“Oh, yes, of course!”
I hurried to my counter where I plucked a good two dozen business cards out of the top drawer. The customer had started to wander through the shop again. She ran her fingers over the fabrics of shirts hanging on the second tier of racks and then flipped through the dresses hanging near the front of the shop.
She turned toward me, took my business cards, and tucked them in the back pouch of her dark brown leather handbag. “Lovely.”
“Can I ask you a question from the perspective of a shopper?” I asked.
She nodded. “Of course.”
I gestured at the wall I’d spent the better half of my morning reorganizing. “What do you think of this? Does it look too busy? Do you like that it’s broken up by color, or should I do it by item? Like all tops in one section, all skirts here, all pants here.” As I described what I was thinking, I pointed out where I would place everything.
She pursed her lips and pressed a finger to her chin as she considered it. “I think it looks good now. And if you break it into categories like that, it might stop people from sifting through everything. Which could cost you sales.”
“Huh. I hadn’t thought of that.”
She tapped her temple. “I spent many years in retail. You learn tricks along the way. How you have it is great. Simple. Clean looking. It draws the eye in without overwhelming you. That’s exactly what you want.”
I stood back and considered it from her perspective. It all made perfect sense. “I appreciate your feedback. I’ve been pulling my hair out trying to get this space to look a bit fresher. With the mall going in across the way, I know I’m going to have to fight harder to stand out.” I sighed and shook my head. “Anyway, that’s not your problem. Is there anything else I can help you with today?”
She shook her head, and we went to the cash register. I took her three items, scanned them into the computer, and removed the dye tags from them.
“How long have you owned this boutique?”
“Four years,” I said.
She smiled. “Still just a baby.”
I nodded and laughed. “Yes, it’s all still pretty new. And right when I feel like I’ve gotten into the swing of things, the world throws me a curveball.” I gestured out the boutique windows at the street lined with flower planters and country-style lampposts.
Past the street, the mall loomed like an omniscient force, mocking me with its size and glass walls, high ceilings, and chandeliers. The first level, a sprawling underground parking lot, would likely be packed within a few months for the grand opening.
It made me sick.
“Have you considered moving your shop into the mall?” the customer asked. “I imagine rent would be atrocious, but you might make up for it in sales.”
I shook my head. “I’m too stubborn. That monstrosity has driven out a lot of other business owners in the area. And now I refuse to bend. This is my business. And someone has to take a stand against these tycoons who think they can walk all over the little guy and get away with it, right?”
My customer rewarded me with a big white smile. “I like you. I’ll be telling my friends how much of a spitfire you are, too. That will make them want to bring their business to you even more.”
“Thank you. It’s customers like you that make all the difference in the world.” I handed her the bag of new clothes, tucked the receipt on top, and wished her a good afternoon.
After she left, I returned to gazing at my wall. For some reason, I still wasn’t satisfied.
The shop door opened after I’d been staring at the clothes for a good fifteen minutes. The shop owner next door, my best friend Edith Ford—or Edi as I sometimes called her—stepped into my shop, fanning her face.
“God, it’s hot out there.” She blew a curly strand of brown hair off her face.
“It’s summertime. Of course it’s hot.”
Edith sulked over to my counter and leaned on it, hanging her head forward and letting out an exasperated sigh. “Why did I let you talk me into opening my own shop?”
“What’s going on?”
She lifted her head and pouted dramatically. “I’m trying to make sense of my finances to close out the fiscal year, and it’s very overwhelming. You know me. I hate math just as much as I hate being too warm. And the two of them at once? It’s like I’m in purgatory.”
I giggled. “Okay, Miss Overdramatic. Bring your paperwork over, and we’ll go through it together.”
“Really? You’re the best.” Her already-big brown eyes were getting even bigger with hope and relief.
I nodded. “Really.”
“I’ll bring us iced coffees.”
“Sounds great.”
“Be right back!” Edith hurried out of the shop to go fetch her files, which I knew were probably a disorganized mess, and I was glad that I would at least get an iced coffee out of the deal.
I was starting to get an afternoon headache, and a cup of java would likely be the perfect fix.
When Edith returned, we sat down behind my counter, and I flipped through all her paperwork while I sipped my coffee. She sat patiently, waiting for me to make sense of it all, and she only left a couple times to check on her employee, who was holding down the fort in the jewelry store she’d opened nine months ago.
It had been her dream for a long time, but she’d never pursued it. Instead, she’d gone to school to become a dental assistant, which offered her a comfortable lifestyle and afforded her the apartment she was currently renting down the block. But she was miserable and hated her job—so she started selling jewelry on the side. A lot of it was handmade by her, while other items she ordered in and sold.
Everything she sold was ethical and handmade, and her suppliers were paid fairly, unlike big-box stores who only gave a miniscule amount of their profits to those who made their product for them.
Edith and I controlled who we subsidized by owning our own businesses. That way, we could make our own decisions, and we were both having success enough to pay our rent and support ourselves.
