Trapped in Tourist Town (25 page)

“You see that? Try to have a pleasant conversation with this sass and she has to go and ruin it.” He scowled.

“For your information, Mr. Feeney, I am perfectly happy just being an auntie.”

The bell over the bakery door tingled and Cady looked up. Burke stepped in, his sexy smile reaching in and giving those ovaries another good tug. Especially when she remembered the tears in his eyes when Chase had told him they'd given their son his name. Okay, perhaps the idea of motherhood wasn't completely out of the question. Cheeks heating, she dropped her gaze to the counter, attacking it with a wet rag.

“Care to change your answer, Missy?” Feeney elbowed the buddy on his right.

“That's enough out of you.” She swatted him with the damp rag.

“Cady, we need to talk.” Mr. Logan had come in through the back door and was standing right behind her.

How long had he been there, listening, watching? Was he upset over her treatment of his customers? Surely that couldn't have been construed as abusive? She bit her lip, looking at Burke in worry. His brief nod was reassuring. Head held high, she dropped the rag to the counter, wiped her hands on her apron, and led the way into the back office.

Nervous energy had her perching on the edge of the desk as she waited for Mr. Logan to close the door behind them. He pulled out the computer chair and sat down, pressing his fingertips together in a steeple. After a moment he gave Cady his full attention.

“If this is about Mr. Feeney—”

His forehead wrinkled in confusion.

“The fact that I closed up early yesterday—”

He raised his eyebrows at that. Guess he hadn't heard yet.

“No, Cady, this isn't about you. What do you think I'm going to do, fire you? You've got less than two weeks left here. What'd be the point?” He shook his head.

“I don't understand.”

“I was hoping you wouldn't mind clearing out of the apartment a mite early. I promised Ernie he could repaint it however he liked. Your parents wouldn't mind putting you up for a week or so, right?”

“You're giving the apartment to Ernie?” She blinked in disbelief. Ernie was Mr. Logan's deadbeat son, who'd been kicked out of three different colleges so far.

“Yes, keep up. Ernie's not going back to USM in the fall and he needs a place to stay.”

Okay, make that four colleges.

“I'll start packing as soon as I close up this afternoon.” Cady's breath started to hitch in her chest. Something told her she wasn't going to be given the chance to ask for her job back.

“Perfect. And if you wouldn't mind letting Sophie and the others know we won't be needing them after Labor Day. They like you. It should come from you.”

“Excuse me?” Halfway between a squeak and a shout, Cady launched herself off the desk and began to pace the small room.

“Yes, yes. I need you to let them go. I am closing the bakery. Well, converting it, I guess you could say. Ernie would like to turn it into one of those comic book/hobby type stores. I'm hoping I can convince him to just call it a toy store. But it's his idea. Don't want to cramp his style, you know.”

Stunned, Cady could only stare at her boss. He had a good thing going here. He had regular customers that were already waiting outside when she came down to unlock the door each morning. Where would they go now? This wasn't fair!

“Do you really think this is a wise business decision? Are there enough people in town that will want to buy comic books on a regular basis?”

“I don't expect you to understand my
business decisions
, Ms. Eaton. This is about a father doing what he needs to do to keep his son out of trouble. When you have children of your own, you'll see that sacrifices have to be made. I know I'm losing money on this venture. I don't care.”

He leaned back in the chair and peered up at her.

“Besides, you're moving to the big city. Getting out of this boring old town. What do you care what happens to the bakery?”

Though she could go on and on about how much she cared, she recognized the question as rhetorical and locked her jaw to keep from shooting her mouth off.

“Was there anything else, Mr. Logan?” She needed to get out of this office before she exploded.

“Yeah, you keep that espresso machine plugged in until the last second of the last day we're open. Got it? Get me one of those fancy sandwich boards and talk up your frou-frou drinks. Might as well earn as much as we can, while we can.”

“Yes, sir.” Without a backward glance, Cady yanked open the door and stalked out.

