Chapter 9

A few days after Thanksgiving, Wesley was enjoying an afternoon off and taking a stroll through many of his favorite places in Blueberry Bay—which of course included Tidal Wave Coffee.

He stepped inside the coffee shop, taking a deep breath of the warm, nutty smell that filled the air. As he stepped up to the counter, he grinned. The barista standing there was Paige Garner.

"Hey, Paige." He beamed at her. "How are you doing?"

"I'm okay." She smiled back.

She looks happier than she did, Wesley thought. She looks like she's got more energy and she seems less listless. He was very glad to see it.

"Do you want a black coffee?" she asked him, clearly remembering what he'd ordered before.

"Yes, please."

Paige moved with an expert precision as she got his coffee ready, almost as if she was navigating her own kitchen instead of somewhere where she'd only just started working. She was clearly a smart kid.

"How do you like Blueberry Bay so far?" Wesley asked her as she worked.

She shrugged as she poured the coffee. "I like it okay." There was a short pause, and then she said, "I do like working here."

Wesley smiled. "That's great. It's a great place to work."

"You bet it is." Michael appeared behind the counter, coming back in from the kitchen. He grinned at Wesley. "And Paige is the best worker we've ever had. No, really," he added as Paige started to blush. "She's a whiz. Picks things up immediately and has a knack for creating things. And she's a very hard worker."

"Well, I've worked in a coffee shop before," Paige said modestly. "But thanks." She was smiling, and her eyes were shining. It was clear that Michael's praise meant a lot to her.

She handed Wesley a steaming to-go cup of black coffee. "Here you are."

"Thanks. Good to see you, and I'll see you around." Wesley grinned at Paige, and she smiled back.

"I work here on weekends, so you'll probably see me again if you come back."

Wesley was just turning toward the door, intending to leave Tidal Wave Coffee, when he noticed Josie sitting in a corner of the coffee shop. She had a mug at her elbow, and a book held out in front of her, but he noticed her glancing at Paige surreptitiously.

I think she's here to watch over her sister more than she's here to read,he guessed.

He walked over to her, smiling even though her head was turned down toward her book again. But he could see that she was looking past the edge of the pages, her mind on other things.

"How's your book? Is it good?"

She looked up, startled. She shifted the placement of the book on the table, almost guiltily. He hadn't meant to call her out on the fact that she wasn't really reading, but she was clearly jittery.

"Hi," she said, ignoring his question. "How are you?"

"Oh, I'm fine." He smiled, lifting up his cup of coffee. "Got my favorite beverage here. Got the afternoon off. It's a nice day."

Josie smiled at him—a little hesitantly, he thought.

"Could I sit here?" he asked her, gesturing to the empty chair across from her.

"Sure, that's fine." She smiled again, but she shifted in her seat as if she was nervous.

Wesley sat down across from her, doing his best to make her feel at ease. He asked her more questions about the book, and it was clear that she had read some of it in the past, because her answers were intelligent and well-informed. Wesley found himself impressed by how articulate she was about her ideas.

She still seemed uncomfortable, however. Her shoulders looked tense, and her tone was a little clipped. She seemed stiff and reserved, and Wesley guessed that it was because she wasn't sure if he was trying to check up on her care of Paige or not.

"Paige really seems to be settling in nicely," Wesley said, gesturing to where the teenage girl was humming to herself as she tidied up behind the counter. "I'm sure you're doing a great job taking care of her. A great job."

Josie pressed her lips together. She looks tired, Wesley thought. She's probably overwhelmed.

"You don't need to worry, or feel stressed," he assured her gently. "Things are going to work out. Look at how well she's doing!"

Josie frowned slightly. "Are you talking to me as a social worker, or just as a regular guy?"

"Right now," Wesley assured her, "I'm just talking to you as a friend."

Josie blinked. She almost seemed surprised, and he felt his heart go out to her again. He wondered if maybe she wasn't used to people offering their friendship to her—could that explain how closed-off she seemed to be?

Josie nodded. She didn't smile, but he didn't feel daunted or put off by her attitude. He was happy to sit there with her in spite of the fact that she wasn't acting particularly happy to talk with him.

I like her, he realized, taking a sip of his warm, rich coffee. Maybe I recognize a bit of myself in her. I like how determined she is. And underneath all of that anxiety and concern is a lot of love.

"I'm not talking with you in an official capacity anymore," he reassured her, hoping to get her to relax even more. "That part of your sister's situation is all wrapped up. We're good. The social worker who was handling Paige's case in Portland will keep you both updated about your mother."

Josie nodded, and a shadow passed over her eyes. Wesley wondered if she'd already gotten a call or two about her mother, but he decided to not ask her about those personal details since they weren't his business.

"So," Wesley continued, watching her face curiously, "my part is pretty much done. I'm just talking with you as someone who wants to be your friend. I'd like to help if I can."

Josie smiled, seeming to relax a little. "Okay." She took a deep breath. "That could be really nice, I have to admit. I keep second-guessing every choice I make when it comes to Paige. I'm worried I'm doing everything wrong. Should I give her more space or try harder to get close to her?"

Wesley nodded. "Most people would feel like that under your circumstances. It's a challenging situation. I think my first piece of advice to you would be to stop being so hard on yourself."

Josie grimaced a little and laughed. "Easier said than done. It's like…" She hesitated for a moment, staring into space. "It's like I don't know what my role is. I feel like I'm something in-between a mother and a sister to Paige."

Wesley nodded, waiting for her to say more. She was still gazing out in front of her, clearly thinking deeply.

"I feel like," Josie said slowly, "I feel like I missed out on having a real sister relationship with her. I feel like that's something we can't get back—it's gone now." Her voice was quiet, and she glanced at his face for a moment and then looked away.

Wesley shook his head. "Don't hold onto thoughts like that. Don't get discouraged. It's never too late to repair a relationship with someone."

Josie nodded, taking a sip of her drink, which appeared to be a mocha. "I just don't know what to do. I don't know how to repair the relationship—she seems to be resisting all my attempts to reconcile with her."

"Ask for help," Wesley encouraged her. "You don't have to do this by yourself. Lean on other people that you know." He wanted to say, "Lean on me," but at the last moment he stopped himself from saying it. Somehow, it felt too forward of a thing to say to her under the circumstances.

Josie nodded, staring into space again. She looked thoughtful, but there was a light in her eyes that hadn't been there before Wesley sat down. He smiled, glad that he'd helped take away some of her worries.

"I'll let you get back to your book," he said, standing up. He very much enjoyed speaking with her and didn't really want to leave, but he felt that it would be impolite to stay and take up any more of her time.

She laughed. "I think I'll be able to concentrate much better now. Thank you, Wesley."

She held eye contact with him for a moment, and he offered her a warm smile.

"Best of luck. Call me anytime if you need advice."

"All right," she said, looking suddenly shy. "I will."

He smiled again and started for the door. As he stepped through the doorway, he glanced back at her and saw that she was watching him leave.