Chapter 15
Fiona was absolutely exhausted.
She was leaving a late night shift at Hearth, and had to be up early for another Savannah Glam client in the morning.
She was stunned at how quickly word spread about their new business. And she was loving it. But even just one month into it, Fiona was beginning to see the cracks in the foundation.
They were growing so fast that they hadn’t had an opportunity to really think about how the business would function if they were fully booked out.
There was so much running around. Sending clients to the boutique where Cassie worked and then back to Fiona’s and Stella’s suites was proving to be a bit of a challenge. Coordinating their schedules was also becoming difficult, since they were all working on other things.
And now that wedding season was coming up, they were booking up well into the summer. Weddings were serious business in the south. Between the showers, rehearsal dinners and bridal luncheons, Savannah Glam was getting new bookings nearly every day. And that didn’t even account for the out of town bachelorette parties who had booked with them. They needed more space, and they needed it fast.
And then, one rainy spring night when Fiona was running to her car, she saw it. A “for rent” sign on the door of the space right next to the restaurant.
She peeked into the dark windows, trying to assess the space. The glow from the street lights showed her just enough to pique her interest.
She took a picture of the sign, drove home, and tried to put the idea out of her mind. A space in that area couldn’t be cheap. The location was ideal, but renting a space was a huge decision. It would be a major leap of faith not even two months into their business.
And yet, Fiona found herself calling the realtor the next day, and setting up a time for her and her friends to check out the space.
Two days later, on a sunny morning when their schedules all miraculously aligned, Fiona arrived at the space early, iced coffees in hand.
She kept glancing at the doors to the restaurant, and crossing her fingers that Porter wouldn’t show up and see her there.
Not that it mattered, really. She’d successfully avoided him as much as possible over the past month. She’d even taken Sergio up on his offer to get drinks after work. If Porter knew she was going out with Sergio, he certainly didn’t seem to care. Although, “going out” was a bit of a stretch. She and Sergio had hung out a couple times, but she wasn’t feeling it. She suspected he wasn’t either, seeing as how he’d asked out another waitress within the past week.
Fiona sipped her lavender latte, one of her favorite drinks in the city. She saw Cassie pull up in her little red car, with Stella in the passenger seat.
Stella stepped out, her stiletto sandals accentuating her long, tanned legs.
She gasped, and slid her sunglasses on top of her head.
“This place is adorable, Fi,” she said, happily taking an iced latte.
Cassie stepped out too, frowning from behind her glasses. “Yeah, a little too adorable. This block can’t be cheap.”
“Don’t worry,” Fiona said, handing the last drink to Cassie. “I’ve already been looking at the costs online and comparing it to other places for rent nearby, and I think it’s more manageable than you might expect. But I want to go over everything with the realtor, Laura.”
Almost as if Fiona summoned her, Laura rounded the corner, her red hair offset by her vibrant lime green dress.
“Hello, ladies,” she said, shaking each of their hands. “I can’t wait to show you the space. It’s been very popular this week.”
Fiona felt a pit in her stomach. If other people were interested in the space, they weren’t going to have much time to mull it over.
“Fiona gave me a rundown of your fabulous business,” Laura told them, the click of her heels echoing off the walls. “This spot has some rooms in the back that would be perfect for a dressing room or a quiet room for facials, and it does already have a couple sinks you could use.”
Sinks that would need to be replaced, Fiona thought. Walls that would have to be added for privacy. Too many onlookers from the street. The costs and challenges were already adding up in her mind, but she knew those things could be worked out.
“I totally see it,” Stella said, turning slowly in the empty space. “Your chair over there, Fiona. A makeup station for me. A standing mirror in the corner with racks of Cassie’s clothes.”
She sighed dreamily. “I want it.”
“Nothing is decided,” Fiona said quickly, noticing the excited glint in Laura’s eyes. “But yes, I do think it could, potentially, be a good fit for us. Possibly.”
“I do have to tell you,” Laura said. “There is another very interested renter. How married are you to this street?”
“Picket fence and a minivan,” Stella said. “This street would be a dream, and I didn’t see anything else available.”
Laura gave them a sly smile. “If you’re feeling brave, there is a space upstairs.”
Fiona turned to her, surprised.
“Upstairs? I assumed that was just storage.”
“There are three spaces upstairs. The owner of this building hasn’t rented them out because they need work, but one space in particular might work for you.”
