Ten Beach Road (51 page)

There was another silence as she imagined them thinking, as she was, that after tonight there wouldn’t be an “us.”

“I’ll go first,” Maddie said, pushing the thought away. “I’m incredibly glad that Steve’s found himself and made it here. I’ll be forever grateful for that.” She raised her glass not toward the setting sun, but toward them. “But my one good thing, my best thing, is all of you.”

“Shit,” Avery said. “Did you really have to say that? You’re going to make me cry.”

Unhappiness hung over them like a blanket, warm and heavy. Nikki poured them each a final drink, but no one drank.

Avery harrumphed and swiped at her eyes. Deirdre’s gaze remained on the puddle of red sun oozing into the Gulf. Leached of color, the sky turned the palest of grays.

No one spoke as the shadows continued to lengthen. Dusk settled in.

In the growing dark, Maddie tried to read the others’ faces. It seemed pretty clear that no one else was going to offer their “one good thing,” and Maddie didn’t have the heart to force them. She set her glass down and began to gather the snacks. She felt as if she’d been about to stride over the finish line when someone stuck out a foot to trip her. Kyra reached for her camera bag, tucking the video camera into it while Avery stared morosely out over the pass.

“Well, I guess that’s it then,” Maddie said, standing. “We might as well call it a night.”

The others stood and began to gather up the remnants of their sunset snack.

There was the ding of an incoming message, and Kyra pulled out her cell phone. She gasped in surprise and began to scroll through a message. Her eyes widened as she read it.

“What is it?” Maddie asked, thinking it might be work related. Or some sort of change of heart from Daniel Deranian.

“Oh, my God!” Kyra said, clutching at Maddie’s arm. “Oh, my God!”

“Take some deep breaths and try to calm down,” Deirdre said. “No one needs you hyperventilating yourself into an early labor.”

There was nervous laughter, but they all looked at Kyra expectantly.

Kyra drew an exaggerated breath, then held up her cell phone, brightening the backlight so that she could read them the email. “I can’t believe it. It’s from Karen Crandall, head of development at Lifetime.” She smiled.
“Dear Ms. Singer,”
she read.
“We’ve been watching your YouTube posts on the renovation at Ten Beach Road with great interest. You are a gifted filmmaker and storyteller.”
Kyra’s smile lit her face; she took a mock bow.
“We enjoyed not only the footage of Bella Flora being brought back to her former glory, but the chemistry—good and bad—between the people on this project, each of whom brought unique talents and perspectives to the renovation. We couldn’t have cast it better ourselves and are certain our viewers will relate.”

Kyra paused as they contemplated each other. Even Bella Flora seemed to be listening.

Avery turned to Deirdre. “Wasn’t Karen Crandall the person who bought your design specials for Lifetime?”

Deirdre nodded and smiled as Kyra continued.
“We would like to discuss shooting a pilot for a new series in which you would serve as producer/director and the group would select significant homes in different parts of the country to renovate.”
Kyra grinned. “It ends with her cell phone number and a request that I call her as soon as possible.” She peered down at the screen and then her watch. “It says she’s out in California and to call anytime.”

“Oh, my God,” Maddie said, hugging Kyra. “That’s fabulous!”

“It is,” Avery agreed. “It sounds like a wonderful opportunity. What do you all think?”

“I don’t know what there is to think about!” Maddie said. She couldn’t seem to stop smiling. “I’m in!”

“Me, too. If you’ll have me,” Deirdre added, looking directly at Avery and waiting for her nod. Kyra, who had already unpacked her camera to shoot their reactions, captured their identical smiles.

“I’m in!” Avery said, clearly uncertain how to deal with Deirdre’s possible role in the network’s interest. “As long as there’s no nodding or pointing. And none of us, under any circumstances, is ever asked to wear a sweater no matter how cold it gets.”

“Damn straight,” Deirdre said.

“I’m with you on that!” Maddie laughed.

There were jubilant high fives and lots of hugs, which Kyra documented from every possible angle. Until she panned the camera lens over to the battered hulk of Bella Flora.

