Chapter 27
No one was hiring. I guess that was on par for a small town. Everyone either owned their own business, or had enough family members to help them work that they didn’t need to hire outside help.
Mel said she could find something for me to do at Cupid’s Cup, but I didn’t want to be a nuisance where someone had to make accommodations to suit me. I wanted to find my place.
I contemplated my options while I looked around the Tim Hortons, noting an “apply now” sign in the window, but that felt disingenuous. As much as I wanted to find a place for myself, I also wanted it to be something I was passionate about.
I brought my attention to the window once again but took notice of the view beyond the signs instead.
The snowflakes were dancing in the wind as they fell from the sky, just barely leaving a skiff of snow in the ditches along the highway.
I had been warned that big snowfalls would be coming, but as the landscape around me changed once again, I couldn’t help but feel grateful for being here to witness it in all its forms. I had arrived in Love at the end of summer and watched as fall graced us with her beauty of colours I had never seen before.
Now, as Mother Nature was laying her soft blanket of winter over us, I held an appreciation for the changes I had gone through as well.
I felt more at peace with myself, more in tune with my needs and emotions than I ever had before.
Opening my laptop, I drafted up a few emails and sent them away to companies I had previously worked with that I knew had sister locations in Canada. As much as I didn’t want to leave Love for anything, I adored interior design and would consider travelling for work.
Feeling successful with what I had put out, I ordered myself a coffee and grabbed my Kindle out of my bag. I wouldn’t have internet access when I went back to the bed and breakfast, so I made myself comfortable while I waited to see if I received any responses.
Half a book and a couple hours later I woke up my laptop screen to see one new email.
“Huh.” Voyager Hotel. It wasn’t one of the places I emailed, but it wasn’t unlike companies to share information with each other.
Good afternoon, Crystal Broastberg,
It was a pleasure to hear from our main offices that you will be starting up your practice north of the border.
We have a unique opportunity to expand our branch and open up a chain of hotels in Canada.
We are currently doing renovations on a hotel in Calgary, and as you come highly recommended to us by Miranda Codsworth, we would love your input on room and lobby design.
I squealed in excitement, causing heads to turn my way.
“Sorry,” I apologized to the couple next to me, but there was no erasing the accomplished smile off my face.
I replied to the email saying I would be happy to meet with them.
They sent me a follow-up with details for one room accommodations, and I went ahead and booked two more for the same weekend.
Because this was just a consultation and not a for-sure job, there wouldn’t be a lot of work involved when I went on this trip.
I was treating my girls to a weekend away in the city, same as they had done for me when I needed it, and I couldn’t be more excited to tell them.
By the time I got back to the bed and breakfast, Calvin was sitting on the deck looking like someone had pissed in his coffee. And I knew that wasn’t true because I watched him drink it black as night first thing this morning.
“Everything okay?”
He must not have noticed me getting dropped off at the end of the driveway as my voice startled him from his thoughts.
I turned to give a thankful wave to Cami as she drove away.
The light snowfall had continued all afternoon, and by the time the sun was starting to dip and give us her daily art show over the horizon, the temperatures dropped as well.
I was glad to have bumped into the fun, quirky thrift store owner at Tim Hortons, and even more grateful that she offered me a ride home.
“What?” Calvin said, finally releasing whatever thought was holding him captive.
“I just asked if everything’s okay?”
“Yeah,” he grumbled, even though anger was radiating off him like steam in this cold weather.
“Oh, okay. The sky is green, the grass is purple, and no one has ever thought about the noise a giraffe makes when it throws up.”
He looked at me like I was crazy, and maybe I was a little, but it made me crazier to see him so worried.
Sitting down on an Adirondack chair beside him, I turned my body toward his. “Now that we are both done telling ridiculous lies, want to tell me what’s really bothering you?”
“You’ve wondered what a giraffe sounds like when it throws up?”
“And you haven’t?” I rolled my eyes at him.
“It’s not like an everyday thought, but it happens every time I’m sick.
Can you just imagine how long it would take!
” I took a breath, I was getting too into this conversation, and that wasn’t the point.
But it worked, and his face broke into a genuine grin.
“Can’t say that I have, but now it’ll be one of life’s burning questions until I find the divine answer.”
I loved the way he joked with me, but I still wanted to know what was on his mind. “So, what’s up?”
“Three of my guys quit today. Well, they left this weekend, I guess.”
“I’m sorry, Calvin. I don’t know how great I’ll be with an axe but you can put me to work wherever you need.”
His eyes darkened with the heat I recognized from Halloween for a split second before he chuckled. “No, Stella. I’m not handing you an axe. Plus, now that we’re getting snowfall, our jobs are just wrapping up anyway so we’ll manage.”
I had heard all about the winter wonderland that Hart and Heart Logging would transform into soon. Even though Calvin wasn’t willing to put me to work, I was certain that Trixie would with her plethora of decorations.
“It just doesn’t make any sense,” Calvin continued. “What did Nick do for work?”
“What?” What did Nick have to do with anything? The question seemed so out of left field, it took me a moment to understand what he was asking. “He did marketing and social media management for a couple high-class companies. What does that have to do with anything?”
His cell phone use was one of the main reasons I needed to abandon mine. He was on it constantly; we couldn’t even spend time together on a date without it interfering. And I had no right to be upset either because it was work.
“Anything in regards to logging?”
“What? No. Not at all. Calvin, why are you asking me this?” Was he feeling threatened by what Nick’s profession might have been? He had no reason to be. Nick on his best days wasn’t even half the man Calvin was on his worst. He didn’t shine a light to compare.
“All three guys left for a start-up company in Utah.”
Okay, that was odd, but also, Utah was fairly big. “And you don’t think that’s a coincidence?”
“I’m not too sure what to think.”
I didn’t really know how to respond to him after that. Was he blaming me for losing his workers? Was he concerned for my safety again? Was he stressed about his family business? It was the first time I couldn’t really read him, but it felt safer to change the topic then to try and press this one.
“I may have found a job today.”
“Really?” He smiled and I felt a bit of relief at that.
“Yeah, it’s at a hotel in Calgary so I’ll head out there next weekend—”
“You’re leaving?” he cut me off and the concern that was back in his eyes ran bone deep.
“Goodness, no. It’s just a consultation, so it’s only for the weekend. I was thinking I’d bring Mel and Liv with me, too.”
His tense body visibly relaxed at that statement and his hand reached over to hold mine. “I think that’s a great idea. The girls talked about your weekend away so much. I know Mel especially would love to go.”
“I think it would be a fun weekend, too.” I was so glad we were getting back to less strained conversations.
“What happens if the consult goes well and you take the job?”
“Well, because I’m the designer, I can work remotely a lot of the time and just guide the specific crews as I need to. I’ll need to make some trips every so often to check in with progress, but it’s not something I need to be away for long term.”
With that news, he stood and picked me up, spinning me around in a circle, planting a big, beautiful kiss to my forehead once he placed me back down on solid ground.
“I am so happy for you.” His smile proved it, too, and I beamed at him in response.
I couldn’t remember the last time I had been celebrated for my work, and it felt good.