Page 25 of Second Chance in Charlevoix (Charlevoix Dreams #3)

Samantha

W hy had she agreed to this? Sam’s stomach was a mess.

Facing the shopping trip with Mia, Sam felt totally inadequate.

What had made her think she could pull this off?

On top of everything else, she had to eat lunch with a teenager with a bad attitude.

Josh had suggested that they begin the dress search with lunch at the Weathervane.

Since Josh and Sam had eaten there last winter, the restaurant seemed like a good choice.

At the time they’d been seated outside, where they could watch the bridge go up every half hour.

Down below was the channel leading out to Lake Michigan.

Gulls circled overhead and finches twittered about, hoping someone would drop a crumb.

The lovely scene was something she’d never experience back in Oak Brook, the suburb west of Chicago where she’d lived with Kurt.

“I love this restaurant,” Sam said, searching for common ground.

Mia glanced around. “My parents used to bring us here. My mom loved it too.” The words were given in a toneless voice.

So this was a happy family memory. Sam felt shaken.

The words on the menu blurred. Maybe they should have gone somewhere else.

During her lunch here with Josh, he’d never mentioned that Cynthia had loved this restaurant.

Maybe to him, it just been a picturesque restaurant strategically located next to the channel between Lake Michigan and Lake Charlevoix.

Sam was in uncharted waters. Arms crossed, Mia kept glancing at the water below, as if she wanted to jump in.

Conversation was painful and they quickly ordered.

After that, Mia hardly said a word. Wearing torn jeans, a hoodie and too much eye makeup, she looked like a typical teenager.

Were all kids that age so sullen? It would break her heart if carefree Holly turned out like this.

But that wasn’t fair. Look at what her family had faced, and the Quinn girls had managed to breach that loss.

Staring out at the water below, the girl showed no reaction to the yachts gliding through the channel, heading out into the ocean.

People in colorful bathing suits and hats often waved from the boats and Sam waved back.

Then Mia cast a look her way. The waving was not a cool thing to do.

Was anything “cool” now to teenagers? Sam had no clue.

Finally the food arrived. While Sam dove into her fish and chips, Mia nibbled on her hearty cheeseburger.

The Wagyu part seemed lost on the girl. She was terribly thin and Sam wondered if that was on purpose.

Was she on a diet or just not that interested in food?

Of course she couldn’t ask that question.

In fact, Mia hardly spoke at all, which felt uncomfortable.

Thank goodness Josh’s daughter didn’t want dessert.

Glad to have that part over, Sam waved for the check.

Moments later, the two of them were on Bridge Street.

The summer season hadn’t started yet so there were only a few tourists stopping in front of the store windows.

“Thank you for the lunch, Samantha,” Mia mumbled as they walked across the bridge.

Obviously she’d been warned to offer some gratitude.

“You’re welcome. It was fun.” The words had come easily and were anything but the truth. Mia glanced up as if even she was surprised by the “fun” part. “And you can call me Sam, Mia. Everyone does.”

The night before, Marlowe had helped Sam do a search for dress shops in Charlevoix. If they didn’t find anything Sam was ready to continue up to Petoskey. Sam hoped they would find something suitable. But no, it had to be more than that. “Suitable” wouldn’t do. Deep in her heart, Sam knew that .

Any dance she’d attended had called for a lot of planning.

When she graduated from grade school, there was a dance.

Her mother had made her a wonderful robin’s egg blue dress with a full skirt, three quarter length sleeves and a scoop neckline.

Simple but magical for Sam. She’d loved it.

For her it had been a dream dress, and at the time Marlowe had asked if she could wear it later.

But by the time Marlowe reached that age, styles had changed, Mom was gone and they were trying to figure out what was left of their lives.

Of course Aunt Cate had stepped in with a designer dress from New York and Marlowe had looked stunning.

Their search began with Sophia’s Fashions, which wasn’t too far from the bridge.

They went directly there. As she walked along with Mia at her side, Sam tried to pretend that she was a mother taking her daughter on this search.

But it was difficult. When they reached the store, the dresses in the window were for all ages, from toddlers to middle school.

The selection might be limited but they went inside.

A girl named Heidi greeted them and Sam quickly explained what they were looking for.

With a stone face Mia began sorting through the hangers.

“A dance?” Heidi said. “Well, let’s start here.

” Before long she’d gathered a bunch of dresses in Mia’s size.

To Sam’s amazement she wore a size zero.

How was that even possible? Heidi and Mia disappeared into the fitting room area and Sam perched on one of the lilac colored velvet chairs.

Waiting for Mia to appear, she said a silent prayer that they would find something suitable. And soon.

When Mia appeared in the first dress, her sour expression told Sam that this wasn’t going to cut it.

Going to the three-way mirror, the girl slowly turned, as if she were about to be burned at the stake and was searching for the least painful position.

