Page 98 of Sweet T

“Unless you have something better.”

She shook her head. “No. I think it’s perfect for what you have in mind. I reached out to someone via the LBC. Her name is Rachel De Silva. She owns a shelter for gay homeless youth in Washington, DC.”

“What is the LBC?” Titus asked.

“The Lesbian Business Community. I didn’t know where to start. Rachel was super informative, though. I explained that our business would be small, unlike hers. She doesn’t have enough space to house her influx, so she has to farm out a lot. I told her we expected our clientele to be less because of the location.”

“For sure. Few folks clamoring to move to Spoon, population five thousand.”

“And our prospects are not youth either. That can open up a lot of legal issues. I explained that we’re just looking to offer LGBTQ+ adults haven for... what would you call it, Titus? Gentrification?”

“I don’t think that’s the right word.” Cassie interrupted, “You’re looking to diversify the town via potential business and culture, not wealth.”

“Bingo,” Titus said, addressing Evan. “Like what we did with Sebastian years ago. Hell, Chuck did it with Brody and the bakery more recently, though that was much more of a personal endeavor.”

Titus grinned, his eyes going from Evan to his son.

Barb pressed on. “Your father’s not-so-subtle innuendo is that Brody had Chuck’s bed to sleep in. I want to volunteer the Hawthorne House as lodging. It will sleep at least eight people, not that we’d likely ever have that many at once. I don’t make money anymore as a boarding house or an Airbnb, and I’m already on the Historical Society’s blacklist for my updates and renovations.”

“It’s gorgeous,” Evan said.

“Thank you. Other than the exterior, which I’m happy to maintain, the only tie to its history is that plaque out front paraphrasing that General Sherman had a one-night stand with my great, great grandmother.”

Evan chuckled. Barb continued.

“Tucker, your daddy is a smart businessman. He thinks I can turn Hawthorne House into a non-profit affiliated with Project Haven–a temporary stay for folks who can’t yet afford any housing in Spoon. According to Rachel on the phone last night, he’s right. She gave me some names of some people to contact.”

“That’s awesome,” Evan said. “You guys have been doing your homework. I’m happy to build the website for you. But you’re going to need some unique marketing to attract diversity to Spoon. I mean, it’s a nice small town and all, but it’s no destination. Instead of targeting nearby cities like you did with Sebastian, I would suggest small towns that may not have as much to offer as Spoon does with... freedom of expression, shall we say?”

“That’s brilliant,” Titus said.

“Also, if you limit it to towns in the state of Georgia, you may be able to get state money, too.”

“I’ll get state money.” Titus pointed at no one in particular. “But I’m not limiting it at all. If there’s some poor, closeted soul in Racist, Indiana, I want them to have an opportunity, too. Hell, even overseas, for that matter. I want Spoon to take hold of these folks.”

Evan saw the burning of a reignited passion flash in Titus’s eyes, and it made him smile. Why not? Spoon had taken hold of him too, hadn’t it? What with the people he’d befriended, a welcoming family, being in a show, and, of course, Tucker. Tucker, his handsome guardian angel who, aside from his dirty-blond hair, so resembled the motivated kingpin he was sitting next to.

“I think it’s doable,” Evan said. “Lofty and ambitious, but doable.”

“I’m grateful you’re a part of it,” Titus continued. “Despite the circumstances, I feel very fortunate that you came into our lives, Evan. And I’d like to offer you a job.”

“Wait. What?” Evan asked.

“You heard me. I have room to bring on a person to help me spearhead this project, and I want it to be you.”

“But I don’t–I’m not... I–”

Tucker intervened. “Daddy, Evan’s not planning on staying here.”

“I know that. But I’m hoping he’ll reconsider.”

“You need a marketer,” Evan said. “I’m just a web-tech guy.”

“After what I just heard you say about targeting? You may not have studied marketing, Evan, but you know what you’re talking about... instinctively.”

“Ben McCrae is a smarter choice. His degree is marketing.”

“Wait,” Tucker said, hands up. “I have a business to run, too. I need Ben.”

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