18. Maisie
Chapter 18
Maisie
B rewed Awakening is charming as hell. But that’s expected on the square. All of the businesses play into the small-town charm with warm brick exteriors and gleaming windows the fading sunlight reflects off. Most of the businesses are closed at this hour but warm light glows from the coffee shop windows, and I make out Jem and a few other women inside.
Okay, Maisie. Deep breaths. Be nice and not awkward. Show them what you made and make small talk.
Heh. Small talk. I haven’t small talked in longer than I can remember, and I’m rusty as hell.
I climb out of Harlan’s SUV, and after snagging my laptop bag, I beep the locks before tucking the keys into my bag with a shaking hand.
Some of it is nerves at being here, and some is left over from hugging Harlan in his bathroom while he held my daughter.
I shake off what I can before pulling the door open to the shop. A jaunty bell announces my entrance and the cluster of women around Jem turn toward me .
“Maisie,” Jem exclaims. When she notes just the laptop bag, she smirks. “Harlan watching Audra?”
I nod. “Yeah.”
She points to a tall brunette who’s dressed in ankle-length brown slacks and a silk blouse. “This is Giselle. She runs the boutique on the corner. And you know Dawn.” She gestures to the diner owner who’s more sensibly dressed in jeans and a t-shirt. I wave at the trio awkwardly.
“Nice to meet you, Giselle, and to see you again, Dawn.”
Behind me the door opens, and two more women filter in.
“And here’s trouble.” Jem points to the short redhead. “This is Andrea, Andy for short, and Cassie. Cassie, Andy, this is Maisie.”
Andy is the redhead — she owns the local salon. Cassie has the silvery blond hair and an online business selling jewelry. I commit the names and faces to memory.
“You’re the one staying with Harlan?” Cassie asks. Her gaze is level on me, and the shrewdness I find there makes me want to duck my shoulders and get out of her line of vision.
“Cassie. Turn off the cop stare.” Jem turns to me. “Cassie is one of Harlan’s deputies, in addition to her business.”
“That’s nice,” I say, my stomach taking another deep dive toward my feet.
When Jem came over, I asked her a little bit about what I can expect from the people here, and she was able to give me the basics, just enough for me to do my own research and build a presentation of the services that I offer and what I could do for the lady business owners of Everette .
“And yes, I’m staying with Harlan for the time being,” I answer Cassie’s earlier question.
“Okay ladies.” Jem claps her hands. “Everyone grab a drink and some snacks, and we can get started. Maisie has a presentation for us and then we can talk shop. Molly can’t make it tonight, there was a conflict with the kids’ karate, so it’s just us.”
The women start toward the back, where coffee and cookies are spread out on a table. I check my phone for a message from Harlan, and when I don’t see one, I send my own off.
Me: Everything okay?
The dots bounce immediately, and I get a response seconds later.
Harlan: All good here.
Idle chitchat floats around them while I tuck my phone away and unpack my laptop with the small projection screen that I brought with me — my hands only shaking slightly. Once I’m set up and my computer is linked, I grab myself a small cup of water and a chocolate chip cookie before standing in front of the women.
“I — uh — don’t know how much Jem told you guys about me, but I design websites. My company is designing websites,” I stammer, my gaze going to Jem who gives me an encouraging smile and nod.
“I mocked up a projected website for Ma’s diner.” I click into the first window open on my computer and start talking.
“As you can see this is the current website for the diner, and it’s good, but basic. With only three pages — one of them being the menu — the branding is a little all over the place and there’s a lot of room for improvement.”
I cut a glance at Dawn, but there’s no expression on her face. A deep fortifying inhale later, I open the second window on my computer and a few hushed murmurs come from the women.
“As you can see here, I balanced out the existing branding and enhanced the hometown diner feel of the website on the main page.” I use my pointer to go over the changes that I made to each page as well as the online ordering section that I created. “You offer delivery as well, right?” I ask Dawn.
“Yeah. But it’s not very popular.”
I smile at that, the small eye roll from Dawn settling my stomach a bit. “It’s hard for people to know that delivery is an option if the information isn’t easily accessible. With the feature of online ordering, you could take it a step further. The buttons directing people between pickup or delivery are more prominent on the updated website, and if you wanted to jazz it up, we could add a tracker to a person’s order so they know where it is at each part of the ordering and delivery process.”
I toggle over to the menu and the streamlined easy-to-update design pops against the website background.
“Wow.” Dawn’s face is impressed. I think? Maybe? Fuck, I hope so.
