Chapter 8
Chapter Eight
“ W hat are we doing today?”
Declan shut the driver’s side door and came around to meet Livia where she stood on the downtown sidewalk. “It’s not as fun as attending festival activities or walking down memory lane, but I need to meet with a realtor. I’m expected up here in less than a month, so I’ve got to find somewhere for us to live. Probably a short-term rental, because I can’t fathom being able to close fast enough to buy. It’s one of the things on my to do list that I’ve been putting off.”
Everything that could be done outside business hours had been accomplished via late nights at the inn, fueled by an inadvisable amount of coffee in order to free his days up to spend with Livia. He was definitely feeling the fact that he was no longer eighteen, but he wouldn’t trade the last few days for anything in the world. Full days and evenings spent walking and talking about everything under the sun. Holding hands. Kissing. Touching in that instinctive, comfortable way. Being with Livia was easy. It had always been easy. But he didn’t take it for granted this go round.
She slid her arms around his waist and beamed a sunny smile up at him. “I’d be happy to look at properties with you. I’m just happy to spend time with you right now.”
She followed the declaration with a kiss that left Declan sighing, pulling her closer so she fit up against his chest like a puzzle piece sliding into place. This was perfection. She was perfection. The past few days with her were more than he’d expected to have in his wildest dreams.
Because she felt guilty for hanging out with him when she’d planned the trip to see family, they’d shared breakfast every morning with the Whittakers. He’d been surprised at their unequivocal welcome back to the fold. He hadn’t expected such easy forgiveness, and he felt guilty for staying away from them for so long when they’d always been such good, wonderful people to him. Declan didn’t overlook the fact that they seemed completely onboard with the idea of him wooing Livia all over again, and he appreciated their support. Because he was greedy and wanted so much more from her than a few stolen days.
At the sound of someone’s whistle, they broke apart with a laugh.
“I keep forgetting we’re in public.”
Declan took her hand. “You don’t hear me complaining.” Though he definitely wanted the opportunity for some privacy that didn’t involve the backseat of his car.
They strode down the street to Bradford Realty. A few minutes later, they were ushered down the hall and into an office. A smartly dressed woman in a pantsuit rose from behind the desk and offered a manicured hand. “I’m Magnolia Bradford. How can I help y’all today?”
He shook, appreciating her firm, businesslike grip. “Declan Callahan. And this is Livia Applewhite. We’re looking for houses.”
Livia was staring. “I’m sorry. I just have to say your eye makeup is absolutely stunning.”
Declan focused in. Her dark eyes really did look lovely with… whatever she’d done to them. A faint sense of unease set in as it occurred to him that Scarlett wasn’t far off from probably wanting to wear makeup. What if he had to learn about that, too?
Magnolia grinned, and a couple of dimples popped in her medium brown cheeks. “Thank you! What kind of house are y’all looking for?”
Too late, Declan realized he’d made it sound like they were a couple looking for a house together. But Livia didn’t correct the assumption. Was that significant? He wanted it to be. They’d talked about almost everything the past few days, but she hadn’t said another word about making a change in her life. Not since that initial mention of being unhappy in Wishful. He’d been too afraid to bring up the idea of her moving here to give them a real shot. That felt like he’d be pushing too hard, too fast, even though it was what he really wanted. But maybe…
Realizing he still hadn’t answered, he focused back on Magnolia. “Three bedrooms, two baths. Decent yard, but not gigantic.”
She began scribbling notes on a legal pad. “Closer to town or out some?”
“Closer. Potentially within walking distance of downtown. The area of Nashville we’re in now has a lot of stuff close. My daughter and I like to walk around and get a meal or see whatever there is to see. And I don’t want to be too far out because I’ll already have to drive a bit to get to work at the Old Mill.”
“Oh! You’re taking over as manager of the Guild for Maggie.”
“I am. I’m one of the droves of Joan’s kids.”
“Coming home. Love to see it. What is it you do, Livia?”
“I’m a librarian.”
“Oh, will you be joining the staff here to work with Donna Black?”
Livia glanced quickly at him, then away again. “That’s kind of up in the air at the moment. I don’t know exactly what I’ll be doing.”
