Embraceable You (Irish Hearts Series)

by Mary Tate Engels

  "I had some business of my own. Back in Boston."

  Claire paused, apparently waiting for more information. But Siena turned away and started cleaning up the broken sunglasses.

  "What happened in here? A wind storm?" Claire helped by picking up things that had been strewn around.

  Siena shrugged and continued to clean up the hot-blooded mess. "Maybe the cats . . . " She restacked the exquisite hand-made quilts, hoping guilty pleasure didn’t show on her face.

  "You’re right. Maybe the cats are angry that Addie’s gone. I'm sure they miss her terribly. Sometimes they do naughty things to show their anger."

  "That reminds me, do you know anyone who might want to give them a good home? In case I, uh, don’t stay. Maybe Carrie?"

  "Addie was a wonderful friend to everyone in Haven’s Point. I’m sure someone will come forward if you really want to get rid of them. We all loved her dearly, but don’t think she was a pushover. She was in trouble with someone in town most of the time. Just couldn’t keep her opinions to herself. A bit sassy, I’d say. Which we all admired." Claire turned her attention to Venus. "What have we here? Is our lovely lady of the sea the center of another controversy?"

  "To be honest," Siena said, "I completely forgot about her and left her in the window the whole time I was gone. I think that’s what upset Walt so much. I guess he didn’t know that George had the key so he could come in and feed the cats."

  "Well, I think Venus is stunning in our made-up lace gown." Claire beamed with pride.

  "I believe Venus will improve business if we give her a chance," Siena said. "She’s already stirred a little controversy, and that’s often good for business. She’s definitely promotion-worthy, don’t you agree?"

  Claire walked around. "I’d like to see you make a success of this shop, for Addie’s sake. So, whatever it takes – Venus bares all!"

  "You don’t think I should put her away, like Walt demanded?" Siena continued straightening things.

  "Absolutely not! Venus is out of her closet to stay. Just look at her nice lines. She has our future right here on her bosom. Addie wanted to make this a lingerie shop a long time ago, but the town fathers intimidated her," Claire said. "And she gave in to their pressures. More or less."

  "You mean they threatened her?" Siena propped her hands on her hips, feeling suddenly defensive.

  "You know your great-aunt was quite controversial in many ways. And they tried their best to keep her down. Some even privately called her a witch. Which she absolutely was not!"

  Siena was troubled with the news. "Aunt Addie, a witch? I really have stepped back in time. Well, I won’t be intimidated." She pointed her thumb at her heart. "It’s a free country and I’ll do what I want with this shop."

  "Now you’re talking! You have great spunk, just like Addie." Claire made a fist-pump, which gave them both a good laugh.

  Siena joined her in a fist-pumped. "No wonder you two were such good friends. You have spunk, too, Claire."

  A couple of women pushed the door open. "Are you open, at last?"

  "Yes, yes, come on in," Siena said generously, then turned to Claire. "Please, would you watch the shop for me while I run upstairs and throw on some decent clothes?"

  Claire shook her head. "But my dear, I don’t -- "

  Another customer came in and started talking to the two already there. "Did you get a good look at . . ."

  "Please, Claire. It’s easy," Siena whispered. "Just take care of the customers, whatever they want."

  "But I don’t know prices or anything."

  "Half of what’s marked. Everything is discounted, excluding the lace and quilts. They're about oh, twenty percent off. Thanks, I’ll be quick."

  Siena dashed up a few stairs, but stopped short when she saw a strip of colored light on the wooden stairs. She looked up to see where it came from. Near the ceiling and hidden behind a closed wooden shutter, was another stained glass window. She’d never noticed it because the staircase had always been dark or shadowed when she went upstairs. And you would only see the window when you went upstairs. Otherwise, she’d have to turn around backwards on the stairs to see it.

  This morning, the sun reflected through a piece of the colored glass and sent a dash of green down to the steps. It was eerily beautiful. Siena couldn’t quite determine the design of the glass behind the wooden shutters. But she would check on it later when she had more time.

