A Walk Along the Beach by Debbie Macomber Page 0,82

as heavy as a concrete wall.

When we arrived at Bean There, I climbed out of the car and leaned into the open window on the passenger side. “Thank you,” I said stiffly, letting it go with that. He started to say something, but I turned away before he had the chance.

“Call me once you’re back in Seattle,” he called after me.

I ignored him and headed toward my shop.

I entered Bean There and felt a collective sigh from both the staff and the customers. Everyone wanted an update on Harper, but no one had the courage to ask.

“I left Harper yesterday afternoon in good spirits.” That was a bit of an exaggeration.

Shirley gave me a hug. She looked tired and I couldn’t blame her. Since I’d been gone, she’d carried the weight of responsibility for the baking and bookkeeping, plus everything else: schedules, payroll, customer service, ordering supplies, and morale.

“How are you holding up?” she asked, automatically handing me a cup of coffee and a breakfast roll.

“Okay.” That, too, was an exaggeration. Worse now that I’d mentally ended things with Sean.

Shirley had emailed me the ledger entries so I could keep track of how the business was doing. Revenues were down, which was to be expected, I suppose. She suggested we add pecan rolls to the menu and commented that pumpkin spice was the current bestseller in the flavor category. We discussed a few strategies that would boost sales when I was away. While with Harper, my attention hadn’t been on the business. I wasn’t paying near enough the attention I should have been.

After about a half hour, Shirley asked what had to be her most pressing question. “Do you know how much longer you will be in Seattle?”

I didn’t know and admitted as much. “I…can’t say.” I realized my being away from the business had gone on far longer than anyone had anticipated.

“The thing is,” she said, looking down at her hands, “I don’t know if I can continue filling in for you. I’m working all hours of the day. I want to help, Willa, you know that. But it was never my intention to come on full-time.” Reluctance weighed down her voice.

“You’ve done far and above anything I could have asked.” One option would be for me to close the business until matters with Harper were settled. No one else was capable of stepping in for me other than Shirley. It had been seamless with the two of us working in tandem, her filling in two days a week. I couldn’t continue to ask her to work as many hours as I did. When I’d hired her, it was for twenty hours a week, not fifty to sixty.

“Can you manage for another couple of weeks?” I asked, my heart in my throat.

She hesitated and then nodded. “I suppose, but no longer. I’m really sorry, Willa.”

“Don’t be. I understand.”

Shirley’s face betrayed her regret. “What will you do?”

I shrugged. My options were few. “I’m not sure. Winter is slower anyway, so it makes sense to close for the time being.” I hated to do it; financially, it would be devastating. But what choice did I have?

Mentally I reviewed my savings account. I’d need to make rent for both the shop and the apartment. I’d started to build a small nest egg, hummingbird-size, that would carry me one month, possibly two.

A huge knot cramped my stomach with the reality of my situation. While I could be optimistic, in every likelihood I would need to close Bean There for good. Immediate tears filled my eyes and I blinked them away.

Shirley reached for my hand and gave it a squeeze. Maybe it was time I moved away from Oceanside. Maybe I should think about living in Seattle. The girl who worked the hospital cafeteria did a horrible job with the lattes. I could get a job there and…

Joelle knocked against the office door. “Sorry to interrupt,” she said. “Dr. Annie heard you were in town and wondered if you had a few minutes.”

“Of course.”

Patting my hand, Shirley stood. “I’ll leave the two of you to talk.”

Shirley returned to the kitchen and Annie came into the office. “Willa,” she said, and exhaled as if she’d been holding in her breath. “It’s good to see you. Can you update me on Harper’s condition?”

As best as I could, I replayed the events of the last few weeks, Lucas and Chantelle’s wedding being the highlight. I told her about John and his determination to help Harper.