Embraceable You (Irish Hearts Series) (27 page)

And then there's grumpy George. Who knew he had such talent? He was actually sort of nice during all this. Even smiled through that fuzzy beard. Well, I'll admit, Addie knew him better than most anyone. She liked the man, back when nobody would speak to him. Including me. And that was my bad, as the kids say. Learned that from
Zoey. It means my bad fault. And I'll admit it.

Just look at all I've learned since Siena blew into town. It's downright… powerful! It is! Thank you, St. Patrick, for sending us this new blood. She's a blessing, she is.

Oh, and you know what George did? He sent me a lovely bouquet of flowers with a note that said, 'Hope this is a happy anniversary day for you with good memories.' He signed it simply 'George' and skipped out without a word or giving me a chance to thank him.

Grand Opening! April first.
April Fool's Day
. Siena hoped they weren't following a fool's path with the new shop.

Crocus and buttercups bloomed in creamy delight against the old building. Purple iris lined the brick path to
Amazing Lace Lingerie Salon
adding accent to the lavender-colored building. Siena considered it all a good sign from Mother Nature. This was a very good day for a style show . . . she hoped.

This was IT, her grand opening style show and by damn, no one was going to rain on it. Not Zach and certainly not the male-dominated Town Council. She was in too deep to let anyone get in her way. Across the street, the morning sunlight sparkled through a mermaid glass window, shedding colored light over the patches of snow. The lake ice had thinned and spring was coming to Haven’s Point. And it was spring for her, too. A new beginning.

The phone rang and Siena grabbed it when she saw Zoey's name flash. "Hey… "

"Mama's not coming! She's embarrassed about her straggly hair, her outrageous wig, and her… surgery. And with all those women around… "

"Oh Zoey, tell her none of that matters to us. We think she's beautiful. And strong."

"I did. I told her everything I could think of, and then some. That she doesn't have to model. She doesn't have to do anything but watch."

Siena wanted to cry. "But she's a Lacy Lady and I want her to share this fun. She's our heroine, the main reason we're doing the petition. We want her here. Need her here. And others do, too." Siena hesitated. "You're coming, aren't you?"

Zoey
paused a moment. "I'll see you soon."

Siena sighed. Yes, she could understand Roberta's reluctance. It was different with the small group of friends that she'd known all her life. But now, with a crowd of strangers… yes, she could understand.

She flipped all the lights on and walked around, checking things for the fifteenth time. The old
Amazing Lace
shop was now radiant and modern. In with the new; out with the old. The exterior was no longer shabby gray but three fabulous designer shades of purple. The interior walls were aubergine and champagne and emerald. Lighthouses and lobsters were gone. Dressing rooms had been installed. The racks were sleek, state of the art, and loaded with colorful lacy fashions and shapewear. The transformation was everything Siena dreamed – and more, thanks to Zoey, George, and the Lacy Ladies.

For hands-on displays, Siena brought one of Aunt Addie’s antique tables and purchased several more from locals. The brand new stock was pristine, lacey and beautiful. Siena was hopeful that
this would mean great things in the lives of the women in Haven’s Point. Maybe the men would appreciate all this some day. But today, everything was about the women.

Scattered about the store were pamphlets about breast cancer detection. And there was the petition for a Mammo-van that she hoped customers would sign. She had no idea how large her crowd would be, or if they would all stay home in protest of her bodacious store. But she had twenty models of all ages and sizes, minus Roberta, who had never volunteered anyway. And she knew they would sign the petition. Everyone was highly in favor of her breast cancer support.

Siena wore a black lace bustier beneath a lime green jacket, sexy but stylish in a brazen Lady Gaga sort-of way. She dressed Venus in a Champagne-in-the-Park bra with nude lace cups and a bright Irish green scarf and placed her prominently in the show room window. Today there would be no attempt to hide her ample assets.

