Just then, Maileah’s phone dinged. She pulled it from her pocket and peered at it.
“Something important?”
“It’s my dating app. Just another guy.” She started to put it away.
“I’ve never seen one,” April said. “Mind if I look?”
Maileah hesitated. “You won’t like it. But go ahead.”
As her mother read, her eyes widened. “He’s bold, isn’t he?”
“Some are,” Maileah said, deleting his message. “There, he’s history.” She lifted her chin and grinned. “See? I’ve changed.”
Her mother nodded her approval. “Yes, you have. Did Junie tell you about the young man she met at the gift shop for you? His name is Todd, and he sounds interesting.”
“I’ll call him later.” Maileah shrugged. What was another ten minutes out of her life? “I’ll think about what you said about marketing my services. I need to get my life back on track.”
April squeezed her daughter’s hand. “You will. Crown Island may be small, but it’s full of opportunities if you know where to look.”
Hope glimmered in Maileah’s mind. Perhaps a fresh start was waiting for her here. They turned to walk back.
When they reached the Majestic, her mother hugged her. “Give Todd a call. You never know how life might work out. And I’ll ask around to see if anyone needs a talented marketing professional.”
“Thanks, Mom. That means a lot to me.” As a rebellious teen, Maileah was loathe to listen to her mother, and their relationship had suffered in the years since. But after thedebacle with her father, Maileah saw her mother in an entirely new light.
After leaving the Majestic Hotel, Maileah returned to Junie’s house on Sunshine Avenue. She waved at Knox’s parents, who were working in the garden with little Penny.
Inside, she turned on her computer and made a few more tweaks to Junie’s website.
After working for the rest of the afternoon, she walked into the kitchen and snitched a couple of oatmeal raisin cookies Junie had made for Knox’s family. They were Penny’s favorites, and Maileah needed some sweet courage.
She gobbled the cookies, then pulled out Todd’s phone number and tapped it into her phone. She almost hoped he might not answer so she could go for a long run on the beach, one of her favorite things to do.
He answered on the first ring. “Todd Williams here.”
“Oh, hi. You don’t know me, but my sister Junie runs the gift shop at the Majestic?—”
“You must be Maileah.”
“Guilty.”
Todd chuckled, immediately scoring points over straight-faced John. “I just arrived at Cuppa Jo’s. Your sister told me to check it out. Will you join me for a burger and some live music? The guy playing the guitar is pretty good, and I’d like to learn more about the island.”
She hesitated. “I don’t know how much I can tell you.” Eating a sloppy burger in front of someone she didn’t know could be awkward. Besides, she preferred sushi—fewer chances of accidents unless you were sloppy with the soy sauce or chopsticks. At least she has mastered that.
Still, she’d committed herself to stepping outside of her comfort zone. She should get this meetup over with, if only to tell her mother and Junie she’d followed through. It was a short walk to Jo’s diner.
“I’ll meet you there,” she replied, hoping he wasn’t remotely like John.
3
Maileah’s nerves fluttered as she approached the retro diner her friend owned. Jo was their neighbor across the street, and she told Junie about the house on Sunshine Avenue when it came up for sale. The neon sign that read Cuppa Jo’s flickered against the twilight sky, and live music drifted from the open door.
The diner was full of mostly locals. It was the place to be on a Friday after work. When Maileah stepped inside, Jo looked up from the shake machine, her short dark hair framing a welcoming smile.
“Hi, good to see you. Want a seat at the counter?” Jo gestured toward a row of red vinyl-covered swivel stools.
Maileah was grateful for a familiar face. “Not this time. I’m meeting someone here.” She glanced around, but a couple of men were sitting by themselves. “Do you know if one of those is named Todd?”
