Sea Glass Island (Ocean Breeze) - By Sherryl Woods Page 0,60
Anyway, he said the time to quit something is when you no longer feel the passion and drive that brought you to it in the first place.”
Gabi’s expression turned thoughtful. “I think he’s right about that,” she said slowly. “That’s exactly how I knew it was time to forget about fighting for my job in Raleigh or even going back there to look for something else.”
“I hadn’t drawn the parallels, but I can see that now,” Samantha said. “So you get where I am.”
“I think so. Months ago you were getting tired of battling for bit parts and being ignored by your agent.” She studied Samantha. “But I thought that had changed.”
“It did for a little while, thanks to all that PR buzz you stirred up. The new agent seemed to be energized. Now, though, I think he’s hit a wall, too.”
“We can do the PR again,” Gabi said eagerly. “It was fun.”
“You have enough on your plate,” Samantha argued. “Besides, it’ll be a never-ending battle. I can’t let you bail me out every time my career hits a snag.”
“Are you sure about that? Because I don’t mind. I really don’t. I’m happy to do whatever I can for you. If I can’t put my skills to use for family, then what good are they?”
“You need to stay focused on this place,” Samantha countered. “It should be more than enough professional challenge for you. And with Wade and Daniella, you have the balance in your life you always needed. I’m not going to be the one who shifts that balance till it’s out of whack again.”
“Sweetie, making a few calls and sending out some press releases is not that demanding.”
Samantha laughed. “Don’t minimize what you do. I know just how hard you worked to get that buzz going last time.”
“Okay, okay, your mind is made up,” Gabi concluded, relenting. “So, what’s next?”
“I was thinking about something earlier when I stopped by the high school.”
“Oh, that’s right, you were going to talk to Mrs. Gentry’s students. How’d that go?”
“About like you’d expect. Lots of questions about which celebrities I’ve met through the years, a few about how hard the work is and a handful of really insightful questions about the business from two or three kids who seemed seriously interested.”
“And those two or three caught your attention,” Gabi guessed.
Samantha nodded, thinking particularly of Cass, who’d been both eager and knowledgeable. “I didn’t get to see any of them perform, so I don’t have a clue if they’re truly talented, but what if someone with experience coached them? I know Mrs. Gentry has a great reputation as a drama teacher, but she’s teaching in a high school where most of the kids are more interested in having fun than in serious acting.”
Gabi’s eyes lit up. “You want to open an acting school? Here?” she asked excitedly. “Oh, do it, Samantha! I’d love it if you were living here. That would make life just about perfect. I think even Emily will cave eventually and she and Boone will settle here, at least part-time. Can you imagine all of us living in this fantastic place, raising our families together, sitting at Grandmother’s while all the cousins run around the yard? What could be more idyllic?”
Samantha gave her a wry look. “Since you’re the only one with a child and Emily’s the only one so far who’s got a date set for her wedding, I’d say you’re getting a little ahead of yourself. Let’s stick to my career move for the moment. What do you think?”
To her dismay, Gabi didn’t jump all over the idea with enthusiasm. She sat back, clearly weighing it, letting her businesswoman’s mind sort through the pros and cons. Since Samantha had come to her precisely for her business acumen, she waited patiently for the verdict.
“I think with your résumé, you could open an acting school anywhere and draw students,” Gabi said slowly. “The right PR could ensure that.”
“So you think it’s a good idea,” Samantha said, relieved.
“Hold on. It’s not a bad idea,” Gabi contradicted, then grinned. “I just think it could be better.”
“How?”
“Open a playhouse. Do a few productions every year, especially in summer, maybe one during the holidays geared more toward the locals. Use your contacts to bring in an artist-in-residence every so often to teach and star in the next production. Let the kids learn not just from you, but from the best. You’ll be buried under applications from all over the state. And with tourism booming,