Page 38 of Just Beachy

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The next morningwhen I awaken, Luke and his clothes are gone, and I’m irritated that he didn’t even wake me upto say goodbye. But when I go downstairs in my robe, I find Luke sipping coffee while Grand makes a massive omelet. A bowl of fresh fruit sits on the table. A pan of hashbrowns is being kept warm in the oven.

I blush when Luke smiles and says, “Sleeping Beauty awakes at last. I was starting to get worried.”

“There’s way too much smiling going on for me to believe that much sleeping took place last night,” Grand says archly. “I could barely sleep for all the ‘joyful noise.’ ”

Luke and I exchange glances. So much for her claiming not to hear anything once her door is closed.

Luke says, “Last night was the best night’s sleep I’ve had in ages. That’s some guest bed you have up there.”

We tease and joke over breakfast and when Luke “kisses the cook,” Grand blushes and smiles. Apparently, that’s what his kisses do to the women in my family.

When breakfast is over, he walks Grand and me down to the garage and into her bonus room studio. Then he checks that the sliders are closed and locked, and the alarm system sensors are intact.

“It’s odd,” he says. “These people are getting bolder. And they seemed to have believed that they could find whatever they were looking forandmake their getaway between the time the alarm went off and the police arrived.

“The only reason we almost caught them in the act is because I was nearby and got here quicker than that.

“Do you know what they’re looking for, Lillian?” he asks my grandmother directly.

I hold my breath while I wait for her to confess that she knows what the thieves are after, but she just shakes her head and says, “No, Luke. I’m sorry. But I don’t.”

“Do you have anything especially valuable here?”

Grand shakes her head and lies again.

“So, you would have no idea whether they found what they were looking for?”

“Sorry, no.” She shakes her head again and sounds so sincere that even I wouldn’t know she was lying if I didn’t already know she was lying.

“All right, then,” Luke says, and I honestly can’t tell whether he believes her.

Up until now, I assumed that I was the best actress in my family.

Nineteen

Things are moving right alongat the bookstore. I’m still painting walls and trim but Grand is getting ready to start on the mural in the back room, and I can’t wait to see what she intends to create that will work for kids’ story timeandadult book clubs.

When I walk back to the space, I find her eyeing the back wall with its run of high windows. She’s totally focused, tilting her head on occasion, as if the space is speaking to her. If it is, it’s whispering too quietly for me to hear.

I join her, and when I can’t remain silent a moment longer, I ask, “So what are you thinking? Are you going to divide the place in two? Or use the same space for the adult book club and story time at different times?”

“That’s exactly what I’ve been trying to decide,” she replies with a smile. “I like the idea of one flexible space, but if I divide the space in half with a retractable accordiondivider, both spaces can be used at the same time, which means the book club moms can drink wine and enjoy their discussion while the children get to enjoy story time and an arts and crafts project.”

“That does sound perfect,” I agree.

“Also, I saw this cool thing onMotel Rescue,” she adds.

“Motel Rescue?” I ask in surprise.

“Yes, it’s a reality show with this woman Lindsey Kurowski and her family. She started renovating motels that she bought for herself. Later she began working with older mom-and-pop motels. In each episode, she renovates one motel room as a sample for the other rooms and then updates the common spaces then gives the owners tips on marketing and merchandise to increase their bottom lines. Her whole family works on the renos with her.”

I hear Grand’s enthusiasm, but I don’t really understand what it has to do with Sandcastle Books or Myra’s Craftsman bungalow. “And…?”

“Andat the end of each reno she creates at least one really cool backdrop or vignette that includes the name and logo of the motel so that guests can pose in front of it for photos to share on social media.”

“And…?”

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