The Sea Star Bakery: A Willa Bay Novel

by Nicole Ellis

  Maybe you didn’t want to see it, chided a little voice inside his head. He stared at the wall. Their honeymoon on the Monterey Peninsula had been everything he could have asked for – romantic, exciting, and full of discoveries about his new wife. An image popped into his mind of Cassie standing on a stone ledge at the edge of the beach, the water ricocheting off the rock and misting her with the spray. She’d squealed and spun around, directly into his arms. They’d stood there, locked in a lover’s embrace, taking in together the raw, natural beauty of the coast.

  “Kyle?” Cassie asked, interrupting the movie playing in his mind.

  He blinked his eyes and focused on the woman who was now his ex-wife. “Yeah. Sorry. I was lost in thought. Did you say something?”

  “I was just wondering if you were ready to get back to work.” Her eyes searched his face, and she sighed. “I love this mural, but sometimes I wonder if it would’ve been better to have the construction crew remove the panels.”

  “Why?” He turned away from the mural to keep from having any more thoughts about their honeymoon. “It’s beautiful.”

  She shrugged. “Every time I see it, it brings back so many old memories.” Her eyes were bright, and he could tell she was trying to keep from looking at the mural too.

  He locked eyes with her. “Is that so bad?”

  “I don’t know,” she whispered. “Sometimes it’s a little too much.” She uttered a small laugh and flashed him a smile. “Wow, that got deep really fast. I’m going to head back to the storeroom.” She pivoted quickly and disappeared from sight.

  Kyle allowed himself a last peek at the painting, and was hit with a wave of longing for how things used to be between him and Cassie. He tore his gaze away from it. Both of them had moved on. He was dating an amazing woman, and Cassie was taking some much-deserved time to figure out what she wanted from life. What they’d had together in the beginning had been special, but some things just weren’t meant to be.

  He took a deep breath and joined her in the storeroom, both of them keeping the conversation purposefully light. After they’d finished wiping down the shelves and re-organizing the cans, they stood awkwardly together near the back door to the bakery.

  “Well, thank you for all of your help.” Cassie stepped forward and gave him a hug. Her familiar, lightly scented floral perfume surrounded him, and the softness of her touch made it difficult to breathe. He froze in place, unable to reciprocate the embrace. Her cheeks turned pink, and she quickly retreated. “I’m sorry. That was weird, wasn’t it?”

  He forced a small smile, his heart still beating faster than normal. “A little.”

  Her face fell. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make things weird between us.”

  “No worries. I was just caught off guard. I’ll see you later, okay?” He turned and exited the building before she could say anything else. Once outside, with Cassie safely on the other side of the door, he took several deep breaths. Had she noticed how much he’d enjoyed having her close?

  They’d worked so hard to reach an amicable relationship – for the kids’ sake, if not each other’s. These feelings he had for Cassie were nothing but memories, so for everyone’s benefit, he needed to shake them – ASAP.

  “Kyle. Are you listening to anything I’ve been saying?” Dana peered at him from the other side of their table at Roger’s Grill.

  After ordering their entrees, Dana had launched into a description of the tourist town she’d visited the weekend before on a girls’ getaway trip. He’d tried to keep his attention on her, but after hearing about three wineries that sounded remarkably similar, he’d found his thoughts drifting. During the few hours he’d spent in the bakery with Cassie earlier that day, he’d felt more alive than he had in a long time. The feelings and memories evoked by the mural had taken hold in his brain and wouldn’t let go.

  “I am. You were telling me about the wineries.” He sipped the ruby-red Merlot he’d ordered and made a face. “I hope their wine was better than this.”

  Dana laughed. “What did you expect from the house wine?”

  He shrugged. “Maybe too much.” Dana had been wanting to go to Roger’s and he’d thought the romantic restaurant would take his mind off Cassie, so he’d made reservations when he got home from the bakery. He looked around. It had tablecloths, candlelight, and prices on the menu that were more than he usually spent on a month’s worth of groceries.

