Saving Sandcastles

by Meredith Summers

  “Don’t worry, I’ll manage. I know a little bit about baking. It’ll be a piece of cake.”

  Chapter Five

  Claire closed the shop after Bert and Harry left. There were no other customers, and she knew it would be slow for the rest of the day. She needed to retreat to her favorite place—the beach—and think about how she was going to pull off a bake sale.

  Her feet had automatically taken her to the river side of the beach, a well-worn route she had walked a thousand times. There the sandbar shape of the beach cut away, and the ocean flowed into an estuary, separating the two sides of beach at high tide. She loved this section of the beach because it was less populated and teeming with creatures in the small tidal pools left beside the rocks when the tide went out. Crabs, snails, starfish, even an occasional sea urchin covered in purple spines.

  She stood next to one of those tidal pools, dipping her toe into the water to nudge a reddish-brown crab. The crab—barely the size of her big toe—scuttled backward, raising its front claws at her in warning. It kind of reminded her of Sandee, all bluster but unable to hurt her, though Sandee did it in a more passive-aggressive way.

  Maybe she shouldn’t have let Sandee’s barbs get to her. But she had, and now she had a sale to arrange. It probably wasn’t a bad thing anyway. Especially if she wanted to show her customers that Bradford Breads wasn’t the only place they could get a good deal.

  There was no going back now, and she had so much to think about. Not only did she have to come up with some ads, but she needed to order more ingredients, come up with a schedule for baking, and bring in help. Yes, she still had to think about fixing the pipes, but that was the least of her worries at the moment.

  Taking out her phone, she started to make a list. First, she needed an ad in the paper. Preferably one bigger than Bradford Breads. Maybe a two-page ad. It was short notice, but she had worked herself ragged to bake and decorate a sandcastle cake in honor of a retirement party for the chief editor at the Lobster Bay Daily News last month. His replacement, Mona, owed her a favor. If Claire called it in, she could probably insert her ad in the paper in time for tomorrow’s edition. But would that be enough?

  Claire needed to think outside the box. She needed something that would draw the attention away from her competition, something that Bradford Breads hadn’t thought of yet.

  She stopped, the ripples of the wet sand hard under her feet as she stood across from the rocky bay, where lobsters were most plentiful. She loved that no one ever came to this part of the beach. The hard sand made it uncomfortable for towels, and the area filled with water when the tide came in, forcing people to move their blankets and gear. As a result, hardly anyone ever bothered to setup in that section.

  At the moment, only one other person sat on one of the large rocks on the cliff, the local radio station blaring from their smart phone.

  Good idea! She could take out a radio ad. She was sure Bradford Breads hadn’t thought of that. She noted it on her phone to-do list. Having lived all her life in Lobster Bay, Claire also knew the staff at the radio station, and she was sure they would mention her cupcake sale on the radio to drive customers her way.

  What else? Tammi had mentioned flyers. Claire could get some made up at the copy store and drop them off in a few strategic places. Knowing the other shop members in town did have its advantages, one Bradford likely wouldn’t have.

  What about the actual cupcakes? How many would she need? And with six flavors—why in the world had she said six? She needed enough of each flavor so she wouldn’t run out prematurely.

  Not to mention, she had to have an array of her regular baked goods too. After all, a three-for-one sale would allow her to barely break even with the cost of the ingredients, if that. She needed her regular pastries, cakes, muffins, perhaps even a few pies, to make back the money she was spending on those two advertisements. In fact, on Saturday she needed an even larger selection with all the people she hoped to draw in. There was no extra baking time in the day, and it looked like she would be working nights until Saturday.

  At least she could start on them right away. Many people didn’t realize that cupcakes could be kept fresh for a week if sealed up tight in Tupperware, but she’d tested it out herself, and they came out as fresh as the day they were made. The frosting could be applied the night before. She would need extra hands to help with both. Maybe Hailey would want some extra hours, she could even bring her daughter Jennifer in if she had to. School was out, and two high school students, Ashton and Sarah, had worked in her shop before. She would see if they wanted some extra money to help her out. She would really like to get Jane and Maxi’s opinion although they would probably think she was crazy for having the sale.

