The mural Sky herself had painted for the place in the summer had transformed the interior from drab and dull to cheery and bright.
Lisa passed two hot chocolates topped with whipped cream and chocolate sprinkles across the counter and then noticed Sky and waved.
Sky waved back and carried on walking until she reached her destination.
The store had no sign outside, and no decorations in the window.
Inside she could see Emily dipping a brush into a paint pot. One wall of the empty store was covered in haphazard stripes of paint.
Sky pushed open the door, relieved to escape from the cold. “Hi, do you know where I could find a new store called Something Seashore?” She put her bag down on the floor, making sure the contents were concealed.
“Sky!” Lizzy, Emily’s six-year-old niece, shot across the store and Sky scooped her up.
“How have you been, my little popcorn pal? Is that a new tiara you’re wearing?” She hugged her tightly. “And that’s a great necklace. You made that?”
“I made it with Rachel last week.”
“She’s Miss Cooper to you.” Emily put down the paintbrush she was holding. Her hair was caught in a ponytail and she looked harassed. “I hate this part. The decorating. I just want it done.”
“Decorating is the fun part.”
“No, the business will be the fun part. Where did you get that jacket? It’s too big for you.”
“It’s Alec’s. I borrowed it.” Sky set Lizzy down gently. “Need some help?”
“Do you really need to ask? I’ve painted fifteen stripes on the wall and I don’t like any of them. They all seem wrong.”
“That’s because they are all wrong.” Sky squinted at the colors. “Grays and creams. You’re playing it safe again, Em.”
“The merchandise is going to be more important than the wall color.”
“Agreed, but you want the wall color to set off the merchandise to its best advantage. The place is called Something Seashore not Something Boring. You need this place to feel like a trip to the beach.” Sky slipped off Alec’s jacket and put it over the back of a chair. “Is this all the paint you have?”
“I have a whole bag of samples. Help yourself.”
Sky rummaged through the bag. “I thought you were talking to someone about designing the interior.”
“I couldn’t afford them. Ryan has someone who is going to help me fix the place up, but first I need paint color.”
“You need to catch me up. I’m out of the loop.”
“You were busy with your exhibition.”
Sky felt a stab of guilt. “Well, I’m not busy now.” She set all the blues out in front of her. “Do you have a bowl of some sort?”
“What for?”
“I want to mix these paints.”
“Can’t you just use a ready-mixed one?”
“No, because none of these are just right.” Sky pushed up the sleeves of her sweater and knotted her hair at the back of her head. “When people walk through that door next summer, they’re going to know they’re at the beach.”
“Are we going to paint a mural? Like we did with Summer Scoop?” Lizzy bounced with excitement. “Can I help?”
“I’m relying on it. But first I want to try something.” Sky poured, mixed and experimented until she’d produced the shade she wanted. Then she painted a stripe on the wall next to the others.
Emily sighed. “For two days I’ve been painting stripes, and you walk in here and in one swipe of the brush you have the perfect color. I’d hate you if I weren’t so grateful. You’re brilliant.”