“Are you all right?”
“Yeah, I’ll tell you about it later.” She hung up and started her car. She wanted to get out of here.
The guy gave her the creeps. Who just stood outside a car waiting like that? He had to be involved with the drugs Gordon was dealing. Unless Gordon did other shady stuff Mai didn’t know about.
She groaned.
She shouldn’t get involved.
It was none of her business.
But if she saw him around again, she’d definitely let Lincoln know.
The itching feeling in Mai’s skin faded as she shut the door to her apartment and greeted Calypso. She let out a breath. She wasn’t likely to see the creepy guy again.
She made herself some Vietnamese rolls for lunch and sat at her kitchen table with Nicholas’s proposal.
It was time for her to think strategically.
The document included dates she had to vacate the building, the proposed schedule for the development build and the date for her to move into the new premises.
The six-month timeline seemed optimistic, but she had no experience with the building trade. Hannah’s cabins had taken a couple of months to build, but the shell of the cabins had been done in a week – a lot of it was prefabricated. Perhaps concrete slabs were similar.
There was a decent lump sum payment for her inconvenience if she chose to take a shop in the new building, and nothing if she didn’t.
The carrot or the stick.
Included in the proposal was an artist’s rendition of the final building. It wasn’t quite as hideous as she’d been expecting, but it wasn’t pretty either. There was nothing charming about it and On the Way oozed charm. It was part of her brand, to make people’s visits an experience rather than just a shopping expedition.
So what were her options?
Take the offer and shut for six months hoping people wouldn’t forget her.
Take the offer and find a temporary premise for six months and hope it didn’t completely exhaust and ruin her.
Fight the proposal at the shire. If Nicholas didn’t have planning permission yet, she could stop it before it started – though that was no guarantee he wouldn’t kick her out anyway.
Find another building and start again.
Her heart ached. She couldn’t give up On the Way, but the mountain of work in front of her seemed insurmountable. She’d already spent thousands of hours building her business. She’d thought she’d put those eighteen-hour days behind her when she’d been able to afford to hire Penny. The idea of going through it again made her want to curl up in a ball and cry.
She had to consider her staff as well. They relied on her for an income, they needed the jobs she provided – there weren’t many employment options in Blackbridge.
She closed her eyes as Calypso jumped onto her lap and she ran her hand over his soft fur, drawing comfort from it.
This shouldn’t be happening. Aaron had agreed to the sale. The building was supposed to be hers.
Mai shook her head. It didn’t matter now. Aaron had sold her out and she had to deal with the consequences. And next time she wouldn’t let her compassion stop her from getting the agreement in writing.
Her first step had to be finding out what real estate was available, both for her bakery and herself. The new development didn’t have apartments above the shops and so she needed to find somewhere to live. She picked up her laptop and did a quick search. Only two potential buildings in Blackbridge and neither was great, but she had to inspect them.
She reviewed houses next, but there were no rentals in her price range in the area. She would have to find a roommate. She cringed. Finding a place to live would be step two. First she needed to find a home for her bakery.
And there was no time like the present.
She grabbed her keys and headed out.
By the time Mai drove to Fleur’s house she was thoroughly depressed. She’d inspected her options and peered through the grimy windows which revealed both buildings would require a lot of time and money to get them into shape.
She got out of the car and took a deep breath, trying to shake off her mood before she went inside.
Plenty of bees buzzed in the cottage garden, Fleur’s mother’s roses were in full bloom and a mass of different colours and Mai took a moment to appreciate the beauty before following the path up the steps and into the old miller’s cottage.
“Fleur?” she called.
“In the kitchen!”
Mai put Calypso on the wooden floor to explore and walked through the living area into the light, airy kitchen at the back. Sunlight shone through the window looking out over the yard and Fleur filled the kettle at the kitchen sink.
“I’m sorry about earlier,” Fleur said. “I have no recollection about meeting at the park.”
Mai grimaced as she put her notes and the bakery box on the table. “That’s because I lied.” She told Fleur about Gordon and the creepy guy.
“You need to go to Lincoln.”
“I will next time. Gordon might change his mind.”
Fleur scowled. “I doubt it.”
So did Mai, but she wasn’t ready to give up on him yet.
“The musketeers reporting for duty.” Kit grinned, saluting as she walked into Fleur’s kitchen, with Hannah hobbling behind her.
Mai smiled. She could always count on her friends to cheer her up, to help her when she needed it. “Thanks for coming.”
Fleur handed Kit and Hannah coffees and Hannah said, “Give us the full rundown. What has Nicholas proposed?”
Mai updated them. “If it’s all legit, I’m going to have to move out while the new premises are built.” She sighed. “I hate the idea of that beautiful building being demolished.”
Hannah smiled. “You’re always complaining about something breaking.”
“But I love it. It was where we met.”
Fleur put her hand on Mai’s. “Yeah, but it didn’t make us who we are. It’s just a place, we carry our memories with us.”
