Page 71 of Love in Riverbend
“Spill. I love you smiling more. Fill me in.”
“Dax said I’m stubborn.”
“Yeah, and what?”
My eyes open wide. “Chloe, are you agreeing?”
“Again, yeah.” She leans forward. “I mean, do you not know you’re stubborn?”
“I’m not stubborn. I’m set in my convictions.”
“Yeah, okay. That means stubborn.”
By five before six, Chloe says goodbye behind Quintessential Treasures as my dad’s truck comes toward me, followed by a white truck. Unlocking the back door, I wait as Dad and Lynell shake hands and come my way.
“Mr. Jacobs,” I say. “Thank you for coming on a Saturday.”
“Your dad offered me a beer at Bob’s after this.”
I grin at my dad. “Yeah, he’s a big drinker.”
“You don’t have to drink to enjoy Bob’s,” Dad says.
“Well,” Lynell says to me, “I hear congratulations are in order. You are now the owner of this fine establishment.”
“I am. And while Mr. Murphy has been schooling me on taxes and monthly filings, I’m ready to get some things moving.”
“That’s why I’m here.”
I lead both men into the back of the store. “As you can see” —I point at the shelving Dax built— “it’s pretty crowded down here.”
Into the store and up the stairs, I bring everyone to a stop in the large room. The heat of the day makes the space stuffy, more so than usual.
“Tell me what you’re thinking,” Lynell says.
“Mick was here a few weeks ago. He had some concerns with the plumbing and wiring.” I grin. “He says the bones are good.”
“Need to start somewhere.”
Exhaling, I look out at the space. “What I’ve wanted is to make this and the third floor into an apartment for me and Molly. There’s plenty of space. But now I’m wondering if it would be better used as part of Quintessential Treasures. Not for customers. That staircase is a lawsuit waiting to happen. I want to take the store online, and I’m going to need a lot more space for inventory and shipping.”
“How about you tell me both plans,” he says. “I’ll draft up two blueprints and cost estimates. I know you might be able to get some supplies less expensively from Mick, and I’m all for that. My costs will simply give you a ballpark figure. One for each plan.”
I nod. “Okay. I like that.”
“Hey, Kandace,” my dad says, “I’m going downstairs for a bottle of water. Lynell?”
“Nah, I’m good. Holding out for that beer.”
The time with Lynell takes longer than I imagined. He pulls out a tape measure and draws chalk lines on the floor and takes scrupulous notes. He asks me about things I hadn’t considered. Old buildings aren’t wired to today’s standards. So, if I’m having the building rewired, I might as well do it right. We talk lights and outlets. Flooring and window upgrades. By nearly eight o’clock, I’m worn out and pretty sure that I’ve bitten off more than I can chew.
“Thank you,” I tell Lynell once we’re back downstairs.
“Don’t let the numbers scare you, Kandace. We can work in phases.”
“I think I’m already scared.”
He grins as his bushy white eyebrows rise and his face fills with tiny wrinkles. He looks at Dad who has been downstairs in the office. “Randy, I’ll take a raincheck on that beer. It’s getting late, and I don’t want Bridget mad at me.”
