Embraceable You (Irish Hearts Series) (29 page)

"Why?" She folded her arms beneath her ample breasts and snapped her violet eyes at him. "The Town Fathers have their eyes crossed over a few nipples covered with lace? Tell them the lace gives the girls a much-needed lift."

"The girls?" He smacked his forehead. "Oh yeah, I can hear the uproar now!"

"Yeah, the girls!" She lifted her breasts boldly at him. "Are you embarrassed? This is real life, Zach. The bigger they are, the more support they need."

"Don’t do this to me, Siena. Look at the position you've put me in."

"
You?
" She backed away. "Aren’t you proud of
me
? Your biggest problem today was the traffic and the gawkers hoping for a peek at a few breasts, not the customers in my shop. I’ve improved my business and eventually, it’ll help all the businesses in this town. Quicker and much better than a lighthouse mall!"

"Now listen here – " He pointed his finger at her.

She turned away, giving him a view of her back.

He started again, with a slightly softer tone. "Siena
listen, I hate arguing with you about this. Just show up Monday night at seven in the school auditorium."

"Glad you got a bigger venue," she said quietly.

"Anyone can attend. We’ll be able to settle everything then."

"Everything?
Every-thing
?" She turned around slowly. "Everything, including us, Zach?"

He
knew
in that moment he was losing everything and everyone that mattered. Siena, the town, maybe even his family who was definitely on her side. "Don’t put our relationship on the line over this. We'll deal with us later."

"My whole life is on the line here, Zach, and you’re not going to ruin it! Nor is the backward thinking Council."

He jerked his head back as if he’d been slapped. "Just be prepared for the inevitable Monday night."

"Inevitable? Can you see into the future?"

"I can project, considering what I know."

"About me? Or this backwater little town?"

"Can you believe that I've been trying to convince a bunch of very influential but stubborn men in this town that you only intend the best for Haven’s Point. That it’s commercial, not personal."

She took a stepped toward him. "Should I thank you? Were you successful?"

"I’m trying to keep from looking like an idiot for supporting you." The words slipped out, before he thought about it. But the expression on her face told him more than he wanted to know. She got it. She could see into his devious, manipulative ways. And she was having none of it.

Her lips were tight and her eyes glistened deep purple. "You call this support?"

He stared at her, lips pressed together.

She looked away. "Maybe you should get the hell out before you’re branded an idiot by association."

Without another word, Zach left and slammed the door behind him.

Siena sat alone in the growing dark with her clever advertising banners and lacy bras and drawer full of sales slips. She knew now, for sure, what she feared all along, what Monique knew and had warned her about. That Zach was out for himself and what he could do with Haven’s Point. He cared about no one else.

She felt exhausted and deflate
d. Is this what it all came down to? The love she thought they’d rekindled had just gone up in smoke. Maybe it was all a fantasy – the ideal job, the rejuvenated shop, the passion, and the possibility of love – all a pipe dream of love that fizzled in real life. She and Zach were finished and done because . . . he wanted control of his town and she wanted a passion-filled life. And neither dream was possible here in Haven’s Point. It was a hard realization.

She swiped tears from both eyes and locked the shop door. She looked around at the beautiful Venus and her
new, fantastic
Amazing Lace Lingerie Salon
. The show had been a great business success, no denying. But was it worth the end results? She told herself yes, she deserved this. But there’d been a price to pay on the personal level. And come Monday night, it might all become a short-lived myth. Like the mermaids. Remember when… they would say.

"Just look what a mess I’ve made of things," she said to Venus, who was gratefully quiet. "Messed up my dreams, my life, everything!" Siena stomped upstairs, followed by Harry and Sally with their tails high.

As she passed under the mermaids above the stairs, she heard a voice. Aunt Addie's voice. 
The lace has power, Siena, if you know how to call it. Don't give away your power. Haven's Point needs you, Siena . . .

She looked all around. No one there, of course. She looked up at the mermaid stained glass over the stairs. Silence. She was alone with the voice of Aunt Addie's ghost. Siena leaned against the wall and sobbed.
She was losing it, the fight and her sanity.

After a shower, Siena turned some music on, and poured herself a glass of Merlot. Tonight she’d celebrate with Alicia Keys. But how could she really celebrate her Saturday success when Monday night
at the City Council might end it all? And what's with Zach – was it too much for him? Had she pushed him away? Was their relationship over because of this? That was just plain nuts.

Harry
leaned against her leg and purred. When Siena reached down to pet him, tears fell onto the cat’s sleek back. He jumped away from the unwanted moisture. Sally sat in the corner, quietly watching. That damned cat was a hard sell, like so many in this town, including the mayor.

The ringing phone broke into her upside down world. Dana’s voice was exuberant.

"
Bon jour, ma chérie
!"

"Dana. Where? Oh, must be New Orleans."

"
N'owlins, ma joli
e."

"Ah, I hear you're learning French." Siena tried to include some enthusiasm in her voice. T
raveling cross-country was, after all, part of Dana’s dream.

"Just a few important words,
ma belle
. This place is fabulous!" Dana’s voice rang with happiness. "Best food. Most fun people. Like stepping into another country. And the best part – "

Siena took a sip of her wine and listened as Dana chatted.

"I was able to share all this with Chaz and Aunt Addie. I only wish you could be here, too. You would love it!"

"I'm sure." Siena hiccupped, imagining that urn
with Aunt Addie's ashes in New Orleans. "Glad you're all enjoying it."

"Aunt Addie's spirit is here with us,
chérie
. She always wanted to travel far and wide."