  Dana had been thrilled when he’d told her about the dinner reservation. She was stunning in a little black dress that showed off her svelte figure. A thick silver necklace and matching earrings accented the cut of the dress, and her cheeks were flushed prettily from the glass of Chablis she’d already consumed. He couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful date or perfect setting, so why did he feel like he’d rather be somewhere else?

  The waiter approached their table holding their Caesar salads and placed the plates in front of them on the linen tablecloth.

  “Looks good.” Kyle shoveled a large forkful of dressing-coated lettuce into his mouth. If he was eating, Dana couldn’t expect him to talk – and right now, he didn’t think he was in the right headspace to carry on a conversation with her. With any luck, he was out of sorts because of hunger, and the delicious food would bring him back to his senses.

  She stared at him and poked her fork into her salad, taking a much smaller bite than he had. The waiter came by to check on them, and she requested another drink, which he brought to her a few minutes later. The busboy cleared the plates as soon as they were done with their salads, then, as if by magic, the waiter appeared with their entrées.

  Dana drained the last drop of wine from her glass and signaled the waiter to bring another. Kyle raised his eyebrows. In all the years he’d known her, she’d never been a big drinker. “Is everything okay?” His knife and fork hovered over his steak as he waited for her answer.

  “Uh-huh.” She sawed at her steak with the serrated knife and quickly put a bite in her mouth.

  He set his utensils down. “Dana, what’s wrong? Is it something I did?”

  She finished chewing and washed it down with a gulp of wine. Her eyes wavered as she tried to meet his gaze. “You spent the day with Cassie today, right?”

  “Yeah, why?” He’d told her earlier that he had helped Cassie at the bakery, but hadn’t gone into too much detail.

  “Were your kids there?”

  “No, they were with my parents.” He scanned her face. “Does it upset you that Cassie and I still talk?”

  She sighed. “Talk, no. The fact that you’re obviously still in love with your ex-wife, yes. That does bother me.” She took another long drink and set the glass on the table with a muffled thud before staring directly at him.

  Her words hit him with the force of a freight train. “I’m not still in love with Cassie.”

  She looked down at her food and pressed her lips together. “Are you sure about that?”

  He sat back in his chair, his heart beating wildly. Was she right? Memories of happy times with his ex-wife flooded over him, followed closely by images of the not-so-happy times. Even if a spark remained between the two of them, they’d already determined they weren’t compatible.

  “I’m sure,” he said. “There’s nothing between Cassie and me, other than the kids.”

  “If that was true, you wouldn’t jump at the chance to spend time with her.” Dana removed the cloth napkin from her lap and wiped the corner of her mouth. “I invited you to go with me to Seattle this morning, but, instead, you spent the day with her.”

  “I’d already promised her that I’d help with the bakery.” Even to him, his statement sounded lame. He should have been excited at the prospect of a day trip with his girlfriend, but he’d chosen to spend the time with his ex-wife.

  “I get that, and I know your kids will always come first, but I didn’t expect to compete for your time with your ex-wife too.” She sighed and folded her napkin into fourths before setting it on the table.
“Look, I really like you, but I don’t think this is going to work out.”

  He ran his fingers through his hair. “I can tell her that I can’t spend time with her anymore.”

  She shook her head sadly. “But that’s not what you want.”

  Was she right? After all this time, was he not over Cassie? A mixture of fear and excitement reverberated throughout his body, and he lifted his eyes to meet hers. “I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

  She gave him a small smile. “You didn’t. I think part of me always knew that you weren’t actually available.”

  “Is this going to be awkward at work?” he asked. “I’d hate for this to affect our working relationship.”

  She took a deep breath. “I’ve received a job offer for a principal position from a firm in Seattle. It’ll be a promotion and a nice bump in salary.”

  “And you won’t have to worry about seeing me every day.” He sighed and rested his forearms on the table. “I’m really sorry.”