“And a new building has to have advantages, doesn’t it?” Kit asked.
“You’re right.” Mai huffed out a breath. She’d been so focused on the negative, on the fear, that she hadn’t looked at the potential positives. A brand new building where she might be able to customise the interior. She’d need to consider that a little more. But for now she needed to work out what to do in the interim. “I checked out the two potential properties today – the old cafe on Mortimer Road or the warehouse down by the river.”
“Is that it?” Hannah asked.
Mai nodded. “The warehouse is massive and smells like fish, and the old cafe needs a face-lift, plus the kitchen is tiny. Penny and I will get in each other’s way.”
“Let’s do a pro and con list for each,” Fleur said.
They worked quickly, bouncing ideas off each other as they came up with a list for both properties. When they were done Mai reviewed the list. “It comes down to cutting my production and having a nice venue, or keeping my current production and having a crappy location.”
“It doesn’t have to be crappy,” Hannah said. “I’m sure we can do something nice with the warehouse space.”
“What about the fish smell?” Fleur asked. “That won’t be appealing.”
“I don’t think it’s worth spending a lot of money on a place I’ll only be in for six months.”
“So you’re definitely going to take a lease in the new development?” Kit asked.
“I don’t know.” The thought of working with Nicholas didn’t thrill her, but the location was perfect.
“The cafe has a lot of potential,” Fleur said. “It won’t be as pretty as your current place, but there’ll be space for more tables.”
“I agree,” Hannah said. “People will drive the extra distance for you, Mai.”
“Those that know about me might,” Mai said. But when it came down to it, people went with the easiest option. “But the move will damage my reputation.”<
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“No, it won’t,” Kit told her. “You’ll get the word out that you’re expanding to meet the demands of your customers and ask people to support you through the transition.”
It wouldn’t be quite that easy, but Mai could spin it to her advantage, and use the customer list she’d built to give updates on the project.
If she took the cafe, she’d have to review her processes, maybe do more of the prep work in the evening so they didn’t need to do it when there were two of them in the kitchen. She should take Penny by the place and see what they could work out.
Which meant she had to tell the rest of her staff about the demolition. They were going to be devastated and she had no good news for them.
“Nicholas is paying for the relocation, right?” Kit asked.
“If I take a unit in his development.” It really was the best option, but she still felt manipulated, as if the whole situation was out of her control. She rubbed her eyes. “I’ll get some quotes and find out how much Nicholas is willing to cough up.”
“Can your mum negotiate something for you?” Kit asked.
She’d been waiting for it to come up. Mai took a sip of her drink. “I haven’t told her yet.”
“Why not?” Hannah asked.
“I wanted to put a plan together first.”
Kit stared her down.
Crap. The musketeers always knew when she wasn’t telling the truth. “She never wanted me to be a baker. She’ll tell me to cut my losses, and I’m not doing that. I don’t have the energy to fight her at the moment.”
“Or she might give you some sound legal advice,” Kit argued. “Sure Bian was a pain when you first started, but that was years ago. She’s always bragging about you now.”
Mai didn’t comment. How could she explain that she still felt like she’d let her mother down, still thought she was less than her sisters who were all at university?
Losing her bakery would mean she’d failed, that her mother had been right.
Hannah tapped her pen on the paper in front of her. “Has Nicholas got planning permission yet?”
“No.”
She smiled. “We need to find out when the council meeting is.”
“Why?” Mai asked.
“If enough people protest, the planning permission will get knocked back, or revised. Perhaps we can get him to leave your building and build around it.”
Kit grinned. “I like the way you think.”
Mai hesitated. “It might make things worse. He could refuse me any place in the new development and then I’ll be left with nothing.”
“He wouldn’t do that. He likes you, Mai,” Fleur said.
Mai shook her head. She couldn’t think of him in that way. This was business.
“He kissed you last night,” Hannah said.
Mai’s face burned. “It was nothing.”
All three of her friends just looked at her.
“It was nothing,” she insisted. “I’m not getting involved with a guy who could destroy my life.”
“It’s not that bad, is it?” Kit asked. “It’s a temporary adjustment.”
“Most small businesses don’t survive more than three years.” Mai sighed. “I’m scared of losing everything, having to start from scratch again.”
Fleur hugged her. “We won’t let that happen, Mai. We’ll help you through this.”
The others nodded and her heart swelled. She wasn’t alone.
“Though, you really should talk to your mum,” Kit said.
Mai huffed out a breath. “Fine. I’ll visit her tomorrow and we’ll go from there.”
It wasn’t the best plan, but it was something.
“What about your apartment? Are you going to move back home?” Hannah asked.
“I don’t know. I can’t afford any rentals in town.”
“You can always move in with me,” Fleur said. “I’ve got plenty of space and could do with help paying the mortgage.”
Mai hadn’t even considered Fleur’s place. “I thought you liked your own space.”
“I do, and I wouldn’t offer to just anyone. But we wouldn’t get into each other’s hair. Calypso has never been a problem and I know the importance of being quiet while you’re sleeping.”
