by Ciara Lake
Lucy rolled down her window as she passed by. “Have fun. Don’t spend too much money.”
Grinning, Avery strolled down the Foster Inn road. Foster was a quaint coastal town, much different than her hometown of Chicago. Several people waved at her as she walked along. One side of the street opened up to a bay lined with yachts as well as smaller boats docked and waiting to be taken out onto the Atlantic. A soft breeze blew her hair back. Stopping for a moment, she gazed out over the blue sea.
“How you doing, miss?” A man nodded as he walked past, grinning from ear to ear.
“I’m good.” She nodded. “It’s gorgeous here.”
The wind blew into her face and she inhaled the salty air. Further down the bay, fishing ships waited for their crews. In the early mornings, a fish market offered lobster and shrimp. Drew, the nighttime chef, came here every morning to get a fresh supply of seafood.
When she got closer to the center of town, more people rushed by as they hurried in and out of the cute shops. The area was historical with its old buildings as well as cobblestone or brick streets. When she entered Granny’s Cupboard, a small bell jingled.
“Good morning, welcome to Granny’s Cupboard. Come on in and take a look around,” someone called out from the rear of the store. The store smelled like a fir tree mixed with cinnamon. It was very welcoming. Decorations for Halloween, Thanksgiving, as well as Christmas were all over. Candles and various types of knickknacks were displayed on shelves.
“I could spend all day looking around here.” Avery slowly spun in a circle as she admired the decor and offerings.
“You’re welcome to.” A slender, gray-haired woman came around a large Christmas tree standing in the center of the shop. It was the centerpiece of the store, full of all sorts of ornaments. Pumpkins, skeletons, Santa Clauses, angels, pilgrims, turkeys, even an Easter bunny hung from the tree. It was truly an all-seasonal tree. “Hello, I’m Joyce. Take your time looking around. I have many unique things.” Joyce smiled.
“You surely do. Everyone’s thinking of Christmas early.” Avery admired the crystal ornaments displayed on a red-clothed table.
“It seems it gets earlier every year,” Joyce agreed.
As the sun glinted through the store’s window, one of the crystal angels displayed on the table sparkled, catching Avery’s attention. He had a muscular build with large wings, and he held a massive sword like a warrior. “Wow, look at this ornament. It’s so beautiful.” She bent to look closer.
“You can pick it up. I bought it at an estate sale in England. It belonged to an elderly woman who recently passed away. I was told it was passed down to her from her mother. So it’s well over a hundred years old. It’s cut glass. Isn’t it lovely how the glass picks up the sun just right?”
“Yes, and the angel’s very handsome too.” Avery carefully touched the crystal.
“Yes, he is. He looks as if he’s a warrior, the way he’s holding his sword.” Joyce walked closer to her.
“How much is it?”
“It’s regularly one hundred and sixty-five dollars, but I’m having a forty percent off sale.” She cocked her head to the side, watching Avery.
“Wow, it’s sort of expensive.”
“At the sale price it’s a real deal for cut glass. Plus, it’s an antique.” She paused, her eyes narrowed as she studied Avery.
“It’s still expensive for my wallet.” Avery carefully picked the angel up, holding it to the light. “It sure does shine.” She set it back down. For several moments, she stood looking at the shiny ornament. The desire to purchase it warred with the more frugal part of her mind.
“I can see it’s touched your heart.” Joyce reached over and picked it up. She cupped it carefully. “It was meant for you. How about fifty percent off?”
Avery took it from the older woman, her lips curling upward. “I’ll take it. I love his face. He’s very handsome. He has an awesome body too. Something about him just draws me in.”
“It’s love at first sight.” Joyce grinned. “Sometimes it happens. Especially, when a man looks like our crystal angel. Bet you’d like to meet a man like him.”
“I wish. Not many men look as good as he does. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever seen one as handsome.”
“There’s nothing better than a handsome man who doesn’t complain or demand too much, and he’s all yours.” Joyce chuckled. “I’ll wrap him up for you to take home. If you lay him on a table near the window, he’ll sparkle like a diamond.”