Declan wanted to whoop. That was as much as an admission that she was actually thinking about moving! But he needed to keep it cool and no pressure, see how the day went.
They spent hours with Magnolia, looking at house after house, in town, and out. There were move-in ready houses and fixer uppers. Some had yards that were too big. Some too small. Some were too far out. Some were too close in. Not that there was too much rowdy at Elvira’s Tavern, but Declan would just as soon not be right on the other side of their fence. He was starting to feel like Goldilocks, being too picky by half, when they pulled up in front of the two-story Victorian behind Magnolia’s car.
In the passenger’s seat, Livia lit up. “Oh! It reminds me of home. My house in Wishful—my parent’s house where I grew up—is a big Victorian farmhouse. It’s bigger than this, but it’s got similar bones.”
“Reminds me of home, too.” Joan’s home was a three-story Victorian that had been in her family for generations. She’d made it a warm, welcoming home for so many fosters, over so many years, she’d started calling it The Misfit Inn. His sisters had converted it into a proper inn after her death. That place had always been what the word “home” conjured in his mind.
Three blocks down from Main Street, the house was painted dark gray with white trim that was peeling in places. Not the color he’d have chosen, but paint could be changed. There was a porch across the front, with a swing at one end and a big bay window at the other.
“I saved the best for last. This one’s a short sale, so it might actually suit your timeline for getting up here next month, depending on your funding approval.” Magnolia led them inside and began giving them the tour.
Like many of the others, the house was a fixer upper. There was dated wallpaper and oak cabinets that had clearly been installed during the eighties. Brass fixtures dated the place even more. But the bones were good. That bay window was in the dining room and had a window seat Scarlett would love. Built-ins surrounded it, and he could just see them all full of books. Most of the changes that were needed were cosmetic. Paint and hardware, new light fixtures.
“The floors are the original hardwood,” Magnolia explained. “The current owners found them beneath the carpet and had planned to refinish them but didn’t get around to it before they left. They’re in good shape, so that wouldn’t be a difficult job. And of course, you’d have an in with Porter at Mountainview Construction.”
The kitchen had a back door that led out into a comfortably sized yard that was already fenced. The whole property was just over half an acre, with old-growth trees shading the house. There was more landscaping work that needed doing, but he was no stranger to that. It was easy to see family cookouts on the patio back here, with a picnic table and a passel of kids and a sloppy dog. And Livia stepping out of the house with a tray of food to go on a big ass grill.
As they finished the tour and thanked Magnolia, Livia asked, “Would the owners mind if we just sat here on the swing for a bit?”
She smiled. “Take your time. If y’all decide you want to make an offer, you let me know. You’ve got my card.”
With a little wave, she strolled down the front walk and got into her car. He and Livia moved to sit on the porch swing. He slipped his arm around her, sighing as she snuggled into him as if she’d been doing it every day for years.
“The sunset would be gorgeous from this spot,” she murmured.
“It will be.”
She straightened a little. “You’re going to make an offer?”
“I think so. The house is perfect. Or will be, with a little TLC. And the short sale is certainly attractive under the circumstances. If we can avoid having to move twice, I definitely want to.”
“Do you want to go flag down Magnolia? I can still see her car at the end of the street.”
Declan tugged her back into the circle of his arm. “It’ll keep for a little while longer. I want to enjoy sitting here with you.”
He set them to rocking, and they both dreamed.
She’d fit here. With him. With them. A central part of his life with Scarlett. Declan wanted that more than he’d wanted anything since… well, since her. Maybe it was time to start putting things in place to make that happen.
Her stomach was the one that growled first, with his right behind.
Livia laughed. “I guess a very late lunch is in order.”
“I certainly owe you a meal for your very patient tagging along on a less than exciting task.”
“It was fun helping you look at property.”
He hoped she’d been thinking about how she could fit into them, too.
They rose, and he turned to face her, taking both her hands in his. “Do you have a date for the Harvest Ball on Saturday?”
Amusement made her eyes shine. “No. I hadn’t expected to go, so I don’t have a dress either.”
“Can you get one?” Not that it mattered. She could wear a burlap sack, and he’d still think she was beautiful.
Her thumbs stroked across the backs of his hands. “I feel like I can make that happen. If I don’t find anything in the shops, Abbey probably has something I can borrow.”
