Page 29 of A Breeze Over Rosewood Beach (Rosewood Beach #9)

CHAPTER TWENTY

Ocean Breeze Café was quiet, the sounds of the hum of conversation and the clatter of dishes long gone.

The last of her staff had left an hour earlier, but Sally lingered in the office, absently tapping her pen against a notepad.

The pages in front of her were full of numbers, schedules, to-do lists, and all kinds of things she needed to focus on, but her eyes weren’t really seeing any of it.

She didn’t feel like returning home yet. The office light glowed softly, and through the doorway she could see the dim interior of the closed café. Ocean Breeze Café was normally her happy place, but tonight, the familiar building felt a little too empty.

Sally let out a long sigh and leaned back in her chair, pressing the heels of her hands into her eyes. She knew that her little home was going to feel even emptier, and she didn’t want to go back there yet.

She thought about the call she’d gotten earlier, from an overjoyed Vivian who had shared the news of Hazel and Jacob’s elopement.

Sally was truly, deeply happy for Hazel and Jacob, but she also had found that the news left her with an achy feeling in the pit of her stomach.

Hazel and Jacob had done it—they had taken that leap of faith, reaching out for a future filled with companionship and joy.

And as much as Sally was thrilled for them, a quiet voice whispered inside her, What about me?

Sally rubbed her temples, not wanting to feel sorry for herself.

She knew that the opportunity to be married had passed her by, and she needed to accept that.

After all, in the past she’d had opportunities to choose love or romance over her career as a café owner, and she hadn’t taken them.

In the past, her heart had been fully in the adventure of her business.

Now, she was realizing that you can’t take a café home with you at night and say good morning to it when the sun rose.

She sniffed and tried to shake off what she was feeling. She was just telling herself that she should stand up and go home when she heard footsteps approaching. A familiar voice called out, “Are you inventing some new three-layer sandwich miracle back here?”

Oscar appeared in the doorway, his eyes dancing playfully in a way that Sally had never seen before. She smiled as soon as she saw him.

“Hey, you!” she said. “Didn’t I lock those front doors yet?”

He shook his head. “No, you didn’t. I saw the light on in your office and decided to stop by to say hello.”

He leaned in the doorway, looking almost boyish. Sally’s heart beat a bit faster as she realized just how attracted to him she was.

“You looked a little sad just now,” he told her. “Is everything all right?” The expression of concern on his face made Sally feel more special than she’d felt in a long time.

“Oh, nothing.” She smiled bravely. “I’m just tired.”

Oscar shook his head. “I haven’t known you that long, Sally, but I know what you look like when you’re tired. That wasn’t it. I’ve never seen you looking so upset before.”

“It’s Hazel and Jacob,” Sally finally admitted, her voice trembling more than she expected it to. “Vivian’s daughter and her partner. They got married at the courthouse today.”

“Oh?” Oscar looked confused. “Isn’t that good news?”

“It’s great news,” Sally said quickly, wiping a stray tear as it slipped down her cheek.

“I’m so happy for them. They’re perfect for each other.

It’s just…” She hesitated, feeling foolish but pressing on anyway.

“I guess it hit me harder than I thought that—” She sighed.

“I love this place, you know? I’ve poured everything into it.

The long nights, the endless to-do lists—I didn’t care because I was chasing my dreams. But sometimes I wonder—what else have I missed while I’ve been so busy? ”

Oscar pulled up a chair across from her, his expression softening even more. “You think you’ve missed out on romance?”

“Sometimes,” she whispered. “I’ve spent years making sure everyone else feels at home here. The regulars, the staff, and the people who wander in and stay because the soup is good and the coffee is hot. And I love them, I really do. But what if I forgot to save room for my own story?”

Oscar leaned forward, his expression earnest. “Sally, you’ve created something special. You’ve built a place where people feel like they belong, where they’re seen and cared for. That’s not something everyone can do.”

She blinked, the tightness in her chest loosening just a little.

“You care so much about everyone who walks through those doors,” he continued, his voice warm and steady. “That’s not you missing out. That’s you living fully. And you’ve still got plenty of story left, you know. You’re not finished.”

Sally smiled, and happiness wafted through her core.

“Thank you. I think I needed to hear that. Thank you for reminding me of the beautiful things I do have. I really do appreciate all the people I have in my life.” Her eyes lingered on his face as she said the words, and she thought she saw his ears turn slightly pink.

