Page 86 of The Coffee Bar on Camellia Court

Because of everyone's efforts, John Jensen had informed her that they would start work in May, and would be finished before the tourist season started in June. "We'll work out the difference if we come up short," he'd told her. "You have a lot of folks around town who want to help out in any way they can, and we won't turn down free labor, as long as we can stay in compliance with the law."

Juno took a deep breath of the fresh afternoon air, then headed inside the coffee bar where her baristas were taking good care of her customers.

She circled the end of the counter and checked the orders to see if there was anything she could do to help.

"We got it covered, boss," Poppy said, nudging her out of the way. "You're supposed to be on your break, aren't you?"

Poppy had become a bit helicopter-mommish since learning about Juno's heartbreak over her father. "My dad left us when I was thirteen. My sister was ten and my brother was four. He just cut and run, so I get it," she'd said, handing Juno a cup of bold roast with a splash of heavy cream one morning last September. "Sometimes people just do things that can't be explained, you know?" She'd fluffed her hair and cocked her head in a sassy pose. "I mean, who would ever leave this, right? Angel Poppy? There is just no logical explanation." She'd made light of the situation, but Juno had recognized the sadness in her young friend's eyes, and she'd hugged her fiercely.

"I'm glad you came to work with me, Angel Poppy. You are one in a million, and don't ever let yourself think otherwise."

Poppy had hugged her back. "The same goes for you, boss. What he did to you wasn't because you're you. It's because he's him. That's what my mom always says."

It had been all she could do not to burst into tears over Poppy's kindness that day, and she'd gained a new respect for the young lady who'd chosen joy over despair.

Juno grabbed a fresh cup of coffee and retreated to her office in the converted walk-in closet just off the kitchen. With the expansion, she'd still be in the heart of things, but her space would be more than twice as large, and she was getting a new desk and a couple of comfortable armchairs so she could hold interviews or have private conversations with her staff and not have to commandeer the break room.

She squeezed in behind her desk and picked up the stack of mail that had been left in her inbox while she'd been next door. She sorted through it, then paused when she came to the envelope addressed in her own handwriting, 'Return to Sender' stamped in red on the front.

It was the third time she'd sent the letter, filling out a new envelope each time, and rather than just throwing it away, her father had scrawled 'Refused' in all caps print, and sent it back. She knew he meant the rejection to sting, and it did.

Juno carefully set the letter on her desk and picked up her coffee cup. She took a slow sip as she stared at the envelope, pondering what her next step should be.

After the Framptons had revealed his crime against them, Juno had changed her mind and reported his theft of her money. She'd received word from the State Correctional Facility that Leonard had been arrested and tried for multiple cases of fraud over the years, including what he'd done to her, and that he'd be serving a minimum of eight years in prison.

Juno had written a letter of forgiveness to him, telling him she believed he could change, that he could be a new man, if that's what he wanted. But now, having had it returned for the third time, she realized that she needed to stop trying to force her father to her will. The letter of forgiveness was more for her benefit than it had ever been for his; it had been a form of catharsis, of taking off the weight of bitterness that had driven her to be such a lone soldier all these years.

"What he did to you wasn't because you're you. It's because he's him." She repeated Poppy's mantra aloud for possibly the hundredth time since hearing it. She was learning to accept that, to accept herself, too.

Her phone buzzed with a text from Alex:Just picked Lena up from school. Be there in 15. She's practically drooling about her milkshake.

Juno typed back:Tell her I've got a special surprise flavor today.

Alex's reply came quickly:Now she's kicking the back of my seat. Thanks a lot!

The weekly milkshake tradition had continued since Lena had officially moved in with Alex.

It had been a bumpy transition at first, with Lena missing her mother and struggling to adjust to school in a regular classroom setting rather than being taught by a tutor.

Alex, too, had discovered that single parenthood was a 24-hour job, seven days a week, and that there was no such thing as time off. His life now revolved around Lena's schedules, Lena's needs, Lena's wants, and Lena's habits, both good and bad. His angelic Lena-bug, he'd quickly learned, had mastered the art of silent treatments and slammed doors, modeled by her mother over the years, he was certain. But in the tiny apartment they shared, her silence was louder than any raised voice.

Then there were her tears. Tears of devastation over a misplaced trinket. Tears of anger over a classmate's unkind words. Tears of remorse that followed the silent treatments and slammed doors. Tears of grief over why Melissa wasn't like other mommies, why she'd rather go live with some guy in France than stay in Autumn Lake to be with her. Those tears, especially, were difficult for Alex, because there was nothing he could do or say to explain Melissa's decisions in a way that would comfort their daughter.

Juno had assured him on multiple occasions that Lena didn't need him to fix everything for her. She needed him to be there for her, to hold her and tell her she was deeply loved.

Melissa had kept her promise to maintain regular contact. She'd been back twice already, once at Thanksgiving, and again just before Christmas, and had spoken with Lena by phone almost daily. She was arriving next Thursday and would spend three weeks in Autumn Lake for Lena's 9th birthday, during which time Lena would stay with her as much as she wanted. To Alex's surprise, Melissa had booked a room at The Garden Gate Bed & Breakfast on the south shore, rather than at the Carpe Diem resort. It was obvious to Alex that she was trying to plug into Lena's new world, and he knew his friends and family would be gracious and welcoming to her, because that was how they were.

In spite of the bumps in the road, Alex had blossomed as a father. He and Lena had made his small upstairs apartment into a home, but having the huge yard and supervised access to the lake at her grandparents' house—plus Ralphy, the dog—gave her lots of room to run around and be a kid. It helped that her grandparents had given her an enormous jungle gym swing set for Christmas, and Lena was looking forward to having a bunch of her new school friends over for her birthday party.

She finished her coffee and headed back to the front of the shop and pulled out her running checklist of tasks, stuff to do when anyone had down time. She'd just started unloading glassware from the steamer when the gentle chime of the door sounded. She turned around to see a very animated Lena, chattering like a mad jaybird as she entered the shop in front of her father, and Alex, nodding like he was listening to her every word. Juno wasn't fooled, though. She saw the glazed over look in his eyes that told her Lena had probably been talking nonstop since the moment she'd gotten into his truck.

Lena spotted her first, breaking away from Alex to rush toward her. "Juno! Daddy said you have a surprise flavor for me!"

"I do," Juno confirmed, accepting the girl's enthusiastic hug. "It's in the kitchen, but you'll have to help me make it."

"Can I?" Lena's eyes widened with delight. "Like, actually help?"

"Your apron's already waiting for you," Juno said, gesturing toward the kitchen.

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