  After her fastest-ever shower, Siena returned wearing a sharp black and white sweater and black leggings with boots. "I brought some zucchini bread – the very best – homemade by my friend, Goldie, in Boston. We can have it with a cup of tea while we talk." She looked around. "Customers all gone?"

  Claire stood behind the counter, looking somewhat stunned. "There was a bit of a rush. When they realized the shop was open, several ladies in town came in and bought something. I even sold several large pieces of lace for Lori’s granddaughter’s christening dress. Oh, and they loved Venus. Word will spread about her and others will come from miles around just to see her. You just watch and see if I’m right."

  "Before she’s banished from the window?" Siena couldn’t get excited about selling a few pieces of lace. She had more important things on her mind. "Come over here to the stairs, Claire. What is this?" She pointed to the green streak on the step. Now there was also a curved purple arc near the green.

  Claire looked up and smiled. "That’s one of Luciano’s mermaids."

  "Luciano? Aunt Addie’s lover?"

  Claire nodded. "For appearances sake, she claimed they were married and took his last name. Santioli."

  "More mermaids? More than the one over the shop door?"

  "Oh yes. That one over the door, with the ribbon of seaweed across her bosom, was one of the first. Very modest, so he thought. But as these beautiful windows gained popularity, he made them more artsy and bold. This one on the stairs is completely bare breasted. That’s why it had to be hidden."

  Siena took a few steps, looking upward. "It’s beautiful, but why is that shutter hiding it?"

  "Oh my dear, the city fathers didn’t care how popular his stained glass was, or if art galleries around the country wanted it. I’ll bet you didn’t know there’s one in the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C. And in some art gallery in Italy. Florence, I think."

  "No, I didn’t know anything about this." Siena strained to see the glass beneath the shutter.

  "Addie defied the town law banning mermaids. She had several of his windows installed in this building. Haven’t you seen the one in her bedroom? It’s gorgeous."

  Siena shook her head. She’d been sleeping in the spare room, the one that had always been hers whenever she came to visit as a little girl. She’d just left Aunt Addie’s room to the cats.

  "The town council thought Luciano’s work was obscene and demanded that Addie remove them. She defied them by simply hiding them. But they’re still there." Claire smiled. "Still beautiful."

  "And I thought she was just a sweet little old lady who happened to be my mother's aunt."

  "Oh my dear, she was that and more. She kept us going with some idea or other all the time. Now that she’s gone, I don’t know what’ll happen to the Lacy Ladies. She gave us hope that something wonderful was about to happen. We joked about the red lace pillow granting our heart’s desire and she encouraged us to make more and sell them. We made a few, but selling was slow, and we lost enthusiasm for them. Power, she used to say. There’s power in that lace."

  Siena put her arm around Claire’s shoulders. "We’ll just have to work to keep that hope alive. And somehow, provide merchandise customers want. But for now, let's have some tea with Goldie’s zucchini bread."

  Claire opened the center drawer to reveal a scattering of bills. "Here’s what I sold while you were gone. I think there’s $108.42, but check and make sure I added right."

  Siena quickly counted. "You sold over $108 in a half-hour? That’s more than all last week! And the week before that, altoget
her! Yes, it’s good! It’s great!" She grabbed Claire in a big hug. "You are quite the shop gal!"

  "We have to give credit where it’s due," Claire said, pointing at the window. "Venus did us proud. They'd heard about her and were curious. Believe me, they loved her."

  Siena walked over to Venus who had been stripped down to her beautiful bareness. "What happened to her lacy gown?"

  "They bought every stitch."

  Siena laughed out loud and danced around. "Well, well, let’s dress the lady properly in feathers and lace and see what happens." She dug into the lace, pulled out some colorful samples and placed them strategically over Venus’ magnificent figure. And for good measure, she added a feathered mask. She stood back and cocked her head. "Venus, my love, you look quite sexy."

  And so, Venus remained in the display window in defiance of Walter Fairchild’s edict.

