Chapter 25
Kandace
“ I can finally start paying you,” I say to Chloe as we ready for another busy Saturday at Quintessential Treasures.
“Is it official?”
“Mr. Murphy called me over to his office, and I signed on the dotted line. He said Dax didn’t want me to pay, but by the stipulations Ruth made…
yada yada. It doesn’t matter. I wanted to pay.
I had the money ready.” My smile grows. Lifting my arms, I spin around.
“As of yesterday, Quintessential Treasures is officially mine.”
Chloe cheers. “Don’t even think of firing me. I can’t imagine sleeping in on Saturdays or not working my butt off.”
“I know. Isn’t it the best?”
She peers out the large windows where customers are beginning to congregate. “These festival weekends are crazy. Before we get all bogged down, tell me how often you’ve spoken with Dax since he left.”
My face fills with a grin. “Every night. He calls after nine, so he knows Molly is asleep and I have time to talk.”
“How’s it going in Chicago?”
“I really don’t know,” I say as I arrange a new line of lotions made by a woman in Riverbend. “He says he’s busy, but he doesn’t elaborate. Mostly, he asks about me and Molly, and we talk about things here.”
“You two are meant to be. You know that.”
“I know Dax has always been the man I love even when he was a boy. Molly asks about him every day. I don’t think I could bear if she’s heartbroken.”
Chloe crosses her arms over her breasts, covering the Quintessential Treasures monogram. “Dax has already contracted Mick for work on the house. That good-looking man is jumping in with both feet.”
The buzzer on my phone goes off and with a deep breath, I turn the sign and unlock the front door.
As the hours pass, we are even busier than we were the week before.
By the time we close the store at a little after five, I’m exhausted.
The problem is that my dad set up a meeting with Lynell Jacobs to look at the upstairs.
“Do you want to grab a bite to eat?” Chloe asks. “Mick is helping out at the Gordon farm today, and they always put on a huge spread for the workers.”
“You mean you don’t want to go eat with a bunch of men who have been lifting bales of hay all day?”
Her nose wrinkles. “I don’t even want to be with one of those men until he showers. Twice.”
“We could go to the diner. Dad and Lynell Jacobs are supposed to be here at six.”
“Yeah,” Chloe says, “Mick said you were going to use both of them.”
“I’ll take anyone and everyone.”
“Do you need to do any closing before we go, add receipts…?”
I shake my head. “All of this with the store and Dax has me wiped out. I’ll come tomorrow with Molly and get caught up. After all, I’m now the boss.”
“Yes, you are.”
After locking the store, Chloe and I walk two doors down to the diner and find an open booth.
“I could eat a giant burger,” I say, looking at the menu.
“If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were pregnant again.”
My lips come together as I shake my head. “Nope. There’s a prerequisite to that, and we haven’t done that.”
“What can I get you ladies,” Cheryl asks.
My stomach growls as I sip on an iced tea waiting for our meal. “I didn’t realize how hungry I was.”
“The sales were amazing today,” Chloe says. “That one woman, the one with the dog?”
“I mean, who brings a dog shopping?” I shake my head. “It was cute, but I was afraid it would wet on something. I’m going to need a no-dogs sign.”
Chloe laughs. “It was cute. And she bought over three hundred dollars’ worth of merchandise. As I rang her up, I told her that Quintessential Treasures is going online. She said that she’s excited to tell her friends.”
“Dax is right,” I say as our food arrives. “Thank you.”
“What is Dax right about?” Chloe asks.
“I need to invest in more inventory before going online. If I can’t fulfill orders in a timely manner, I’ll lose customers.”
“Maybe I can help you tomorrow. We can figure out which items sell best and when you start online, have a limited selection. That way you don’t have to stock up on everything.”
“I still need more room.” After a bite of my burger, I add, “You don’t want to be with Mick tomorrow?”
“The Gordon farm takes five times the workers and at least two weekends.”
“Dax could help next weekend.” I grin at volunteering him. His hands should be better by then.
“Maybe you can store things at his house,” Chloe suggests.
“Upstairs makes the most sense.”
Chloe sighs as she lowers her BLT to the plate. “Kandi, that’s your dream, your home for you and Molly.”
“I know, but I’ve been thinking about it. Maybe it should be more space for the store. I mean, living at my parents’ house isn’t awful, and like now, Molly’s with Mom and Dad.” I look down at my plate of French fries. “It will be less expensive, and I can spend money on the inventory.”
“Can you do both?”
I shrug. “I guess I’ll see what Lynell says after he looks at the space.”
“How much money do you think Dax makes?”
“I have no idea, and I don’t care.”