And I had enough to give my daughter Lily everything she needed. Sure, a bit more cash would be nice, and better job security would take some of the stress off my plate, but honestly, I really couldn’t imagine doing anything else.
Owning my own boutique was my dream come true, and I would fight tooth and nail to keep it. Just like Edi would for her jewelry shop.
Two hours later, we had just finished going through all her paperwork when the door opened and a little human came barreling through the door. Lily, my starry-eyed, curious, and daring little girl came swinging around the counter.
Her jet-black hair—the same color as mine—had mostly fallen out of the bun I’d put it in that morning before school. It sat low at the back of her head, and strands were loose all around her face. Her red bow was still attached to the side of the bun, and it bounced up and down as she hopped over and threw her arms around me.
I hugged her back, squeezing tightly and then tickling her sides. “Hi, bunny.” I grinned, giving her one last squeeze before letting her go. “How was your day? I missed you.”
Lily beamed at me and Edith. “It was great! We practiced our handwriting and played heads-up at recess and did our time's table and colored and, and—” She paused, thinking of what else she might be missing.
“Did you hand in your permission slip to the teacher so you can go to the aquarium with your class next week?” I asked.
Lily nodded. “Yep! I remembered.”
“Good girl,” I said, patting her cheek and getting to my feet.
Lily’s nanny, Michelle, had just come through the door. She was an older woman who had been taking care of Lily since I opened my business. I trusted her wholeheartedly, and she was good for Lily. She was kind and gentle, but firm when she needed to be.
Like the grandmother Lily never had.
“Thank you for driving her over, Michelle.”
It was nearly four o’clock, and Michelle did
n’t like to be on the roads once rush hour started. So we had an arrangement. She picked Lily up from school, made sure she did her homework, gave her a healthy snack, and then brought her back here to me any time after four o’clock. Lily would spend the last hour with me in the shop, and then we would both head home for dinner and our evening before starting the routine all over again.
“My pleasure, Senna. Lily was a delight today, like always. I have to run. I’ll see you tomorrow afternoon?”
“Sounds great.”
After Michelle left, Lily dragged Edith out from behind the counter by the hand, chanting, “Let’s go, let’s go, let’s go!”
“Where are you two off to?” I asked, planting my hands on my hips.
Lily spun around to face me. Her bun sagged even farther. “Auntie Edi said she has new things in the shop. And they’re sparkly. I’m going to go look!”
I crouched down in front of my daughter and straightened out her yellow T-shirt. “All right. Do you remember the rules?”
Lily nodded vigorously. “Yes. No touching unless Auntie Edi says it’s okay.”
“And?”
“And no leaving the store without Auntie Edi.”
“Very good. And the last one?”
Lily smiled. “Kiss Momma before I go.”
I smiled. “You’re such a smarty pants.”
Lily leaned in and planted a wet kiss on my cheek before bounding out the door with Edith hot on her heels. I watched them go, and when they disappeared from sight, my gaze was drawn to the beast of consumerism across the street.
I used to have a view of a park where couples would set up picnic blankets and kids would climb all over the jungle gym. Now, all I could see was glass and steel and concrete, a not so subtle reminder of what would become of my shop if I ever sold out.
I forced myself to look away as the anger began to boil.
Chapter 3
Zach
On Tuesday morning when I walked into the office, my desk had been swallowed up by a crowd of my coworkers. When they saw me coming, they broke apart, and their eyes followed me as I approached with a coffee in hand.
I put my coffee on my desk and looked around at the six of them, who had congregated around me. “Yes?”
Gary, a guy a couple years older than me who had been recruited for Woodbury Enterprises within the same two-month period as me, perched himself on the edge of my desk and flicked his chin in the direction of Ryan’s office. “Word is the boss isn’t happy with you.”
“What else is new?” I asked.
A couple of the others scoffed, and Juliette, the only woman present, let out a high-pitched giggle. She covered her mouth with her hand. “We think it’s about the deal you closed last week,” she said. “Ryan heard some of us talking about it and singing your praises, and he had a bit of a fit.”
“Jealous prick,” Gary added, speaking confidently since the boss wasn’t present.
I shrugged. “I’m not concerned about it. He can get his panties in a bunch if he wants. I’m going to keep doing what I do best.”
“Told you he wouldn’t care,” Juliette said, flashing her white smile around at the rest of us. She folded her arms under her very full chest, and the top button of her white blouse puckered. “We were thinking of going for drinks after work. You in, Hammel?”
I unbuttoned my jacket and dropped down into my chair, kicking my heels up on the desk and reclining backward. “Sure.”
Gary, still sitting on the corner of my desk, shifted toward me. “You can tell us all about how you closed the Brennon account last week.”
“Sounds like a plan. You know how much I enjoy talking about myself.” I chuckled.
“We like listening,” Juliette said.
The others around my desk all nodded.
One of them, a newer employee whose name was presently lost to me, piped up. “You could give us a teaser now before we have to start for the day.”
“I could,” I said, pressing my fingertips together like a television villain. “Are you all really that impatient?”
They all nodded at me.