  Just as she was pulling her phone out to send a text to them, one appeared from Jane.

  Drinks at Splash 5pm?

  Splash, a small restaurant on the beach, was their favorite place to gather for a cocktail. In years past, they’d been able to do it quite regularly. Since Claire had opened Sandcastles and Jane had started helping at Tides, their meetings had been sporadic at best. But when one of them needed someone to talk to, they usually texted a request.

  Either Addie must be doing well and Jane had extra time, or she was doing poorly and Jane needed a break. Either way, drinks with her friends was just what Claire needed. She texted back immediately.

  Chapter Six

  Maxi left a few minutes early to meet Claire and Jane at Splash. She wanted to walk the Marginal Way to the beach and take her time enjoying the gorgeous view. The sun glinted off the greenish-blue ocean. The foamy tops of the waves crashed on the jagged rocks below. A lone seagull soared above the cliffs.

  If Maxi had an easel and her paints, she could have captured the pure white of the gull’s wings as the sun hit them and the sea-green hue of the crest of the wave right before it curled over. But she didn’t have her easel or her paints. In fact, she no longer owned any. When she was younger, she’d dreamed of making a living as an artist, setting up an easel on the beach, maybe even living a simple existence in a beachside cottage where she could paint the ocean any time of day. But then she’d fallen in love and gotten married, and more practical endeavors had taken over. There was a house to clean and children to raise—none of which she regretted.

  Once the kids were older, she might have taken it up, but James frowned on her painting. He considered it too bohemian. She’d given up trying to convince him otherwise years ago. In the end, it wasn’t worth the trouble.

  Now that the kids were gone, she had plenty of time. James was always busy with work. He’d been spending such long hours at the bank that she doubted he would know what she did with her time. Sometimes she wondered if he even cared. She still kept the house, planned meals, balanced the budget. But she had so much free time, especially compared to her two best friends. Maybe now that James was more established and she wasn’t so busy with the house, he would see her desire to draw and paint differently. It had been years since she’d broached the topic. Maybe she should ask again.

  As the path spilled out onto the beach road, she took a deep breath. The rich, tangy aroma of fried clams hit her nose. She was lucky to live near the ocean, where there was great seafood. As she passed one of the restaurants, she glanced at someone’s plate. Stuffed lobster tail. Her stomach grumbled, hopefully Claire and Jane would want to share some appetizers along with the drinks.

  Twinkle lights decorated Splash’s patio, already full of people despite the predinner hour. Jane was easy to spot with her silver pixie hair at the corner table she’d chosen on the edge of the deck overlooking the water.

  People were still on the beach, though not as many as during the day. A few brave swimmers faced the churning water. Children dashed to and fro, the waves nipping at their heels as they shrieked with laughter and collected seashells. With the sun setting to the west behind them, the sky was painted pink and light blue. Jane turned and waved her over.

  “Prett
y isn’t it?” Jane twirled the stem of the paper umbrella in her drink.

  Maxi lifted her hand to flag down a waitress as she spoke to Jane. “Gorgeous. How was your day?”

  A tentative smile pulled at Jane’s lips. “Pretty good. Mom was her usual argumentative self most of the day.”

  Maxi gave her a sympathetic smile and plucked at the triangular drink menu perched in the middle of the round table, scanning through the options despite the fact that she’d been there a hundred times before. The waitress came, and Maxi ordered the same thing Jane had—a beach breeze. “Where’s Claire?”

  “She’s coming.” Jane traced the rim of her glass. “I keep seeing the look on her face when I told her about Bradford Breads. I just hope she’s not getting worked up about it.”

  “Well, that’s why we’re here. To make sure she doesn’t.”

  “Might not be that easy. Don’t forget, she has her heart and soul tied up in Sandcastles. A bread store across the street might not seem like a big deal to us, but Claire might look at it differently.” Jane sipped her drink.

