Page 2 of Second Chance in Charlevoix
Izzy had married Skipper Malone when they were both fresh out of high school. Her parents were gone and her sisters never said no. And there you have it. Izzy lost most of her Franciscan china throwing the plates at Skipper. The divorce had been her idea but by that time Skipper was probably thinking marrying her had been a bad idea. He’d left for Europe while Izzy stayed at Sunnycrest, the family summer home. No one told her she couldn’t, and she really liked Charlevoix.
“Easily led by her emotions.” That’s what the counselor had told Izzy during their brief therapy sessions. Back then she probably had been too emotional. But now she was a mother and a new woman, who’d come up with a brilliant idea. When was someone going to say something? Holly’s eyes were flagging and Izzy didn’t want her to get cranky.
“I don’t blame you.” Finally Aunt Cate spoke up. “You can smell the chemicals. Moving out probably is a good idea for you and the baby.”
“Interesting idea,” Marlowe said. Izzy had asked Marlowe to support her when they worked bingo at Tall Oaks, a local senior facility. But she hadn’t given her older sister any details. Marlowe’s sparkling eyes indicated as much right now.
Sam sat back and moved her chicken salad around with her fork. Poor Sam looked exhausted. She'd gone through her own rough period recently with an uglydivorce. After selling her Chicago home, she’d just arrived that afternoon. Izzy was never known for good timing.
So, that was it? Jumping up, Izzy got the box of Lucky Charms and sprinkled more on Holly’s tray. Lightheaded with relief, she wished her hands would stop shaking. But after delivering her news, she felt stronger. And she interpreted the silence of her two sisters as validation. The little mischief sitting in the highchair next to her was a constant reminder that she had to take this step.
Working with serious intent, Holly pressed one forefinger down on each Lucky Charm before popping it into her mouth. When she caught Izzy looking at her, her darling girl giggled. Izzy had failed at so many things, including two marriages. Motherhood? She wanted to knock it out of the park.
“What about Skipper’s mother?” Marlowe asked, just when Izzy figured the conversation was over.
“What about her?” Izzy crossed the fingers of her left hand so tightly under the table that her knuckles ached.
Marlowe shrugged. “Didn't Irene Malone hold a grudge after the divorce? How will she feel having you and Holly around?”
“People get over things.” Izzy sure hoped that was the case.
Looking troubled, Aunt Cate glanced up from herempty plate. “I admit I'm going to miss you and Holly terribly. You have to promise me that I can visit or you will come here.”
“Don't worry, Aunt Cate. We'll figure something out. Holly’s in daycare now, but we’ll come visit.”
The frown disappeared from her aunt's forehead. After everything Aunt Cate had done for her, she certainly didn't want to hurt her feelings. But Holly was Izzy’s priority. Moving her baby girl to a safer environment was her responsibility. Wasn't it?
She was hoping that Skipper would see it that way too.
Chapter 2
Isabel
Although Izzy wanted the following day to go smoothly, trouble started when she reached daycare. As one of the girls whisked Holly away, Mrs. Goodman waved Izzy into her office. In Izzy’s past experience office conversations never ended well. Sitting in the chair facing the desk, Izzy hated what she was hearing. Her baby girl’s attitude was a problem.
Was Izzy taking this personally? Heck, yes. You would have thought Holly was genetically related to Izzy instead of adopted. Izzy’s mom had probably had a lot of conversations with authority figures like the ones buzzing in her head.
Holly was “not learning to play well with others,” Mrs. Goodman told her in a very serious tone. As Mrs. Goodman droned on, Izzy fell into a funk. Thewoman could have been talking about Izzy. Headstrong. Had to have her own way. “She does not know how to share.” Feeling a little teary, Izzy wiped her eyes with one of the sleeves of her jean jacket. Somehow she choked out assurances. Izzy would fix this. She had to. But how? Lame ideas buzzed around her head like a cloud of gnats as Izzy said good-bye and drove to the bakery in her beat-up Toyota Camry.
One of the reasons she’d opted for daycare was so Holly would learn to play with other children. Her baby girl was used to getting anything she wanted. Just like Izzy. The thought made her want to slam her head against the steering wheel. After the death of their parents, the family would have given Izzy anything. But life wasn't like that. Izzy knew that now, and she desperately wanted her little girl to learn from her mother’s past mistakes. Wasn’t that the least she could do? Yet here she was. How could she help Holly with her attitude? Parking behind Coffee and Cupcakes, she stomped into the back room. After hanging up her jacket, she pulled on her green apron.
The smell of baking bread filled the air. That had to be the most relaxing smell in the world. And she needed to relax. Setting her shoulders for what she had to do that morning, she tightened her blonde ponytail. Her stomach was churning like she’d eaten a bad burrito.
Although Izzy might be considered the baby in herfamily, in the bakery she was the boss. But she was about to ask for the moon. Would Skipper go for her plan? Today she wanted everything to go smoothly. But she’d hit a snag at daycare and that could not continue.
“What's with the serious expression?” Skipper looked up from the dough he was working, folding in layers of butter over and over again. The things that man could do. The public loved all those flaky layers. Skipper knew how to bring on the butter and the fillings sweet enough to make your teeth hurt.
“Nothing.” She hated to drag him into the daycare problem. But wasn't that what she was about to do? Izzy had been thinking about that all the way over to Coffee and Cupcakes. How should she approach this situation? She was feeling desperate. Skipper had to let them stay at his place. Although his mom hadn’t been Izzy’s favorite person during their short marriage, Izzy had changed. Would Irene Malone see that?
“Is this about Holly?” Skipper wiped his hands on his apron. A tray of chocolate croissants sat ready for the showcase. His wonderfully oversized chocolate chip cookies were also ready to be taken out to the front. Three different kinds of breads were probably already arranged on the back shelves. Focaccia was his favorite this month. The shop opened in twenty minutes. Debbie would be here soon. As indecision froze her, Izzy’s sugar addiction kicked in. Shesnatched a chocolate chip cookie from one of the trays.
“How do you always know what I’m thinking?” She bit into the cookie and slung her purse unto the chipped desk from Goodwill. Almost all of the furniture back there was secondhand. Some had been gifted to her by the previous owner. Izzy's budget was tight and bakery equipment had taken up most of it, along with the tables and chairs out front. Boy, the cookie was good. Crisp on the edges and soft in the middle.
Meanwhile, Skipper went back to work. “We lived together for over a year and now we've worked together almost for a year. I know you.” His eyes flicked up as if he had more on his mind. But he pursed his lips tight.
“You know me but with a lot of years in between.”
Skipper had spent years away from Charlevoix learning to be a pastry chef in Paris. She’d spent them dashing into another ill-fated marriage. Pushing his red bandana back with the heel of one hand, Skipper shrugged. Guys could do that. They could just forget sixteen years as if they were nothing.
