Embraceable You (Irish Hearts Series) (23 page)

"Siena, you must know you’re the best thing that’s happened around here in years."

Siena laughed and shook her head. "Some people think I don’t fit in at all."

"I'd consider that a compliment."
Zoey began gathering her color swatches. "You are just what we need."

In her heart, Siena wanted to be what Zach needed. But it seemed that everything she did was just the opposite.

"We don’t have anyone fighting for us in Haven’s Point, especially the women. Siena, did you know that women can’t get a mammogram here? They have to go to Portland. If they’re older, like many of our residents, and don’t have access to a car or it’s too much trouble to get a ride, they just don’t do it. That's one of the reasons I came back. And Zach, too. So we could make sure Mom was getting the care and treatment she needed and deserved."

"I assumed the local hospital had the necessary equipment," Siena said. 

"Nope. It’s very expensive, and we just don’t have the money for it around here. Our hospital is small. Just does emergencies and stop-gap measures."

"There should be something
. . ."

"I really want to push for better medical equipment around here. Mama just delayed getting her mammograms because of the inconvenience. Finally Aunt Addie told me I should take charge and take her to Portland. By that time, she needed surgery and extensive treatment. If she could have had an early diagnosis and treatment, it wouldn't have been nearly so invasive."

"I'm sorry to hear that. I know it's been tough. She's lucky to have you. And Zach." Siena smiled and made wavy motions around her head. "Her wig is fabulous."

"That was Zach's idea. I was surprised she'd wear it, but she could hardly refuse. Maybe it's because she knew he spent a bundle on it. It's not cheap to look like Raquel Welsh."

"Sometimes tragedy spurs awareness." Siena sat upright and snapped her fingers. "You know Zoey, there are Mammo-Vans, portable mammogram machines set up in specially equipped trucks for rural areas that don’t have the expensive equipment in their local hospitals. I worked on that project once in my old company."

"
Never heard of it, but we definitely need a Mammo-van in Haven’s Point."

"I’ll look into it and we’ll see what we can do together."

Zoey gave Siena a high-five and gathered her materials. "Are you planning some kind of spectacular opening for the new and improved
Amazing Lace Lingerie Salon?
Like maybe a style show? That would attract a lot of customers."

"Style show? Women walking around wearing bras, out in public?" Siena laughed out loud at that one. "In this town?"

"Well, it could be tastefully done." Zoey covered her breasts with her hands and did a neat pirouette.

Siena smiled as
wild ideas started forming in her head. "If –
big if
– we had a lingerie style show, where would we get models? Certainly not the ladies around here. I’m sure they wouldn’t even consider --"

Zoey
’s brown eyes snapped. "Don’t drape all the women around here with the same wet blanket of lace. We could ask around. Why not?" Zoey said with a shrug. "It would be a private affair in the shop. The customers would be women only. We’re all the same, some more fully endowed than others. But it could be great fun. And great publicity - full-figured promotion for
Amazing Lace
." She paused and laughed. "Heck, I’ll do it."

"You’ll model? You're sure?"

Zoey shrugged. "Well, ye-ah. I have nothing to hide. And I can think of a handful of my friends right now who would love to shock this town."

Siena put a finger over her lips. "But, what about Zach?"

Zoey pointed a finger. "Don’t go there. What he doesn’t know is best for all of us." She laughed on her way out. "See you soon."

Siena sat on the counter, looking over the mess of half-filled boxes of lobsters and lighthouses. "I’ve ruined my chances with Zach – and I’m in too deep to swim out," she said to Venus, who quietly wore her lace with pride. "I’ve got too much on my plate. He’s not with me on this. What am I thinking?" Siena stared up at the mermaid window. A soft green glow filtered through the glass, almost giving it motion. The tiny mermaid seemed to frolic happily in the ocean.
Beautiful.

Sally and Harry hopped up on the counter with her, winding around her, purring. She cupped a hand around each sleek body. "I guess I now have cat-acceptance. And that’s something."

But the one she wanted most was Zach. And that prospect was looking dimmer by the day.

A rush of noise and laughter accompanied the Lacy Ladies who pushed their way inside the shop. Claire led the way, followed by Roberta, Carrie, Camille, Annabelle and Zoey. "Siena! Siena! Show us the samples!" They all called to her in shrill, excited voices.

Siena looked up, surprised. She grinned at the eager faces. "How did you know they’d arrived?"

"Not much happens around here that we don’t know about," Roberta said with a knowing smile.  She fluffed her Raquel Welsh wig and made everybody laugh again.

Nothing they didn’t know, huh? Including that she and Zach had spent nights together, including right here in the shop? And that she hadn’t heard from him
at all in the last week? 

"Love the purple exterior, by the way," Camille said.

"It’s Lilac Allure and Royale, not just purple," Zoey said, spreading her arms dramatically against the Midnight Blue wall.

Siena explained that the shop would be closed until they were ready for the grand opening so that R.J.,
Zoey’s artist/handyman friend, could build out and paint dressing rooms.

"Where is your old inventory?"
Claire asked. "All those lobsters and lighthouses?"

Siena scooted an empty box out of the way. "Lobsters went to
Haven’s Point Gifts
down the street and the books, next door. I started to give George the feathered masks, but thought that would send him right over the edge. The romance novels nearly did!"

"I’ll bet he’s over there in the back room, reading them right now,"
Claire said in a loud whisper and the other ladies howled with laughter.

"We couldn’t wait to see our lace in action!" Roberta was bobbing up and down in her excitement.  "So where are they?"

