Page 49 of Artfully Wild
“Then make ityou.”
“What?”
“If you truly do enjoy the store and you decide to keep it, make ityou,” he repeats. “You’ve kept everything basically the same since taking it over other than moving things around and repainting, but you never made any big changes to it. You never made it yours.”
“I didn’t think I should—”
“I know, but I think you should. Rebrand it. Rename it. Everything. Make it yours. Hire a manager to run it while you travel and paint, but have it to enjoy when you’re home. Make. It. Yours. Or sell it and move on.” He emphasizes every word like he truly wants me to completely gut his store or sell it and erase all the work he’s ever done to it.
“But Dad, that store was everything to you. I can’t just go and change everything.”
Chucking, he squeezes my hand softly. “Skylar, my family was everything to me. The store just gave me a way to take care of them. And while I love seeing it the way I made it, times have changed and the store should change with them. It should change as you do.”
“As I change?”
This time, it’s his turn to lean in. “You think I don’t notice, do you?”
I furrow my brows and look between his eyes.
“I notice more than you think,” he says, touching my nose with a gloved finger. “I’ve watched that boy in there follow you around for years and it’s about damn time you both got your heads out of your asses.” He takes up his pen and looks over his crossword clues before filling one in, leaving me to think on his words.
“What is a frilly meat entree?” And just like that the emotions that were swirling in me moments ago are replaced with a lightness that carries them away in the wind as I burst into laughter.
“What’s so funny?” he asks. “C’mon, I need help!”
“Nah, you’ve got this one. I believe in you,” I stand and kiss him on the top of his head as his playful protests about me abandoning him in his time of need follow me inside.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
SKYLAR
Charlotte
You two really aren’t coming tonight?
I told you we can’t! We have a lot of work to do in the studio.
Charlotte
Oh riiiiight. So much “work” *wink emoji*
Yes, actual work. We have things to get done.
Charlotte
Things.
You mean each other, right?
Tell Frank you need to be cut off.
Charlotte
No way. Your brother brought Elias and I actually need a refill.
Speakingof doing things….
Charlotte doesn’t respond after that as I knew she wouldn’t. Her Tuesday night at Frank’s has been infiltrated apparently and since I’m not there to save her, she’s going to have to depend on his beer. Whatever tension her and Elias have between them is their business.