“Too bad he’s not real,” Avery said teasingly as she touched his crystal wings.
“Be careful putting him on the tree. It’ll easily break if it falls.”
“For sure, I wouldn’t want him to break.”
“At the estate where I bought it, he was in a curio cabinet. I was told he’d been in there for over forty years. Right away, his sparkle caught my eye as the sun hit him. So, I bought him. I’m glad he’s found a nice home.” While Joyce wrapped the ornament, Avery browsed the shelves, her fingertips trailing over the other ornaments.
“I’m going to try to come back later to do some Christmas shopping for my family. You have some nice things.” She touched a golden bell, caressing the curved side. “I love decorating for holidays. My family has always gone way out. We’re very festive.”
“Go ahead and ring it. It sounds lovely.”
Avery did as suggested. It did make a musical sound. She returned it to the shelf and moved on to the next thing of interest. “This will be the first year I’m without my family during the holidays. I’m going to miss them,” she said sadly.
“I know how hard it can be at this time of year.”
Suddenly, Avery found herself struggling not to cry. “But I can’t fly home so soon.” She shook her head. “Especially during the holiday season. It’ll be too busy at the inn.”
“I know it’ll be hard to be without your family. I dine at the inn on Christmas Day myself.” Joyce looked up from her wrapping. “Howard and I have been going for years, ever since our daughter moved to New York. With the new staff, Christmas should be better than ever. Even when Darla visits with her children, we go to the inn. It’s like home to us.”
“Oh, it’s nice that you enjoy the inn’s holiday dinner. I hope you really enjoy it this year.”
“What do you do at the inn?”
“I’m their new pastry chef.”
“Oh, I’ve heard of the new desserts the inn has been serving. You’re the reason for those sweet treats?”
“I guess.” Avery felt her cheeks heat. “Maybe my family can come visit me eventually.”
“No doubt they will.” Joyce smiled as she taped the wrapping.
“Well, this year I’ll probably be eating at the inn too for the holidays. I live in one of the employee cabins, so it’s close. They’re going to have a string quartet with carolers. The inn is really going all out this year.”
“Grace is doing a wonderful job making the inn extra special. She’s been wanting for years to return the inn to its former glory.
“Yes, her plans are very exciting.”
“I hear you’re a very talented young lady.”
“Thank you.” Avery paid for the ornament and Joyce placed the package in a small shopping bag with pumpkin faces on it. “I’ll try to come back again soon. But if you don’t see me, I’ll see you at the inn.”
Joyce smiled. “Take care of your angel. He’s very special.” She winked.
“I’ll take care of him. Perhaps he’ll bring me good luck. Have a good day.” Avery pushed open the door and left.
Avery walked back to her cabin, which was behind the inn on the east side. Many cabins were located in that area. A few employees lived in the cabins as part of their compensation.
As soon as she was inside, she unwrapped her angel and placed him on the glass coffee table. Pushing her shoes off, she sat down on the love seat. “I’m going to name you Michael after the archangel.” She leaned forward and caressed
the ornament, admiring the artisanship. “I love how you sparkle.”
A tear rolled down her cheek as she thought about not being home for the holidays.
“I hope it wasn’t a mistake coming here.” She took a deep breath. “Being tired makes me loopy. I need to stop talking to myself.” She chuckled as tears fell onto the angel, making it wet. Her tears glistened on the glass as they coated the angel. The ornament’s temperature increased, nearly burning her fingertips. “Ouch, it’s hot.” She stopped caressing it and jumped off the sofa to grab a tissue so she could wipe her tears off the crystal. But when she returned it was already dry. She picked it up and examined it. “Hmm, it’s completely dry.” She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. With a frown, she put the angel back on the coffee table then left to go take a shower.
After finishing her shower, she dressed in clean clothes and came back into the living area to lie down on the sofa. Setting her phone’s alarm to wake her in an hour, she placed it next to the angel. As she picked up the television remote and turned on the TV, she paused to stroke the angel’s wings, then ran her fingertips over the sword he held. He really was a fine looking man. Flipping the channel to the Cartoon Network, she closed her eyes and settled back. It was easy for her to fall asleep to the nonsensical noise of the television.