Fleur worked a variable shift pattern at the local hospital. It was the perfect solution, but Mai didn’t want to take advantage of her friend. “Are you sure?”
“Of course. We’ll have fun.”
They would, and it didn’t have to be permanent. She smiled. Finally something good to come out of her day. “All right. That would be great.”
With her shoulders already feeling a little lighter, she turned to her friends. “Enough about me. What are your new year’s resolutions?” She wanted to forget about her problems for the rest of the day.
Mai looked up at the modern, two-storey, architecturally designed house she’d grown up in, her muscles clenching. She’d never really liked the building, despite the gorgeous views over the town from its perch on the hill. It reminded her too much of when they’d lived in Perth and she’d had to take care of her siblings with her grandmother while her parents worked endlessly in their high-powered corporate jobs. It reminded her that money couldn’t buy happiness.
She’d never had any privacy here, her younger sisters always coming into her room, borrowing her things, or waking her up when she was sleeping so they could talk about their latest teenage drama.
She’d chosen to be a baker, to do a job she loved, even if the pay wasn’t the best because she’d wanted to be happy. And she’d been ecstatic when she’d discovered she could convert the area above her bakery into an apartment and finally move out of home.
At least with Fleur’s offer, she wouldn’t have to go back.
She couldn’t stand here all day procrastinating. She needed answers.
She walked in to find her three younger sisters lounging in the TV room on the big cushy red couches, watching a movie with the air conditioning blasting. She’d rarely spent those gloriously long summer holidays when she’d been at high school at home, had always been off with the musketeers, and she’d never had the even longer breaks that her sisters enjoyed now they were at university.
“Hi, Mai,” Eden called. She held out her hands for Calypso and Mai handed him over.
“Is Mum home?”
“In the garden.”
Mai continued down the long, high-ceilinged hallway and out the back door. Both of her parents were weeding the garden, her father in his lush vegetable garden close to the back door, and her mother across the lawn under the shade of a magnolia tree.
“Hi, baby,” her dad called, straightening up and stretching his back, his hands covered in dirt. Taller than her by only a couple of inches, he always had a presence, a way of being, that couldn’t be ignored. Today he wore black shorts and an AC/DC T-shirt that had faded to grey from years of use.
“Hi.” She kissed his cheek, her heart warming.
“What have you got there?” he asked, indicating the papers she held.
“Something I wanted to get Mum’s advice on.”
Her mother walked over, her large floppy cotton hat shading her expression. The old T-shirt and shorts she wore were a far cry from the power suits that were her costume of Mai’s youth, but still she commanded attention, and could cause a person to wither with one look. “Legal advice?”
Mai nodded, the nerves churning in her stomach like a mixer on high. She couldn’t get emotional, she had to stick with the facts. “The bakery building has been sold.”
“Weren’t you buying it?” her father asked.
“Aaron sold it to a property developer.” She was pleased her voice was steady.
He reached out and squeezed her arm.
“Do they want to renegotiate the lease?” Her mother took off her gardening gloves and wiped her hands on her shorts.
“No. I’ve been given six months to vacate the premises.”
Both her parents gaped at her.
“Can they do that?” Anh glanced at his wife.
Her mother snapped to attention. “I need to read your lease. Let me clean up.”
This was it. She’d discover exactly where she stood. Following her mother inside, she sat at the kitchen table and placed the paperwork in front of her.
“Tell me what happened.”
After Mai explained, Bian read through the lease, her frown becoming more pronounced as she did so. “This is a terrible contract. Why didn’t you show it to me before you signed it?”
Mai clenched her hands together. “Because you didn’t want me to go into business for myself.”
“That’s not right.”
Mai didn’t want to argue about it now. “Can we focus on the proposal, please?”
Her mother looked at her for a long moment, her gaze piercing, before she turned her attention to the proposal.
“This could work out for you.” Her mother tapped the end of a pen against the paper as she read through it. “It’s a decent offer.”
“I’m not giving up my bakery,” Mai snapped. She’d known this was coming.
Her mother held up a hand. “I’m not telling you to. How much will it cost to relocate?” Her mother was calm as always, no emotion on her face.
Mai had to be as emotionless as her mother. “The problem is where to move to. I’ve got a choice of somewhere too small or too big.”
“It’s temporary. You’ll make do.” Bian waved away her concerns. “His offer is low, but it’s a starting bid. He’ll expect to have to increase it.” She jotted down some notes. “Have you got a copy of the development plans?”
Mai held her anger in as she handed them over. Her mother had no idea how much work was involved, how hard it had been to set up, to make her name, to become a success. How could she be so flippant?
“This is a nice place. Maybe I’ll look at moving in – my office is getting kind of shabby.”
Mai stared at her mother in disbelief, the sting of hurt sharp. She supported the development, supported the man who was hurting her daughter?
“I’m going to have to leave?” Mai asked.
Nothing to Gain Page 6