Kyra stopped recording and slowly lowered her camera. One by one they fell silent as they regarded the house that had brought them together and whose resurrection had led to their own.

“Even if we’re able to make a deal with the network, it’ll take a while to come to terms. And any money’s going to be pretty far down the road.” Avery continued to look at the dark and silent house. “That still leaves Bella Flora on the market ‘as is.’ ”

There was a longer silence as this unwelcome truth tempered their euphoria. How could they celebrate when Bella Flora was so bruised and battered?

“You know,” Deirdre said, considering her daughter. “I wasn’t blowing smoke when I told you how much easier and faster it would be to re-create what we’ve already done.” She looked at the others. “Which would make Bella Flora a perfect choice for the pilot.”

There was an even longer silence as they all absorbed Deirdre’s suggestion. Maddie imagined Bella Flora perking up in the gathering dark.

“The network might go for it. And Kyra’s YouTube posts have already given Bella Flora a certain following,” Avery said.

“But what if they want us to start with something else?” Maddie asked.

“We might not have that kind of control,” Nicole said. “And a television series isn’t an opportunity that comes along every day.”

“That’s for sure,” Kyra said. “It’s pretty much a dream come true.”

Deirdre nodded her agreement. “There are no guarantees here. And all we’re being offered is the chance to make a pilot. The odds of a series actually happening are low.”

“We’d have to stand together on this, make it a condition for moving forward,” Avery said. She shot Deirdre and then Nicole a look. “No side deals or jockeying for position. We’d have to put Bella Flora’s comeback before our own.”

Maddie couldn’t imagine wanting to do this without the others, but this was Kyra’s dream. “What do you think, Ky? You made this happen and it could be the shot you’ve been working toward. Are you willing to take the risk?”

Slowly, Kyra nodded. “I think we owe it to Bella Flora. And to ourselves.” She smiled at all of them. “I’m willing to roll the dice if you are.”

Each of them nodded their agreement as Maddie’s heart swelled with pride in her daughter.

“Call her back right now,” Avery said. “And tell her we’re all on board. But only if we can do Bella Flora first.”

They sat on the edge of their chairs while Kyra punched in the numbers, the cheap straps and aluminum straining. Maddie could see the mixture of hope and fear on all of their faces. She was fairly certain no one was breathing. She knew for sure she wasn’t.

“Is this Karen Crandall?” Kyra’s voice wobbled slightly as her call was answered. “This is Kyra Singer. I’m the one who . . .”

She fell silent, listening carefully, her gaze on Bella Flora. The voice on the other end sounded tinny and distant in the silence, but Maddie couldn’t make out what was being said. “Thank you. Yes. We’re interested. In fact, we’re all together right now. At Bella Flora.” Kyra swallowed. “With Bella Flora.”

The woman said something else and Kyra nodded, but her expression gave nothing away. “Yes, we’re all excited about the opportunity, but there’s just one thing.”

They listened as Kyra explained their position and waited, still barely breathing, while Kyra listened to the network head’s answer.

“No,” Kyra said, her expression still unreadable. “Of course. Yes. I understand.”

Maddie thought it a miracle that no one had passed out from lack of oxygen by the time Kyra hung up the phone. Her hand shook as she set down the phone and reached for the camera.

“Jesus, Kyra!” Nicole said. “Forget about the damned camera. Just tell us what she said!”

“I don’t think I want to hear it unless it’s good news,” Avery said. “I can’t take any more bad.”

Deirdre reached out to squeeze Avery’s hand. “I could have my agent call the network. Maybe we should . . .”

“Come on, Ky,” Maddie said. “Just tell us. Put us out of our misery. My heart is pounding so hard I’m afraid it’s going to burst through my chest.”

“Okay,” Kyra said quietly. “But I want to be able to capture your reactions.” She raised the camera to her eye and fiddled with the zoom. “Because I’m thinking that maybe we could use footage of this moment. You know . . .” A small smile tugged at her lips. “During the opening credits of the pilot!”

“You mean . . .” Nikki began.

“. . . She agreed?” Deirdre asked.