"Better late than never, I guess." Siena muffled a groan. She wanted to cry out loud, to lie down in bed and beat the pillows and scream about the unfairness of life. Undoubtedly she had absolutely the weirdest mother in the world. And by her own brazen
, bizarre actions, she’d lost the man of her dreams. She was as weird as her own mother.

"How was your grand opening, honey? Did you get my, uh - "

"Yes, thanks for the cactus. It’s quite unique, for a shop in Maine. Got a lot of attention. The opening was wild. Chaotic. Cars lined up for a mile in both directions and even a few fender benders." Very successful, sales-wise.

"
Just what I was hoping! Congratulations honey, I knew you’d make it big someday. We checked out your website and just absolutely love it. LOVE it! Love that lace! It's so beautiful and sexy."

"I don’t know if you could say I’ve made it in a town the size of Haven't Point. I’m afraid things are about to take a turn south. And maybe me along with it."

"Why? What’s wrong?"

It was the timing, or maybe the wine. But Siena opened up and spilled everything to her mother. That's what mothers were for, right?

"Oh Dana, just because the opening was successful doesn’t mean that the Town Council will accept me and my shop. And then there’s Zach. Who knows what he’s thinking? The Town Council meeting’s Monday night to decide whether to license the shop and . . . I don’t know what’s going to happen. If they don’t approve
The Amazing Lace Lingerie Salon
, I’m out of here. I just can’t hang around where I’m not wanted. I won’t go back to selling lighthouses and lobsters. I’ll just close the shop and sell out. And Zach and I are over."

Dana was quiet for a moment. "Now you listen to me,
ma chérie
. I don't often give advice, mainly because I'm still learning about life. But I believe that you must not give your negative thoughts a voice, Siena. You are special and smart. And you know a lot more about marketing than anybody in that whole town. Even the mayor. Remember, it's the grit in the oyster that makes the pearl. And you get out there and make a pearl out of your business, and your life. You can do it."

"Dana, you really don’t understand all I'm going through. But thanks for the pep talk."

"I understand more than you think, honey. I know that you get what you really want, and sometimes what you really need. You just put those positive thoughts into words and your needs will come to you. Think of the lowly cactus and self-preservation."

Siena was tired of all that positive crap from Dana. "Did it work for you? Did you get your happiness by just wishing for it?"

"I am very happy right now. It’s all good."

"I’m glad one of us is."

"Siena, don’t you worry about a thing. I’m going to be thinking positively that the council and Zach will see the value in keeping you and your shop around. But if not, then it wasn’t meant for you to stay in Haven's Point. And you will be happier somewhere else."

"You put in those positive thoughts, Dana. Maybe they'll work some kind of magic while everyone's asleep."

"Actually honey, you don't need Haven's Point. You're shop is already virtual. You don't need a brick and mortar shop anywhere. Look at me and my traveling blog."

"Thanks … mom… "

"And I love you, honey."

Siena hung up with tears in her eyes. What Dana didn’t understand was that she owed money on the shop's renovation. It wasn’t as easy as walking away. What the hell was she going to do about that debt to
Claire? And all the people who depended on her? Yes, she probably could sell the products online, but… leaving everyone at Haven's Point would be an awful way to go. And Dana didn't understand that she… loved Zach all over again.

She fingered her wine glass. She definitely was not ready to give it all up. She had come too far to back down now. Monday night she’d take her strongest case to the Town Council, with or without Zach’s support.

She wiped her tears and took another sip of wine. She would not let a man – or a town full of men - tear her to pieces. Nor would she let this Town Council destroy her business, her livelihood. Her Amazing Lace team.

For some reason – who knew why cats did anything – Sally chose this moment to come over and wind around her leg. Siena reached down and palmed her thick fur. "I guess this means I finally fit into your world. I’ve made finally made it
. . . just when I might be losing everything. Including you."

Sally responded with a soft
me-ow
.

"Oh don't worry. If I leave this place, I'll take you and Harry with me. You're part of my life, now."

Claire's tiger

I'm afraid we're up to our arse in trouble. We've stepped over the line. All of us. We've created something, along with Siena, that has backfired in the worse way. We have a tiger by the tail and can't let go. But honestly, I don't want to let go. I want to hang on forever! This has been the most fun I've ever had. And the most satisfying.

I don't know if anything can be salvaged here. Worse of all, I don't know if poor Siena can keep her new shop. She is trying to be strong, and we all are. I'm sure she would just like to walk away from this crazy place. And I can't blame her. But she's not the walking away type. She's got inner power, that girl has.

It's quite astounding to think that we have customers all over the world. The Amazing Lace Lingerie Salon already has thousands of customers who have ordered our magical, Amazing Lace, thanks to Zoey and George and … well, we're all to blame. Or to thank. We all touted this amazing lace as having special powers, granting your heart's desire and all that. But we never dreamed so many would believe it! And buy it.

All we can do is stand behind Siena and support her. And that we'll do. But still, I'm afraid all our efforts are lost – WE are lost! Can the
amazing lace help us now?

I just have to think about this. What can we do to turn this mess around? Maybe
Zoey has some thoughts on the matter. Or better yet, George. He's the one with bright ideas for fighting aliens from the sea. Well, we've got ourselves a Moby Dick.

Maybe I'll pay Mr. George Rowan, famous horror fiction writer, a visit. Maybe I'll take him a batch of Addie's jalapeño chocolate chip cookies. Maybe I'll give him a Heart's Desire pillow and
maybe some little bit of magic will happen.