Unbelievable! Now he gives her the green light to make a big deal about her espresso drinks? She had half a mind to dump one of her
frou-frou drinks
in the odious man's lap! The nerve!

Taking a moment to compose herself, Cady ran a shaky hand through her hair. She blinked back frustrated tears and practiced a couple of fake smiles. She couldn't ask for her job back when her job no longer existed. She was being kicked out of her apartment. She had no choice now. She had to move to the city. At least she knew she had a place to stay there.

“Everything okay?” Burke's voice was a gentle balm on her battered soul.

“Oh, just peachy.”

On autopilot, Cady made her way to the espresso machine, grinding beans and heating milk for Burke's morning latte. The bottle of hazelnut syrup slipped from her hand and she caught it seconds before it smashed on the hard linoleum.
Don't cry. Don't cry.
She swallowed the tears, earning herself one hell of a stomachache in the process.

She started to hand his drink over and was forced to meet his eyes when he wouldn't immediately accept the cup. He looked concerned, but he also looked determined—and a little scared. She tore herself away and rang up the purchase. Making change, she forced a cheery smile and pushed the bills and coins into his hand.

“Walk me to the door?”

“Aw, shucks, boys. He's courtin' her.” Old Man Feeney grinned wolfishly at the couple.

Cady rolled her eyes and made her way around the counter to stand in front of Burke.

“You afraid you're going to get lost on the way?” She managed to tease.

“I've been thinking a lot since yesterday. God, was that crazy or what?”

“Yup, crazy day.”

“Anyway, I learned I'm a lot more selfish than I realized. And I'm not above begging.”

She shook her head from side to side. No, he couldn't do this to her now. He had to be the strong one for both of them.

“Cady, stay in Scallop Shores.” He set his coffee down on the nearest table and gripped her fingers in his. “I thought I had everything I wanted. All my dreams were coming true. But it's nothing unless you're here to share it with me.”

“Please don't do this,” she whispered.

“Don't go, Cady. Say you'll stay here ... with me.”

“I can't.” She slipped her fingers free and stepped back.

“I thought you loved me. I thought you wanted to stay.” He didn't bother to hide the anguish, on his face and in his words.

Go away, Burke. I can't do this right now.

“You were right. I need to follow my dreams. I'll miss you.”
More than you will ever know
.

He stayed there, staring at her as though willing her to change her mind. When she stood her ground, refusing to say another word, he let out a long sigh. Picking up his coffee, he left the bakery without a backward glance.

“Sophie, watch the front for me. Staff meeting at close. Make sure everyone stays until I get back down here.”

Blindly, she pushed her way to the back stairs, stumbling up to the apartment that was no longer hers. The day had started out perfect, full of hope and new beginnings. And in the blink of an eye it had all changed. Sliding down against the door, Cady curled into a ball on the floor and gave in to the crippling sorrow that made it so hard to breathe. Sobs wracked her body, shaking her until her teeth rattled. Her head throbbed as if it would split open. Oh, if only it would.

“Are you sure she's not going to think we're being just a tad manipulative?” Bree glanced out the window at the busy street for the umpteenth time.

Burke looked up from where he was checking an order of supplies that had just come in.

“This is her dream. We've just ... relocated it. It's all still hers.” He opened a box of handmade mugs from a local artist that he knew Cady admired, pulling one out to examine it.

“She'll get her back up about the money you've put into it. Make no mistake about that.” The elder Cadence pointed a gnarled finger at him.

“You mean the money
we
put into it, don't you?” He bit the inside of his cheek as he winked at her.

“I told her I was helping her out. I didn't tell her exactly how I'd planned to do so.”

“Hey, where do you want these to-go cups?” Wallace held up a bulky box.

“I want you to set it down. You aren't supposed to be doing any of the heavy lifting, remember?”

“The damned thing can't weigh more than a few pounds. My new grandson weighs less than this box.”

