Sea Glass Cottage--A Hope Harbor Novel by Irene Hannon

Author:Irene Hannon
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Contemporary Romance;Novels;FIC042040;FIC027020;FIC027270
Publisher: Baker Publishing Group
Published: 2022-02-14T00:00:00+00:00

17

“Christi, how can I ever thank you? I would never have been able to manage without your help.” Beth touched her arm.

“No thanks necessary.” Christi set the to-go container from the Myrtle on Beth’s kitchen table as the woman eased into a chair. “Shall I take those?” She motioned toward the crutches.

“I can manage.” Beth balanced them against the wall. “With the help of the physical therapist who’s been coming, I’ve learned to do almost everything on my own. Not at my usual speed, however.” She opened the container and leaned close to inhale the savory aroma. “No one makes meat loaf like the Myrtle.”

“And look what I brought for dessert.” Christi unwrapped a napkin from around a frosted doughnut, set the treat on the table, and retrieved eating utensils from a drawer.

“Did you get that at Sweet Dreams?”

“Nope. I filched it from the doughnut table after the service this morning at Grace Christian. It was my first visit to the church. Have you been there?”

“No.” Beth picked up the knife and fork. “This looks delicious.”

In other words, she didn’t want to talk about church.

Her choice—but it was sad she wasn’t able to call on God for support while she recovered.

“I know you haven’t been up to hearing a report on the chamber of commerce meeting, but I have the notes in my purse if you’d like a quick recap.”

“I’d love a briefing—but I hate to infringe on your Sunday any more than I already have.”

“You aren’t. I don’t have any plans until later.” Her shift at the bar and grill didn’t begin until five, and while she’d rather go for a walk on the beach than wait tables—or wear that skimpy uniform—the tips were excellent. “Give me a minute to get my notebook. I left it in the living room.”

Once she had it in hand, Christi took the other seat at the small round café table.

“How many merchants came?” Beth broke off a piece of meat loaf with the edge of her fork, eyebrows peaking as Christi gave her an estimate. “That’s a large turnout for Hope Harbor.”

“Everyone was concerned about the impact of the wildfires. Most businesses are being adversely affected, and there was a lot of discussion about the importance of increasing tourism over the summer months.”

“Were any viable ideas offered?”

“Marci mentioned building on the farmers’ market.”

Beth’s brow wrinkled. “Much as I enjoy the market, I don’t think we could embellish it enough to draw the number of visitors we’d need to solve our problem.”

That had been her conclusion too—but it carried more weight coming from someone who’d lived in the area longer and knew the lay of the land.

“I’ve never experienced the Hope Harbor market, but I’ve been to others. To be honest, they all tend to be similar. Charming but not distinctive.”

“True.” Beth poked her fork in the mashed potatoes but didn’t take a bite. “I expect the waters ahead are going to get rougher. The businesses that have been around awhile should be able

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