Page 15 of New Day at the Beach House

Roxie parked next to Ethan, and they all walked toward the salon.

He opened the door for them, gave a nod to the men working inside, then handed Trina his tape measure. “I have to meet Danny at the bakery, but I shouldn’t be too long. I’ll come back when I’m through.”

“Thanks,” Roxie said.

She headed in with her mom and daughter. “Sure looks a lot cleaner in here. And brighter.”

“The white paint helps a lot,” Willie said. “Where is the pink paint going?”

Trina scrunched her mouth to one side. “I was thinking on both of these walls.” She pointed to the sides of the salon where the mirrors and chairs would be. “But now I’m thinking maybe the white is better. Maybe I’ll keep the bright pink in the shampoo area and let this front part stay more neutral. That would probably be classier.”

“Maybe.” Roxie nodded. “You know what else I just realized? We need a reception desk and chairs for people who are waiting. A coffee table in the center. Some shelving units for the retail products, too.” She blew out a breath. “We have so much to do.”

“Ma,” Trina said. “I’ve got this. I’ve looked at all of that online already. I just need to make some final decisions.”

“Really?” Roxie laughed. “You’re so much more on top of this than I realized. I should have given you more credit.”

“It’s okay,” Trina said. “None of us have ever done anything like this before. It’s good that you’re thinking about that stuff. You never know what I might forget.”

“True.” But Roxie didn’t change her mind about what she’d said. Trina was definitely handling this better than Roxie had expected her to, but then, this had been Trina’s dream for a while. She should have known her daughter would be capable of getting it done.

A lot of people underestimated Trina because she was happy and bubbly. For some reason, people equated that with being not so bright. But that was a dumb move itself. Happiness didn’t mean a low IQ. If anything, being happy probably made you smarter.

Maybe not Roxie, but Trina? For sure.

Trina tipped her head toward the back room. “Come on. You want to help me measure? Mimi, you can jot the measurements down, okay?”

“You got it.” Willie dug in her fanny pack and produced a little notebook and a pen. “Ready.”

With a little chuckle, Roxie followed her daughter to help. She would be very happy to work here, even if all she did was sit at reception and take care of clients. Trina was going to be a woman to be reckoned with, Roxie could feel it in her bones.

They got their measurements done, talked more about the wallpaper and paint choice, then studied the ceiling where the new lights would go. Which was when they realized they wanted one more lighting fixture: a sparkly chandelier for the reception area.

About that time, Ethan returned. “How’s it going? Did you get what you need?”

Trina handed the tape measure back to him. “The washer and dryer will fit. I’ll order them this afternoon. But we’re going to need another light.” She pointed toward the front. “For reception. We’ll go back to the lighting store and add one to the order.”

“Okay,” Ethan said. “I got a call from the paint store. Everything will be delivered tomorrow. I’m going to have the guys cover the floor, but just so you know, before you open, I’ll have this floor cleaned and polished. It’ll look like brand new.”

Trina smiled. “I can’t wait.”

“Do you want to go over with me where you want the wallpaper?” Ethan asked. “Same with the paint. I need to know what colors are going where.”

“Here’s what I was thinking,” Trina started as she walked with Ethan toward the back of the shop.

Roxie stayed where she was, smiling as she watched her daughter work. It was a proud moment, seeing her daughter take charge. So sure of herself. Like she’d been opening salons all her life.

Ethan glanced back and caught Roxie’s eye. He smiled like he knew what she was thinking and feeling. Maybe he did. He had a daughter of his own.

Roxie felt certain she’d never forget this day. The day she knew that no matter what else happened in life, her child was going to be okay.

Margo listened as Conrad read back the last few paragraphs. He had such a nice speaking voice and when he read, he seemed to know exactly where to put the emphasis and inflection in the words. Of course, it probably helped that he’d co-written those words. She nodded. “It reads well. And I think it flows nicely. I like that a lot.”

“So do I. We’ve earned a break, don’t you think? A little snack, maybe? At least a fresh pot of coffee and some cake. I picked up a nice apple crumb from Publix on my shopping trip last night.”

She smiled. “Writing this book with you is going to make me fat.”

He looked over her figure. “More of you wouldn’t bother me in the slightest.”

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