Page 29 of Shifting Sands
“If you need any tips, I’d be happy to help,” Jules said, handing Mary the Tums.
“Thanks. I might be getting a little ahead of myself though. We haven’t gotten approved for the loan, and we don’t even know how much Emily will get. It might not be enough for her to pay off her bills and do the renovations to get things started.” Andie glanced over at her shop. “Maxi said she’d come by tomorrow morning with the verdict.”
“Good. Tell her to stop in here. She’s due for a cut. I know she’s growing it out, but she has to take care of those ends,” Mary said, now looking less pained and more her usual serenely happy self.
“I’ll tell her.” Andie had often admired Maxi’s long silvery tresses. For most of their adult life, she’d worn it tucked up in a bun at the nape of her neck the way she thought James liked her too. But since discovering her artistic side, she’d starting letting it grow even longer and had taken to wearing it down. It was now halfway down her back.
“I guess I better get over to the shop. I want to open up and catch some of this tourist traffic.” Andie pointed to the tourists in their brightly colored shorts and tank tops as they strolled past the various shops. A few were looking in her window across the street, and she wasn’t one to turn down a sale.
As she turned to leave, the door opened, and Sally Littlefield stepped in. She was wearing her usual paint-splattered overalls, her long braid hanging over her left shoulder.
“Hi, Sally,” Andie said as they passed.
“Oh, hi there. How’s things?” Sally jerked at her hair, pulling the strands out of the braid.
“Good. You?”
“Pretty good. Just finished up replacing some lighting over at Tides. Looks good.”
“I’ll have to get over there and check it out. I’m due to check some people in tomorrow.” Andie felt a stab of guilt. Other than the night at Splash and morning coffee at Sandcastles, she’d pretty much ignored her sister since the Thompson job had come up.
Sally nodded. “I need to get a treatment done on my hair. And maybe a trim. It gets all kinked up when I keep it in this braid.” Sally tugged at her hair then lifted the bottom to inspect the ends.
Mary and Jules grimaced as they got out a black apron and pointed Sally toward a chair.
“I’ll let you guys get to it then.” Andie said her goodbyes and headed over to the antiques store. She wanted to dig out the table she thought would be perfect for Maxi’s cottage and have it ready when she arrived in the morning. And if she hurried, she might be able to sell that jewelry box in the window to the couple who were still peering in at it.
Chapter Twenty-One
The next morning Maxi showed up at Andie’s place with the painting she’d shown her the day before.
“This will be perfect right on the long wall in the dining room.” Maxi held the painting on the wall to illustrate.
Andie stood back to get the full effect. It was a gorgeous seascape, and the blueish green of the ocean drew out the blue in the muted slate-gray tone of the walls. In the painting a wave was crashing on a rock, the image lending a certain energy to the room. “It’s perfect.”
Maxi set the painting on the floor and leaned it against the wall. “It’s already got a wire across the back, so it’s ready for hanging.”
“Thanks so much.” Andie grabbed the table she’d set aside for Maxi. “This is for you. I think it’s perfect for that empty corner next to the slider in your cottage.”
Maxi looked delighted. “It’s perfect! And it matches with cottage chic decor.” She leaned down to look underneath the top of the table. “But where is the price tag?”
“I’ll tell you what the price is when you tell me the price of the painting.”
Maxi straightened and frowned at Andie. “Don’t be silly. I’m not charging you for the painting.”
“Then I’m not charging you for the table.”
Maxi opened her mouth to argue then closed it and laughed. “Okay, fine. A trade then.”
“Deal.” Andie went into the kitchen area, which was only separated from the rest of the living space by a breakfast bar. “You want coffee?”
“Love some,” Maxi said.
Andie popped a K-Cup into the brewer while Maxi rummaged around in her oversized blue-and-white striped tote. She pulled out a manila envelope and plopped it on the breakfast bar. “I also have this for you.”
Andie slid a mug of coffee in front of Maxi and blew on hers. “The loan application?”
“Yep.” Maxi opened the folder and spun it around so Andie could read the papers. “James approved it last night. Emily got the loan, and he managed to defer the payments for six months.”