  The waitress returned with Maxi’s order. After sipping on it—fruity with the smooth taste of rum—Maxi said, “I suppose you’re right. Claire has blinders on. She’s worked so hard on that bakery. I think it’s more than just a store to her. It’s a symbol of her independence.”

  Jane nodded. “And proof that she can make it on her own. Especially since Peter always made her feel like she couldn’t do anything except be a housewife.”

  “We’ll just have to help her see the light. The bakery doesn’t define her ability to be successful or independent. She’s not thinking straight about Bradford Breads. If she thought about it, she might see the possibilities instead. The two businesses might complement each other.”

  Jane laughed. “You want to help Claire see the light? That will take some doing.” Her smile slipped, and her cheeks turned pink as her gaze slid past Maxi’s shoulder. Looking guilty, she sat taller in her chair and whispered, “Here she comes.”

  Maxi lowered her voice. “Maybe now that the news has sunk in, she’ll be feeling better.”

  Jane grimaced. “I don’t know. If you ask me, she looks more stressed now than when we left her this morning.”

  Claire spotted her friends in the corner of Splash’s patio, both nursing pink drinks in margarita glasses. She quickened her step, suddenly excited to tell her friends about her plans.

  But first, Jane. Her friend must have called them there for a reason. Jane and Maxi cut off their conversation to wave as Claire stepped closer. She greeted both of her friends with a hug then claimed an open chair at the table. She squeezed Jane’s arm.

  “How’s Addie? Is she doing okay?”

  “Yes,” Jane answered with a falsely bright chirp. “She had a pretty good day today.”

  “Really? That’s great.” Despite Jane’s positive words, Claire could see the concern in her friend’s eyes. She put her hand on Jane’s arm. “We’re here for you whenever you need to talk.” She wished she could do more for her friend, but talking helped.

  Jane nodded and smiled, the tension in her face easing. “I’m fine, really.”

  I’m having a crazy cupcake sale to draw in customers! Claire wanted to exclaim, but it didn’t seem like the time to tell her friends that she’d managed to finagle an ad in tomorrow’s newspaper—or the more exciting plans she had to arrange to make the sale come to life. Guilt gnawed at her stomach. Jane had asked for the get-together, and she was there to support her, not to steal the spotlight.

  Never one to be the center of attention, Jane turned the conversation to Claire. “How was business at Sandcastles today?”

  “Nothing from the usual except Sandee came in just as I was about to close.”

  Maxi made a face and sipped her drink. “Talk about a terrible way to end your day.”

  Claire couldn’t help but laugh. “Tell me about it. What did you do this afternoon?”

  Maxi made a face. “Nothing. It was a boring day, all told.”

  The waitress stepped up to take Claire’s order. Jane and Maxi both ordered another, though Maxi still had half of hers to finish.

  Maxi turned to Claire. “Are you feeling any better about the bread store now?”

  Since Maxi had asked, Claire figured she could share her plans. “Much better, actually. I have a plan for how to deal with their grand opening sale.”

  Maxi frowned. “Their sale?”

  “This Saturday. They put out an ad in the paper today. One of my regulars told me about it.”

  “What’s the plan?” Jane asked.

  “I’m going to have a sale of my own.”

  “That sounds like a good idea,” Jane said with a smile of encouragement.

  The waitress had returned and was placing three pink fruity drinks onto the table. “What’s this about a sale?”

  “A cupcake sale,” Claire explained. “At my bakery on Saturday. I’m having a three-for-one sale.”

  The young woman’s face lit up. “All day?”

  Claire nodded. “Until I run out. But don’t worry, I’m going to be prepared and have plenty of stock on hand in multiple flavors.”

  “I’ll be there.”

  A man in the corner lifted his hand to hail the waitress. She apologized and bustled over to him.

  Maxi was studying her skeptically. “Three-for-one? Why not two-for-one?”