  Siena stayed busy all day meeting a small stream of customers who filtered in. She figured they came by to see Addie's niece, rather than to be shoppers. So she surprised them by announcing "Everything's half-price today, except the hand-made quilts and lace. They're twenty percent off." She actually sold some of her aunt’s outdated and crappy merchandise. The women seemed pleased with the lighthouses and lobsters and especially the extras.

  One woman shyly presented a feathered mask at the counter. "For a gift," she said. "My uh, sister."

  Siena smiled and replied, "Then take one for yourself, too. A gift from me. It brings out the sensuous woman in you."

  The woman left with a smile and a bag with two feathered masks.

  That evening, Siena looked up her mother's blog. RollingonaHarley.

  There sat Dana, looking glowingly happy, clinging to Chaz, both sitting astride a Harley motorcycle. Her strawberry red hair was short and spiked and glistened brilliantly in the sun. Her smile was fantastic. Happy.

  The blog design was colorful and bright - so like Dana. The sidebar was filled with ads from Harley Motorcycles to RVs to truck tires. All were things that appealed to Dana. And these companies were paying for her content about a unique journey on two wheels. Amazing.

  Her posts were ... expressive, explosive, and all Dana!

  Rehoboth Beach - a little oyster bed of heaven . . .

  Kill Devil Hills - Fly Baby Fly!! And crawl after the crabs! Zowee good . . .

  Charleston - Gates and gardens and oh my, SHRIMP AND GRITS! If you don't love grits after this dish, you must be bonkers!

  Siena closed the blog with a smile. And a little tear. For the first time in a long time, she felt proud of her mother. And she vowed to tell her so.

  Chapter Nine

  Zach headed for Amazing Lace with his offer, which he was sure would fix everything. A smart woman like Siena couldn’t refuse; wouldn't refuse. He was confident she would see that his ideas were sharp and, while it would benefit the town, she would also come out on top. And, if he played his cards right, he would get her to hang around after the deal by giving her Zoey’s job. Or find something else to keep her happy and in town. That’s all she needed, right? A job and a little money for the property. And whatever developed between them would be even better. Yessss!

  The sight of her took his breath. She was more beautiful in the daylight than her sexy shape in the dark, if that were possible. She emitted an aura of excitement and sensuality, and he wanted to take her in his arms again, wanted more of her. But there was no invitation in her violet eyes today. For a good half-minute, he stared. All he could think of at the moment was having sex with Siena.

  She stared back, with a bit of defiance, if he read her expression right.

  He smiled tightly and set a take-out bag on the counter. "I brought lobster rolls. Best in Maine. Wally lands them in the morning, cooks them in the afternoon."

  She didn’t move. Damn, he wished he could read minds. Especially women, because there was always something going on in there, and it was never what he anticipated.

  He nodded slowly. "Okay, how about this?" Like a magician pulling a rabbit out of a hat, he lifted her black bra from his jacket pocket. "Sorry, took it by mistake in the dark when I left."

  "Maybe you shouldn’t have left in such a hurry, grabbing up all the wrong things." She did not reach for the bra or for the lobster rolls. "This is a dangerous game we’re playing, Mr. Mayor."

  "We were safe. I made sure." He moved closer and put her bra on the counter. "Who are you today, Siena? Are you the same one I held last night? Or the one who's leaving town tomorrow, with no warning or word. What’s with you?" He reached for her hand but she pulled away.

  "Last night was . . ." She shook her head, leaving him to imagine what she was thinking.

  "I thought it was awesome." He folded his arms. "Even now, just looking at you turns me on."

  "Is that why you came here today?"

  He looked away, then back to her. He couldn't figure her out, wouldn't even try. "Actually Siena, I came because I have business to discuss with you. Sorry I broke all those sunglasses. I’ll pay for them." He stuffed his hands in his pockets feeling about as helpless as a fisherman without a catch for the day. Losing, that’s what he was doing, before he even started. He should have brought flowers, skipped the food. "You having regrets, Siena? About us?"

