan wares and every kind of food from cookies to sushi. She pulled the car over and headed to the café. Along the way, she paused to admire the expansive view of water and horizon clouds in all shades of gray that hung heavily over the peaks of the Cascade Mountains to the east. The drizzle was rapidly turning into rain as the wind picked up and tugged at her jacket. Raindrops dotted her eyelashes. The smell of wood smoke lingered in the air with the promise of a warm fire, so she zipped her raincoat, flipped up the hood, and hurried toward the café. A new umbrella would be top of her list for her first shopping trip.
The smell of saltwater carried on the wind, but the aroma that spoke the loudest was the whiff of fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies as she opened the door to the café and hurried inside. A well-polished antique wood bar covered the entire left wall.
From behind the counter, a cheerful auburn-haired woman waved to Lily. “Come in and dry out, it’s getting nasty out there.” She snatched a menu. “Can I get you a seat?”
“Thanks, I would love one.”
Lily’s eyes washed over the welcoming interior. Just past the old-fashioned bar and down two steps was a cozy dining room with what looked like the original turn-of-the-century oak floor. Tables of every size and shape crowded together in the center with mismatched chairs and tablecloths.
“Would you like a booth or table?”
“A booth is fine,” Lily said.
The leather booth where she now sat hugged the back wall, where a picture window overlooked the bay. The rear of the building hung over the water’s edge. It must have been on stilts, as it gave the café an appearance of floating over a large inlet. Ominous clouds cast shadows over the pale silver water and seagulls dove for fish, their screams filling the air.
The woman placed a menu in front of her. “I’m Jude and I’ll be your waitress. Can I get you something hot to drink first? A latté? Hot cocoa?”
“Cocoa sounds wonderful, thank you.” Lily leaned back into the cushioned seat, savoring this place of refuge. There were only a few other patrons in the dining room: a man reading the local paper and nursing a mug of coffee, and a couple quietly talking over a bottle of wine. Plants, old photos, and bold oil paintings lined the oak walls. Jude approached with a cup of cocoa topped with a decadent mound of whipped cream and chocolate shavings. The fragrant steam curled up from the cup in a tantalizing fashion.
“Here you go, should take the chill right out. Are you ready to order?”
Lily scanned the menu. “What would you suggest?”
She beamed at Lily. “Well, being the owner and all, I think everything’s spectacular. But let me suggest our special today, homemade potato cheese soup, and a Dungeness crab melt.”
Lily’s mouth watered. This was a far cry from the chic LA cafés with the small-portioned, no carbs, no fat specials. “That will work!”
“Good choice,” Jude said. “I’ll have your lunch for you in a jiff.”
Old 80s soft rock played in the background, and a fire sparked and smoked behind the glass door of the wood stove. The heavy weight sitting on her shoulders began to dissolve. She leaned back and enjoyed the next few songs as she savored her hot chocolate. She’d made it here, and not even Brad had gotten in her way. She should just stay in this café forever.
Jude bustled over to her table with a gracious smile and placed the tasty lunch before her. “Just let me know if I can get you anything else. Okay?”
Lily shook her head no. Already stuffing the fragrant sandwich into her mouth, all she managed to get out was a muffled “thanks.” Pure comfort food, just what she needed right now. And the owner seemed friendly. The house was only ten minutes away, at most; she could make this a regular spot in her new routine. Although, with all these carbs, she couldn’t come too often or her new life would also require a new wardrobe.