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The next day was rough. We had stayed up late at the party and by the time I rolled into my little bed at my cottage, it felt like it was time to roll out of bed to start making cinnamon rolls.
Yawning, I went through the motions. The dough was as flat as I was feeling and about as tough as I knew the day was going to be. I sighed. I didn't have time to throw the pan away and start again. I'd make another batch later when I was feeling more with it. I guess the good thing about working in a coffee shop is that you have access to all the caffeine you need to survive.
Granny came down, dressed and ready to go for the day. She fired up the coffeemaker to make her morning brew and shook her head as she saw me. "You look like you had a little too much fun last night."
"That's about the size of it," I replied.
She smiled. "Good. That's exactly what someone your age should be doing. Once the morning crowd lightens up, you get on home and get yourself a nap this afternoon."
I flung my arms around her neck. "I love you so much right now, I can't even tell you."
She patted my forearm and pulled away. "Good. Because you're not going to love me so much when I tell you what I'm about to do."
"Oh no..." I said.
She gave me a smile, but this time it was a little tighter and I could see, now that I wasn't absorbed in my own misery, that something was off. "Did you have a chance to read through Georgia's book yesterday?"
"No," I said, my brows slowly knitting as I got the sense things weren't right.
"She said some awfully mean things in there," said Granny.
"Oh," I replied.
"I'm thinking I might need to go buy her stock of books for the shop so she doesn't have any to sell at her table today."
"Oh... it's that bad?"
Granny pursed her lips. "It doesn't matter if it is truth or fiction. It'd be best to cut down on this particular bit of Seaside gossip if we can avoid it."
"What did she say?"
Granny grabbed a box and started putting some treats inside. "Oh, nothing," she replied, shaking her head. "She's always been a dramatic girl, ever since she was a child. I mean, her family has always been a mess, but she said some things in there... Well, let's just say her views are a little skewed and she should have left quite a bit to lie where they lay."
"It must be bad if you are bringing her baked goods."
"It's that bad," said Granny.
"My cinnamon rolls are kind of terrible this morning," I confessed.
"Well, this was a bad day for the dough to decide not to cooperate," said Granny. Her easy demeanor slipped. "I could kill that woman!" she suddenly exclaimed, banging her fist on the counter.
I had not expected that outburst. "What is it?" I asked, reaching out to her.
But she didn't want comfort. She collected herself, head held high, grabbed her purse, and walked towards the door. "I'm going to go have a little chat with Georgia and I hope tonight, we'll have enough paper to have ourselves a big family bonfire on the beach. How does that sound?"
"I'll bring the marshmallows," I replied.
But she hadn't even waited to hear me. She was out the door before the last words left my mouth.
Captain came tiptoeing over, the tip of his tail swishing nervously. "Brrrrow?" he asked.
"I have no idea, Captain," I answered. "But whatever it is, it is bad."