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Annie looked stunned. " Are you kidding?"

Michael was surprised she would be so surprised, but then realized he hadn't really taken an active interest, aside from sending the kids gifts and cards … and his secretary took care of all that.

"Yeah, I’m serious. I'd like to hang out with my nephews and after doing this initial work here in the office, I’m realizing how hard you've been working. You deserve a night off. And you know, the Warren Inn’s tavern has great food, you should check it out."

"Do they? I’ve been meaning to go. Beth and her sister Lisa come here all the time to buy their seafood and she’s been telling me to come in. Thank god they still come here. She's one of our biggest customers."

"Beth Adams?" Michael was confused, was Annie talking about the same Beth?

"Yeah, Beth, you remember her. The tall redhead. Her sister dated Jesse? She’s the owner of the Warren Inn and Tavern and also the chef.”

Michael still wasn’t able to process all of this.

“Didn't you go there last night? Maybe she wasn’t there. Beth is amazing and she insists on supporting the local businesses. Thank god for that, she’s our most consistent revenue. Another reason I could use your help is that she’s going to be keeping me pretty busy today. She’s doing these new culinary bike tours and offers them special menus each time, which is great for us, ‘cause she develops the menus on the fly and likes to keep it very local. Very Maine, you know?"

Michael couldn't believe his ears. Beth Adams was the chef and owner of the whole inn! He had to admit it was really well done and quite cosmopolitan for Gray Harbor, and the culinary bike tours ... what a brilliant idea. Gray Harbor was, after all, quite beautiful for that sort of thing. He had her all wrong. Not that it mattered what she did for a living really. It didn’t change anything; he still couldn't get into anything with her. He was leaving soon. But he supposed there was no harm in a little flirting or even making friends. After all, two and half weeks was a long time.

She was going to be here today. Suddenly being out on the floor today didn't sound so bad. He perked up.

"All right, I’ll be out on the floor. But let's eat lunch; I’m starving all of a sudden. I’ll pick up on the bills tonight."

Annie and Michael headed over to Annie's office and had some peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and sodas. Michael couldn't help thinking it would be great if there were more places to get lunch around here. It might be nice to have a food stand or even an eatery here at Malone's. Something to think about. Before he suggested any other new ideas, though, he figured he should get a better handle on the business and the current situation.

Annie and Michael made small talk as they ate and decided that Michael would babysit the next night while she and Tom finally had a night to themselves to do anything, maybe even just go out for a movie or a drink at the Tavern.  Michael was glad he made someone in his family happy by being there. They finished up and Annie took Michael downstairs and got him ready for his afternoon shift as cashier.

Beth pulled up to Malone's Market. Although she liked the new space, she had to admit she missed the smaller market it once was. Of course she would never tell Annie that, given all the work she and her family had put into the place.

Over the past three years, she had really come to respect Annie. Beth believed in small business, but frankly, she was worried for the Malones. With Cinzano’s cornering the specialty food market in Gray Harbor, it might be hard for Malone’s to make a comeback — but again, Malone’s was Maine.

As Beth got out of the car, she checked her hair and makeup. She didn't usually care what she looked like to meet Annie, but she couldn't help thinking maybe she'd run into Michael. She was slightly embarrassed that she might meet him wearing her chef's jacket and checkered chef pants and clogs, but she had to live with it. And besides, he didn't exactly seem like the kind of guy who would work at the fish market. Maybe he wouldn’t be there at all and she was stressing out for nothing. She knew he did in high school but, well, Beth didn't really know what to expect. And frankly, she didn’t know why seeing him again was taking up so much space in her brain. She locked her car and headed for the entrance.

She walked through the market area and decided she’d look to see if she could find grapefruit for the scallops. She found a few that were acceptable and placed them in her basket. She then found some frisée and few other items. She didn’t usually buy produce here, but since this was for a special menu and it was “on the fly,” she figured why not.

She had made her way down the aisles and was reading a package of soba noodles, lost in thought about making the idea of making some pickled lotus root, and tuna steak with soba, when she felt someone behind her.

“Can I help you find anything?” Michael said with a smile.

Beth spun around and was a bit speechless. He wasn’t wearing his glasses and today he wore a white dress shirt, which was open just enough to see his tanned skin and just a tiny sprinkling of hair. He had on Italian leather loafers and khaki dress slacks, flat front, thank god, she noted. She hated men who wore pleated pants. He certainly didn’t look like a fishmonger, but he strangely resembled some of her more Wall Street guests at the Inn, who she didn’t always love—he looked very “Flatlander”. He looked like a tourist. Well, whatever, she thought, he did he look good today.

