The Starlight Cafe (Large Print)

Andrea Smith is determined to give her sons a happy life in Sapphire Bay. After leaving an abusive marriage, the peace and stability she’s found in the small Montana town soothes her soul and gives her the courage to rebuild her life.

With the development of the cottages on Anchor Lane underway, she sees an opportunity to open the café she’s always dreamed about. It will take a lot of hard work and more money than she has, but she needs to make this work—for her and her children.

David O’Dowd is the Clinical Director of BioTech Industries. The high-tech medical devices the company develops are changing people’s lives. When his boss decides to open a research facility in Sapphire Bay, it’s David’s job to find the perfect building and keep their investors happy.

When he sees the cottages on Anchor Lane being remodeled, he’s intrigued by the woman who’s working day and night to open a new café. When he meets her sons, he can’t help but be inspired by what she’s trying to do. But with mounting costs and limited resources, Andrea needs help to fund the rest of the project. 

With David’s financial skills and Andrea’s enthusiasm, they work together to create a future that’s brighter than either of them imagined. But will their past tragedies allow them to build a new life together, or will they tear them apart?

Andrea unwrapped a chair and placed it beside three others waiting to be painted. She still couldn’t believe she was finally opening her own café. After applying for a start-up loan from the bank three weeks ago, she’d waited with bated breath to see what they’d say.

When the loan was approved, she showed her friend Paris the email that would change her life forever. Now, here she was, unpacking the secondhand furniture she’d bought and counting down to the grand opening. 

“Mom, Charlie’s not bringing the boxes inside.”

Charlie was ten years old and the complete opposite of his elder brother, Andy. They were so different she wondered how they got along so well. 

Picking up the cardboard she’d pulled off the chair, she walked across to Andy. “Don’t worry. It’s nearly time for school, anyway. Thanks for helping me this morning.”

“That’s okay. Where do you want this box?”

“You can put it on the kitchen counter. I’ll empty it later.” She followed him into the kitchen and added the cardboard to the pile of recycling in the corner.

This was one of the most important rooms in the café and it was giving her sleepless nights. The refurbished commercial oven and refrigerators she’d wanted to buy had been sold to another person. With new appliances costing three times what she’d budgeted, she had to find other alternatives, and fast. 

Charlie ran into the kitchen. “Mr. Jessop’s here. He said he can take us to school.”

Andrea breathed a sigh of relief. Every moment she could spend getting the café ready was a godsend. 

Gordon Jessop walked into the kitchen holding a plate of cookies. He was the boys’ honorary granddad and one of the nicest men she’d ever met. 

“I figured you might be busy unpacking the furniture. I thought you might want a snack to keep you going before you start work at the church.”

“That’s so sweet. Thank you.” She gave him a hug, wanting him to know how much she appreciated him. For more than a year, Gordon had opened his home and his heart to her and her sons. With his encouragement, they’d found a new kind of normal in the small Montana town.

Andy was already collecting his backpack. “We have our writing group after school.”

“I’ll be at The Welcome Center by five o’clock.” Andrea picked up Charlie’s bag and smiled at her sons. “Would you like to take some of Mr. Jessop’s cookies to school?” 

Both boys nodded enthusiastically. 

While they opened their lunch boxes, Gordon studied the empty spaces on the far side of the room. “Have you found the appliances you need?”

“Not yet, but I’m sure they’re out there somewhere, just waiting for me to buy them.” She forced a smile, not wanting him to know how worried she was. 

His gaze sharpened. As usual, he wasn’t fooled by anything she said. “If you need any help, let me know.” 

“I will.” Before he sent her another knowing glance, she bustled everyone toward the front of the cottage. “Be good and have a great day at school.” After giving the boys a quick hug, she waved them goodbye and walked toward the next chair waiting to be unwrapped.

In six weeks, The Starlight Café was supposed to have its grand opening. But, if she couldn’t find the appliances she needed, no one would be lining up for a cup of coffee and something to eat. Regardless of how many hours she had to work or what she had to do, the café had to open. Her boys’ future depended on her and she wouldn’t let them down.

* * *

David checked his watch to make sure he still had time for the second half of his run. He hadn’t gone to sleep until late last night and, whether it was old age or tiredness, he’d had to drag himself out of bed this morning.

Taking a deep breath, he pushed himself harder, increasing his pace until his feet flew along the sidewalk. It was easy to see why Peter, his boss and friend, had made Sapphire Bay his home. Filled with quaint stores, friendly people, and breathtaking scenery, it was everything a jaded executive from Manhattan could ever need.

He glanced across the street. Allan Terry was standing on a ladder outside the general store. His wife, Mabel, handed him a basket of colorful flowers to hang with the others. Returning their friendly wave, he kept moving.

It was hard to believe he’d only been here for a few weeks. He’d lived in his apartment in New York City for a year before he’d met his neighbors. But, within hours of arriving in Sapphire Bay, he’d spoken to at least a dozen people and discovered more about their lives than he wanted to know.

Turning into Anchor Lane, he slowed to admire the row of cottages that were being remodeled. The first building had opened as a flower shop. He didn’t know what the second cottage would become, but it looked a thousand times better than it used to. The third building had ladders and drop cloths sitting under the sagging veranda, but the other five were still waiting for someone to take pity on them.

A woman holding a stack of flattened boxes stepped onto the sidewalk. He swerved around her, narrowly missing a truck parked on the road.

“Sorry. I didn’t see you.” A pair of blue eyes peeked over the top of the cardboard, widening when she saw his face.

He didn’t understand her surprise until she lowered the boxes. It was the same woman he’d bumped into at the local Bar and Grill. He still felt bad for making her wine spill over her dinner. And even worse for not introducing himself.

“We’ll have to stop meeting like this.” He hoped his words would make her smile, but her surprise turned into a frown. He looked over his shoulder at the recycling sitting in the back of the truck. “Do you need a hand?”

“I’ll be okay.” The woman stepped around him and stacked the flattened boxes with the others. 

Before she left, he wiped his hand on his T-shirt and held it toward her. “I’m David. I still feel bad about knocking over your glass of wine.”

“You don’t need to. We’d almost finished dinner, anyway. I’m Andrea.”

When their fingers touched his heart gave a nervous jolt. He’d felt exactly the same when he’d bumped into her last week, and he didn’t know why. Sure, she was easily the most attractive woman he’d met, but he’d learned not to judge people by their appearance. 

A pair of shy blue eyes and hair the color of honey wouldn’t normally make him feel so off-center. He was forty-one years old, focused on his career, and terrified of meeting anyone who could be more than a friend. 

Two builders carrying sheets of drywall walked around them. 

Andrea sent him an apologetic smile. “I’d better get back to work. Enjoy your run.”

He glanced at the second cottage, and then back at her. “Are you doing the remodeling?”

“I’m only getting the furniture and the fittings ready. The construction crew had already remodeled most of the cottage before I signed the lease. I’m opening a café.”

“Congratulations.”

“Thanks. There’s still a lot of work to do, but I’m getting there.” Her cell phone rang and she looked at the screen. “I need to answer this call. It was nice meeting you again.”

Before he could say the same, she walked away with the phone pressed to her ear.

At least, this time around, he’d introduced himself. It was better than leaving her with a wine-soaked sweater and soggy pizza. Hopefully, Peter or his fiancée, Katie, knew more about the mysterious café owner than he did.