Chapter 2
Chapter two
Maya
Idrop my purse and keys on the entryway table and immediately notice my site’s webpage is still open. Huh. That’s weird. Why didn’t it go to sleep while I was out?
I move closer and see a blinking popup with an error message; it looks like there was a glitch with the scheduler.
Damnit! I thought for sure I turned on the service delay message!
Rico, my usual engraver, is on vacation for the next two weeks, and the message was supposed to let customers know engraving services will take extra time.
With Rico away, I have to use my backup engraver, Jerry.
Don’t get me wrong; Jerry does good work, but he handles engraving for a ton of clients, so he takes about twice as long.
When you run an online shop selling personalized everything (from shirts, to mugs, to key chains), fast turnaround is key if you want to move enough volume to break even.
I bite my nails nervously. I think it’s time to invest in my own engraving tool, at least for the small jobs.
I’ll need to run the ROI for that, considering I might not even have the time to do my own engraving with all my other orders.
And I just got my embroidery machine for big jobs two months ago?
Hmm… Maybe I should stop engraving all together and focus exclusively on sewing, needlepoint, and embroidery.
Ugh, but then Rico is out of a job! I’d hate to have to let him go after finally being able to hire another person.
I manually turn on the service delay message—double-checking the green, “Active” flag is on this time—and open up the one order that came through.
Customer Name: Adam Park
Item: Champagne toasting flute; 14K gold trim
Quantity: 175
Personalized?: Yes
Message:
Bryan )
It’s_Personal: LOL!
APark644: Let me double-check with the Maid of Honor about the venue address. Wouldn’t want you driving all the way to Cape Cod for nothing.
It’s_Personal: Fried clams and a day to walk the beach? I would hardly call that nothing.
APark644: Definitely not. Seafood is my love language.
It’s_Personal: OMG. LMAO!
It's_Personal: Mine is pastries.
APark644: Nice!
Am I allowed to flirt with a customer? Technically, he started it.
APark644: Something about chatting is giving me flashbacks to junior high flirting.
APark644: A/S/L?
Oh, this guy must've been a charmer back then. He's plenty smooth now…
It’s_Personal: HAHAHA! Well, since you asked…26/F/NYC.
It’s_Personal: You?
APark644: 28/M/NYC. What are the odds?
It’s_Personal: I’d say pretty high, considering there are like 8 million people living in NYC.
APark644: So we have ourselves a smart aleck, huh?
It’s_Personal: Who me?
APark644: OK. Emily just confirmed I got the venue address right, so we’re all good. Thanks again.
APark644: In the meantime, PLEASE let me know ASAP if anything else changes. The MOH will literally kill me if I mess this up.
It’s_Personal: Will do, Mr. Park. Have a nice night.
Well! That was something. Adam Park not only seems like a reasonable guy, but a super flirty one. The oven’s been off for a while, but my cheeks suddenly feel warm. Some men just can’t help themselves.
I might need to use this chat feature more often. Too bad that Emily girl had to kill the vibe.
I put away the thread still in bags by the couch and bring up “The Great British Bake Off” on my laptop. Time to binge a few episodes while I knock out the backpacks for the Poughkeepsie High School senior trip.