Chapter 12
12
M aileah rose when the sun streamed through her windows. She’d forgotten to close the curtains last night before bed, but she was happy to get up early today.
She stretched and padded into the kitchen where she’d set up her coffee maker last night. She made a cup and brought out the cold pizza from last night, sitting outside to enjoy her morning feast.
Footsteps crunched on the gravel path, and she looked up to see Babe.
“I’m going for a run on the beach before I open my shop. I thought I’d see how you’re getting along and ask if you want to join me.” Babe grinned. “Breakfast of champions?”
“You know it.” Maileah brushed crumbs from her T-shirt. “I could use an adrenaline rush. Give me a minute, and I’ll join you. There’s a little coffee left in the pot if you want some. Help yourself. You probably know where everything is better than I do.”
She changed quickly and stepped outside.
“This is the most direct path to the beach,” Babe said, gesturing ahead .
There weren’t many people on the shore at this time of the morning. Most were probably locals, she imagined.
Just then, she saw Deb walking on the beach with a German shepherd. She looked up and saw them.
Maileah waved at her. “Let’s say hello. I need to return her vehicle today.”
“Deb is one of my best customers,” Babe said.
“Hey, you two,” Deb said with a wide grin. She tossed a piece of driftwood for her dog. “Fetch it up, Duke.”
“Thanks for the use of your SUV,” Maileah said. “I’ll bring it back after our run.”
“Take your time,” Deb said. “I don’t need it today. Did you get settled in your cottage?”
Maileah grinned at Babe. “I love it. Such a sweet little place.”
Babe knelt to retie her shoelace. “I think we’re both pretty happy about it.”
“And I hear you’re dating Todd Gilmore,” Deb said. “I’ve been helping him design the house he just bought. He’s a real sweetheart. Good for you.”
Maileah wasn’t sure how she felt about this. “How did you know?”
“I saw Junie at the Majestic, and she told me. I’m there every day on that job to make sure the right color paint goes on the right wall.”
Duke bounded back, and Deb tossed the stick again. Maileah was relieved to avoid other questions about Todd.
After taking off along the shoreline in an easy trot, Babe said, “You should meet us at Cuppa Jo’s later. The surfing championship tour will be on the big screen. Skeeter is going to find out when Sailor is up. Have you ever watched before?”
“Not really,” Maileah said. “I’d like to see that.” It would be good research for her ideas.
“Bring Todd if you want. Does he like sports?”
“We don’t talk about that much.”
Todd didn’t mention sports, at least, not what she enjoyed. Not that she’d shared much with him. She was usually the one asking questions, and he was content to talk about himself or the latest changes to the tax code.
They jogged the beach toward the Majestic Hotel, then turned around and made their way back.
When they returned home, Babe gave her a high five. “You’re pretty good. Have you done much running?”
“Some in school. I like to stay active.” She saw Skeeter across the street getting onto a bike.
“Let’s do it again,” Babe said. “Text me or bang on my door whenever you feel like it.”
“Sure, thanks.”
Maileah watched Skeeter cycle down the street. She felt good, like she was making friends. She would even try to get to know Skeeter.
After a quick shower, Maileah styled her hair and changed into one of the casual dresses she’d bought at Babe’s shop.
She returned Deb’s old Range Rover to her home on Hibiscus Heights, and Deb gave her a lift back. After seeing her off, Maileah sat in front of her laptop.
She was ready to sort out her life.
First, she pulled up the document she’d started on at Junie’s house. It listed her skills and accomplishments. After reading it, she realized it read more like a resume for a job.
She wrinkled her nose. She could do better.
Revamping it, she grouped things she could do for people together, creating sections of features and benefits and adding testimonials for her work. Frankly, those were a little lean, but she pulled some endorsements from her professional social media profile.
Next, she picked up her phone and called Junie.
“Hi, Sis.” She could hear background conversations in the store. “I’m putting together some marketing material. Could you endorse me for what I’ve done for your shop and website?”
“Hold on,” Junie said .
Maileah waited. She needed to create a site for herself, too. She added that to her to-do list. With all the new online tools, she could build a simple one quickly once she’d purchased a domain.
