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“It’s exactly what I envisioned. Wait, you knew too?” Alice asked her.
“Sam cleared it with me first.”
“I can’t believe you all kept it a secret from me. You want to see the mosaics I brought?”
“Yes, I’m dying to see what you’ve got,” Natalie said.
Alice never failed to be surprised when someone liked her work. I didn’t think she ever expected to be decorating B&Bs with her mosaics. I was proud of her.
Natalie oohed and ahhed over each one. “I love all of them. Will you help me place them when everything is finished?”
Alice blinked at her. “You want to buy them all?”
“We’ll need some in the front foyer, one in each room, and some in the living room. Frankly, I might need more than what you brought.”
Alice recovered quickly and said, “I’m happy to help with whatever you need. If you’d like specific pieces, I can create something for you too.”
“These are going to be amazing, and I like having something unique that no one else in town has.” Natalie worked out a deal with Alice to pay her more per piece if she made the mosaics exclusive to the B&B and her store here. She could still sell online and to other stores outside of Telluride, but in town, you’d only be able to purchase them here or online.
This option with Natalie worked out better than I ever hoped. Alice paid reduced rent in exchange for covering the counter for Natalie, and the mosaics displayed in the B&B would be an advertisement for Alice’s pieces.
Savannah had placed a large order for her store in Annapolis, and she’d already placed another. They’d worked out a tentative deal to send a large monthly shipment that included staples like the crab and seasonal items for holidays.
There was such a demand for the mosaics in Maryland that I’d suggested traveling there to visit, and combine it with a trip to the beach this summer.
I helped Natalie stow the boxes in her suite, and we said good-bye. I hoped this business relationship turned into a friendship between Alice and Natalie. I wanted her to be happy.
On the way outside, Alice held Maggie’s hand. I’d never get tired of seeing the way she cared for my daughter as if she were her own.
“Can you believe that?” Alice asked when we were standing by her car.
“That Natalie wanted your mosaics?”
“It was unbelievable. I didn’t expect that she’d want them to decorate every room.”
“She loves the pieces, and they’ll look great in the rooms.”
“Yeah, I guess. It’s just surprising.”
I put an arm around her shoulders. “Eventually, you’re going to get used to people wanting your creations.”
She laughed. “I don’t think I will. I still get a thrill each time I have a sale online or an email from Savannah telling me how fast a particular item sold out.”
Alice was coming out of her shell even more now that the police had reassured her that they’d spoken to Jace and advised him of the current revenge porn and sexting laws. He was also charged with harassment for sending her the initial photo. We hoped that would be the last time we heard from him.
Alice felt like she was in control of the situation. It was when she felt the opposite that she spiraled into her old patterns of hiding from the world. Those days were behind us, and she was free to be who she wanted to be.
I leaned into the open door to ask Maggie, “What do you think about a picnic lunch?”
“Yes!” Maggie cried as we piled into my truck and headed to my girls’ favorite deli. I had one more surprise in mind for them. Except Maggie didn’t know anything about this one. I hoped both of my favorite girls loved this surprise.
When we’d loaded up on subs and chips, I headed out of town.
Alice asked, “Where are we going?”
I winked at her. “It’s a surprise.”
“I love surprises,” Maggie singsonged from the back.
