Chapter Forty-Seven
CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN
Riley’s emotions were all over the map as she drove home to Chatham. They swung from euphoria that she was heading home and starting a new venture to excitement at the possibility of growing her own little business. That was immediately followed by uncertainty and fear of failure. And then the tears that she’d been too exhausted to shed earlier came fast and furious as she wept for the end of a relationship that at one point she’d thought would eventually lead to marriage.
She felt in her gut, though, that she was on the right path. Even in her sadness and uncertainty, she felt lighter and happier. She tried to focus on those feelings and to let the others go. But that was easier said than done. She couldn’t just turn the sadness off like a water faucet. But by the time she reached Chatham, she thought she’d cried most of the sadness out. She was starting to feel excited about seeing everyone again, especially Aidan.
Until she stepped inside her mother’s home, holding Lily’s cat carrier, and her eyes welled up again. Her mother pulled her in for a hug and murmured soothing words as Riley’s tears spilled. She sniffled finally and smiled through the tears. “I thought I’d done all my crying in the car.”
Her mother handed her a box of tissues. “Get it all out, honey. It’s normal to be sad. It’s been a tough week for you. Lots of change.” She brushed Riley’s hair off her face. “I’m so glad you’re here, though. How about a cup of cinnamon tea?”
Riley nodded. Tea sounded perfect. She fed Lily while her mother made the tea and then they settled in the living room and chatted for over an hour, until it was time for her mother to head to the inn. Riley offered to go and help but her mother insisted that she stay and rest.
“You can help tomorrow at breakfast if you like. You’ve had a long day and an even longer week. You need your rest. I’ll see you in a few hours, and we’ll have a nice relaxing evening. Sound good?”
“Sounds perfect.”
When her mother left for the inn, Riley picked up her laptop and after another crying jag, she finally felt like maybe she was all cried out. She decided to focus on the future and starting her consulting practice. She came up with a simple name for her business—Content Consulting—and she updated her LinkedIn profile. She didn’t even put the law firm job on there as she hadn’t been there a full week. Instead she listed the name of her new company and what she intended to offer for services. She listed the scope of the three projects she’d done so far and encouraged people to email her for more information. Riley knew how powerful LinkedIn could be as she’d been contacted many times over the years by recruiters hoping to entice her to interview with their clients.
She started on a website next. She wasn’t a developer but she knew enough to put up a basic site on WordPress and to get a domain to link it to. And all the things she did for clients to market their businesses online, she did for her own website. She set up a blog and planned to post a series of blog posts focusing on marketing a small business and how content marketing could help. And she would ask Donna, Sean, and Morgan for testimonials she could post on her site as well as give examples of the kind of work she did for them. She was excited to apply her marketing strategies to her own enterprise and generate some new business.
By the time her mother came home, Riley was in much better spirits and had the beginnings of a website up. She could finish it over the next day or two and was excited to get started on her new business.
Her mother opened a bottle of Chardonnay and they toasted to her new venture. Her mother heated up some leftover pasta and they watched a Hallmark Christmas movie, which suited Riley’s mood perfectly. She slept like a rock that night and woke feeling rested and ready to head to the inn for breakfast service.
When Franny came into the dining room she looked delighted to see Riley. Riley gave her a big hug. She was thrilled to see Franny as well. Over breakfast she told them how the closing went.
“It’s all mine now! I can’t believe it. I went shopping last week and found a sofa and dining room set that I love at Boston Interiors. It’s being delivered next week. Beds are being delivered today, so I’m heading over there from here to wait. The cable and internet are being hooked up this afternoon. Everything else I bought online from Pottery Barn and Williams Sonoma. By next weekend, I should be all settled in.”
“That’s great, Franny!” Riley was happy for her. “I can’t wait to see it.”
“Well, you’re invited to Sunday supper at my place two weeks from now. Both of you.” Franny looked at her mother, who nodded.
“We’d love to come,” Riley confirmed for both of them.
When Riley returned home, she dove into working on her site again, but around lunchtime, she took a break and texted Aidan. She didn’t want to wait any longer.
I’m back in town. Are you around tonight? Would love to see you.
His reply came back ten minutes later. Just confirmed a sitter for five thirty. Where shall I meet you?
Come to the inn. I’ll be helping with the wine and cheese hour.
Perfect. Can’t wait to see you.
Riley felt all warm and fuzzy as she read Aidan’s last text. Her mother knew instantly who she was texting.
“Is that Aidan?”
Riley nodded. “He got a sitter and is going to come by the inn.”
Her mother smiled. “And you won’t be staying to help me clean up. I’ve got it this time.”