All at once she was hit with a marvelous idea.

“You know,” she said, sitting up straighter, “I should do something. For Hazel and Jacob. They didn’t have a big wedding or reception.

Julia was sad they didn’t get to celebrate together, and she said they were trying to plan a small party. What if I host it here?”

Oscar nodded. “What did you have in mind?”

Sally’s eyes shone, her usual spark returning in full force.

“An informal reception. Here at Ocean Breeze Café. Something cozy but special, that will be a way for everyone who loves them to celebrate their marriage. And Hazel and Jacob both love Monte Cristo sandwiches, so what if we did a Monte Cristo sandwich bar? We could have people make different variations, like a build-your-own kind of thing.”

“Brilliant,” Oscar said, seeming to be caught up in her energy.

Sally’s mind raced ahead, picturing twinkling string lights, fresh flowers on the tables, and platters of golden, gooey sandwiches. It could be perfect.

A moment later, however, she felt a twinge of doubt. “I want to do this,” she admitted to Oscar, “but what if I don’t have enough time to pull it off? If I’m going to do something like this for Hazel and Jacob, I want to make sure it’s really wonderful. They deserve that.”

Oscar reached across the desk and placed his hand over hers. “You don’t have to do this alone. I’ll help you.”

Sally’s breath caught when she heard his words. She’d grown so used to managing everything herself, carrying the weight because she thought she had to. The thought of someone offering to share her burdens with her made her almost weak at the knees with happiness.

“Really?” she asked, her voice small.

“Really.” He gave her hand a gentle squeeze. “We’ll make it everything you want it to be.”

Tears pricked at her eyes, and she squeezed his hand back. “Thank you,” she whispered. “It feels so reassuring to have someone be in this with me.”

Oscar gave her a soft smile. “Of course. So, what are your ideas?”

Sally grinned as she thought for a moment, and then she clapped her hands together, her excitement bubbling to the surface.

“Okay! So, a Monte Cristo sandwich bar. We can have classic sandwiches of course, and then maybe some with brie and apple, or ham and fig jam for a twist. Oh, and of course we have to have strawberry preserves on the side.”

Oscar laughed. “Don’t forget a vegetarian option.”

“Of course! We could do one with roasted mushrooms and gruyère cheese.” She jotted it all down, the spark of her enthusiasm fully reignited now.

“And we’ll need decorations for the reception.

Beautiful things, but nothing too complicated or time-consuming.

Maybe some twinkle lights, and maybe fresh flowers from the general store.

I have all kinds of white tablecloths somewhere in storage. ”

“And don’t forget about music,” Oscar added. “Is there a local band you can hire to play Hazel and Jacob’s favorite songs?”

Sally’s grin widened. “That’s a wonderful idea!”

The more they planned, the lighter she felt.

The sadness that had lingered when she’d first sat down in the office was slipping away, replaced by anticipation and purpose.

As they moved from brainstorming ideas to making lists, Sally realized she was no longer thinking in terms of what she was missing.

Instead, she was thinking about what she was building—connections, memories, and moments that would make people feel loved and seen.

Finally, Oscar glanced at the clock. “It’s getting late. Would you like me to walk you to your car?”

Sally looked up, surprised by the time. “Yes. Thank you for offering.” She smiled at him, wondering for a moment if he was real or just some lovely figment of her imagination.

They gathered their notes and stepped into the cold night air, the sound of the ocean waves faintly reaching them from down the street. The café stood quietly behind them, waiting to come alive again in the morning.

As they walked toward their cars, Sally felt lighter than she had in weeks. There was still plenty to sort out and plenty to plan. But for the first time in a long while, she didn’t feel like she was carrying it all alone.

When they reached her car, Sally turned to Oscar. “Thank you. For showing up tonight, and for helping me.”

He shrugged, but the softness in his eyes betrayed how much it meant to him too. “Anytime, Sally. You don’t always have to hold the whole world on your own.”

She smiled, unlocking her door. “I guess I don’t.”

As she drove home, her heart dancing with happiness, Sally realized that she’d been thinking about her life the wrong way.

Life wasn’t a race she’d fallen behind in.

It wasn’t a list that she’d failed to check off.

It was about small, beautiful moments, shared with people who cared, and she’d had plenty of those.

And there’s more coming, she thought, biting her lip as she smiled. I can’t wait to share more moments with Oscar.