Page 42 of The Magic of Sea Glass
“I didn’t really consider making them until now, but we’re going to need the money.”
“Why? Did something break?”
She shook her head as she set the tool down and twisted toward him.
“What is it?” Joseph asked with concern in his honest eyes, and she knew that he would take care of her until her final breath.
Penelope took his hand and placed it on her belly. “I’d better make a lot of them.”
Joseph’s eyes grew round, understanding dawning. “Really?” he whispered, in awe. He ran his hand over the small bump on her stomach that certainly wouldn’t be small much longer.
“I went to the doctor this morning while you were at work.”
With a gasp, Joseph threw his arms around her, the two of them tumbling backward to the floor, sea glass all around them. “We’re going to be three,” he said, breaking into an enormous smile.
She nodded.
He gave her a loving squeeze.
Penelope looked up at the young man hovering over her. He was so good to her that she didn’t feel like she deserved him. “You know how I’ve been so sick with the flu?” She shook her head, giving him the answer. “It wasn’t the flu. That’s how I found out.”
His mouth dropped open, clearly still in delighted shock. With an excited shout, he rolled around with her on the floor, the two of them knocking through the piles of sea glass.
* * *
Rodanthe, North Carolina
The next morning, before she’d even had her first cup of coffee, Lauren was in the office and on the phone to Dave Hammond, giving him the news that she was on board for the pilot. He’d agreed that he could do the lighting for the ceremony, which was a relief.
She’d already cleared the TV filming with Mary, who was thrilled to have the publicity for the inn. It was definitely a good thing for the Tide and Swallow, but Lauren wasn’t at all sure she could get everything done in time. She’d never redecorated an inn and planned an entire wedding so quickly before.
“We only have six days,” she reminded Dave.
“If I can’t get there today, I’ll book a red-eye into Norfolk, Virginia for tomorrow morning and then drive in. Will you send me the address?”
“We haven’t even negotiated contract terms,” she said.
“I don’t care. I’ll have everyone sign releases and get the footage. We’ll hash the rest out while we’re in postproduction.”
“Is that in line with the company’s legal requirements?”
He didn’t answer, and she let it go. After all, it wasn’t on her shoulders and if he already had the footage when they went to contract, she’d be in a good spot to negotiate a fair price for it.
“I’ll need the release form right now,” she said. “Can you email it to me? We can add it into the digital RSVP form for the guests. Any that we missed, we can catch when they arrive.”
“Yep. Will do.”
“All right. I’ll text you the address. Just let me know when you’re coming.”
“All right, darling. See you soon.” He made a kissing sound and the line went dead.
She grimaced at the thought of getting back into all this. TV production was a rat race, and she wasn’t sure she could handle it with everything else that was going on. How in the world did she end up in the same position she’d been in before she left Sugar and Lace?
Trying to clear her mind, she began putting her design ideas for the inn into an action plan. She created a budget, which she knew would be more money than Mary had seen in one spot before. However, if her hunch was right, and Brody could help her build a crew to renovate the inn,andshe could get some solid publicity behind it to make it a premier venue for events, Lauren would easily recoup her spend and Mary might just get a windfall.
Armed with a list of phone numbers for contractors that Brody had given her yesterday, she was ready to discuss her ideas for the inn with Mary. Once the guests had been taken care of, and the coffee service dismantled in preparation for the afternoon’s infused water and cookies to be laid out, Lauren met Mary in her office.
“It already looks so much better in here,” Mary said, tipping her head up to view the newly organized shelves as she leaned on her cane. Late last night, Lauren had cleared the clutter and organized her office by task. “You have such an eye. I know why you were so successful as a planner.” Mary took a seat in the chair opposite the desk.