  Claire shook her head briskly. The ocean breeze teased a strand in front of her face. She brushed it aside impatiently. “Bradford Breads is having a two-for-one sale. I have to do better if I’m going to attract customers to me instead of them. That means three-for-one. I’m hiring a couple of students temporarily to help me bake them all. I told Sandee I’d be making at least six flavors, and I’ll want to have five dozen of each at least.”

  Maxi choked on a sip of her drink.

  Jane cast a sideways glance at Maxi and fiddled with her straw. “That sounds great. If you have a flyer, I’ll leave it in the gathering room of the inn to drive customers to the sale, and I’m sure I can carve out some time to help you make them. But, Claire, don’t you think you’re overreacting a bit?”

  Claire blinked. “No. I have to get on top of this.”

  “Bradford Breads is having a sale on bread. You’re selling cupcakes. You don’t have to outdo them. They’re entirely different things.”

  “Maybe. But it doesn’t hurt to establish myself, and besides, this isn’t just about me. Hailey’s worried too. What if my business is impacted and I can’t afford to pay her? Jennifer is depending on her, and Hailey is a hard worker and smart. She hasn’t gotten a lot of breaks in life, and I would hate to see her without a job,” Claire said.

  The looks on Jane’s and Maxi’s faces softened. All three of them had a soft spot for Hailey and Jennifer.

  “I understand how you feel,” Maxi said. “But maybe six different flavors is putting a lot of pressure on yourself? How will you make them all?”

  “I can make them ahead of time, actually. They can be stored in airtight containers, and they won’t go stale.”

  Maxi nodded. “Okay. Sounds like you have a good plan for that. You’ll still have all your regular baking, though, so it sounds like you’ll need some help. I can pitch in.”

  Claire’s heart warmed. “Thanks, but I don’t want to put you out.”

  Maxi snorted. “Are you kidding? I have nothing to do. It will be fun for me.”

  Jane reached out to squeeze Claire’s arm. “I can help, too, but Saturday is less than a week away. Are you sure this isn’t too much?”

  “No. Well, it’s going to take some work, but Tammi said I should be advertising and having sales anyway, so I guess this is a good start.” Claire slurped down a hefty portion of her drink.

  “Well then, if you’re sure, we’re here to help.” Jane raised her glass, and they all clinked.

  Claire settled back in her seat, happy for their support, but the look that Maxi and Jane ex
changed brought on a load of self-doubt. Had she bitten off more than she could chew? Was she overreacting?

  Maxi picked up the appetizer menu. “Does anyone want to split some apps? I’m starving.”

  Chapter Seven

  Claire’s phone alarm chimed at four o’clock every morning. In the old days, before she owned a bakery and had to rise early to get things setup before she opened at eight o’clock, she had loved to lounge in bed. Of course, that was also before she had Urchin, the fifteen-pound cat that was now sitting on her chest, staring at her with half-slitted, reproachful eyes in an attempt to will her to his food bowl.

  Claire felt for the phone, turned off the alarm, and rolled over. Urchin, not to be dissuaded from his task, climbed onto her head and batted at her nose with one paw, claws sheathed.

  “Get off,” she groaned. “I can’t feed you while you’re weighing me down.”

  She pushed the black-and-white cat off, and he thudded onto the floor then looked up at her expectantly.

  “Yes, I’m coming.” Claire slid her bare feet onto the thick area rug beside the bed and rolled her neck a few times to get the kinks out before standing up. Urchin trotted ahead into the kitchen.

  Claire’s cottage was small, but since it was just her, it was perfect. She had everything she needed. Two bedrooms, a kitchen and living room, and a great outside area. Plus, it was only a few blocks from the beach. She couldn’t see the ocean, but on a good day, she could smell it. And if she wanted to see it, it was only a short stroll away, or she could take the pink Vespa she’d purchased to cruise around town in the summer.

  Urchin insisted on being fed first, so she turned the coffee maker on then filled his bowl. He tucked in without a backward glance, and Claire fixed her coffee. Leaning against the counter, she sipped and watched Urchin eat.