Laughing, I took my feet off the desk and clasped my hands behind my head. My chair creaked softly beneath me. “Very well. I’ll indulge your curious minds. What do you want to know?”
Gary hopped off my desk and slid his hands into the pockets of his gray slacks. “How’d you get into his office? Last I checked, the Brennon file was closed because he refused to even let anyone up the elevator into his office.”
“Oh. I didn’t meet him at his office.”
Gary arched an eyebrow. “Then?”
“I knew he went to a posh cafe down the street from his office. He eats there every Wednesday at noon, and he’s usually alone. So I waited for him there, and when he sat down, I bumped into his chair and spilled a glass of water on him.”
Gary and the others looked around at each other, frowning.
I grinned. “Don’t try that trick on your own, kids. You have to have the charm to make up for the initial disaster.”
“And how did you pull that off?” Juliette asked, leaning forward to rest her elbow on the edge of my desk and putting her chin in her hand. She batted her long dark lashes at me.
“Simple. I bought him an expensive drink. And then another. And we talked about the bullshit he likes to talk about. Like his fucking show dog.”
“Show dog?” Juliette asked, her black and perfectly plucked eyebrows drawing together. She was a business shark, and she had the looks it took to open certain doors in this industry. She was also bold as hell and had a temper on her that sent most grown men running.
“Yeah,” I said. “He breeds schnauzers and has a dog that’s won a bunch of trophies.”
“What a snooze fest,” Juliette scoffed.
“Tell me about it.” I nodded. Then I held up a finger. “But that conversation about his damn dog was the nail in the coffin. He trusted me by then. And when the opportunity presented itself, I told him that holding onto his strip-mall property in Detroit was a foolish mistake. An error in judgement. And I had his attention, just like that.” I snapped my fingers.
Juliette blinked at the sound and then grinned. “And?”
“And nothing. He was hooked. And he sat there like a captivated audience and listened while I explained how he could make wiser investments with his money. Strip malls are a thing of the past. They haven’t been a lucrative business strategy in ages, and they’re being torn down left, right, and center for big powerhouse malls or high-rise condominiums. That’s where he could put his money. And once I knew I had him sold, I offered him an investment in the property that Woodbury plans to build on the land we would obtain once he sold his strip mall to us.”
Gary’s mouth fell open. “You got him to sell and then repurchase the property he was selling?”
I knew my smile was smug as hell, and I didn’t care. “You bet your ass I did.”
“Well shit.” Gary laughed, striking the top of my desk with his knuckles. “That’s some impressive wheeling and dealing. You’re a machine, Zach. An absolute machine.”
“I’d say,” Juliette said, licking her lips before straightening up and fixing her tight white blouse.
It was no secret that she’d been trying to get into my bed for months now. Everyone in the office knew about it. They also knew that I’d turned her down several times.
Strategy number one for success in business? Never sleep with your coworkers. When shit got personal, people got confused and lost sight of the prize. I would not lose sight of my prize over a one-night stand.
Regardless of how beautiful she was.
“Now it makes sense that Woodbury called you up to his office yesterday,” Gary said.
The others all nodded in unison and muttered their agreement. Woodbury never called anyone from our floor up to his office. I was the first to go up in years, and apparently, word had traveled around the office quickly. I didn’t mind. Having a reputation in this wor
ld was an advantage, especially when that reputation made you look like a fucking shark.
Which I was.
“Hammel.”
The crowd around my desk parted. Everyone turned to find our boss standing on the other side of the office. His arms were crossed, and he wore a sour expression that made his features look more pinched than they already were. He was a mousy-looking man with thinning brown hair that he combed back, revealing a big forehead above small eyes, thin eyebrows, and a narrow nose. His facial hair was his saving grace and made it look like he had a stronger jaw than what really lay beneath the thick dark hair of his beard.
I didn’t stand up. Instead, I nodded across the office at him. “What’s up, boss?”
“Storytime is over.”
“You heard him, kids,” I said when my coworkers groaned with disappointment.
Ryan tipped his head toward his office door. “A word?”
I rolled to my feet. As I walked around my desk, I heard Gary mutter under his breath. “Hotshot is in hot water.”
A smile tugged at the corners of my mouth. I kept my words to myself and walked between the desks to meet Ryan, who motioned for me to walk ahead of him into his office.
Ryan’s office had always felt like a nice place. It had big windows, fancy curtains, and all the fixings one might expect in a joint like this—expensive furniture, a liquor cart, bookshelves filled with things I was sure he’d never read and only owned to make him look smarter than he was. Plus, fancy gadgets like a very obvious security camera mounted in the corner above his desk. A little red light blinked steadily as if to remind his guests that they were being watched.
Ryan closed his office door behind him. The glass walls between us and the rest of the office did little to hide me from their view as I took a seat across from him at his desk. I resisted the urge to look over my shoulder and give the group a cocky grin.
Instead, I sat still with one leg crossed over the other and waited for Ryan to speak.
He took his sweet-ass time.
Good Luck Charm: A Single Mother Romance Page 2
