Chapter 8 – Dean
Did I drop everything for the meeting with Grace? Sort of. Luis was going to murder me. My haircut would have to wait. Again. It was fine. I had been meaning to check on Rustic Charms and Gemstones, a boutique shop that was bleeding money, and it was located halfway between Beautiful Blooms and my office, so I’d just get that done instead. Grace and I could sit in my car and talk, either before or after.
I headed to a board meeting for a commercial real estate group in which I was an investor. Once back in my office, I went through everything Grace sent me while I ate the lunch Connie had ordered for me. I could see Grace’s progression, from assuming it was a spam email, to realizing Flowers United was serious in their pursuit of her. I wished she’d have told me about this sooner.
She’d sounded so guilty about considering selling, but that guilt wouldn’t serve her. Life was full of options, and we were allowed to change our minds about them.
When I arrived for our meeting, Grace’s car was already idling in the parking lot. I pulled in next to her and caught her checking her makeup in the drop-down mirror before she realized she had an audience. She quickly slapped the sunshade back in place and got out.
“What are we doing here?” she asked, when we met between our cars. She had her hands in the pockets of her cute jean jacket. She’d paired it with what I could only describe as workwear yoga pants. They had pockets and pleats down the leg, but the black material hugged her in ways I did not need to be thinking about. She had her hair up in a high ponytail, the red on the ends glinted in the sun. When she glanced up at the hideous vinyl banner above us, I remembered her question.
“We’re here because the owner paid for a business consult. She’s not going to like what I have to say.”
In addition to the hideous banner, there were two sidewalk signs in front and several posters in the window shouting about the jewelry to be found inside. Phoenix had strict rules about how much of your front glass could be blocked by window signs. They had strict rules about everything. The sidewalk signs were probably in violation just for blocking the right-of-way. But fines were the least of this shop’s problems. All of it together reeked of desperation.
“What are you going to say?” Grace asked.
“That she should go back to Etsy and do this small scale. It was working, and she got excited. Too excited. This expansion was a terrible idea for more reasons than I have time to list, including the toll it’s taking on her marriage.”
Grace looked taken back. “She told you that?”
“She didn’t have to. I’ve seen her tax returns. Her husband is retired. His small income from his pension is disappearing into his wife’s business. Plus, she’s spending all her time here. She has no employees. I don’t care who you are, this isn’t good.”
“And you’re telling her all this now?” Grace took a step back towards her car, obviously not wanting any part of it.
“No. I’m not done evaluating her yet. I need to see inside, see how everything is placed, and how it’s priced. She’s moved to the wrong business model, but if she decides to stick with a physical store front, I might as well give her advice on that, too. I’ll go back to the office after this and do a write up. Bad news is better read than heard. She’ll get an email from me, and then we’ll have a follow-up phone call.”
“Can I ask something?”
“Of course.”
What she meant was, could she ask me something that might offend me? I wouldn’t have minded anyway, but I was intrigued by the thoughtful look on her face. Whatever Grace had to say, I wanted to hear.
She shook her head. “You can’t be making money on consults like this.”
“You’re right. Tiny failing businesses can’t pay me much. I’ve even refunded a few angry owners in my time. I just…” I shrugged, not wanting to make myself sound like a hero. Because I was not. “I can’t let people lose their life savings if I can help it. I don’t take every case, but all my consultations are thorough once I take them. And sometimes there’s a hidden opportunity there. Usually not, but you never know.”
“Oh.” Grace looked at me like I wasn’t the most trivial person she’d ever seen, and rather than making me feel better, it made me feel worse. Because this was apparently news to her, and that stung. Yes, I came from money, but my upbringing didn’t own me or my decisions.
Moving on. “So, I actually brought you along for a reason. Would you care for some jewelry, Grace? I’d like her to treat us like regular customers so I can snoop a little.”
“She won’t recognize you?”
“Nope. I’ve only talked to her on the phone. She dropped off her files to Connie when she came to my office. But it’s better if you do the talking. We’ll make this quick.”
“Okay, sure. I can do that.” She fiddled with the necklace around her neck. A delicate gold chain with a gold circle on the end of it. It was a college graduation gift from her mom symbolizing completion .
Like me, Grace had a complicated relationship with her mother, but the relationship was still important to her, and that was something I really admired.
I reached out and took Grace’s hand outside the door to the shop, and she gave me a weird look, not quite pulling away, but definitely considering it. Her fingers slid lightly against mine in a testing sort of way, and the sensation made it very hard to keep up the devil-may-care attitude I’d been going for.
“You’re playing the part of my girlfriend, Grace. Why would I buy jewelry for my business associate? That’s just plain inappropriate.”
“Dean.” Her half smile brought out the dimple in her cheek.
“Come on, sweetheart. Let me spoil you. We missed Valentine’s Day this year with my work schedule, and I want to make it up to you.”
“Oh, you’ll be making this up to me.” Her hand gripped mine with sudden confidence, and somehow that was worse. It made me feel claimed, and I liked everything about that except for the part where it wasn’t real.
As for her threat? If she was about to do some revenge shopping on my dime, I was here for it. The owner could certainly use the business. But knowing Grace, she probably had something else in mind. And I should be scared.