“Hands off, mister. Cady will have my hide if she knows you're overexerting yourself on her behalf. You can help Auntie fill the napkin dispensers.”

“Yippee skippy! Who died and made you boss?” Wallace grumbled, but set the box on the floor and shuffled over to the counter to help his aunt-by-marriage.

“Here, sweetheart, you want to do something manly you can help me figure out how to put together this piece of sh—crap.” May put her hands on her hips and gave the toy kitchen set a little kick.

“No offense, my love, but putting things together has never been your strong suit.” He chuckled, patting Auntie on the arm before heading over to remove the screwdriver from his frustrated wife's clenched fist.

Burke smiled. Good. The man had something to occupy him that wouldn't tax him physically but still made him feel that he was contributing.

The place was coming together quickly. They'd had to work fast to make sure they were done before Logan's closed their doors. Cady was busy getting her apartment packed up, as well as the bakery, so that kept her focus away from what the rest of them had been doing. Everyone took turns helping out Burke when they could get away from their other jobs.

Not that Cady would have noticed what Burke, in particular, had been up to. She'd made it a point to avoid him ever since she'd gotten the news about the bakery closing—news that he'd had to hear from everyone else but her. Stubborn woman had put on the blinders, assuming she had no choice but to move to New York now. There was always more than one choice.

Leasing this space and outfitting it to meet Cady's business needs didn't come without some sacrifices on his part, as well. He had the money and the means to pull strings—if he used his father's connections. It meant letting Cady's family and friends in on his secret.

No longer was he just plain old Burke Sanders. Now they understood that he was the heir to a hotel dynasty. Or he had been. Either way, Burke was pleased to learn that no one treated him any differently from when they had known him as the wannabe writer from the city.

Fortunately, throwing his name around did not have to involve interaction with his father. His name alone opened doors that made it possible to get paperwork pushed through quickly. It helped get furniture delivered faster. It ensured carpenters, plumbers, and any other workers hired would put in long hours, in exchange for a sizeable bonus once the work was complete.

He'd been willing to do it all himself, with the help of local contractors. It shouldn't have come as any surprise that Cady's friends and family would drop everything to lend a hand. She did so much for everyone else. For once, they had a way to return the favor.

Bree was right, no doubt, that Cady would be upset at first. After all, he'd been the one to encourage her to follow through with her dream and move to the city when she'd wanted to give up and stay in Scallop Shores. He knew in his heart that she'd be happier staying, but if she felt she was giving up her independence or in any way settling—

He chewed on his lower lip as he worried that one over in his brain.

The idea was that she'd take one look at her new coffee shop and fall head over heels in love. Then it wouldn't matter where it was actually located. It was hers, her baby, her dream come to life.

Short of breaking into the bakery and stealing her old espresso machine, he couldn't think of a way to get it in place before they opened. The whole thing needed to be a surprise. In the end, he hoped she'd be just as excited to use the brand-new, state-of-the-art machine he'd bought for her.

“Feeney's complaining that they let the Breakfast Blend run out the day before closing.” Chase hobbled into the coffee shop-to-be, holding the door open as he awkwardly hauled his crutches in behind him.

“Here, take a load off. You tell him about the plan?” Burke signed for another delivery and gestured for the UPS guy to unload the boxes in the corner before he carried a chair over for Chase.

“Yeah, we're all set for tomorrow morning. Cady's gonna be ripshit.” Receiving a pointed stare from his mother, Chase offered her a reproachful grin. “Fine. She's gonna be pissed. What? I cleaned it up … some.”

A loud thumping on the door sent Burke's heart lurching into his throat. Everyone froze, turning with matching guilty faces. Shoulders slumping in relief, he sent up a silent “thank you” when he saw that it was Cady's friend, Shannon. She held a large cardboard box and appeared to have kicked at the door to get their attention. He hurried to let her in.

“Oh my gosh, you guys. This place looks amazing! Cady is going to be so excited.” Shannon set the big box down on the newly installed counter and gave Burke a big hug.