Fiona looked to her friends. They both shrugged.
“Alright, let’s see it.”
Fiona, Cassie and Stella followed Laura back outside to a doorway that went to a small lobby, a staircase and an elevator. Fiona had noticed the door before, but she never paid much attention to it while she was working at Norm’s.
They followed Laura up the stairs to a glass door. It opened to a dark, dusty space, illuminated only by a single bulb and a row of spectacular arched windows.
Laura let them walk into the space first, and each of them wandered silently through the space. Fiona noticed the exposed brick, the interesting nooks and those gorgeous, original windows. Despite the busted up walls, dingy floors and a whole host of unseen issues that were probably lurking, Fiona found herself completely enchanted by the space.
She was pulled from her awe by a scream behind her. They all turned to see Stella stomp something with her heeled boot.
“Spider,” she said, shivering. “It came after me.”
“I know this space needs work – and an exterminator,” Laura said, smiling at Stella. “But it’s got a ton of charm.”
“Why hasn’t the owner rented it out?” Cassie asked.
“Honestly, it’s more work than it’s worth for him,” Laura told them. “The owner moved to Clearwater a few years ago, and he’s not interested in putting more work into the building right now. But if a tenant was interested in fixing it up, he might be able to work out a deal.”
When they were done with the tour, Stella and Cassie had to get back to work, but they agreed to meet up that evening to talk everything over. Fiona stayed behind, sitting at the bench outside the storefront to think it over more.
The first spot was convenient, right off the road and almost move-in ready. But oh, that upstairs space. With the right updates, it would be stunning. The arched windows were steeped in southern charm, and the view was the historic hotel right across the street.
Fiona was mentally setting up a sitting area in front of those windows when someone approached her. She nearly leaped out of her skin when she saw who it was.
“Sorry,” Porter said, realizing he’d startled her. “Mind if I sit?”
“Sure,” she said, trying to calm her racing heart. She knew she should have left sooner.
“Nice day,” Porter said, sitting next to her on the bench. She nodded.
“What are you doing here?” he asked. “You’re off today.”
“Just met up with my friends nearby,” she said. She didn’t feel comfortable telling him about her big plans just yet.
Porter nodded.
“I’ve heard your business is doing really well.”
When she looked confused, he smiled. “Jen gets the updates when Stella stops in at the lounge.”
“Ah,” Fiona said, smiling. “Yeah, things are moving fast. It’s been a little hard to keep up with it all.”
“I completely understand,” he said. “In fact…”
He looked around, as if to see if anyone was listening. “So this isn’t common knowledge, and nothing is official yet…” he started.
Fiona frowned. She had no idea what secret he could possibly have to tell her, especially since they’d barely spoken in weeks.
“But this rental space here? David and I looked at it the other day.”
Fiona nearly choked on her coffee.
“This one?” she asked, trying to sound neutral. “Wow. For what?”
“A lounge,” Porter told her. “I know it’s a little crazy because we’re so new, but this could be a great opportunity. We might not get another chance to expand like this.”
He smiled. “I think we might go for it. But I don’t know yet.”
Fiona cleared her throat. “That is…great. Exciting. For you and David.”
“It’s almost too good to pass up,” he told her. “You know, David and I came up with the idea for Hearth in college. We didn’t know exactly where it would be, but we always pictured a restaurant with a lounge area. Once we realized how difficult it was to find everything we wanted in a space here, we compromised. What we got is pretty amazing, but with this extra spot…” he shook his head. “It could be great.”
Fiona’s heart sank at the hope in his voice.
“What, uh…” Fiona started, unsure if she should pry. “Why the hesitation?”
“Money,” he said, shrugging. “And we’d be combining two spaces, which has its own set of hoops to jump through, maybe permits to get. I don’t know. There would be a lot to work through.”
“Well it’s important to be thorough,” Fiona said. “Not too hasty, you know?”
“Right,” Porter said. “If it were up to David, we would have already signed the lease. So I’m the hangup.”
For just a brief moment, Fiona considered telling him her plan. But what good would it have done? There’s no way he would have given up the space — his dream space — just because she might have wanted it, too.
“Anyway,” he said, looking blindingly handsome in the bright sun. “I better head in. See you tomorrow, right?”
“Yep,” Fiona said, nodding. She tried to look calm, but the second he was gone, she all but sprinted to her car to get out of there.