Siena opened the shipping box and dangled a bright red bra between thumb and finger. "
Madams de lingerie
. . ." she said in her best faux French accent, "our new and improved
Amazing Lace Lingerie
debut!" She draped the bra over her own chest. "We measure carefully to uplift your best assets. Our ample-width straps ease and redistribute the delightful weight. All in the grandest style and beauty."

They all giggled and shifted closer.

"Your French needs some work, but the item is . . .
ah, magnific
," Roberta said. "Just look at the beautiful workmanship." She examined the item closely, then handed it off.

"Notice the exquisite lace." Siena draped another bra, this one in purple, across the front of her sweater. "Recognize any of it?"

"Sure do." Claire lifted a beige-on-black lace bra from the box. "This one’s mine. Love the colors. What a great idea, Siena. Only someone with such ample boobage as I have can appreciate the need for these, after years of shoulder and back pain."

"I don’t have that problem," Camille said, pulling her shirt tight against her small breasts, "but I’d like my girls to achieve their fullest potential." She did a funny little dance that got all the ladies laughing. "This is just too wonderful, Siena, getting us a new market for our lace and a
ll. I hoped it would happen someday, but must admit, I had my doubts."

Roberta nodded. "Thank you, honey! You are the best thing to happen to us in years."

"This looks like mine." Annabelle clutched a lacy cami to her breasts and beamed with pride. "Siena, everybody in town is going to love this shop. It’s about time we flung off our old granny bras and got beautiful new ones that do the job they were designed to do."

Claire stepped forward. "Since I have a personal investment in the new and improved
Amazing Lace Lingerie Salon
, I want to buy the first bra. Fit me up, my dear." She bent her elbows and held both arms up to the sky.

Annabelle lifted her arms the same way. "Me, too." And they all joined in the fun of making the first lacy purchases.

Giddy with happiness, all the women got busy. Claire chose a Champagne Allure bra and slipped into the storage room to try it on. "Oh my . . ." she said with admiration in her tone.

Roberta got
Sweet Allure in pink. "It’s so comfy," Roberta confided.

Annabelle's was royal purple
, Carrie's was daffodil cream and Camille's was daring black. And so was the one Zoey chose.

Siena was amazed to see these ladies, even those of a certain age, choosing sexy and colorful bras.
She took it as a good sign.

Claire
preened for her friends and brought gales of laughter. "See how nicely everything stays in place with a good bra underneath?"

"What’s this I hear about a style show, Siena?"
Camille asked innocently.

Siena helped Camille adjust her new bra straps. "You do hear everything, ladies. Yes, we’re planning to have a style show on opening day, which is April first if everything goes well."

"April Fool's Day?"

Siena flashed a smile. "Why not? It'll make good headlines."

"Perfect! Okay, tell your ladies who’s doing the modeling," Zoey said. "Maybe we can get some more volunteers."

Siena checked her list. "We have about five local women who’ve agreed to do it, including
Zoey. I offered to give them a free bra as payment if they’ll model on opening day. And we're going to have five give-away prizes for customers."

"A free bra? I’ll do it," Camille said.

"I will too," agreed Annabelle.

"Sign me up too," Claire
said. "I don’t want to miss out on anything that's so much fun, and a little naughty."

Siena notic
es that Roberta failed to volunteer. But no one said anything. "Are you sure? I don’t want you ladies to get in trouble with your families."

"Oh good grief. My family doesn’t tell me what to do. Or what I can’t do."
Claire propped her hands on her hips. "Don’t you want us? I realize we’re not the youngest chicks around – "

"Oh no, it’s not that. You are some of the youngest and best people I know. Of course, I want you in the show." Siena couldn’t hide her surprise and delight.

"You’ll be surprised, my dear, what I can do with a scarf.  We’ll show off the bras, but hide the old parts," Claire said with a laugh. And they all agreed to try to find more volunteer models among their friends and to help in any way possible.

When the ladies left, Siena started boxing items and arranging them by size. She had to clear out everything and get the place ready for the remodeling. Her little voice warned,
I hope the whole thing doesn’t backfire
but she pushed it aside
.

It was after dark when Siena put the teakettle on upstairs and contemplated dinner. When she heard a noise on the high outside steps, she knew it was Zach even before she opened the door. No one else used that frozen entrance.

"Have you had dinner?"

She shook her head.

"Come with me."

"Where?"

"Away. Out of town. For the weekend."

She looked questioningly at him.

"Because
. . . I want to see you, need to spend some time with you. Alone."

The tea
kettle started screaming and she backed up, allowing him to enter.

Was she dreaming? She didn’t care. She just wanted to be alone with him. She needed for him to need her. She wanted to recover her rebel-lover, not the mayor, not the town hero, nor the angry son. But her man. If this were a dream, then she’d go with it. Dream away!

Siena turned off the teakettle and threw some clothes into an overnight bag. She wanted to tell him all about her plans, and to share her enthusiasm on why and how she could salvage Aunt Addie’s failing shop. She wanted him to be impressed by her efforts and to think she was brilliant. Or at least business-savvy.

But he was quiet, sullen almost, in the car. They rode in silence, sometimes exchanging small talk about the weather and quaint harbor towns they passed through. Nothing about what each had been doing in the week since they’d seen each other.

He drove fast along the ocean on Highway One, through picturesque fishing villages that were, like Haven’s Point, built in the traditional Down East style. They all had harbors filled with boats, colorful lobster buoys hanging on sides of buildings, and clusters of little shops, painted like rainbows.

At a little restaurant in Freeport, Siena de
clared their lobster bisque and a glass of wine "the perfect meal."