The pink sundress was sweet, with a large bow on each shoulder.

The bodice was embroidered and tucked. Sam remembered Izzy having dresses like this when she was young. “No?” she asked Mia.

“Definitely not.” Looking relieved, Mia trotted back to the room with Heidi in tow.

The second and third dresses were no better and Sam was beginning to understand that this shop specialized in children’s clothes. Although Mia wore a very small size, the style and length of the dresses made it clear that they were for younger girls, not teenagers looking for the right image.

Thanking Heidi, they burst out into the fresh air. “Sorry, I thought Sophia’s would be…”

“Nope, not happening.” But Mia was grinning, almost as if they shared a secret.

As they headed down Bridge Street to a shop called Blue Lagoon, they passed Secondhand Rose, a consignment shop.

The window was filled with bright tops, shorts and capri pants.

A denim mini-skirt caught Sam’s eye. She’d been looking for one.

“Want to go inside?” Mia asked.

“Do you?” Sam turned.

“Sure. Why not?” Marching to the door, Mia pulled it open.

While Sam was grabbing the denim skirt, which luckily was her size, Mia began sorting through T-shirts.

With a bunch in hand she disappeared into another fitting room.

Sam quickly took a room across from her.

The mini-skirt fit her but exposed way more of her legs than Sam was used to showing.

Marlowe always told her that she had great legs. Kurt, however, insisted that her calves were too skinny. He’d printed out a bunch of exercises meant to develop Sam’s calves. That never happened. Remembering those exercises, Sam wondered. Maybe this skirt was a mistake.

“Mia?” Sam called out, wanting another opinion.

Mia’s head appeared at the edge of the pink drape. “Nice,” she said, flicking her eyes over Sam. “You going to buy it?”

“Are you sure it doesn’t make my legs look too skinny?”

“What?” Mia stepped back, her arms full of shirts. “Of course not. You look nice.”

Nice? Hardly a compliment but today she’d take nice. Sam ended up at the register, denim skirt in hand. “So you had luck with the shirts?”

“Yep. All good.” A bag swung from her arm.

“Your dad gave me his credit card. You know, for your dress. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind you using it for other clothes.”

‘No problem. Dad gave me some cash.”

“Oh, okay.” They walked back out into the sunshine and Sam felt like she’d accomplished something. And she wasn’t thinking of the mini-skirt.

Blue Lagoon carried adult dresses plus plenty of beachwear. The girl who approached them was named Zed and she had a beautiful floral tattoo up her left arm. “Yep, we got dresses.” Her eyes swept over Mia, who handed Sam her bag.

“Not too adult but not childish,” Sam told Zed.

“Got it.” The girl got busy and Mia seemed to trust the clerk’s judgment.

The first dress was too short. Josh would have a heart attack and Mia seemed to agree.

The second dress had a Caribbean beach vibe and the ruffled sleeves were a little much.

The third dress, a halter dress in hot pink, had a neckline rimmed with pink and purple jewels.

The dress made a statement. Although it was short, it wasn’t the shortest one in the group.

Mia glowed as she turned around in front of the mirror.

“What do you think?” Sam asked .

“I love it. Do you think it’s well, too much?” Her fingers trailed over the V-neck, as if she was afraid Sam would nix it. Sam had seen a lot worse in the windows at the Oak Brook mall.

“If I were your age, I think I’d choose this one too.”

For a second it looked as if Mia might hug her. After this nerve wracking day, Sam would have enjoyed that. But it wasn’t to be. Stopping as if she’d come to her senses, Mia wheeled around and skipped back to the fitting room

But Josh was the one who would decide, and Sam was nervous about that. When he picked her up for dinner that night, Sam was almost afraid to face him. “What did you think of the dress?” she asked once they were on the road.

“Short. Shorter than any father would want. But…”

“But what?” Clearly something else was coming

He sent her a curious look. “She tells me you bought a skirt just as short.”

Feeling her face redden, Sam said, “Yes, so what?”

“Nothing. I can’t wait to see it.” Reaching over, he squeezed her hand. “I’m fine with the dress. Thanks for taking her. Mia seemed to have a good time. But one of the shirts is going right into the trash.”

Her heart clutched. “The shirts? But I never saw them.”

“I figured as much.” Josh shook his head. He looked so handsome in his half zip sweater. “The things that they put on shirts.”

Sam didn’t ask what it said. If this were the Army, she’d be asking for active duty pay.

That’s how stressful the day had been, but Josh seemed pleased.

And Mia was happy. Double win. They were headed to a restaurant on Walloon Lake.

An evening coolness had fallen and shadows engulfed the woodsy areas they passed. The knots in her neck eased.

During her years in advertising, she’d known plenty of stressful days. Winning an account was cause for celebration. But nothing had felt as gratifying as euphoria that lifted her now. After the tension of the shopping trip, Sam was surprised to find that she was ravenous.