“I get that, but if he’s willing to help…”
I shake my head. “Nope. Not interested.” Remembering something Dax said, I grin.
“Spill. I love you smiling more. Fill me in.”
“Dax said I’m stubborn.”
“Yeah, and what?”
My eyes open wide. “Chloe, are you agreeing?”
“Again, yeah.” She leans forward. “I mean, do you not know you’re stubborn?”
“I’m not stubborn. I’m set in my convictions.”
“Yeah, okay. That means stubborn.”
By five before six, Chloe says goodbye behind Quintessential Treasures as my dad’s truck comes toward me, followed by a white truck. Unlocking the back door, I wait as Dad and Lynell shake hands and come my way.
“Mr. Jacobs,” I say. “Thank you for coming on a Saturday.”
“Your dad offered me a beer at Bob’s after this.”
I grin at my dad. “Yeah, he’s a big drinker.”
“You don’t have to drink to enjoy Bob’s,” Dad says.
“Well,” Lynell says to me, “I hear congratulations are in order. You are now the owner of this fine establishment.”
“I am. And while Mr. Murphy has been schooling me on taxes and monthly filings, I’m ready to get some things moving.”
“That’s why I’m here.”
I lead both men into the back of the store. “As you can see” —I point at the shelving Dax built— “it’s pretty crowded down here.”
Into the store and up the stairs, I bring everyone to a stop in the large room. The heat of the day makes the space stuffy, more so than usual.
“Tell me what you’re thinking,” Lynell says.
“Mick was here a few weeks ago. He had some concerns with the plumbing and wiring.” I grin. “He says the bones are good.”
“Need to start somewhere.”
Exhaling, I look out at the space. “What I’ve wanted is to make this and the third floor into an apartment for me and Molly.
There’s plenty of space. But now I’m wondering if it would be better used as part of Quintessential Treasures.
Not for customers. That staircase is a lawsuit waiting to happen.
I want to take the store online, and I’m going to need a lot more space for inventory and shipping. ”
“How about you tell me both plans,” he says. “I’ll draft up two blueprints and cost estimates. I know you might be able to get some supplies less expensively from Mick, and I’m all for that. My costs will simply give you a ballpark figure. One for each plan.”
I nod. “Okay. I like that.”
“Hey, Kandace,” my dad says, “I’m going downstairs for a bottle of water. Lynell?”
“Nah, I’m good. Holding out for that beer.”
The time with Lynell takes longer than I imagined.
He pulls out a tape measure and draws chalk lines on the floor and takes scrupulous notes.
He asks me about things I hadn’t considered.
Old buildings aren’t wired to today’s standards.
So, if I’m having the building rewired, I might as well do it right.
We talk lights and outlets. Flooring and window upgrades.
By nearly eight o’clock, I’m worn out and pretty sure that I’ve bitten off more than I can chew.
“Thank you,” I tell Lynell once we’re back downstairs.
“Don’t let the numbers scare you, Kandace. We can work in phases.”
“I think I’m already scared.”
He grins as his bushy white eyebrows rise and his face fills with tiny wrinkles. He looks at Dad who has been downstairs in the office. “Randy, I’ll take a raincheck on that beer. It’s getting late, and I don’t want Bridget mad at me.”
“Sounds good,” Dad says.
After Lynell is gone, Dad asks, “What do you think?”
“I think I greatly underestimated the expense.”
“We can help. You can always apply for a loan if you want.”
“I want to see how well the online sales do and go from there. Chloe is going to meet me here tomorrow, and we’re going to figure out what merchandise will sell best.”
Dad nods.
“Are you okay?” I ask, noticing that his color seems off.
“Just tired. Justin has been working this old man.”
“I thought you were the boss,” I say with a grin.
“I keep telling him that.” Dad wraps his arm around my shoulder. “Let’s go home.” He kisses the top of my head. “If this apartment thing takes time, it’s okay. You and Molly always have a place to call home.”
“Thanks, Dad.”
Back at home, Molly is already asleep when I arrive. That doesn’t stop me from going into her room and kissing her hair. She mumbles and wiggles, but her eyes never flutter.
“A marching band,” I say with a smirk.
It’s after my shower and I’m in my room when my phone rings. Dax is on the screen.
“I’m liking these nightly calls,” I say in lieu of a greeting.
“Me too. How did your meeting with Lynell go?”
“We talked about two options…”
We’re an hour into the call when I hear my mother’s voice. The small hairs on my neck stand to attention. “Dax, I need to go. Mom’s yelling. Something is wrong.”
“Call me, Kandace. Let me know what’s happening.”
I nod as I hang up.