Page 57 of The House on Firefly Beach
“We’re all really upset about it.” Sydney picked up her sandwich. “My Uncle Hank attended the last meeting and he’s going to the one today.”
Delilah shook her head. “Logan, don’t you know someone who could help change their minds?” She leaned forward, as a thought clearly came to her. “What about that guy from the music business—the famous guy on the board of supervisors for Firefly Beach—the one that I pointed out in the local paper this morning? Do you know him at all? Couldn’t you bend his ear a little?”
“Nathan Carr? I don’t know him… And I doubt I could change his mind anyway. I think he’s heading up the whole thing.”
All the blood rushed out of Sydney’s face.
“Ben knows him… Andyouwere talking to Nathan at the wedding, right?” Logan said to Sydney. Logan’s voice plunged through the fog that had filled Sydney’s mind. She struggled to pull herself back into the conversation.
“Uh, yes. I know him.”
“Maybe you could talk to him?”
Sydney could kick herself. She’d let Nate in, allowed him to manipulate her thoughts, and her worst fears were confirmed: Nate had only come back into her life because he wanted something. He was hoping to convince Sydney and the family to sell Starlight Cottage so he could put in the beach access. Everything was coming together—the empty lot where he’d leveled his parents’ cottage that sat vacant because it was in the line of houses that needed to be torn down for the beach access. The fact that he was building his new house further out so he wouldn’t have to be near the mess he was going to cause with the influx of tourists. Was that what he wanted to tell her when he got back?
“It’s just an idea,” Logan said, tearing her away from her complete panic at the thought that Nate had deceived her. She’d never have thought he’d stoop so low.
Sydney forced herself back into the moment and forced a smile. “Yes, I could definitely talk to him,” she said. Oh, she certainly would talk to him. She planned to give him a piece of her mind and push him out of her life once and for all.
“You okay?” Logan asked, concern written on his face.
Sydney scrambled to gain composure. “Yes. I’m totally fine. It just makes me so sad that Starlight Cottage is facing this, you know?”
“I can’t imagine,” he said with a compassionate shake of his head. “I’ll tell you what. There’s a little ice cream shop down the road, and I’ll bet it isn’t nearly as busy as the one in Firefly Beach.” He raised his eyebrows in suggestion. “We can’t fix the big things in life sometimes, but we can take a second to free our minds of them. Wanna go after lunch?”
Sydney was grateful for Logan’s kindness. “I can’t think of anything better.”
Chapter Nineteen
Juliana walked up the steps to Starlight Cottage, sitting down in the rocking chair beside Sydney’s and crossing her legs.
“Thank you for coming,” Sydney said. “I didn’t know who else to call.”
Now in the shade of the porch, Juliana pushed her sunglasses up on her head. “What is it?” she asked, her eyes wide.
“Remember the magazine I’m working on? I need someone great for the cover,” she said. “It would be a very informal shoot…”
“I am sorry,” Juliana said with a frown. “I do not want to work in this field anymore. It has too many bad memories for me… I am sure you can find someone else to do it.”
She’d thought about asking Logan if he’d do the shoot. He definitely had the right build. She just needed a partner for him. “I don’t know anyone else,” Sydney admitted.
“Yes, you do.Youdo it.”
Sydney laughed, the idea completely taking her by surprise. “I wouldn’t be natural at modeling, I’m afraid.”
“What if I coached you?” Juliana offered. “I can show you how to use the sunlight, the way your limbs should move when you walk so the shot is clean, if you’re doing an action shot. I can position you and the other person to be sure you’re at the best angle.”
“I don’t look the part…”
Juliana chuckled. “I will style you. You’re gorgeous! I will do your hair and make-up.”
This magazine cover was sure to be a complete disaster if she didn’t take charge right now. “I need it to look professional.”
“Why don’t you let me do your hair and make-up and dress you in something elegant? Then you will see.”
Sydney deliberated. She wished she had Aunt Clara to ask about these sorts of things. She wasn’t any good at this. She put her forearms on the arms of the chair and started to rock it, thinking.What would Aunt Clara do?She would hustle. Aunt Clara used to always say, “Real success comes from a good hustle, and when something you really want doesn’t go your way, you don’t pout about it; you make it happen—you just have to get creative and hustle a little more than you expected.”
“Okay,” Sydney said.