  She took her time answering. "I'm just wondering what's going on."

  "You don't think we can pick up what we once had?"

  She wrinkled her nose. "We were young. Probably too young. That’s why – " She halted.

  He leaned forward a bit. "Why . . . what?"

  "It was good for a while, but didn’t work for the long haul."

  "You sure?"

  "Yes, positive."

  "I thought it was working . . . last night worked." This was not where he wanted to go. He didn’t want to discuss their current relationship, or their past, for that matter. Not now. He had other business to take of now, and yet, he didn’t want to spoil what they had discovered. "I thought last night proved things were still hot between us. And that’s a good thing, from my view."

  "I’m not denying heat." She folded her arms and leaned on the counter. "But you came here for something else, right? I understand that you’re interested in buying the shop, tearing down the building, making a mall. Did you discuss any of this with my aunt?"

  "Where did you hear all that?"

  "This is a small town, Zach. What do you think? Did my aunt agree to your plan? Did she want all this destroyed?"

  "She left before we could agree on the final offer. But she was concerned about our needs to get more businesses in town to bolster the economy. Personally, my goal as mayor is to make Haven’s Point a better place through a variety of business opportunities. I’m in a position to fix things. And I damn-well intend to give it my best shot."

  "Are these particular changes, tearing something down, necessary for the economy to succeed?"

  "Yes, you might say that. Everything's changing around us and we're static. We've lost our economic base." Zach shifted uncomfortably.

  "Is this the only way you can turn things around?" she asked.

  "From the direction of this conversation, I can’t satisfy you with my answer."

  "Well, satisfy me with the proposal."

  He decided to give it a try. "We have a plan. To revive the town. And businesses."

  "We? Who is that?"

  "The City Council passed and approved an ordinance to --"

  "Tear down my aunt's property."

  He smiled tightly. "This building, and possibly others, like that old fishing warehouse and wharf. I’m sure we can work together on a deal."

  She leaned forward. "Starting in bed? Is that why you – "

  "Hell no! That had nothing to do with this. That was . . . what we have between us is apart from business."

  "Um-hum." Siena raised her eyebrows and opened one palm. "The offer, please? It may affect my future and decisions. Maybe even my life."

  "I think it will, in a positive way. And mine, as well
. Our plan to revive the city is to build a new mall in the traditional Down East style, lighthouses and such, where a variety of shops can be grouped together under one roof, sharing walkways, utilities and other facilities. Sound good?"

  She nodded. "Sounds smart. Where?"

  He shifted uneasily. "Right here, Siena. This is the best location. The road into town, inviting people to come on up and stay awhile. Overlooking the bay. Visible. Convenient."

  "And so . . ."

  "The town will buy your property. Here’s what we’re offering." He pulled a neatly folded sheet of paper from his jacket pocket.

  She opened it slowly and looked over the page. Her eyes grew narrow and daggered right into him. "This is for the land. What about the building?"

  "I'm afraid it isn’t worth much. It’s old and – "

  "What will happen to it?"

  He shrugged and wanted to crawl under something. "We’d probably tear it down. It’s structure isn’t solid enough and – "

  "So you really aren’t paying me anything for the building."

  "We’re paying more than market value for the property."

  "What will my tenants do? George and the others."

  "We’ll find them space somewhere else until the mall is finished. Then they’ll have options to join the mall or go to another location."

  "Limited options, then."

  "Well, you can always move this building to salvage it."

  "Move it? At my considerable expense?" Her cheeks flared pink. "You know I don't have that kind of money."

  He could see she wasn’t going along with his idea. He’d have to strategize this further to convince her. "Tell you what, Siena. Take your time and think about it. I’m sure you’ll see the value in this whole plan, for the town and for you."

  "How is it value for me?"

  "You won’t get a better offer – if any at all, for this old building. Come on, Siena. Drastic times call for drastic measures. Haven’s Point is drowning, like so many other small towns along the coast. Our economy is season based. This could be a lifesaver."