Embraceable You (Irish Hearts Series) (26 page)

"No, not us. I've heard that you have plans for a nudie show."

She whirled around to face him, fists on her hips. "Damn it! No! How did that get so twisted? We’re having a lovely grand opening style show. It’s very common in women’s wear to have a style show. And it’ll be done in damn good taste."

He put his hand to his forehead. "It’s true? What are you thinking, Siena?"

"I’m thinking that you – and this town – need to grow up!"

"I honestly thought I might find a way to help you keep your business going.  But now, I’m not sure anything or anyone can help you survive here."

"Don’t bother. Your help, if that’s what you call it, is worse than nothing!"

"There are other ways to revive the town than stripping down to your bra."

"Oh yeah? A good old-fashioned topless bra-burning might get the attention we need for what we want." She smiled wickedly. "What do you suggest to revive the town? Tearing down my business to build your own?" She waggled her finger ‘no’. "It’s not going to happen, Zach."

"Take some time and think about your situation, Siena. You might see it more clearly."

"See it your way? Don’t count on it." She felt like a bottle, filling up with anger, ready to explode.

"Get real, Siena."

"You know something, Zach? You and I are on different tracks, parallel, but going in opposite directions."

"No, Siena, you’re like a train wreck rushing forward all by yourself on the wrong track. Look at this place – purple!"

"
Lilac Allure
," she corrected with a thick voice.

"Hopeless." He shook his head.

"Tell me something. Is there one woman against what we're doing here? One woman on the Town Council who thinks this a bad idea? One freakin' woman in town opposed to my business? Or do the objections all come from men?"

"You-you're impossible!" He slammed the door, leaving her staring at the walls of her empty shop.

Strangely, Siena imagined herself driving a runaway train, crashing through the woods and heading hard for the harbor where there were no tracks. And there was no one in the engine but her.

That night, Dana called. Siena half-heartedly answered. "Yes Dana?"

"I did it."

Siena's heard pounded and she sat upright, nearly spilling her wine. "What? Don’t tell me you and Chaz got married? Without me? How could you?"

"No honey.
Me, marriage? Nothing so dramatic." Dana paused and gave a little nervous laugh. "I have Aunt Addie."

"You have her?" Siena swallowed hard. Was she hearing this right?

"You know, I mean, her ashes. We’re leaving Florida, heading for New Orleans. Aunt Addie always wanted to see New Orleans. And Texas. And now, she will. She’s right with me the whole way."

"Dana, are you all right? Have you been… drinking too many of those umbrella thingies in Key West?"

"Siena, you know I wouldn't do that. More than one would upset my karma. Besides, too many calories will mess up my girlish figure."

"Right. I forgot about your view of the world." She paused to breathe. "Dana, I'm proud of you for rescuing Aunt Addie. But taking her with you, on the motorcycle? Don't know if that's such a great idea. Why don't you just send her here? It's fine. I'm over it. Stop by Fed Ex and – "
Siena had visions of a trail of ashes flying around the Harley all the way to Texas.

"Everything's
good here, honey. Chaz fixed a secure little niche for her and she's safe. I kinda like having her with me."

Siena sighed, not sure what to say to all that. "So you're taking her along? Where?"

"Going to N'owlns, as they say. Check out my blog. I have a lot to say about Florida, especially Disney World. And now, we're heading for the great French settlement on the banks of the Mississippi! Can't wait! Aunt Addie's going to love it!"

"I'm sure."

"How's the new shop coming along?"

"Fine, just fine." Siena crossed her fingers.
"We're getting a website for the shop, going live tomorrow. Amazinglacelingeriesalon.com. Check it out."

"
I will, I will! Then you got the loan?"

"Ummm, yes. Everything's fine."

"I can't wait to see your website! Amazing that both of us are online these days. Just thought you'd like to know that I have her, safe and sound, with me. Love you, honey."

"Me, too." Siena sat on the corner of the bed, stunned. Both cats came running and Sally climbed into her lap. Siena stroked the thick fur. "Guess what, Sally? My mother just grew up a little. But she does it in the most unorthodox way."

Siena could see it now. Dana sitting behind Chaz as they barreled down the highway toward New Orleans, holding onto him with one hand and cradling an urn with the other.
Bon voyage, Aunt Addie!

Keep her ashes safe, she prayed.

A week later, at nine o'clock AM, Siena made her requested appearance before the Town Council to apply for a new business license. No local citizens were present to witness the proceedings. No colleagues were there to give her support. Or not. No one
was there except Zach and his council of six, half of whom were named Fairchild.

"Isn't this illegal," she countered. "I have no witnesses. No supporters. I believe this must violate some laws regarding disclosure and transparency. And there's no news media to record all this and reveal it to the public."

Silence.

Zach whispered to his council, "Damn, she's right. Can't continue."

They voted to delay proceedings. "This is just temporary," Zach said. "Until we can arrange a hearing that meets the government transparency laws."

Siena gathered her papers and gave them all a generous smile. "Next time, announce the meeting publicly. And get a bigger venue." She left the room, her stiletto boots making the only sound as they clicked on the hardwood floor.

St. Paddy's Day gave a grand excuse for all of Haven's Point go green and dance in the streets. Irish music filled the air as the Lacy Ladies rushed to
The Amazing Lace Lingerie Salon
to see the brand new website. They found George and Zoey hovered in front of the computer, conversing with low voices and alternately touching the keypad. When Zoey gave her the high sign, Siena motioned for everyone to gather around so they could watch the screen. "They'll have it up soon, Ladies."

