Page 17 of Sandbar Storm
Viv crawled into bed and closed her eyes. Slowly her mind cleared. She’d been working on pushing away the worst thoughts. At least some of the positive thinking crap was valid.
She drifted into a night of sleep. She dreamed of diving off the raft. She dreamed of slicing through the water with her strong arms.
She dreamed of being whole.
ChapterNine
Siena
Siena rose early. She had the best night of sleep she’d had in a while.
They weren’t kidding about the lake air.
She didn’t wake up her mom. If she was sleeping well, it was best to let her. Goldie assured her that if Viv needed anything, it would be Goldie that would handle it.
It was sweet to see her movie star mom being so humble, to see her enjoying serving and caretaking. She wondered what the people of Irish Hills thought about Oscar Winner Goldie Hayes picking up her matcha tea powder at the local grocery store.
It made her smile. Maybe they were used to it by now.
Siena showered and made her way down to the Two Lakes Hotel lobby. It really was her Aunt Goldie to a T. Glamour wasn’t a thing. It was a vibe. Goldie had that vibe, whether it was her fancy mansion in California or this historic hotel in Michigan. She made a place twinkle.
Siena walked past the check-in counter and outside. The morning air was crisp. She took a deep breath in. The lake air was different, summery. Siena would have a busy summer even if all this did go to plan.
Libby drove up in a vintage Jeep Wrangler. Libby wore a crisp white t-shirt tucked into distressed jeans, but a navy-blue linen blazer pulled it all together. Libby Quinn was in charge. Siena would not have guessed Jeep Wrangler for this woman, but Aunt Libby was right at home behind the wheel as they drove downtown.
Libby was a formidable person. Siena had Googled her, and sure, the business of the bad husband and scandal came up. But if you looked beyond that six-month period where her life fell apart, every other swing Libby Quinn Malcolm made was a home run.
She had met U.S. presidents thanks to her work. She’d met Bono! Her efforts in rehabbing communities and neighborhoods had been recognized internationally, and yet here she was, focusing on Irish Hills.
Siena decided to start there with her questions.
“So, what was Bono like?”
Libby laughed. “Oh, well, I didn’t hang with him for very long. It was an award thing. But he was charming, soft-spoken, sexy, and way too short for me. I had three-inch heels on.”
She’d met a few celebrities when visiting Aunt Goldie, but in her opinion, Aunt Goldie outshone them all. She also knew what it was like to be taller than most dudes when she wore heels.
“I’ve never seen Aunt Goldie like this. She’s just straight up happy and totally in control of her path.”
“I would say that the pressure of Hollywood is intense. She’s calling her own shots now. There is a lot to be said for that. Also, a lot is to be said for not having all that pressure not to age or show signs of aging. I mean, I’m not a fan of my wrinkles, but I also don’t get fired for having them.”
Siena looked out the Jeep window. The lake peeked out between cottages.
There was a vibe here. She couldn’t put her finger on it. It was relaxed on the one hand, but also a frisson of excitement ran through her. It was like finding hidden treasure.
They pulled into downtown, and people were out and about already, riding bikes and bustling in and out of the mercantile on the main drag and the grocery store down the street. Siena could already see there was untapped potential here for a retail experience. She was determined to create that experience with Vivian Blackwood Designs Boutique.
“Here we are. Let’s go into the space. Have you taken a look?”
Libby was so accomplished, like her mom and Aunt Goldie. Siena didn’t want to disappoint any of them or fall short. She paused. She wanted to charge ahead, but her mother’s reaction put a damper on things.
“I’m trying to save mom’s business, but mom too.” The realization of her true motives spilled out of her; she hadn’t planned to say that. She really barely knew Libby.
Libby stopped. She dropped her cool business-like demeanor. She took a breath.
“There’s nothing wrong with that.”
“It's just the light is gone, the business needs help, but, well, mom just isn’t the same after all she’s been through.”
