change the window display and decorate the store for the new season. The temperature had been dropping at night, and the leaves would start changing soon.
The bell over the front door jingled. Irene, Barb and Hannah trooped in, chattering like a flock of birds. Adrie smiled and glanced at her watch. Three o’clock, Monday afternoon. Time for the Bayside Treasures to meet.
“Hello, Adrie honey.” Irene crossed the store and gave her a big hug. “Oh, you look so pretty today. I love that green sweater. It’s the perfect color for you. Is it new?”
Adrie smiled. “No, but it’s one of my favorites.”
“I can see why. It looks lovely on you.” Irene set her container of cookies on a café table then glanced around. “Is Marian in the office?”
“Yes. You can go on back.” Adrie greeted Barb and Hannah while Irene went to fetch Nana.
Barb slipped behind the café counter and poured herself a cup of coffee. “How’s the job hunt going? Any news?”
Adrie shook her head. “I was looking online and saw an opening in Atlanta, but when I contacted them, they said their flutist changed her mind and decided to stay.” She pulled a box cutter from her pocket and carefully slit the packing tape on the box of decorations.
Hannah clicked her tongue. “Well, we’ll just have to double up our prayers.”
“That’s right. God knows what you need—just one opening. Then as soon as you audition, I know they’ll snap you up.” Barb took a sip and looked at Adrie over the rim of her coffee mug. “You are keeping up with your practice schedule, aren’t you? You want to be in top form when the call finally comes.”
“I’m trying. But I’ve got practice for the worship team, and I’ve been spending a lot of time training Ross, plus I’ve been helping Rachel get ready for her wedding.”
“Did I hear my name?” Ross walked past Adrie, then stopped at the community bulletin board to pin up a concert poster.
Hannah chuckled. “That’s right. We’re talking about you.”
“Good things, I hope.” He grinned, winking at Adrie, his dark eyes dancing with humor.
Her face flushed. She looked down and fumbled with the flaps on the box. Why was she so flustered by that little wink? He didn’t mean anything by it, did he?
“Here let me help you with that.” Ross held the flaps open while she reached in for a strand of silk fall leaves.
“Thanks.” Her hand brushed his, and a shiver raced along her arm. She stopped and looked up. Her gaze connected with Ross, her pulse pounding out a steady beat.
He searched her face, and his smile dissolved into a concerned look. “What’s wrong?”
She jerked her gaze away, her face flaming. “Nothing.”
He stepped around the box and into her line of vision. “You sure?” He kept his voice low, but she could feel Barb and Hannah watching them.
She didn’t dare look him in the eye, so she focused on untangling the strand of leaves. “Yes, I’m just…feeling a little stressed about the job hunt, I guess.”
“How come? Something going on that you haven’t told me about?” His tone was light, but she could hear the concern in his voice.
Before she could tell him more, her grandmother strolled into the café with Irene. “Sorry to keep you ladies waiting.” She grinned and waved some small tickets in the air. “Look what I have.”
Hannah squinted at Nana as she settled into a chair. “What’s that?”
“Two complimentary tickets to the Salmon Bake on Saturday. Who wants to go with me?”
Irene sent Nana a wistful look. “I love salmon, but I just started my new diet, and that would be way too tempting.”
“I can’t go. I’m allergic to all seafood,” Barb said.
“How about you, Hannah? Are you free on Saturday?”
“Sorry, I promised my sister, Val, I’d drive down to Everett to see her and her husband.”
Suddenly, a bright smile broke over Irene’s face. “I know, why don’t you give the tickets to Ross and Adrie? I bet
The bell over the front door jingled. Irene, Barb and Hannah trooped in, chattering like a flock of birds. Adrie smiled and glanced at her watch. Three o’clock, Monday afternoon. Time for the Bayside Treasures to meet.
“Hello, Adrie honey.” Irene crossed the store and gave her a big hug. “Oh, you look so pretty today. I love that green sweater. It’s the perfect color for you. Is it new?”
Adrie smiled. “No, but it’s one of my favorites.”
“I can see why. It looks lovely on you.” Irene set her container of cookies on a café table then glanced around. “Is Marian in the office?”
“Yes. You can go on back.” Adrie greeted Barb and Hannah while Irene went to fetch Nana.
Barb slipped behind the café counter and poured herself a cup of coffee. “How’s the job hunt going? Any news?”
Adrie shook her head. “I was looking online and saw an opening in Atlanta, but when I contacted them, they said their flutist changed her mind and decided to stay.” She pulled a box cutter from her pocket and carefully slit the packing tape on the box of decorations.
Hannah clicked her tongue. “Well, we’ll just have to double up our prayers.”
“That’s right. God knows what you need—just one opening. Then as soon as you audition, I know they’ll snap you up.” Barb took a sip and looked at Adrie over the rim of her coffee mug. “You are keeping up with your practice schedule, aren’t you? You want to be in top form when the call finally comes.”
“I’m trying. But I’ve got practice for the worship team, and I’ve been spending a lot of time training Ross, plus I’ve been helping Rachel get ready for her wedding.”
“Did I hear my name?” Ross walked past Adrie, then stopped at the community bulletin board to pin up a concert poster.
Hannah chuckled. “That’s right. We’re talking about you.”
“Good things, I hope.” He grinned, winking at Adrie, his dark eyes dancing with humor.
Her face flushed. She looked down and fumbled with the flaps on the box. Why was she so flustered by that little wink? He didn’t mean anything by it, did he?
“Here let me help you with that.” Ross held the flaps open while she reached in for a strand of silk fall leaves.
“Thanks.” Her hand brushed his, and a shiver raced along her arm. She stopped and looked up. Her gaze connected with Ross, her pulse pounding out a steady beat.
He searched her face, and his smile dissolved into a concerned look. “What’s wrong?”
She jerked her gaze away, her face flaming. “Nothing.”
He stepped around the box and into her line of vision. “You sure?” He kept his voice low, but she could feel Barb and Hannah watching them.
She didn’t dare look him in the eye, so she focused on untangling the strand of leaves. “Yes, I’m just…feeling a little stressed about the job hunt, I guess.”
“How come? Something going on that you haven’t told me about?” His tone was light, but she could hear the concern in his voice.
Before she could tell him more, her grandmother strolled into the café with Irene. “Sorry to keep you ladies waiting.” She grinned and waved some small tickets in the air. “Look what I have.”
Hannah squinted at Nana as she settled into a chair. “What’s that?”
“Two complimentary tickets to the Salmon Bake on Saturday. Who wants to go with me?”
Irene sent Nana a wistful look. “I love salmon, but I just started my new diet, and that would be way too tempting.”
“I can’t go. I’m allergic to all seafood,” Barb said.
“How about you, Hannah? Are you free on Saturday?”
“Sorry, I promised my sister, Val, I’d drive down to Everett to see her and her husband.”
Suddenly, a bright smile broke over Irene’s face. “I know, why don’t you give the tickets to Ross and Adrie? I bet
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