Page 43 of The Magic of Sea Glass
“Thank you.”
“I can’t wait to see what you have in mind for the inn.”
Lauren rolled the other chair beside her and turned her laptop around so they could both view the screen. She clicked open her plan. “It’s pretty elaborate given the timeframe, but if we get everyone going at the same time—and, this morning, I’ve already roughly worked out who should be where—we could get it done before the wedding.” She scrolled down the list. “I’d like to begin renovating the main rooms, half at a time, to allow guests to still use the rooms while they’re here. I thought we could run to the Quick Copy and get glossy signs made that say ‘Excuse the mess. We’re busy making your dreams come true.’”
Mary lit up. “Oh, I like that.”
“And we could also include a subheading: ‘We’re creating a state-of-the-art visit to a time gone by.’ That way, we can focus on maintaining the aesthetic of the original inn while bringing it into the twenty-first century with all the modern amenities as well as getting it up to speed with your competition. To start, I’d like to update the main rooms and the décor in all the suites, paint the whole inn, inside and out, upgrade the kitchen, and landscape the outdoor area in the front.”
Mary put her hands to her lips. “That sounds expensive.”
“It is,” Lauren said, “but it’ll be worth it. And I’m willing to invest the money.”
“How can you be so sure this will work?” Mary asked.
Lauren smiled, hoping it would encourage Mary to have faith in her. “I’ve run some comps and there’s nothing like it in the area. You have so much real estate here that you can give them that southern, small-town feel, while providing all the conveniences of a high-end resort. People will flock to be here.”
“And what if it fails and you lose all of your investment?”
“It won’t, I just know it. Mary, it’s the first thing I’ve felt passionate about since Mason died. I want to do this.”
Mary looked thoughtful as if she understood, their little bond strengthening. “Okay.”
“Excellent,” Lauren said, a kind of excitement filling her that she hadn’t felt in ages. “I’ve got a designer that will knock your socks off. Let me give her a call and see if we can get her down here in the next day or so. She’ll be a huge help and she’ll get this done for us in record time.”
Mary put her hand on Lauren’s. “I have no idea what I’ve done to deserve such a wonderful gift as this, but I’m so very thankful. I don’t know what I can do to repay you.”
“You don’t need to repay me. I’m enjoying the work. It’ll be nice to throw myself into a project.” Especially one that was completely different from anything she did while Mason was alive.
She did wonder if immersing herself into this undertaking was just glossing over her misery for a short time, the same way the wedding planning had displaced it early on, but nevertheless, she was glad for the reprieve, however short.
* * *
By that evening, after calling around to the various contacts on Brody’s list, she had set up for three contractors and their teams to descend upon the inn the next morning. Lauren had also scheduled visits to three florists; alerted the TV production crew to the plan and asked them to bring the lighting setup they’d use for close-ups; pulled the websites of various musicians and officiants for Stephanie to take a look at; ordered the invitations and paid the rush fee to send them directly to guests; and found one local bakery willing to bring over samples on short notice. Sprawled across her bed, she’d just begun designing the graphic for the lobby construction sign when there was a knock on her door.
“Hello, dear,” Mary said on the other side.
Lauren ushered her in.
Mary’s attention moved to the doorway of her bedroom with the view of the laptop on Lauren’s bed. “You look busy.”
“I’ve been working on the initial renovations list and the wedding.”
“Mr. Hammond has arrived, along with the film crew. I’ve put them all in suites.”
She wondered how he’d managed to round up the entire crew and get them all on a plane. “Great,” she said. Dave hadn’t texted her, but that was typical of him. When he wanted something he had a one-track mind. There was no turning back now.
Twisting her wrist over, Mary pulled up her sleeve to reveal a thin gold watch. “Isn’t it time to at least take a break? It’s seven o’clock.”
“I know,” Lauren said, but the truth of the matter was that she’d found her rhythm and been able to tap into that productive side of herself. Her last days with Sugar and Lace had been a blur of going through the motions and trying not to break down, but with this, she was motivated and empowered. And while the hole in her personal life was still there, it didn’t feel as jagged as it had before.
“I’m moving cocktail hour to the bottom deck tonight. It’s low tide and Brody’s building a bonfire for the guests out back.”
“Anything you want me to do for it?”
Mary chuckled. “I’m not telling you as your boss. I’m telling you as your friend. His mother and I will be there, and I think Stephanie and Mitchell are coming over. Why don’t you join us?”
“Oh, okay.” She really needed to work, and she didn’t trust herself with a night of cocktails around Brody. But she reminded herself that last time, she’d been fine. And given that they’d be with a small group of people she was getting to know, Lauren might enjoy herself.