The first person at
Amazing Lace’s door that morning was Monique. Siena’s stomach tightened when she saw the blond beauty. She didn’t want a confrontation today, of all days. "Hi, come on in. We really aren't open for business yet. The grand opening is today. But you can take a look around."

Monique walked in quietly. She noted the
LOVE YOUR BODY WITH LACE
and
LIVE FREE AND COMFORTABLE
banners. She smiled at the LIFT YOUR BREASTS AND YOUR SPIRITS sign over the black lace bras. Finally she said, "I wanted to see what you’re doing here. I’ve been hearing lots of things."

Siena walked to one of the displays. "I hope you like our products, Monique. We specially fit the bras to the individual. But, as you can see, we have other lingerie items, too. Shapewear
. . . which of course, you don't need."

Monique nodded and looked slightly uncomfortable. "Ah-hum.  We’ve needed something like this for a long time."

Needed
? Did she say needed? Siena smiled slightly. "I thought so, too. Hope it works."

"Well, if it makes money, Zach will like it. That’s what he’s all about, you know."

Siena hesitated. "Yes, I'm finding that out."

They heard a knock-knock at the door and someone stumbled in, holding a large pot with a small prickly cactus at arm’s length. "Flowers for Siena Summerfield," he sang.

"Flowers? That’s a – what in the world?"

"It's a little cactus. Where do you want it?"

Siena pointed to the corner. "Over there."

"Oh, hi Calvin," Monique said. "Do you have a new job? What is that thing?"

"Uh, hi there. Got a part-time job delivering flowers. Not much else happening in town." Calvin produced the shipping papers for Siena to sign. He fumbled them and seemed a little flustered at the sight of Monique. Beautiful Monique. "This here is a, uh, hedgehog cactus. Here’s the card."

Siena opened the greeting card and read aloud, "Congratulations on the new and improved
Amazing Lace Lingerie Salon
. I'm sure this business can be as prickly as a cactus. But don’t become a prick. Be a cute little hedgehog and they'll love you for it. The flower of this plant is truly amazing. And so are you, my darling girl. Hugs and kisses… " Siena looked up at the two who were staring at her. "From Dana, uh my mother. She’s . . . a bit weird."

Monique laughed out loud, and so did Calvin. "What a hoot! She sounds like a great mom. You’ll remember this gift, always. If it were a bunch of cut flowers, they'd be gone in a few days and you would forget who sent them."

"Yeah, this one will be special all right," Calvin said. "And you don't even have to water it all that much. Instructions come with it. I'm sure you'll be getting more of these. Well, not exactly these, but some pretty flowers." And he was out the door.

"Where is she? Your mom. Is she coming today?"

Siena relaxed a bit. "Monique, you won’t believe this, but she’s out somewhere, riding cross-country with her boyfriend on a hog and . . ." Siena stopped short of telling about the urn and Aunt Addie's ashes. That would be just too much. "I think they're somewhere around New Orleans." She smiled and shook her head. "N'owlins, as they say. God only knows what inspired a hedgehog cactus as a grand opening gift."

"She sounds like a hot-mama, for sure."

"Oh, don’t remind me." And suddenly, they were laughing together. Siena wondered if this conversation were for real. Did Monique know how much Zach resisted this whole new and improved shop idea? She probably assumed as much.

Did she know that Siena still had to defend herself at the Town Council with no apparent support from Zach? Was there a chance that Monique understood the obstacles in this town, that she was inconceivably supportive of anything Siena was doing? Maybe Monique knew Zach better than anyone, after all.

Monique viewed the phallic-looking shoots of the hedgehog cactus with interest, and then turned back to Siena. "Several of my friends are modeling today and I just wondered if I’m too late to do it, too?"

Siena nearly fell over herself. "You want to model these – bras and things?"

"I know it’s late, but I’d like to support what you’re doing. All this breast awareness stuff is good. I have to take my grandmother all the way to Portland for her mammograms. And when anyone around here needs treatment . . ." She ended with a shrug. "It’s tough."

