The Chesapeake Diaries Series 7-Book Bundle: Coming HOme, Home Again, Almost Home, Hometown Girl, Home for the Summer, The Long Way Home, At the River's Edge by Stewart Mariah

Author:Stewart, Mariah
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-8041-8071-9
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
Published: 2014-05-20T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 11

Jesse turned up his collar and walked into the wind that blew up the street, scattering leaves in its wake. It was six forty-five in the morning and facing down the wind was his current best reason for investing in a new coffeemaker to replace the one in his kitchen that had rolled over and died a few weeks back. For now, and at least until winter set in and it turned really cold, there was Cuppachino, his first stop every morning.

It was warm and fragrant inside the coffee shop and he went right to the counter, where the pretty young girl who worked the early shift took down his mug, the one Carlo’s wife, Elisa, had made for him. She was a potter, and from their earliest days in the shop, Elisa made personal mugs for every one of the morning regulars. Grace’s said EDITOR, ST. DENNIS GAZETTE. Steffie’s said SCOOP; Vanessa’s, BLING. Jesse’s said ENRIGHT, ESQ. But to Jesse, it said that someone recognized him as one of them, that he belonged. He was inordinately proud of it.

He was early, so he took a seat near the front window where he could watch St. Dennis come to life on Charles Street. Observing life in a small town never failed to fascinate him, now that he was living in one. He turned at the sound of the door being opened and closed, and he waved to Clay, who waved back on his way to the counter, where he placed his order. When his mug was filled, he added cream and sugar—raw—and made his way around the tables to Jesse. He plunked down his mug—MADISON’S ORGANICS—and pulled up a chair.

“You ever play soccer, Enright?” Clay asked as he sat.

Jesse nodded. “High school, then club ball in college.”

“Got a few hours each week you wouldn’t mind sparing?”

“Maybe. Why?”

Clay came right to the point. “I just started coaching my nephew’s Boys Club team. The assistant quit and I need a replacement fast.” He took a sip of his coffee. “You interested?”

“How fast?”

“Now.”

“What’s the schedule?”

“Thursday afternoons from about three fifteen till four forty-five. Saturday mornings from nine till eleven. Pizza night once a month on Fridays. Party at the end of the season, win or lose.” He took another sip. “You in?”

“Sure. I’ll have to leave a little early this Thursday, though.” Jesse didn’t want anything to cut into his time with Brooke.

“That’s okay. I’m grateful that you said you’d do it. By the way, we practice and play on the same field, the one in the park off Charles Street. One light down from Kelly’s Point Drive.”

“I’ll find it.”

“Great. Thanks. I …”

The door opened and Grace entered with a woman whose red hair was twisted at the back of her neck. She wore a black pencil skirt with a matching jacket and four-inch black leather heels. Clay’s jaw dropped and Jesse was tempted to reach across the table and shut his friend’s mouth for him. Fortunately, Clay came to his senses and closed it on his own.

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