“Then will you go with me? An official, grownup date?” Nerves danced in his belly. She could say no and that might be the end of this. She might not want to open the door to going beyond what they’d had when they were young.
But her smile bloomed slow and sweet, like an apple blossom. “I’d love to go on an official, grown-up date with you.”
Damn if he didn’t feel like he’d just won the lottery.
When Livia had accepted Declan’s invitation to the Harvest Ball, she’d imagined getting some good girl time in with Abbey to shop for a dress. Despite Abbey’s blatant enthusiasm for the rekindling of her relationship with Declan, Livia still felt guilty for ignoring her. But her cousin had been up half the night with off-and-on Braxton-Hicks contractions, so she’d been ordered off her feet and was grumpy about it. After promising to video call from the dressing room with any options, Livia headed into Eden’s Ridge to see what there was on offer. Given the size of the town, she didn’t have high hopes and fully expected to end up driving into Johnson City, nearly an hour away. But it was worth the effort to make a sweep if it might save her the trip.
Being on her own felt strange. She’d been joined at the hip with Declan since the fair. Today was the first day they hadn’t shared breakfast with the family. He was off taking care of grownup things related to his upcoming move, with a promise they’d get together later. She trusted he meant it. Their time together this week had put her doubts to rest. She’d avoided family breakfast today, not wanting to face questions they might have for what came next. They were all wondering. So was she, no matter how hard she was trying to simply stay in the moment.
Thinking too far ahead felt dangerous. At eighteen, they’d planned a whole life together and none of it had come to fruition. If the glow of possibility illuminated every interaction they had, well, she was fighting the urge to dream.
Mostly.
She’d failed at that yesterday when they’d been at the house, too easily able to see a shared life there. Declan felt it, too. She knew he did. But that was getting well ahead of themselves. They weren’t simply an unattached man and woman anymore. He had to think of his daughter first. As he should. But, at least for a few more days, Livia had him to herself.
She intended to make the most of it.
A cold front had moved in overnight. Livia hunched into her coat as she locked the car and began the walk toward Main Street. From here, she was only about a quarter mile from the little Victorian. Declan had called Magnolia to put in an offer last night and was starting the process of getting his financing in order today. With luck, he’d hear by the end of the week whether the sellers accepted. And then… well, they’d see, she supposed. They wouldn’t be able to avoid having a serious discussion about whether they were going to try for a different kind of future together and what all that might entail. But for a little while longer, she just wanted to enjoy the now.
“Livia!”
Her head jerked up to find a smiling blonde unlocking a shopfront door. The woman looked dimly familiar.
Even as Livia scrolled through her brain, trying to identify her, she touched a hand to her chest. “Maggie.”
The lightbulb went off. “You’re one of Declan’s sisters.”
“Yes. We met years ago, when you and Declan dated the first time.”
Livia flashed an apologetic smile. “It’s been a long time.”
“That it has. Step on inside. Let’s talk out of the cold.”
“Oh, I—um?—”
But Maggie didn’t wait for her assent, just opened the door and disappeared.
Not wanting to be rude, Livia followed. It did feel nice to be out of the wind. Maggie crossed over to the exposed brick wall to turn on a light. Livia didn’t know what she’d expected, but the empty, cavernous space wasn’t it. The shop was long and deep, clearly stretching from the front all the way to the alley that no doubt ran behind the building. The scarred wood floors were dusty, and she could just discern the outline where shelves or counters used to be.
“What is this place?”
“Used to be a shoe store, and I think maybe a barber shop during one point of its lifetime. Hasn’t been anything for many years, but I’m hoping to change that.”
Curious, Livia turned to face her. “Declan tells me you run a small business incubator. We have one of those in my hometown that’s done quite well.”
Maggie brightened. “Oh, that’s right! You’re from Wishful. I’ve actually toured that one to get a sense of how they set it up and operate.”
Relaxing at the common ground, she moved closer. “Then you’ve met Tess Campbell.”
“Yes! She’s become a friend of mine. She was a great resource in helping get our incubator off the ground. Because Eden’s Ridge is smaller, we’re playing with a slightly different model here, focusing on what kinds of businesses can be combined to allow for shared spaces and overhead. It lowers the risk for both partners involved, and generally makes both businesses more sustainable, which is better for our overall growth.”