Fuck it. I’m going with her being impressed and use the thought to project more confidence into the next portion of my presentation.
I point to the header section. “This is an easy place to put your weekly specials or deals and coupons that you want diners to see. There’s a lot of foot traffic in this area for the normal touristy seasons. Outdoor enthusiasts in the summer, and winter sport lovers in the fall and snowy seasons. Most people try to check out local dining options before committing to them and a functional website is key to not only growing a business but maintaining your current client base.”
I click through the remaining slides and outline the key details that the current website for the diner lacks.
“Any questions?”
“You offer upkeep on the websites you design?” Dawn asks, and I nod.
“I do. But I’m also happy to go through anything you might want to learn if you’d prefer not to go that route.”
Dawn shakes her head. “Honey, there’s no way I’d be able to maintain something that in depth. I know good food, and I know how to talk to people. Websites are beyond me.” She waves her hand at my computer. “As you might have already noticed.”
I nod. “That’s fair. I’m happy to show you the packages that I offer to clients who opt for maintenance.”
I click over to my email and press send on the drafted email to each of them. “I hope that it’s not too presumptive, but I took the liberty of looking at each of your websites and mocking up changes that you might like or might find helpful. You’ll find a message with your respective websites if you wanted to take a look.”
“About how much does it cost for us to take your designs and implement them into our existing site?” Andy asks, and instead of the cloying uncertainty this meeting started out as, giddy elation starts to simmer in my veins.
I go over my pricing and fee options along with my current schedule for delivery time frames as the other women take a look at the drafts that I created for them in anticipation of this meeting.
“Holy shit, would you look at that?” Andy says.
“Mine is better. Look how cute this layout is.” Cassie shows Andy her phone .
“You nailed the boutique. The class, the charm. It’s all there, and I love the online shopping option.”
With each comment, my confidence soars. By the time the women are done looking over three full days of my work, I’m smiling so hard my cheeks hurt.
“I absolutely want this for my jewelry,” Cassie says to Andy.
More confirmations come from the women before Dawn turns to me. “Well Maisie, it looks like you’re going to be busy.”
I’m listening to the women chat about the ups and downs of their months, sales are down for Cassie, but she’s expecting her normal holiday rush in a few months to make up for the slow time. Andy’s had to fire two stylists for drama at her salon, and Dawn’s a stable sort that lets each of them bounce ideas off her until they untangle current problems. I haven’t gotten an SOS from Harlan, so I can only assume all is well there.
Once the conversation dies down a bit, Dawn turns to me. “Okay ladies. Enough of work. Maisie, where are you from?”
I start at the change in topic and feel heat creep up my neck at the attention of the women.
“Oklahoma. Tulsa area, but I’ve been all over the states for the last year and a half.”
Dawn nods. “I’ve heard of people who are doing that now. They sell all their worldly possessions and then nomad their way across the country.”
“Well, I didn’t really sell anything, just decided to be more mobile and see more of the country,” I hedge .
“And you did all that with a baby?” Andy asks incredulously.
“I was pregnant for the first nine months of it, but, yeah, pretty much.”
“Girl, you’re a stronger person than me. I couldn’t imagine being on my own with a baby while driving hours every day.”
I shrug. “It wasn’t that bad. I wasn’t driving every day. Mostly, I find long-term rentals and stay for a few weeks before moving onto the next city or town. Audra’s still young enough that she’s easy. It’s when she starts walking that I’ll be worried.”
Giselle nods. “My sister has three kids, all under six, and I don’t know how she does it. I swear she doesn’t sit down from the time she wakes up until she passes out at night.”
“How long are you in town for?” Cassie asks, her shrewd gaze on me.
I fight the urge to squirm in my seat. “I don’t know.”
The words leave ash in my mouth the second that I say them. The thought of staying in Everette is appealing as hell, but I remember why I ran in the first place.
“Where’s your daughter now?” Andy asks.
“Harlan is watching her for a few hours for me.”
“Harlan is watching a baby?” Cassie asks, her tone odd.
“Yeah.” I draw the word out. “Otherwise, I would have had to bring her, and I didn’t want her to be a distraction.”
“Harlan’s the oldest of his siblings, Cass, he knows how to handle himself with kids seeing as he was about six when Boone — the youngest — was born.”
“I know that. I just … it’s just hard to picture him babysitting an infant.” Cass’s gaze goes contemplative. She laughs. “Can you imagine him changing a diaper? ”
I smile and offer, “Rhett and Jedd struggled to get her in her diaper when I was in the hospital. I don’t think Harlan’s had to change one yet.”