"So what does it look like?"
Claire voiced everyone's curiosity.

"I don't know," Siena said. "They wanted to surprise me. All of us."

"I just can't imagine!" Roberta said.

"This is so amazing!" Camille was bouncing on the balls of her feet.

"I can't wait! Hurry up, Zoey!" Roberta said, placing her hand anxiously on her daughter's shoulder.

"Okay, Ladies. Are we ready?" George asked. "
Voilà!
I give you… the
Amazing Lace Lingerie Salon
website."

And with another click-click-click, the website was live. Visible. Colorful. Active. Familiar!

The first thing they saw was a lace curtain, fluttering in a virtual breeze. Then, a lavender shop, a purple show window with Venus standing proudly in her lacy finery, and in the background, a bevy of bodices wearing lacy bras.

The Lacy Ladies were speechless. They could only make funny squeaking sounds.

Siena found words for them all. "O-M-G – fantastic! Better than I ever dreamed. It's fabulous! Just amazing what you've done here with our…
Amazing Lace Lingerie Salon
!" She hugged both George and Zoey around the shoulders at the same time, then pounded each one excitedly.

Everyone laughed and began talking all at once with over-used words like beautiful, real, and a miracle!

"You mean that we're out there, in the world?" Claire asked. "Other people can see what we're seeing? Our little shop of lace?"

"Exactly," said George. "Click here for
About Us
. Explains about the Lacy Ladies, how and why you got started.  Zoey brought photos to introduce you all. There are some details about how the hand-made Irish Lace is crafted from Claire. And some group shots of everyone working on some kind of lace."

"Oh, those are the photos
Zoey took last week." Roberta smiled and adjusted her wig. "Good thing I got coifed."

"Click over here, and you will see the products,"
Zoey said. "I just put a few up to show you how that would work. And here, you can see where people can click to purchase. Either directly by credit card or Pay Pal."

"Ah
, I see you have a few sales already," said George, pointing to a line of red numbers.

"What? Sales? Before we've officially opened?" Siena felt a twitter of excitement, which quickly turned to… something else. "What's that? More?"

"Yep, more sales," Zoey said with a grand, satisfied grin.

"And… all those? More sales?"
Claire leaned forward, examining the screen.

George nodded. "Yep. Isn't that what you want? More sales?"

"Yes, but how would they know this so quickly?" Claire moved to another position, letting someone else take her place to look closer at the screen.

"I'
ve been Twittering and Facebooking about the power and magic of this amazing lace," Zoey admitted. "Mostly to my college friends. And their friends, and friends of friends. That's how it works on the Internet, ladies."

Siena pressed her fingers to her lips to suppress a growing heap of emotion. "Oh, Aunt Addie, look what's happened to
Amazing Lace
." Tears and hugs all around were followed by hands-on instructions for each lady on how to click through the website and see the different pages and walk through their
Amazing Lace Lingerie Salon
virtual shop.

"Maybe we should do a little video showing the Amazing Lacy Ladies in action,"
Zoey suggested.

Claire
scoffed. "Who would want to see that? Making lace is hardly action."

"But you're doing something almost no one else can. Making lace is like… magic."

George turned around and high-fived Siena. "A few twists and turns and
voilà!
You've got lace! And now you're out there, selling your products across the country. That's mighty powerful!"

"Yes George, 'tiz powerful, that lace," said
Claire, slipping into her Irish-ness a wee bit. "This calls for a celebration! A pint at The Cockle Burr – my treat! And fish 'n chips for all!"

And so, everyone joined the St. Patrick's Day celebrations at The Cockle Burr and lift
ed a pint o'Guinness to all those who had worked so hard for
Amazing Lace Lingerie Salon
. Themselves.

"To all of us," Siena said. "We all did it!"

And while they laughed and celebrated and drank their pints, the little website was racking up sales, on the way to going viral.

Claire and St. Patrick

Okay, doubt and fear – Gone! This was the most exciting St. Patrick's Day since I married and left Ireland all those many years ago. Today we decided to go-live – and go-live we did! The Amazing Lace Lingerie Salon website is up and running. And we don't even have any products available except a few Hearts' Desire pillows that'll go out first thing in the morning! We're still filling that giant order from Valentine's Day.

I guess this whole thing was
Zoey's idea but George is the computer guru who put it altogether. It's like a shop up in the air, like radio, where you open the door and people all over the world walk in and buy stuff. Truly a bit o'magic! We were all in there together, watching that screen, cheering on the red numbers. It was exciting and then – oh Lord! All those sales! A little scary, it was.

Siena started crying, bless her heart. She was just overwhelmed.
Hugging Zoey and George and everyone. I even hugged George for all he'd done for us. He has a nice strong chest.

Don't know where we're going to get all those lacy bras that have been ordered. But we will. Everybody in town wants to be a Lacy Lady now! They've been meeting at my house to make the lace because Siena has been too busy and the shop has been too torn up for us to gather and make our lace there. She and
Zoey have renovated the place. Cleaned it out of all those knick-knacks that Addie secretly hated and stocked it with only our lacy products. So we have to keep the lace going.

Zoey
has teamed up with Siena, both of them putting their heads together. But George is the one who knows how to make it work. The mastermind, so to speak. Wonder if he learned that while writing those strange books. Maybe his aliens gave him this special knowledge and power.

The best news out of all this is that Siena has the amazing ability to pull the best out of everyone. Look at
Zoey. I know Roberta has been crazy with worry that she would leave town again, especially when she quit her job working for Zach. But she found something exciting in Siena's challenge and wham! Together they've made it better. I certainly hope so, anyway.