Page 49 of Sandbar Storm
ChapterEighteen
Viv
For all the business decisions she’d ever made, Bret had been there. He was there when she had nothing but a sketchbook and an attitude. He was there when she sent her first collection down the runway. He was there when her designs were featured in Goldie’s movie. And there when the First Lady wore Vivian Blackwood Designs to the State of the Union.
So, it was natural, after the decision she’d made to end Vivian Blackwood Designs, to call Bret. As was her habit, she got right to her point with no chit-chat.
“What do we need to do to close up?” That was her question.
“No, hi Bret, how are you? What’s it like in New York State without my beautiful daughter and morose ex-wife? Oh, fine, thank you, but less fun? And you?”
“I’m morose?”
“Kind of, yes. I was hoping Siena’s little plan would change that. How’s it going?”
“Different than I thought, but I think I’ve convinced our daughter that the end is here for my career wear.”
“Hmm, the end, you say?”
“I wasn’t paying attention, and things moved on.”
“You were otherwise occupied. Are you sure? We did a lot of cost-cutting. We did things to keep it afloat. You sold your house. There’s liquidity there if you need more time. And, of course, you have plenty of personal money.”
Viv knew she had money to live comfortable for the rest of her life. More than enough since the plan was for her to live to her seventies or eighties. She decided against pointing out he’d overshot the estimate on the rest of her life. Bret had already called her out on being morose.
“I’m glad I had good business advice.”
“I’m good like that,” Bret said.
She thought about his word, time, more time. She did need more time, but not for this part of her life. “I think time is actually the point. The time is over for the kind of stuff I’ve been designing.”
“Honey, the stuff you created is classic, and let’s just be clear on that.”
“You don’t have to assuage my ego. I am okay with being out of fashion or out of touch with the new generation of, what do they call them, girl bosses?”
“That’s out too.”
“Man, I do have one foot in the grave.”
“See? Morose, knock it off.”
“Okay, yeah, that sounded bad.”
Bret and Viv didn’t have an explosive breakup. But their romance shifted into friendship after the initial realization that Bret loved her, but he was in love with Trevor. As their love life evaporated, their business took root.
And they’d always been on the same parenting page with Siena. They were tied together, forever, with Siena. And they because they’d built Vivian Blackwood Designs together. The marriage ended, the bond didn’t. The best parts about them as a couple remained, even if the couplehood didn’t. She’d been sad when their marriage ended, but never bitter. Bret would always be a blessing in her life. Who said the love of your life couldn’t be your best friend?
Viv was finding that to be true for her, and she was grateful.
“I can’t begin to know how this all feels, but are you sure? We could probably keep it going.”
“The thing is. I don’t want to. You know? I think my life, even my creative self, is going somewhere else.”
“Where’s that?”
“You’re going to laugh.”
“I’ll try not to,” Bret said.