  She reached across the table and covered his hand in hers. “Don’t be. I hope you and Cassie get your second chance.”

  “Thank you.” He hooked his thumb over her fingers and squeezed them gently before withdrawing his hand. “I wish you all the best in your new job.”

  “Thank you.” She stood from the table, gave him a peck on the cheek, and whispered, “Good luck.” Then she strode away without looking back.

  17

  Cassie

  Cassie’s phone buzzed just as she slid the last roll of register tape onto the shelf under the bakery’s service counter.

  Chase had texted her. Come find me as soon as you have a chance, it read. I have good news about the mural!

  She glanced over at the painting. Was she finally going to solve the mystery of the artist? There was nothing urgent for her to do at the bakery, so she locked the front door and walked quickly down Main Street to the art gallery.

  When she entered, Chase was in the middle of helping a customer, so she occupied herself with checking out some of the paintings by a local artist. One in particular caught her eye: a young boy wading through a tidepool to examine a sea star suctioned onto the side of a boulder stuck in the sand. It reminded her so much of Jace that she immediately wanted to buy it – until she saw the price tag. Sadly, she turned away, almost running into Chase, who’d snuck up on her while she’d been admiring the artwork.

  “Do you like it?” Chase gestured to the painting.

  She nodded. “Very much, but it’s a little out of my price range.” More like way out of her price range.

  He smiled. “Let me show you something.” He led her over to a rack of prints and dug through it, pulling out a smaller version of the painting she’d admired. “How about this?”

  She turned it over to view the price, then beamed. “It’s perfect. I’ll take it.”

  He rang up the print, then wrapped it in tissue paper before placing it in a paper bag with handles made of a thick twine. “Now, are you ready for my news?” He held out the bag to her.

  “I am. What have you found out?” She accepted the bag and peered at him.

  “Come with me.” He took her into the back room and gestured for her to sit down at a long table that, judging by the scraps of packing materials on it, was used for wrapping art prior to shipment.

  Every second he held off on telling her about what he’d found only increased her curiosity. “So, who painted it?”

  “Ah,” he said. “That’s a fascinating story.” He sat down at the table and reached for an iPad, tapping away at it. “One of my colleagues who saw the photos of the mural thought he recognized the style. Turns out, he was right.” He turned the iPad toward her, revealing images of several paintings similar to the one on the wall of her bakery.

  She leaned closer to get a better look. “Wow. Those are stunning.” She looked up into his sparkling blue eyes. “They’re all of Monterey and Big Sur. Does the artist live there?”

  He shook his head. “No. She was born in that area but moved to Willa Bay back in the 1920s. She lived around here until her death in 1997.”

  “Oh.” Some of Cassie’s happiness deflated. It may have been silly, but she’d felt a connection to the artist because of their shared love of the Central California coast. “So, who was she?”

  “Her name was Sofia Valencia Parker.” He wiggled his eyebrows at her. “Want to know more?”

  “I’d love to.” Cassie sighed. “I really wish I could have met her. Every time I see the mural, it seems to speak to me. I would’ve loved to meet the creator to find out why she painted it on the bakery wall and what it meant to her. It has almost a sad quality to it.”

  “Well, there’s not much I can do about meeting the artist, but I can introduce you to her granddaughter. She’s offered to meet with us and answer as many of your questions as she can.”

  She stared at him. “That would be amazing. Does she live around here?”

  He gave her a wide smile. “She does. If you’d like, I can see if she can meet with us this afternoon.”

  Cassie nodded vigorously. “Yes. Please call her.”

  He took his phone out of his pants pocket and dialed a number he’d recorded on his iPad. It rang a few times, then a woman’s voice rang out over the speaker.

  “Hello? This is Dr. Parker. How may I help you?”

  “Hi, Sofia. This is Chase Flaherty, from the art gallery in town. I’m with Cassie, the owner of the bakery where we found your grandmother’s mural. We were wondering if we could meet with you to discuss it and your grandmother. Maybe today?”