She pondered his question and asked, “Can you help me with anything ... wait, do you work here now, Michael?” She asked, feeling a little self-conscious.

Michael wondered if it really mattered whether he worked here or not. Beth didn’t strike him as a woman who really cared whether he was a doctor, lawyer, or bag boy. But then again, he had reacted similarly about her.

“Well, I am working here today.” He smiled. “I’m just here helping out for a few weeks while I’m on vacation.”

That was nice, she thought. And also surprising, from the little she did know about Michael and his relationship with his family. Bob had told her that Michael never came to visit and that he and his father were not on the best of terms. She also remembered that in high school, he had been living under Jesse’s shadow. She didn’t want to pry but she assumed if he was here for a while, then his father must not be doing so great. She and Annie hadn’t had a heart-to-heart recently. They weren’t exactly the best of friends but they did see each other every Tuesday during her shopping excursions.

Michael looked down at her basket and said, “So, are you shopping for yourself today?”

“Oh, no, I’m actually shopping for the Warren Inn today. I’m planning this week’s menu and doing all the shopping for our specials.”

With a smile he nodded. “That explains the chef’s outfit. I had no idea you were both an accomplished chef and bartender.”

“Ahh, yes that. I’m probably the world’s worst bartender. I was just covering for a staff member who called in sick. Actually, I’m the owner and head chef of the inn,” she paused adding, “and the occasional bartender, waitress ... valet parking attendant.”

What the hell was she doing, she thought to herself. This man is here helping his family because his father is sick and she was making a pass at him. And he clearly lived so far away that he couldn't possibly want anything more than a fling. Now, there was a thought: a fling. She could feel herself blushing, maybe he wouldn’t notice.

He chuckled at her response and said, “A woman of many talents.”

“Now, my capabilities are not nearly as impressive but do you need anything I can help you with today, selecting a cheese, fish? Or perhaps

Michael was cut off by Annie, “Beth! So glad you’re here. Is my baby brother bothering you?!”

Now it was Michael’s turn to blush.

“I’m sorry, did I interrupt something?” Annie asked, clearly confused.

Beth responded with, “No, no not at all. Michael was just helping me find a few things,” she said, as she held up her soba noodles.

“Ok, well great then! Well, do I have things to show you today,” she said, as she hooked Beth’s arm under her own and steered her away. Beth looked over her shoulder back at Michael. He was looking back at her and smiled, shrugging his shoulders at his sister. Beth had siblings, too, and felt she completely understood. In a span of two seconds they had silently communicated. And unless Beth was completely dense, she thought they communicated a mutual interest and a “let’s pick up on this later” look. Or, at least, she was hoping that’s what that was. She turned her head and tried to focus on what Annie was saying — Annie was speaking a mile a minute.

“–So, I was also thinking that you need to see the halibut but also these anchovies. I was watching the food network just the other day and I said to Tom, look at these amazing Caesar club sandwiches. It was the barefoot ladies show, you know, and it would just be perfect at the tavern ...”

Michael stood watching them and eventually Annie’s banter faded away. He never thought he’d say this, but a beautiful woman all covered up was actually pretty hot. Granted, she was wearing a baggie chef’s jacket and those little checked chef’s pants ... but there was just something about the way she looked, especially with all that fiery red hair pinned back. He wished he could do something about what he was feeling, but then again, a woman like Beth was probably looking to settle down. He wanted those things, too, but he lived in New York and she lived all the way here in Maine.

And what did he really know about her, anyway? Sure, she was attractive, and no doubt talented, but what else did Michael really know? Was it really worth it to be spinning his wheels about this woman whom he had exchanged nothing more than a few flirtatious words and glances with? All he knew now was that he wasn’t thinking straight and he had another few hours of “on the floor” work and then a night of paperwork. And then a day of more Malone’s Market and home repairs.

Michael was in a daze the rest of day. He bagged groceries, rang customers up, mopped spills, and chatted with customers. He was exhausted. His day job was nothing like this. Sure he worked hard, but he wasn’t on his feet all day. He tried to be extra helpful wherever possible and whenever he had no customers, he was cleaning or trying to stay busy and forget about not only Beth but his father and his family's troubles. As far as he could see, there was a loyal customer base here at Malone’s Market, but they weren’t doing much to retain them. And these renovations were not well-planned.