"I understand that’s a big problem." Siena paused. She couldn’t believe she was having such a civil conversation with Monique. "We have a petition asking the city to bring in a Mammo-Van, a portable mammogram machine, to make the screening easier for people like your grandmother. And for all of us. Would you be willing to sign it?" Siena whipped out a clipboard containing stacks of paper already filled with signatures. "You don’t have to do it now, Monique. Think about it a while, if you like."

"Great. I’ll sign now. Where?" She scrawled ‘Monique Fairchild’ in bold letters that stood out on the page.

"Thanks. Why don’t we get you fitted now, Monique? And I’ll tag your pieces." Siena smiled genuinely. "Then you can come back at noon to get ready for the show. It starts at one and I’d like all the models here early."

"Whatever."

They giggled together, and Monique chose the hottest, hot pink number she could find.

Women started gathering in the shop well before noon. No sign of
Zoey. Siena received so many cut-flowers arrangements and planters with blooms that she had to move them outside, around the door and along the path. True, none of them were as odd or memorable as the hedgehog from Dana. But none meant as much to her, either.

The caterer had to squeeze between the crowds when she brought crab canapés and cheese platters. Sugar cookies were bite-sized hearts with icing on the top to resemble a bra and upside down hearts with icing in the shape of panties. She had created a delightful white wine cooler dotted with rose pedals for the customers. Still no
Zoey.

Someone sent a bottle of champagne signed simply, "Congratulations!"

"I’d be willing to bet that champagne is from Zach," Claire said with conviction. "He’s a tough one, but can be classy."

Siena turned the card over. "It's from George. He's the truly classy one."

Claire blinked and shrugged as if she didn't care and gave her attention to an old friend who just arrived.

In the back room, Siena poured a little champagne
in Solo cups for each of the Lacy Ladies. "To Aunt Addie's memory and our own dear Lacy Ladies. Without you, there would be no
Amazing Lace Lingerie Salon
. And now, maybe we can achieve our heart's desires – spreading that lace around!" The proud women toasted each other and Claire added, "To the great success of
Amazing Lace Lingerie Salon."

They raised their glasses to Siena and sipped and sipped again. Then laughter filled the room and they all began talking at once. Spirits were high today and Siena was ecstatic. Abruptly, the room grew absolutely silent.

Siena looked up and there was Zoey in the doorway, wearing a ski cap.

Someone made a soft moaning sound. "O
hooo Zoey."

Zoey
walked in, smiling as if she were on the verge of tears. "Ah, I see I'm just in time for the good stuff!"

Siena rushed over with a plastic
cup of champagne. She noticed Roberta hadn't come along and feared what was under that ski cap. "Thank God you're here, Zoey. We're celebrating. We can't thank you enough for – "

Zoey
took the cup and finished it in one big gulp. Then she smiled at the crowd and flung her cap off . . . revealing her freshly shaved head. She twirled and bowed to the stark silent group. "How do you like my new style? Like mother, like daughter."

"My darlin' girl, what did you do to your beautiful red hair –"
Claire moaned.

"
I'm selling my hair to some very nice wig-makers who are going to style something appropriate for my mom or for someone in her shoes." She twirled again and the bold brash Zoey was back. "Hey Ladies, are we ready to rumble? We're stylin', we're stylin'…" She finished with a few hip-hop dance moves and began taking off her sweater.

"You're absolutely beautiful." Siena hugged her and whispered, "You are the amazing one."

Claire put her hand on Zoey's shoulder. "You are the bravest, most beautiful woman I know. I always thought I was brave, coming to America not knowing a soul. But I didn't shave my head to do it!"

By then, everyone was in tears and laughing at the same time.

Siena dabbed her eyes quickly and stepped out into the crowded shop. She noticed that the front windows of the
Buff Body Shoppe
across the street were filled with neck-stretching on-lookers that spilled out onto the sidewalks. She wondered if Zach was among the eager-eyed bunch.