  The woman hesitated. “Let’s see. I have appointments all morning, but I could meet you at my office at one thirty, if that works for you.”

  Chase lifted an eyebrow at Cassie. She nodded, and he said, “One thirty is great. See you then.”

  “Dr. Parker …” Cassie wracked her brain trying to remember where she’d heard that name. “Her name sounds so familiar.”

  “She’s a family physician here in town,” Chase said. “I think she’s only lived here for a year or two, though.”

  Loud voices carried into the back room, and Chase peeked into the retail area. He turned back to Cassie. “I think a tour bus just dropped people off at the corner. I’d better get back to help my assistant, but I’ll pick you up from the bakery at one fifteen, if that’s okay.”

  She nodded. “I’ll see you then.” She followed him out into the front and wove her way through the shoppers to reach the door. Once free of the crowd, she paused on the sidewalk. Dealing with the tourist crowds was going to take some getting used to once she opened the bakery. In her previous job at the Willa Bay Lodge, she’d worked behind the scenes. Now, as a bakery owner, unless she wanted to be baking all day, she was often going to be at the register helping customers directly.

  Cassie went home for lunch, then returned to the bakery to work on her supply orders until Chase was scheduled to arrive. It should have been a simple task, but her attention kept straying to the mural. She sighed, closed the lid on her laptop, then rose from her chair and walked over to the painted landscape.

  She lightly touched the painting and imagined the artist’s brush moving over that spot. Why had Sofia Valencia Parker chosen this location for such a massive painting? The huge undertaking must have taken months, if not years. Cassie stepped back. In another hour, she’d have her answer.

  When Chase showed up at the bakery door, Cassie was ready to go. They walked about eight blocks to an area on the outskirts of the downtown area where historic houses had been converted into businesses. Dr. Sofia Parker’s office took up a forest green Victorian with brick-red trim. Six steps led up to a door with a plaque on it bearing the doctor’s name. Cassie was unfamiliar with this house and the doctor, but her family dentist was just down the block.

  Chase opened the door for them, and they stepped into a small hallway with an ornate patterned rug leading into an open living room that served as a waiting area. A woman wearing
a long white coat stood with her back to them, reading a patient file.

  She turned when she heard them enter and smiled at them. “You must be Chase and Cassie.”

  Cassie nodded and held out her hand. “Cassie Thorsen. Nice to meet you.”

  “Sofia Parker. It’s nice to meet you.” She shook hands with both Cassie and Chase, who also introduced himself to her. “Come with me.” She led them out of the room and down the hallway, turning a corner before reaching a smaller room with a desk and three chairs. She sat down behind her desk and motioned for them to take a seat. “Ever since you called, I’ve been looking forward to meeting you and finding out about this mural you’ve uncovered.”

  “Yes. We’ve been looking forward to seeing you too,” Chase said smoothly. “Cassie’s been quite anxious to find out more about your grandmother.” He flashed Cassie a brilliant smile.

  Cassie sat in the offered chair and smiled at Sofia. “I appreciate you taking the time to meet with us. You must be very busy here.”

  Sofia shrugged. “I had a gap in my schedule, and this is important.” She leaned forward, across the desk. “While I was growing up, I heard stories about the mural my grandmother had painted, but was told that when my grandparents sold the building, the mural was destroyed.”

  Laughter bubbled out of Cassie’s throat as she pictured the massive mural. “Oh no, it’s very much there, taking up an entire wall in my bakery. I’d planned to put in an eating area along that wall, but when we found the artwork, I had to change some things up.”

  “Really?” Sofia’s eyes sparkled. “An entire wall? I’d love to see it sometime.”

  “Anytime.” Cassie scooted to the front of her chair. “Can you tell me about your grandmother? Were you close to her?”

  “Well, I’m named after her. You can’t get much closer than that.” Sofia laughed. “Seriously, though, Abuela Sofia died when I was fourteen, so I grew up listening to her stories about her home in California and her marriage to my grandfather. She had quite an interesting life.”