“I can’t wait to see all these bitch-ass little businesses crushed.”
I felt tears spring to my eyes. Everything I had worked so long for—destroyed.
I can do this. I took a deep breath. I could rebuild with my family somewhere else.
Then the limousine door opened and a slim, elegant foot clad in a sleek black Louboutin emerged.
I gasped in shock.
It was my mother-in-law Claudette.
“Darling,” she said, as servants emerged to sweep in front of her so not a speck of sand would get on her immaculate shoes.
“What—who—” Cash sputtered.
Franklin, Senior, emerged behind her.
“Oh, there’s been a change in management,” he said.
“But--where are the bulldozers—” Cash sputtered, and Franklin raised an aristocratic eyebrow.
“The Beachy Peachy Dreams Corporation has indeed acquired the businesses in this town, butweare the new owners of the Beachy Peachy Dreams Corporation. And their new owners have no interest in tearing them down.”
I felt joy flood my heart as Frankie whooped in triumph beside me.
“Oh hooray!”
“Huzzah!”
The rest of the town cheered wildly behind us all along Main Street as Cash only gaped in astonishment.
“Young man, you can run along now with your tail between your legs,” Claudette said, waving her silken handkerchief at him. “I have more money than you.”
“Fine, whatever. Fuck you all!” Cash snarled.
And then he turned and left.
“And don’t come back!” Frankie called.
He helped me to my feet, Blue in my arms, and his eyes were shining like stars as he kissed me.
“I love you so much. It’s me and Blue and you now.”
“Yes, it is,” I smiled. “I love you, too. Let’s go back to our coffee shop and make everyone a celebratory cup.”
Epilogue (Frankie, 6 months later)
“Attention, attention!” Mayor Greenberg called, tapping her champagne glass with gusto. “We are here to celebrate a mostremarkableachievement!”
She gestured at the new watercolor painting hanging in the lobby of the Pemberley B&B.
It was a frankly fucking stunning piece of artwork, Ramshackle Bay at sunset, the vibrant reds and oranges and yellows all melting like butter into the sapphire waves that dashed on the store.
“Look what Mommy did!” I caroled to Blue as I held her high above my head so she could see above the crowd.
“To Jillian!”
“TO JILLIAN!” everyone choruses back, voices raised high, glasses even fuller, and my wife’s cheeks pink with a rosy flush as she acknowledges the praise with a gracious shy little wave.