The persistent ringing of the phone alarm reached through the fog of sleep. Moaning, Avery rolled to grab the phone and turn it off. She pushed her hair back from her face. For a moment, she stared at the ceiling. Then she checked the time. She had to be back to work in about a half an hour.
“I need coffee.” She stretched as she sat up, then walked sluggishly into the kitchen. When she reached the coffee maker, she suddenly noticed that the television was on CNN. “How did that happen?” She hadn’t changed the channel from the Cartoon Network to CNN. Unless she’d hit a button accidentally. Frowning, she walked over to the coffee table and picked up the remote. After examining the remote, she flipped the channel back to cartoons.
She set the remote down and walked over to the cabinet to grab a cup and fill it with steaming hot coffee. She inhaled the wonderful aroma then took a sip. She could feel herself wake up more with each taste of the black brew.
She turned off the television and closed her blinds. Gazing around her home, she groaned. “I’m just too busy to keep this place tidy.” Dirty dishes covered most available spots. Clean along with dirty clothes were all over the floor. “I guess I should clean up some.”
She grabbed a bra off the floor and placed it in the laundry basket. She fluffed a few pillows and folded her throw.
Giving up, she picked up the angel ornament and kissed it. “Have a good day, angel Michael. Maybe you can clean up around here.” With a giggle, she set the ornament back on the table and grabbed her purse. “I think I’m going bonkers talking to you.”
She opened her front door and stepped out onto the porch. Avery paused, her gaze sweeping the yard. She thought she heard someone call her name. Not seeing anyone, she locked the door behind her.
Chapter 2
The wedding cake was covered with pink fondue icing. Gorgeous scrollwork was woven throughout the fondue. Lucy was assisting Avery in putting the final touches on her masterpiece just as Grace walked into the kitchen.
“I think this is the best cake I’ve ever done.” Avery stood back, admiring her work. “I’ve been really inspired because of my excitement for building the inn’s wedding business. I hope it lives up to our bride’s vision.” She wiped her brow with a white towel.
“Oh, Avery, it’s marvelous. I’m sure the bride will love it. I’m so happy you’re as enthused as I am about doing these weddings. We’ll become famous for our events.” Grace walked around the cake, examining it from every angle. “This looks like it’s right off the pages of a bridal magazine. You’re very talented.”
“I look through a lot of bridal magazines. They give me new, creative ideas. I also like to look on the internet to get inspiration.”
“You’re so good at what you do.” Lucy smiled. “You know, Avery used three different flavors. You should taste it. Avery brought Chicago style with her, for sure.”
“The bride wanted various designer flavors. I have two tiers of each flavor. My favorite flavor is the cappuccino truffle.” Avery wiped the countertop with her towel. “I try to give the bride what she’s dreaming of. Weddings are a girl’s dream day where she’s treated like a queen. Would you like a bite?” she offered Grace.
“I’d love to try some. Where are the others?” Grace asked. “They should help you clean up so you all can get home.”
Avery prepared a plate of cake samples. “I’m not sure. I’ve been wondering the same thing. But I couldn’t stop working on the cake to go look for them. When icing, time is of the essence.” She handed Grace and Lucy the small bites to taste. “I think we should offer cake tasting appointments for potential brides. I can create a catalog of designs too. We could really have a great cake business, even for brides who are using other venues.”
“What a terrific idea.” Grace inhaled sharply after she took her first bite, an orange blossom sample. She closed her eyes as she leaned against the wall. “Oh, my goodness, this is heavenly. Almost better than sex.”
“Thanks. What a terrific compliment.” Avery poured herself a cup of coffee.
Lucy tapped her fingers on the counter. “I wouldn’t go that far—it’s great, but sex is still better.” She waggled her eyebrows.
“I’m going to look for the others. They have work to do. This kitchen has to be cleaned up for the next crew.” Avery washed her hands and left to find the others.
