“I don’t remember a Dale from when I lived here.”
“He’s a few years older than us, but he used to come here in the summers to visit his aunt. He moved here right after you left town. He came to the island to help Ginger out after she took a bad fall. He ended up taking over Second Finds and staying here.”
“I’ll head over there after we finish closing up the shop.”
Beverly went back to her office and sat down. The painting she’d found was still loosely rolled up on one edge of the desk. She should show it to Dale. Maybe he’d know more about it. Though, probably not since it wasn’t of Magnolia Key. With that decision made, she flipped open her laptop and got to work.
* * *
Maxine headed over to Second Finds after helping Beverly close up Coastal Coffee. The warm sunshine greeted her as she strolled down the sidewalk. A few people recognized her and said hi. That pleased her but still didn’t make her feel like she actually belonged here. Maybe eventually she would.
She got to Second Finds and pushed into the shop. A bell jangled over the door and she smiled as it brought back memories of stopping in the shop when she was young. Ginger always let her browse around. The familiar smell of the shop surrounded her. Old books, worn leather, and the faint scent of lemon from the polish on the furniture. Ginger always made the furniture shine. She glanced around at the old furniture, vintage clothing, and various items from bygone eras that had found their way into the shop—an eclectic mix of things all long forgotten by their owners.
She walked into the shop and ran her fingers over the spine of an old book, the title almost worn off the well-loved tome. A glass doorknob caught the light of an antique chandelier, scattering rainbow flashes onto a table. A feeling of stepping into the past came over her as she wandered deeper into the shop.
Suddenly, a man appeared down the aisle. “Good afternoon. May I help you find something?” His smile was friendly, welcoming.
“You must be Dale.” There was a smattering of gray at his temples, and his blue eyes peered out from reading glasses settled low on his nose. He wasn’t much taller than she was. Maybe five-ten or so.
“I am.” He nodded.
“I’m Maxine Shipman. Beverly sent me looking for a bookcase for Coastal Coffee. She’s thinking of putting in a small lending library at the coffee shop.”
“What a great idea. Here, I have some bookcases back this way.” He snatched off his glasses and slipped them into his shirt pocket and led the way down the aisle.
A well-lit area in the back was filled with larger pieces of furniture, all polished and waiting for someone to want them again. Appreciate them. A tall bookcase, but not too deep, caught her attention. “This one might work. Look at the detail carved into the piece of wood going across the top. It’s lovely.”
“That one is kind of beat up. I try to do my best to make the pieces look good, but that one has some deep scratches. And I had to glue the side. See, right here.” He pointed to the split. “It’s sturdy, but needs some love.”
“Oh, you know what I could do? I could paint it with chalk paint. Maybe a nice muted teal color. That would look great with Beverly’s decor in the shop.”
“There are initials on the back of it. JB. I assume it’s the initials of the woodworker.”
She peered at the back, tracing her finger over the initials, then came to the front and ran her fingers along the worn wooden shelves. “I think this will work perfectly.”
“I can deliver it tomorrow. How about right about three or so after Beverly closes? I have a part-time worker who will be here tomorrow afternoon.”
“That will be fine. I’m working then. I just need to find a place to work on it a bit. I’ll ask Beverly. Then all I need to do is find some books to add to it.” She took one last look at the bookcase, sure that Beverly would love it. “I guess I’ll see you tomorrow, then.”
“I’ll see you tomorrow.” He smiled at her, his eyes twinkling with warmth.
She turned to leave but couldn’t help stopping to look at quite a few items as she was leaving the shop. There was one small table with an unusual shape, but the wood and finish were in bad shape. It would look adorable painted a pastel shade and used for a bed table or small table beside a couch. She had no money for things like this now, but soon, after she found a place of her own, she’d be back to shop here.
* * *
Maxine and Beverly had a light dinner that night, then went outside to watch the sunset. “You’re really going to love the bookcase. Such great workmanship. And Dale made sure it was sturdy. With a bit of paint on it, I think it would brighten up that wall, too. I’m going to put a slight glaze on it to make the carving near the top of the bookcase really pop.”
“I defer to your guidance. I know you have an eye for that kind of thing. You could paint it in the storage room in the back of the shop. There’s a window in there, so you should get some nice light.”
“That would be perfect. It will take a few coats and sanding in between. Then I’ll put a protective finish on it.” She paused, wondering if wax or a polyurethane finish would be better. But she loved the feel of a wax finish. She was leaning that way.
“You sound like you’ve done this before.”
“I have. I love restoring furniture. Either sanding and restaining or painting if the pieces need it.” She still had a few pieces of furniture she’d redone that were back in storage. Along with a queen bed with a headboard she’d found at a thrift shop and refinished.
“I can’t wait to get the lending library started.” Beverly leaned back in her chair and watched the flight of a pair of gulls swooping down by the water.
“I’m sure it will be used a lot. It’s a great idea.”
