Page 69 of Seabreeze Library

Shelly grabbed a couple of cinnamon roll bites. “How’s business?”

“Better than expected,” he replied. “We’ll probably sell out before we make it to the silent auction or readathon. You guys sure planned a full schedule. Have you been by the auction booth?”

Curious now, Ivy craned her neck, spying her beach paintings displayed in the silent auction tent. “Any interest yet?”

Mitch nodded. “People are bidding up your seascape. It should fetch a good price.”

“How about your Java-for-a-Month donation?” Shelly asked.

“That one’s hot, too.” Mitch grinned at his joke. “See you all later.”

After Mitch moved on, Daisy returned her attention to the puppet show.

“Have you heard from your attorney lately?” Shelly asked, lowering her voice.

Ivy frowned, knowing Andrew had hit a rough patch. The bank account claims process had slowed during the last few weeks due to legal issues. “He’s in Zurich now on other business, so he will present the claim. We’re still hoping the process moves forward.”

“And if it doesn’t?”

“Then we continue doing what we’re doing right now,” Ivy replied. “Raising funds and building community support. Eventually, we will build a stunning library and museum complex for the town.”

“Look, Ives,” Shelly whispered. “I know those are amazing plans, but have you thought about scaling back? We could build a smaller library sooner. After all, what does Summer Beach really need?”

Ivy stared at Shelly. “Are you starting to doubt this now?”

“It’s just that you’re usually the practical one, and I’m the woo-woo, let’s-dream-it-big-and-they-will-come one.”

“Maybe you’re rubbing off on me.”

Shelly shook her head with concern. “I don’t know if that’s a good thing.”

“Look around you,” Ivy said, gesturing. “People who might never have met are bonding through books. We don’t need an old bank account payout to make this dream a reality. Between this and other sources, we can do it.” She hoped her sister wouldn’t ask what other sources she had in mind, because she didn’t have any of the same magnitude.

Shelly blinked, taking this in. “You sound almost philosophical about potentially losing millions.”

“I’m being realistic,” Ivy said. “Even if Andrew produces a positive outcome, a library needs an annual operating budget. The initial funding would be transformative, of course. Either way, we will need Bookfest for a long time.”

Shelly nodded slowly. “Have you talked to Libby lately? She has so many ideas for the library. Like after-school programs, summer reading events, computer workshops, even a seed library that I volunteered to organize. People would love that.”

“She also mentioned a backpack program for students who can’t afford school supplies,” Ivy added. “The library would be a central hub for community needs.”

“And you’re okay with waiting on those services just to build a larger building? Is this about serving the community or pointing to a huge building so you can say, ‘I did that.’?”

Ivy wasn’t sure where this was coming from, but she had to concede that Shelly had a point. “Well, that’s an alternative to consider.”

“Look, I just want Daisy and other kids to have a library before they grow up. Like we did. All I’m saying is, it’s okay to compromise.”

She rested her hand on Shelly’s arm, acknowledging her insights. “I get it. Let’s talk about this later.”

Ivy chewed her lip as she walked back to the main staging area. Was this a vanity project for her? Maybe it was. Maybe she wanted to prove something.

But didn’t they all?

She worried about disappointing everyone if the dormant account funds fell through. She had already asked those who knew about this not to mention the possibility until funds arrived in Summer Beach.

However, she also realized that might never be. They needed another plan, too.

Ahead, volunteers were setting up rows of chairs for the readathon. Bennett was in conversation with an elderly man Ivy recognized as a retired professor from the community college.

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