Kyra nodded happily but didn’t speak until she’d finished capturing their first gasps of joy. “Yes, she said yes!” Kyra beamed. “There’s lots of details to work out, and a budget to set, but she agreed to let us redo Bella Flora for the pilot!”

“Oh, my God,” Avery said. “I can’t believe it.” The tears she’d been holding back streamed down her face. Deirdre reached over with a napkin and dabbed at the corners of her daughter’s eyes.

Nikki had turned her face, but Maddie could see the sheen of tears in the corner of her eye.

It hit home then that the miracle Maddie had been afraid to wish for had actually come true. They were going to get another chance to bring Bella Flora back to life just as she had given them back theirs. Despite her injuries, Bella Flora hunkered almost protectively behind them; she was strong deep down where it mattered most.

“To Bella Flora!” Maddie said, raising her glass. “And everything she taught us!”

“To Bella Flora!” they said in unison, clinking their plastic tumblers, then lifting them toward the house in homage before draining them in long, celebratory gulps.

The moonlight flattered Bella Flora’s angles and curves and spilled out over the pass to shimmer on the water’s surface as they laughed and talked.

“Just think of all the things we know now that we didn’t know the first time around,” Maddie said.

“Like no polyurethane in an enclosed space,” Deirdre said.

“No working for bananas or dancing to the organ grinder’s tune,” Avery added.

“No shutting down more than one bathroom at a time,” Kyra said. “Especially when pregnant women are present.”

“No early bird specials or senior citizen discounts,” Nicole interjected, looking at Maddie. “No matter how great the savings!”

“And absolutely, positively no renovating on a barrier island during hurricane season,” Maddie added with absolute certainty. “I say we aim to start work after the holidays. Maybe my grandson or granddaughter can have a cameo.”

The breeze was soft and warm on their skin, the moon’s glow gentle as they talked late into the night, laying their plans, buoyed by a friendship they’d never expected on a journey they hadn’t meant to take.

Readers Guide to

1. At the very start of the novel, Madeline’s world is crashing down around her—an empty nest, the shocking news of her mother-in-law’s accident and move, Steve’s unemployment, and her daughter’s pregnancy. How does this set the stage for the rest of what Madeline undergoes in the book? Do these challenges force her to become more adaptive, stronger? Do you think she did the right thing by leaving her husband and Edna behind during a complicated and emotionally volatile situation?

2. Could you relate to Madeline’s frustration at the slow economy—or Steve’s reluctance to act and crushing depression? What would you have done in Maddie’s position? How does Maddie resist the temptation to let everything fall to pieces?

3. How does Malcolm Dyer’s Ponzi scheme frame the events of the book? How does this crisis tie the characters together?

4. Which woman’s struggles—Madeline’s, Avery’s, or Nicole’s—did you identify with the most? What does Bella Flora mean to each of them, and how does this change over the course of the novel?

5. Do you think Nicole had an ethical obligation to share her information on Malcolm with the authorities? Even after he destroyed her livelihood and wiped out her life savings, why does she hesitate? What changes in Nicole’s heart about helping bring her brother to justice? What influences her decision, or trumps her protective sibling nature?

6. How would you describe Avery and Deirdre’s relationship? How is it similar to that of Kyra and Maddie? How do these mother-daughter relationships evolve over the course of their stay at Bella Flora? What are the catalyst events?

7. Each woman finds herself at a breakthrough point as the renovation comes to a close, where she finds she is able to speak her deepest feelings and act more boldly. What are these moments for each, and what are the ramifications?

8. Were you shocked by Deirdre’s ulterior motives and her role as the publicity leak? Did you hope that she would have a change of heart and work to reconcile with her daughter?

9. Do you think the women were right to be outraged and to exile Nicole after learning the truth about her relationship to Malcolm and her lack of disclosure? How would you have reacted? When do you think an appropriate time would have been to share this information—and how do you think it would have affected the bond the women felt?

10. Were you surprised by Daniel Deranian’s sudden appearance? Do you think Kyra made the right choice? What led to her decision? How does Maddie’s attitude influence this?

11. What motivated Steve’s appearance at Bella Flora, his reformed behavior, and pledge to wellness? Could you have forgiven such bad behavior in a time of family crisis?