“So you’re kind of like a matchmaker for businesses?”
“Exactly. People come to us pitching their ideas, and we try to help find a partner or partners to pair them with, and then give them the necessary training and hand-holding on the business side of things, in order to bring both concepts to fruition. And we also help with start-up grants. So far, we’ve had some pretty great results. Now that Declan’s going to be taking over management of the Artisan Guild, I’ll have some more time to put into finding businesses to fill the vacant spaces downtown.”
Intrigued despite herself, Livia made no move to leave. “Like what?”
“Well, today I’m meeting with Hope MacIntosh. She and her brother Ford started Temptation Vineyards. The vineyard itself is doing okay, but it’s a bit off the beaten path, so they’re looking at the feasibility of a space in town so that people could try their wares. I’m not sure if a tasting room would make it here on its own. A lot of things wouldn’t, which is why a lot of the focus of our incubator is on partnering complimentary businesses. The dual business approach helps defray overhead for both, so there’s less burden on each. But I confess, I haven’t figured out what would pair well with a tasting room.”
“A bookstore.” The words popped out before Livia could think better of it.
Now it was Maggie who looked intrigued. “You think?”
“I mean, you’d more often see a bookstore paired with a tea shop or coffeeshop. But it could work with a tasting room. Bookstores, as they used to be, have taken a real hit with the rise of ebooks and online retailers, so you’d have to have one that was really about selling the experience of books rather than the books themselves. The smell and feel of paper, the ability to sit down and open a book in your hands. Being able to browse the stacks. Getting hand-sold recommendations from someone who knows the genres. Events.” With every word, her focus sharpened as the vision began to build itself.
Unable to help herself, she began to pace, imagining the room filled with shelves and tables and comfortable furniture. “A good bookstore is central to its town. They’re gathering places. They can be event spaces, places for groups to meet. Book clubs. Knitting circles. All that could easily pair with wine. Depending on how it shook out, you’d see most of the foot traffic coming in during the day for the bookstore, and then the store would shift gears to wine for the evenings. You’d want someone trained in both, probably, with the ability to sell both for the bookstore and do tastings for walk-ins, but that would eliminate the need for a full-time person for each, at least until the model proved viable. Or you could go a step further and make it a wine bar instead of a tasting room.”
Hands clapped and a new voice called, “Sold!”
Livia turned to find Maggie standing with a new woman, with a riot of curly brown hair that had clearly been a victim of the blustery day.
Maggie herself was nodding. “Yes, to all of that! Are you in the book business?”
“Tangentially. I’m a librarian.”
“Well, if you ever decide to jump to the sales side of the fence, let me know. I’d love to see an application from you for the business incubator.”
“I don’t have any business experience.” She’d spent her whole career in the public sector.
“That’s the whole point of the incubator. To help you with the skills you don’t have in order to bring your vision to life.”
Not sure what to do with that, Livia murmured, “I’ll keep that in mind.” She glanced at the new arrival again, not sure how to make a graceful exit.
Maggie waved a hand. “Where have my manners gone? Hope, I’d like you to meet Livia Applewhite. Livia, Hope McIntosh of Temptation Vineyards.”
Hope beamed. “Declan’s girl.”
Livia paused, hand outstretched. “Uh…”
The brunette laughed. “Word gets around.”
“So it would seem.” Needing to escape, Livia began to back toward the door. “I’m gonna get out of your way so y’all can talk business. It was nice to meet you, Hope, and good to see you again, Maggie.”
“Same! And I hope you’ll put in an application.”
“Oh, yes please,” Hope exclaimed. “I’d love not to have to go all the way to Johnson City or give all my money to the clutches of the great ’zon. And the pairing of books with our wine could be epic.”
“I’ll think about it. Meanwhile, do either of you have a suggestion for where I can get a dress for the Harvest Ball? That was the whole reason I came to town this morning.”
“Absolutely.”
Armed with Maggie’s directions, Livia bid them both farewell and headed down the street toward the dress shop. But the whole way there, she couldn’t help but dream of possibilities.