As it turned out, the exterior was deceptive. The house was much roomier inside than it had appeared and, as Seth had predicted, it had been tastefully decorated with crystal bowls filled with fragrant greens, lots of sparkling white lights and a massive tree in the foyer that dwarfed even Abby’s carefully chosen trees. Every square inch of it was covered with lights and delicate glass antique ornaments.
Sandra stood just inside the door greeting guests—locals and tourists alike—as if this were a private party, rather than the grand finale of the historic homes tour. Her eyes widened when she recognized Abby.
Abby held out her hand, leaving Sandra little choice but to take it. “Your home truly is lovely,” Abby told her. “I can see why you’re so proud of it.”
Sandra blinked at the apparent sincerity behind the compliment. “Thank you.”
“You know,” Abby continued. “I’ve been looking into how you might get it onto a registry of historic homes. Would you be interested in that?”
Now Sandra was actually gaping, and Seth was fighting to hide a smile. Abby recognized that she had finally seized on the one thing that might actually sway the woman to regard her with more favor.
“Do you think that’s possible?” Sandra asked her, sounding a little breathless.
“Seaview Key has historic significance as a fishing village, and yours is one of the only homes to survive so many decades,” Abby said. “I do think it’s possible. I can share the information with you, if you like. I’ve already printed out the forms. I’m having an open house at my place tomorrow. I’d love to have you join us. I can give you everything then. Please say you’ll come.”
Though she looked taken aback, Sandra also looked intrigued. “I imagine Kyle and Mary will be coming, is that right?”
Abby nodded.
“I suppose I could come along with them.” She hesitated, then added, “Thank you.” Her tone was much warmer now than it had been when they’d first spoken.
“No problem at all,” Abby said. “I’ll look forward to seeing you. Now I’ve taken up enough of your time. There are a lot of people hoping to speak to you.”
She quickly moved on, Seth right beside her. She didn’t stop until she’d reached the dining room where there was a huge crystal punch bowl with some sort of holiday punch along with trays of bite-size appetizers and Christmas cookies. She accepted a glass of punch, then risked a glance at Seth.
“That went well,” she said.
“What just happened?” he asked, looking a little dazed. “I actually thought for a minute that Sandra was going to throw her arms around you and officially welcome you home to Seaview Key.”
Abby laughed. “I stumbled onto her soft spot,” she admitted. “Someone pointed out to me how much she loves this house. They suggested having the loveliest home on Seaview Key matters to her, and that the homes I’m proposing for Blue Heron Cove might be a threat to that. It got me to thinking that maybe a historic landmark designation might pacify her.”
Seth shook his head. “You’re amazing. A little sneaky, but amazing.”
She shrugged. “More like desperate. I need her support. Without it, I’ll never get this project off the ground.”
“You could do other things,” he suggested. “You could open a restaurant, for instance.”
“Been there, done that,” she said, dismissing the possibility. “It’s exhausting.” Besides, she’d come home looking for new challenges and ways to make a difference. Opening a restaurant, especially one that would be in competition with good friends like Jack and Lesley Ann, would feel wrong.
“Well, assuming you do get the approvals for Blue Heron Cove, that won’t keep you occupied forever. What then?” Seth asked.
Abby shrugged. “I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it. Maybe I’ll just sit on my porch with a good book and sip sweet tea.”
Seth looked skeptical. “You’ve mentioned that sort of scenario before. I don’t see it. What I do see is you getting bored without a challenge and deciding to take off for a city where there’s more to do.”
“Been there and done that, too.” She held his gaze with a steady look, aware that he was seeking reassurance. “This is the lifestyle I want now, Seth. I want to be part of a community. Maybe I’ll volunteer at the library or mentor some kids at the school. I think that could be incredibly rewarding.”
“You’d be good at that,” he agreed, his expression thoughtful. “But would it fill that empty place inside you?”
She sighed at the direct hit. “I honestly don’t know, but it’s worth a shot.”
There were a lot of changes she could control for her future. Having the child she so desperately wanted? That one was probably out of reach. Surely, though, there had to be some way to fill that terrible empty space that even Seth recognized as being too important to ignore.
That, however, was too deep a topic for tonight and this occasion. Instead, she took his hand. “Let’s mingle,” she suggested.
“I thought one triumph for the night would be enough,” he teased. “You out to conquer the entire community?”
“Nope. From this moment on, we’re just here to have fun. I see Kyle and Mary over there. Let’s say hello.”
As she and Seth spoke to the people they knew for the next hour, Abby was aware of Sandra’s gaze on her from time to time. The mayor managed a smile whenever Abby caught her eye, but mostly she seemed conflicted about the fact that the woman she’d so evidently considered an enemy might be giving her a shot at the enduring respect she so desperately wanted for her family’s place in the history of Seaview Key.
Abby was aware, too, of how many speculative looks were directed toward her and Seth. If