Junie moved to a quieter area. “What do you need me to say?”
She knew her sister was busy. “I can write it and run it past you. How’s that?”
“Perfect,” Junie said. “I had a crowd at the store as soon as I opened the doors this morning.”
“That’s a good problem to have. I’ll send it over shortly. Thanks, Junie.”
Maileah reserved her domain—this time, it helped to have an unusual name—and posted the information she’d just written.
After finishing her document, she transferred it to her phone and drove to town to have marketing flyers printed. While her services were technology based, some of her marketing would be old school, person-to-person. People did business with those they knew, liked, and trusted. Sales 101, she remembered.
She was determined not to fall behind on her rent. Asking Junie for financial help was the last thing she wanted to do.
Cruising along Orange Avenue, she spied a printer near her mother’s historical society building. After introducing herself and chatting with the owner, she printed a stack of flyers on bright paper.
On the way back, she stopped at the Crown Island Historical Society. “Hi, Mom. Anything new in history today?”
“Why, Maileah, what a surprise.”
She gave her mother a flyer. “I’m officially in business.”
“Oh, my goodness,” her mother said. “And you even have a website? How impressive. You are fast.”
“No time like the present, right? Here, take a few more to hand out.”
“Of course, I’d be happy to,” April said .
“And Mom, about that summer festival you mentioned. I’d be happy to help you form a marketing strategy to promote it. I can arrange signups and create an email autoresponder. And a lot more.”
“I’m not sure what that is, but if you think we need it, we can talk about it.” Her mother looked at her with fresh admiration.
“You were right about my needing to get out. I’ll see you around.”
Maileah left with her mother gazing after her in surprise and started down the street. She stopped at a shop filled with beautiful, handcrafted jewelry. A woman sat behind the counter.
Swallowing her nervousness, she began, “Hello, I’m Maileah Raines-Smith. Are you the owner?”
“Yes, I’m Margaret. How may I help you?”
Maileah had practiced a quick introduction that she delivered now. “I’ve just moved from Seattle, where I worked in technology and marketing. Maybe you know my grandmother, Ella Raines.”
“Why, of course, I do.” Margaret smiled. “Everyone knows Ella and her husband, Dr. Raines, bless his soul. Gone far too young, he was. What can I do for you?”
“I help small businesses increase sales by setting up and automating marketing systems, as I did for my sister Junie’s gift shop at the Majestic.” She handed her a flyer. “You can check her website to see how I set up her direct sales. I also manage her email marketing and run specials for her.”
“That sounds interesting,” Margaret said. “I know I could do more, but I don’t know where to start. All that computer stuff confuses me.”
“I can make it easy for you,” Maileah assured her. “Look over my website, and I’d be happy to tell you more about what I can do for you.”
“I’ll do that,” Margaret said, reviewing the flyer with interest .
Maileah had one more question. “Is there anyone else I should call on that you think I could help?”
“Try Jimmy at the Wash-and-Fold,” Margaret replied. “He was complaining about something on his computer the other day. Tell him I sent you.”
“I sure will,” Maileah said, smiling.
She walked out, feeling a measure of relief. Her intellectual friends in Seattle might ridicule her for what she was doing, but she was determined to make her way on Crown Island. She had sent out her resume for remote jobs, but no one had replied.
Creating her own business that she could control was what she wanted to do now.
She wouldn’t have to answer to the men she had worked for who often assumed she’d naturally want to date them, too. Recalling some of what she’d endured, she shuddered. Not all her jobs had been like that, but that attitude was more prevalent than she would have thought today.
Still, she’d loved working for some of the women in technology.
But that was then. Her future was here.
She visited shops up one side of the village business thoroughfare and down the other. She booked three appointments, along with follow-up phone calls people requested.
Next, it would be up to her to convert that interest into engagements and then prove herself by enhancing sales for her customers. She’d done that for her entire career, and she was confident in her ability to produce. These were more straightforward campaigns than she’d created for her former company.
When she reached her car, she let out a breath. It felt good to believe in herself again. She hoped her family could see that soon. They had certainly seen her at her worst.