It felt as though all of Hannah’s hopes and dreams had been washed away with the flood water. She didn’t know how extensive the damage was to the building, but from what she’d witnessed from the doorway, it was bad.

Her heart sank down to her purple tennis shoes. How was she going to get all of this repair work done, as well as the rest of the restoration, and still open on time? With the bakery’s large loan payment looming in her future, everything had to stay on track.

Right now, it all felt so overwhelming. But she was a Bell and Bells didn’t give up. It was what her father used to tell her before her math tests—her toughest class in school.

If her father were here now, he’d tell her to hang in there. He’d insist there was a way to fix this mess. And he would be right. She’d invested everything in this dream. She couldn’t give up now.

Hannah’s gaze settled on a familiar green golf cart headed their way. “Oh no.”

A worried look came over Josie’s face. “What’s wrong?”

Hannah nodded to the road. Her brother’s green golf cart pulled up to the curb. Next to him was their mother, who was wearing a worried expression. In the back seat sat her six-year-old niece, Nikki. This wasn’t good. She didn’t want to worry her family.

“It was bound to happen,” Josie said. “You know how fast news travels on the island.”

It was only then that she turned around, noticing nearly half the town checking out the commotion. She should have known it was too much to hope that word wouldn’t get back to her family. But still she’d hoped to downplay it so her mother wouldn’t worry.

“Josie, you should go back to work,” Hannah said. “This might take a while.”

“I don’t know.” Josie looked hesitant. “Are you sure?”

“Positive. I’ve got it.”

“I do need to get back to the inn. We’re expecting some guests on the next ferry.” Josie gave her another hug. “Let me know if there’s anything I can do, including buying a couple pints of rocky road ice cream. For me, it’s the best medicine.”

“Thanks. I just might take you up on the offer.”

Josie glanced over her shoulder at Hannah’s family rushing toward them. She turned back to Hannah. “And if you need a place to hide away from all of the well-meaning fussing, my place is available.”

And with that Josie walked away, leaving Hannah alone to face her concerned mother. And her frowning big brother, Sam. And her anxious little niece who held Sam’s hand as they approached Hannah.

Nikki paused to stare at the fire engine with its red lights still flashing. “Isn’t that the truck Grandpa used to ride?”

“Yes, it is,” Sam responded as he too stared at the truck, most likely thinking of the father they’d lost too soon.

Hannah was astonished that Nikki could remember back to when she was four-years-old—back when her grandpa was around to give her ice cream treats and make her laugh. As her gaze returned to the big red engine, Hannah could remember how proud her father had been when the island had purchased the truck. It seemed like it was yesterday.