For now.
Ivy thought about the community’s limitations and Bennett’s concern for her. Still, she was passionate about filling this need for Summer Beach residents at some point.
With only twoguests in the dining room for breakfast, Ivy gave them extra attention. She chatted with Dr. Kempner, who shared a story from her service as a physician in the Navy.
“I remember it like it was yesterday,” Meryl said, her eyes suddenly misting. “Some of my former colleagues are organizing a reunion now.” Dabbing at the corner of her eyes, she sniffed back emotion. “Sorry, we lost one of us. He was always trying to get us together, but what with families and our minor aches and pains, we never quite managed. None of us knew he was ill. We were too late for him.”
“But not for each other,” Ivy said.
Meryl nodded with a wistful smile. “We’re mostly retired now, so we plan to meet more often.”
“You’re young to be retired.” Meryl didn’t seem but a few years older. Ivy couldn’t imagine not having the to-do lists she lived by every day. “How do you fill your time?”
“I do a lot of volunteering. I’m planning to start a charity for kids and teenagers who need guidance or a hand up.”
“That’s a wonderful idea.”
Meryl told her she would be leaving later in the day, and Ivy told her how much she had enjoyed having her. They chatted a little more until Ivy excused herself to check on Libby.
Ivy held a coffee pot aloft. “Would you like a refill on your coffee?”
Libby looked up from her book and nodded. Looking contemplative, she asked, “All the work you’re doing here must be costing a fortune.”
“I’m afraid it is.”
“How are you managing to pay for it all?”
“We’re making do.”
“How, exactly?”
Ivy was a little taken aback at that. “We’re resourceful.”
“I don’t mean to pry,” Libby said quickly, backing off her inquisitiveness. “I’m curious by nature, so I always wonder how entrepreneurs manage to do what they do.”
“Is that your goal someday?”
“Sort of. Did you take out a loan or stumble into a huge inheritance?”
“Neither.” Ivy relaxed a little into the conversation. Libby seemed socially awkward, so maybe she meant no harm. “We raised money for the work. This property is important to the community.”
A thoughtful look filled Libby’s face. “I imagine this place has a lot of history.”
“It sure does.”
Resting her chin in her hand, Libby seemed to choose her words with a certain nonchalance. “I’ve heard about Amelia Erickson.”
Ivy wasn’t surprised. “She was a fascinating woman who stood up for what she believed in. We hosted a gala fundraiser here to preserve the historical importance of her work.”
Libby’s face brightened. “Now that you mention it, I think I saw some photos from the event.”
Ivy nodded at that. The inn and the fundraising gala that Viola had helped organize had received widespread press. Photos from the event were shared all over the internet.
Thankfully, she hadn’t worn that fluffy pink prom dress she’d hastily picked up at the thrift shop; that grave lapse of judgment would have been immortalized on social media. Her mother and Bennett had surprised her with an elegant, understated outfit perfect for the occasion.
Libby leaned forward with a conspiratorial look. “I heard the Ericksons earmarked money for other buildings in Summer Beach.”
That was news to Ivy. “I don’t know anything about that.”
