Page 57 of Captiva Café

"What's Gretchen doing?" Chelsea asked cautiously.

"Taking photographs," Isabelle replied with a mixture of disbelief and resignation. "She says, and I quote, 'This is amazing content for our social media launch.' As if we need to document this...this circus! Linda was explicitly told to wait before putting anything in the paper. That woman will be the death of me.”

Paolo made a sound that might have been a cough or might have been a hastily disguised laugh. "Perhaps some breakfast would help? Fresh croissants, fruit from the garden?"

Isabelle sank into a chair, her posture perfect even in defeat. "Thank you, Paolo. That would be lovely." She turned to Maggie, her expression shifting from frustration to appeal. "Maggie, you've lived on this island longer than I have. How do we manage this? The café was already facing delays from the normal construction issues. Now we have amateur archaeologists and curiosity-seekers practically crawling through the windows."

"And a documentary crew," Chelsea added helpfully.

"Yes, thank you, Chelsea. And a documentary crew," Isabelle confirmed with a pointed look at her friend. "At this rate, we'll be opening sometime next century."

Maggie considered the situation, stirring a spoonful of honey into her tea. "Have you spoken with Chief Morris? He could at least help with the parking issues and make sure emergency access is maintained."

"Steven called him an hour ago," Chelsea reported. "He's sending Officer Reynolds to help establish some order, but you know how Jim is—more interested in making everyone happy than actually enforcing regulations."

"We need a plan," Isabelle declared, spreading a linen napkin across her lap as Paolo placed a plate of pastries and fruit before her. "A way to acknowledge the historical significance without turning our construction site into a tourist attraction."

"Or," Chelsea suggested, her tone indicating an idea was forming, "we lean into it."

Three pairs of eyes turned to her questioningly.

"Think about it," Chelsea continued, warming to her concept. "The café was always going to need something special to distinguish it from every other coffee shop in the area. Now you have a built-in unique selling proposition—the café built on Calusa history."

"That feels...opportunistic," Isabelle said carefully, though her expression had shifted from outright rejection to cautious consideration.

"Not if it's done respectfully," Maggie pointed out, seeing the merit in Chelsea's suggestion. "You already mentioned to Linda that you planned to display photos of some of the artifacts. Why not expand on that concept? Work with Dr. Reyes to create an educational component. The Captiva Historical Society would probably be thrilled to partner with you."

"And it provides a framework for managing the current chaos," Paolo added. "Instead of fighting the interest, channel it. Perhaps designated viewing times, or weekly updates on the archaeological progress."

Isabelle took a delicate bite of croissant, considering the proposal. "Gretchen would certainly embrace the idea. She'salready talking about themed specialty drinks with historically inspired names."

"The Calusa Cappuccino?" Chelsea suggested with a grin.

Despite herself, Isabelle smiled. "Something like that, though hopefully with more subtlety."

"The point is," Maggie said, refilling coffee cups around the table, "this discovery isn't going away, and fighting the island's interest is like trying to hold back the tide. Better to find a way to work with it while preserving your sanity and your construction timeline."

The kitchen door swung open once more, and Iris appeared, a bemused expression on her face. "Sorry to interrupt, but there's a woman here asking if the inn offers a 'Café Archaeological Tour Package.' She says she read about our 'historical significance' in the Chronicle and wants to book for her archaeology club from Fort Myers."

Isabelle closed her eyes briefly, as if praying for patience, while Chelsea made a sound suspiciously like a stifled laugh.

"Tell her we'll have information about tour options shortly," Maggie replied smoothly. “And don’t forget that we can’t book anything until after the holidays.”

After Iris departed, Isabelle opened her eyes, a new determination in her gaze. "Very well. If we can't fight this tide of archaeological enthusiasm, we'll navigate it. But I'll need help. Maggie, would you be willing to speak with the Historical Society? They respect you, and we need institutional support to manage this properly."

"Of course," Maggie agreed readily.

"And Chelsea, perhaps Steven could help us design some temporary barriers? Something more aesthetically pleasing than construction tape but sufficient to establish boundaries."

“I’ll speak to him,” Chelsea promised.

"Excellent." Isabelle straightened, her natural authority reasserting itself as a plan took shape. "Now I just need to convince Gretchen that while 'Ancient Grounds' might be a clever name for a specialty blend, we are not changing the café's name to 'Calusa Coffee House' as she suggested this morning."

Paolo chuckled. "Perhaps a compromise? Keep Captiva Café as the main name, with 'On Ancient Grounds' as a tagline?"

Isabelle considered this, nodding slowly. "That...actually has potential. Subtle but meaningful." She glanced at her watch and rose from the table. "I should get back before Gretchen decides to host an impromptu archaeological lecture series on our front steps."

"Too late," Chelsea said, checking her phone. "According to her latest text, Dr. Reyes is already explaining Calusa fishing techniques to a group of 'super interested' tourists, and Gretchen's providing iced tea from a cooler no less.”

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