“I don’t doubt that with those two. But Harlan changing a diaper paints a funny picture.”
“He’s actually really good with her,” I say.
Dawn smirks at me. “I just bet he is. Next time bring her along. I haven’t gotten good baby cuddles in a while, and I wouldn’t mind watching her when we meet.”
Next time.
The offer hits me somewhere between my chest bone and my diaphragm.
Will I even be here for another meeting, or will I be someplace else, where no one knows me and I’m alone again?
“I’d like that,” I say, hiding my inner turmoil on my own thoughts.
The meeting dies down, and after helping Jem to clean up, I pack my laptop and supplies.
“Girl. You killed it. I’m so happy for you.” Jem grabs my hands and hops around for a few minutes.
“Thanks. I had a lot of fun. I thought...”
“That it’s stuffy and boring because it’s all business based? Nah. We like to chat and catch up on each other’s lives and businesses.”
Jem’s phone buzzes in her pocket, and she pulls it out before chuckling.
“Girl. You need to get home.”
Panic at whatever message she just got makes me pull my own phone out of my pocket. “What? What happened?” I ask when I don’t see any messages or missed calls.
Jem giggles and tucks her phone back away. “It’s nothing serious or even bad. They’re all fine. Boone just sent me an update I don’t think you’re going to want to miss.”
I grab my bag and say bye to Jem before booking it to the car and driving back to Harlan’s place.
What the hell are they doing that would be that funny? Audra’s usually asleep by now, so it can’t be about her, right?
I pull into Harlan’s driveway and leave my laptop in the car as I climb the front porch steps.
The door eases open when I turn the handle and the reason for Jem’s laughter hits me right in the face as I poke my head around the alcove that leads to the front door.
There are six bearded burly men, on all fours in various stages of coaching and cheering my daughter — who’s also on all fours — into crawling.
The six of them circle her, her baby blanket spread out on the living room floor, with her in the middle of it. Harlan — or one of his brothers — must have pushed the coffee table off to the side since it’s against the fireplace.
“You’ve got this, Audra. You can do it.” Finch holds out a rice puff in front of her face, trying to entice her into moving to grab it.
“Get out of the way, who wants to crawl toward your ugly mug?” Rhett says, shoving against Duke’s shoulder.
“The food is her motivation, not me, dumbass.”
“Stop swearing in front of the baby, numbnuts,” Duke says from Audra’s left.
“She can’t understand us, mister priss,” Jedd singsongs while smiling at my daughter.
Audra’s gaze goes to Harlan, and she scoots herself to face him before coming back up on her knees.
“There you go, baby girl. Just like that. You’ve almost got it down. Move your hands first and then your knees.” Harlan demonstrates. His backside is to me, and it’s a really nice backside. His jeans are pulled taut against the globes of his ass, and I get the inexplicable urge to sink my teeth into his butt before a mortifying blush streaks across my face.
Audra rocks forward before dropping back down to her tummy and giving the guys a gummy smile.
Before I get too distracted, or they notice that I’m here, I pull my phone out and snap a quick picture.
“Okay, pipsqueak. Milk break and then we try again?” Jedd asks her, like he expects her to answer. Audra rolls over to her back and catches her feet with her hands before chewing on her toes.
Well, at least I gave her a bath before leaving for the evening.
“Hey, Maisie,” Duke calls and they all whip my direction before standing quickly.
I can’t stop the burst of laughter that erupts any more than I can stop the squeezing sensation in my chest at Harlan and his family trying to teach my baby girl how to crawl — though god help me when she gets more mobile.
“We uh. We were just...” Harlan drags a hand through his hair.
“You were just what?” I ask with a smirk.
“We were trying to teach her to crawl. She’s almost got it,” Jedd says through a mouthful of rice puffs — his hand halfway in the jar for more.
“Dude. Really?” Rhett asks him with a shake of his head.
“What? They’re good. They taste like strawberries. Don’t judge me, asshole.”
“Well with that, I’m headed out,” Boone says before tugging his ball cap lower on his head and skirting around me to go out the front door.
“Me too. Early morning in the shop,” Duke says.
Slowly, the guys filter out until it’s just me and Harlan.
“That was adorable,” I say smiling at the big bearded softie.
My eyes meet Harlan’s and the grin he gives me is full of things that make my gut clench. Things like family, friends, community, support, and love.
Things I can’t have. Not until I deal with my past.