Time had flown and before he knew it, it was seven thirty and Michael had barely seen Annie since she and Beth had left him in the aisles earlier that day.

Annie must have read his mind because at that moment, she finally appeared. “Hey, slacker, what have you been doing all day?” She smiled.

Annie, always making jokes at Michael’s expense. After they filled each other in on the details of the day, Annie walked Michael through the closing process. Cashing out the registers, checking the slips, noting the returns, listing what would need to be restocked, getting the bank deposits ready, and managing the staff for cleanup. At the end of it all, Annie called Tom to let him know she’d be staying late. Annie had decided that maybe tackling the paperwork together would go faster.  They sat down in their father’s office and started getting down to the business at hand.

“What the! How is this even possible, Michael?” she exclaimed after two hours of going through the bills and looking at revenue spreadsheet Michael had been working on. They were losing money every day they were open. Annie looked at Michael in disbelief.

“How, how could he let this happen to the market ... to, to all of us,” Annie stuttered. She looked as if she was near tears.

“Okay, Annie, calm down. I think it’s pretty simple. I think Dad miscalculated and may have gotten a little overconfident. I think he figured with the improvements, profits would just go up. But he didn’t account for all of the renovation costs, permit costs, and lost business due to all of this. He did no marketing and no retention work,” said Michael matter-of-factly.

“Okay, Mikey. Just hang on, none of this mumbo jumbo business school crap. What do we do now?”

Michael tried to think rationally ... basically his family was $374,000 in the hole ... which was a hell of a lot of money for anyone. Taxes would be higher with all the improvements and they needed some serious work done to the place now. Along with marketing costs, new inventory, and maybe even that food stand ... basically they needed at least $500,000 to get them out of this. That was a lot. Michael could swing it, but he knew his dad wouldn’t go for it.

Annie was looking at him, waiting for an answer.

“Well?” she asked. “Now what?”

“We need five hundred thousand.”

“What? Oh, my God, I don’t even know what to say to that. Oh, my God. Do you think, do you think he knows?”

Michael couldn’t see how his father wouldn’t know, but he didn’t want to say so. “I don’t know, Annie, he might not. This place was a mess till the other day and it’s not that obvious. A miscalculation here and there and ...” He stopped himself.

“I don’t know, Annie, but it’s not good. I think we need to tell Mom and then figure out what to do from there. I can cover some of this and get us through, but I think that would really upset Dad.”

Annie nodded, she knew it was true. “You’re right, we need to talk to Mom. But I want to know something, Michael. Do you think that even if we figure out a way to cover the money that the business could succeed? I’m starting to worry. I just, I just have invested so much time here, and with Tom not knowing what’s next with the Navy and the kids ...”

“It’s going to be okay; we’ll figure something out, Annie. I think I can help if Mom and Dad will let me. And I want to help. I really do.”

And Michael meant it. He really did. He didn’t know what was going on here, but he knew he could make a difference. And after the year he’d been having in New York, that was a really great feeling. And being able to make a difference and have it help his family instead making a bunch of rich people richer seemed right. He still didn’t want to work at Malone’s Market, he thought to himself. Well, maybe that wasn’t really true anymore. Maybe he did. The thought shocked him. But he didn’t want to unless he and his father could resolve their issues. Until then, he would just do what he could for the next two and a half weeks. He couldn’t believe it was already Tuesday, yet he also couldn’t believe it was only Tuesday. So much had happened since he arrived this past weekend.

“So, what are you going to do with the rest of your night, Mikey?” asked Anne, “’cause I could sure use a drink.”

Michael smiled, it had been a while since Annie and he had drinks together. Not since her last trip to New York to visit him.

“Let’s do it.”

They closed down the computer, hit the lights, and headed to the parking lot.

“I’ll drive,” offered Michael.

“Nah, I will. Tom will be really annoyed if I not only came home late but drunk on top of that. We can leave your car here. I’ll pick you up on my way in tomorrow, good deal?”

He nodded and with that they walked to her car and got in.

“Hey, wait, where are we going to go, doesn’t every place close at like eleven?”

“Eleven? Hell, no. Well, Mondays the Tavern closes early but from Tuesday on they’re open till one and yeah, we’re going there. It really is the only game in town if you want a nice glass a wine. Which is what I’m feeling like right now.”

Annie put the keys in the ignition, pulled out of the parking lot, and headed for the Warren Inn. Even though Michael was both emotionally and physically exhausted, he found himself perking up. He wondered if the bartender from last night was out sick again ... he hoped so. At the thought, he smiled to himself.