Page 82 of The Magic of Sea Glass
There was a rustle on the line and then her mother came back with an answer. “Your dad and I can leave tomorrow. He’s already looking up flights.”
“I’ll buy your tickets,” she offered.
“Don’t worry your pretty little head.” Her dad’s voice sailed through the phone. “It’s worth every penny to see you. I’ll text you with our flight information once I’ve got it all squared away.”
Lauren cradled the phone against her ear, happiness bubbling up. “I can’t wait to see you two.”
“I know, my sweet baby girl. I can’t wait to see you either.”
Lauren said her goodbyes and hung up the phone.
“I’m meeting the folks?” Brody asked with a playful smirk. “And you said I was ‘special’? You’re building me up. I’m going to have a lot to live up to.”
She slipped her phone into her pocket and cuddled up next to him. “All you have to be is yourself. You’re pretty special all on your own.”
He leaned down and pressed his lips to hers. “So are you,” he whispered.
TWENTY-TWO
When the sun rose, Lauren was awake and ready for the day, but this time, her usual guilt and anxiety had floated away on the breeze. She made herself a cup of coffee, opened her French doors, and took in the golden morning light until the sun rose high into the bright blue sky.
With a new sense of purpose, she settled on the sofa and called Andy to fill her in on everything.
“So are you going to do the show?” Andy asked.
“I might,” Lauren replied, tucking her feet underneath her and reaching over to the coffee table for her mug. “I’d like to suggest to Dave that, if he wants to do more episodes with me, we retitle the show fromWedding Scrambleto something else. I’m only planning weddings at the inn and I will be much more prepared from here on out.”
Andy laughed. “If you’re willing to do it, Dave would probably jump at the chance to have you, so I’m pretty sure he’ll change it as long as he can sell the pilot. If you and I split into two entities, each with our own series, he’s just doubled his production.”
“I know. We probably have a lot of power if we want it.” She took a sip of the warm, rich coffee and then snuggled in on the sofa.
“Did you have anything in mind for a new show concept?”
“Yeah, I was wondering if I could restore the inn and have the show revolve around the weddings but include the revitalization of the area and the community. It would be an easy pivot, given that his footage began with the wedding and early renovations.”
“That would work nicely with what the network is already doing, but it would also include the weddings you’re known for with Sugar and Lace.”
“Bingo.”
“I can’t wait to hear what Dave says. But I can already guess. I know he’ll be over the moon.”
“And given that I’m considering agreeing to it, I want to be very clear with him about when he can and cannot film. If I agree, it’s not going to be a circus.”
“You’re a different person, Lauren. I wish I could say I had something to do with it, but I think leaving home might have been what you needed.”
What Andy didn’t realize was that Lauren hadn’t left home, she’dcomehome. “Being here has taught me so much about myself and it’s also what Mason wanted for me from the beginning. Maybe he could see something about me that I couldn’t.”
“He always knew you best,” Andy said.
“Yes, he did.” Happiness washed over her as she thought of him. She still missed him, but now, she knew he was there with her and all she could feel when she thought of him was love—a love so strong that it had stretched all the way from the great beyond to get her where she needed to be. That love would stay with her forever, which was just what she’d promised him when she’d said she’d marry him.
* * *
After the call to Andy, the excitement of her parents’ arrival fueled her. She fastened her earrings and slipped on her sea glass bracelet and the matching ring she’d gotten with Stephanie. Then she took a moment to admire the little box Brody had made her. She would miss him terribly while he was gone, and she didn’t want him to leave just when they were starting to build something together. What if the time away changed things? Could it? Would she be able to talk to him on his travels, or would he be busy taking in all the sights on his journey? No matter how it went, she’d have to be strong.
After supervising the staff, Lauren went down the hall to the main room to help Mary with the guests while she waited for her parents to arrive.
“I’m blown away by everything that happened last night,” Mary said in Lauren’s ear as she nodded hello to a couple guests. “I’ve known Joe my whole adult life, and I’ve never heard any of that. I had no idea he had children.”
