Page 35 of The Lighthouse at the Cove
“Yeah. I should’ve known better. In the meantime Reid and Cash were working together. Reid kept telling me that I needed to meet Cash, and I kept saying, ‘No, thanks.’” She ate another bite of the cookie. “Finally, Reid wore me down, and I agreed to a double date with him and Brynn—and Cash.” Becca glanced out the window toward Main Street. “I was such a brat that night. We went to dinner and a movie, and I hardly said two words to Cash during the meal.” She ran her finger over the tabletop. “When wegot to the movie theater, Brynn took me aside and told me I needed to be nicer.”
“And what happened?” Kaiah asked.
“Cash bought me popcorn and a drink, and we went and sat down in the theater before Brynn and Reid came in.” Becca shook her head. “And Cash said something like, ‘Reid told me you recently had your heart broken, and I know what that’s like. If you’re not ready, I understand. But I hope you’ll keep me in mind when you are.’”
Kaiah clucked her tongue. “That is the sweetest thing ever.”
“Right?” Becca’s lips formed a dreamy smile. “I was speechless.”
“And what happened next?”
“We skipped the movie, went out to his truck, and talked until nearly two a.m. Half a year later, he took me out to the lighthouse and proposed.”
“That’s so romantic!”
Becca sighed. “I know. We married a few months after that. And I had to tell my brother he was right all along.”
Kaiah smiled. “That’s amazing.” She couldn’t help but notice that Becca had brought up Brynn naturally. That would make asking about her feel a little less awkward. Kaiah gnawed on her lower lip. Becca seemed so open and eager to share, but something this personal...
Jenni suddenly appeared beside Kaiah and sat down at the table. “What did you want to ask us?” Her twin sister sat across from her and beside Becca.
Kaiah sat up straight. “Oh. Right!” She cleared her throat, putting on her journalist voice. “I’m Kaiah Ross, and this is my first time in Coral Cove. First of all, this cupcake is out of this world. Second of all, Becca told me you inherited this bakery from your folks. Tell me more about that.”
“Well, we inherited our love of baking from our parents,” Jessica began, “so it only made sense that we’d take over the bakery when they retired.”
Jenni held up her hand. “We kept their menu, but we tweaked it a little bit.”
Kaiah wrote in her notebook. “What do you like best about Coral Cove?”
The twins shared a smile and then responded in unison, “The people.”
Kaiah spent the next thirty minutes interviewing the twins before she and Becca thanked them and then returned to Main Street. She rubbed her hands together as excitement filled her. She turned to Becca. “This town is almost too good to be true. The people are kind and hardworking. This place is beautiful beyond words.” She paused, thinking. “So you guys have the festival every spring. What other traditions do you have?”
“Good question,” Becca said. “The farmers market is one block over. It’s open every weekend, even in the winter.” Becca pointed down the street. “We also have a big celebration for July Fourth. The entire town comes together for a parade and a community-wide barbecue. It’s a pretty big deal. Anybody can be in the parade, even the kids. They all decorate their bikes for it.” She chuckled. “I remember how excited Reid and I were to put red, white, and blue streamers on our bikes and ride along the parade route. The parade is so fun—the marching band from the high school is always fabulous, and different clubs and town organizations have floats.”
Kaiah wrote it all down. “I’d love to see that.”
“That means you’ll have to come back in July.” Becca looped her arm in Kaiah’s as they strolled down the street. “We also have more fun little shops. Let’s go into the jewelry store. All of the jewelry is handmade by Ted and Betty Sue Walker, and they teach classes.”She steered Kaiah into the store, where a couple in their sixties stood behind the counter.
“Welcome to Waterside Gems,” sang the woman, sporting a silver bobbed haircut. “How can we help you?”
“I’m Kaiah, and I’m a reporter forThe Traveler. I’d like to interview you for an article about Coral Cove.”
“Oh!” The older woman’s green eyes sparkled. “How exciting! I’m Betty Sue, and this is Ted. What would you like to know?”
“Tell me about your shop and what you like about being here in Coral Cove,” Kaiah said, adjusting her pen to take notes.
After the interview, Kaiah and Becca returned to the sidewalk, where a young woman walked a golden retriever. Kaiah’s heart squeezed as she approached the woman and the dog. The sweet canine reminded her of George. “Would it be okay if I pet your dog?”
“Of course!” The woman stopped in front of her. “This is Maizy.”
Kaiah bent and began to stroke the dog’s head. “What an adorable name,” she said, and Maizy responded by licking Kaiah’s hand. The simple gesture nearly broke Kaiah’s heart in two. She missed her Georgie so, so much.
Kaiah gave the dog a few more pats before the young woman and Maizy headed down the street. Kaiah’s heart felt heavy as the pair disappeared from view. “Want to walk on the beach for a while?”
Becca consulted her watch. “Sure. We have some time before I need to pick up the girls from school.”
They walked out onto the sand, and Kaiah peered over at the glorious lighthouse that seemed to watch over them.