* * * *
Lucy put her hands on her hips. “Norm and the others are so bad they’ll take credit even though they haven’t done any work. It just steams me.” With shaking fingers, she pointed toward the kitchen door. “They’ve been busy socializing with each other over coffee the entire day. Avery tells them to get to work and they ignore her. She tries, but they’re so insubordinate it kills me.”
“What? What do you mean?” Grace set her plate down a bit too hard and it made a cracking sound. “Damn, I think I broke the plate.”
“Just what I said.” Lucy walked closer to her. “They haven’t worked much since Avery got here. She spends all of her time getting after them and reminding them to get their work done. It’s wasting our time and creative energy trying to get compliance.”
“Why didn’t she tell me?”
“I’m sure she wants to show you she can deal with it. She’s trying, but like I said, it’s ongoing. It takes too much effort and is wasting time trying to make those guys do their jobs. They’re taking advantage of Avery because she’s a young woman.”
Grace tapped her foot as if suddenly impatient. “What do you mean ‘since Avery got here’? You mean to say they’ve been uncooperative this entire time?”
“Yes, they’re defiant and rude. They only do something if she rides them constantly.”
“So all of this time Avery has been struggling with this?”
“Yes.” Lucy nodded.
“For heaven’s sake.”
“Avery is too busy to be burdened with their attitudes. It’s especially bad from Norm and Tim. They’re the worse and the others follow their lead.”
* * * *
Having heard the last part of the conversation, Avery walked back into the kitchen. “I wanted to handle it without any intervention.” Frowning, she fixed herself another cup of coffee. “Would you like one?”
“Yes, thank you.” Grace nodded.
Avery prepared her a cup and handed it to her. “It’s part of being in charge and I assume the responsibility.”
“I’m sorry, Avery,” Lucy said. “But I couldn’t be silent any longer. It’s so unfair to all of us. I’ve known Grace a long time, and I knew she could help you out. It’s best that she does too. You have so much more to do than force others to do their jobs.” Lucy looked back at Grace. “Norm’
s pissed because you didn’t give him the promotion. He’s angry as well as vindictive, and he’s rallied the others to follow him in his somewhat passive-aggressive strike.”
“A strike?”
“Yes, sort of, without declaring one. They’re too cowardly to be upfront about it. And they’re too afraid to give Drew a hard time. But they have no respect for Avery. It makes me sick. They truly don’t think she can fire them. So why bother to listen to her?” Lucy threw her towel down. “I need some coffee too. I’m exhausted.” She walked to the coffee maker and poured herself a cup.
“This isn’t acceptable. I’m going to have a talk with them.” Grace looked at the door.
“You don’t have to. I can handle it. But maybe you can back me up and let them know I can fire them if they continue to not pull their weight. If you make that clear, I can handle the rest.”
“Oh yes, I’ll make it clear right now.” Grace finished her cup of coffee, put it down, and moved toward the door. “You and Lucy go home now—you’ve worked hard.” She shooed them away with a quick wave of her hands. “I’m going to see to it this place is cleaned up spic-and-span. I’ve had enough of Norm’s insolence. He was giving me attitude before I hired you. Since I hired you, and Drew too, I haven’t heard the end of it from his mother. But Norm isn’t qualified to do what you do. If he had been, he would have provided what I needed a long time ago. He doesn’t have the training or ability. Norm’s a line cook. The others ought to be ashamed for following Norm. I’ve been good to them all. Now, scat. Get on home and relax. And come in an hour later tomorrow. I’ll have the others here ready to be at your disposal. They’ll have an attitude adjustment or else get another job. I will make it clear you can fire them or send them home without pay for the day. That should take care of this situation.”
“But we have more guests staying tonight. Are you sure an hour later is okay?” Avery wiped her face with her sleeve.
“You bet. I’ll have Norm and the others hopping to serve you. Don’t you worry.” Grace paused at the door. “I’ll defer to you. If you send them home without pay, it’s fine with me. That way, they’d best not mess with you.”
