Amy glanced at the glass display and back at the woman. “Good morning. This is going to sound strange, but I don’t actually know what to get.”
The woman gave her an understanding smile. “It’s your first time?”
Amy cleared her throat. “Not only that, but I haven’t had anything sweet in years. My husband didn’t think it was right to…well, you know.”
The woman’s smile turned gentle. “He’s not here right now, is he?”
“God, no. He wouldn’t be caught dead in a town like this; no offense.”
“So, help yourself to whatever you like. I can recommend the cream and strawberry croissant or the oatmeal blueberry muffins.”
Amy’s stomach grumbled in response. “I don’t know if I can choose. They both sound delicious.”
“Why not have both?”
Amy shifted from one foot to the other. “That’s a little excessive; I don’t know.”
The woman motioned to her, and Amy stepped away from the register and in the direction of the display. With a smile, the woman slid the glass door open and snapped on a pair of gloves. She picked up a pair of tongs and made a sweeping hand gesture.
“You look familiar. Have we met?”
Ice settled in Amy’s veins. She inched back and was getting ready to bolt out the door, afraid Eric wasn’t far behind, when she peered closer. A heartbeat later, a burst of relief surged through Amy, and she sagged with recognition.
“You’re Ashley’s daughter and Lily’s cousin,” Amy realized, some of the knots in her stomach unfurling. “I think we met at Herring Cove, and we’ve seen each other a few times since them. I’m sorry… I can be really bad with faces and names. Emily, right?”
Emily’s face lit up. “That’s right! I thought I recognized you too, but it’s been such a hectic day… It’s nice to see you again, Amy.”
“You too.”
Emily reached for a muffin and placed it on a tray. “How are you liking Falmouth so far?”
“I’ve never been anywhere like it,” Amy admitted with a grimace. “Then again, it’s not like I’ve been to a lot of places, so I can’t really judge.”
She’d always meant to see the world, but life had gotten in the way.
In the form of a controlling, domineering, and impossible-to-please husband.
Emily reached for the croissant and set it down carefully, leaving some space between both pastries. “I know what you mean. I did a little bit of traveling when I graduated college, but then I met my husband, and we ended up back here. And once we had kids, that dream was pretty much over.”
“I’m sorry it didn’t work out.”
Emily glanced up and shook her head. “Oh, no. I didn’t mean it like that. I’ve had a great life. I can’t complain. Things just didn’t end up working out the way I thought they would; you know what I mean?”
Amy sighed. “Tell me about it. I didn’t expect to be seventy-one and starting over in a strange town, but here I am.”
Comprehension dawned on Emily’s face as her eyes lit up, and her smile turned understanding. She reached over and handed Amy the tray. “Starting over can be hard.”
Amy held the tray with both hands. “You sound like you’re speaking from experience.”
Emily stepped out from behind the counter, revealing a pair of jeans and a button-down shirt rolled up at the sleeves. She gestured to one of the empty booths near the windows. Together, the two of them sat down opposite each other, with Emily pausing to untie the apron from around her neck. She draped it over the counter and perched on the edge of the booth, eyeing Amy intently.
As if she was trying to figure her out.
But Amy found that she didn’t mind the younger woman’s gaze.
Emily leaned back and linked her fingers together. “I lost my husband a few years ago, and to say I’ve been struggling has been an understatement.”
Amy’s stomach dipped as she tore off a piece of her warm croissant. “I’m sorry for your loss.”
