“Grade school,” I sighed. “But it’s ridiculous to be thinking about dating right now. I have to find a way to save my shop. If everything’s going to change, then my store’s just going to have to change with it.”
With that, we dispersed and went back to work. But only under the condition that Angel took over Nick’s table. Lizzy was too flustered to do it, and I had no desire in playing nice with any of them. Although by the time they left, I slightly regretted that decision. Only because they left her quite the hefty tip.
“Sixty bucks!” she marveled. “That was the total of their whole check!”
It only enraged me more. It was just another one of their skeezy attempts to buy everyone over so they’d be too blindsided to see how nothing Ransom Realty was doing was in their best interests. But I couldn’t get too wrapped up in my hatred for them. I had a diner to close and a mission at hand.
On my walk home, I couldn’t stop envisioning what the shop could one day be...with a few upgrades. It wasn’t so far off from my original vision for the place. But my focus had always been to get the doors open and from there it seemed like everything else would fall into place. Eventually, I’d have the money to redo the wallpaper and shelving, replace the flooring, and invest in trendier merchandise. It hadn’t come together as easy as I hoped, and I supposed I got comfortable in just struggling to keep the doors open.
So, maybe Lizzy and Angel were right. Maybe I could use all of this change to my advantage. I pointedly ignored how Nick had said something similar, and instead focused on how to make the best of things. I would find a way to remodel the shop and negotiate different terms with Nick.
Just the hope of it left me feeling a little less tired than usual as I climbed the steps to my apartment. I had been so worked up, I hadn’t even considered the fact that my apartment building sat just a few blocks down from the shop and diner. If Ransom had bought up everything else on the strip, it wasn’t so farfetched to think they could have bought this place as well.
It was an ancient building that had seen better days with its leaky pipes and peeling wallpaper. To say it was a slum was an understatement. But if Nick and his buddies did come in and redo it all, my rent would go up here too...once again probably far out of my price range.
I slipped into my pajamas and curled up on the couch with a glass of wine. At least for that night, I did have a roof over my head and both the shop and the diner to go to work at the next day. The only thing I didn’t have was a boyfriend or any prospects, as Lizzy and Angel were so eager to point out. My shop had always been my consolation prize to a relationship, but now that it was being threatened...it was hard not to long for a guy to curl up next to me there on the couch.
I could tell him all about my terrible day and the troubles with Nick. He would agree, out of jealousy if nothing else. We’d have toe-curling sex and fall asleep in each other’s arms. I took a bigger swig of wine as I realized I couldn’t remember the last time I slept against a man’s warm chest.
Focus, Del. Focus. Rather than getting caught up in a pity party, I scavenged for a stack of pens and paper and started furiously jotting down notes. It started with a list of ideas and grew into diagrams for a new layout in the store, complete with notes about each renovation that needed to take place.
Once it was finished, I checked my bank account and set out to make a timeline. That part was deflating to say the least. But I adjusted the numbers and dates and budgeted everything I could until finally, I had done it.
“Cheers!” I smiled to myself, toasting my glass in the air over the assortment of papers strewn across the coffee table.
I had a plan. Now the only thing left to do...was to do it. But before that, I needed sleep. By the time my head hit the pillow, my thoughts were freed from any notion of wishing for a boyfriend or even my disdain for Nick, Ben, and the others. Instead, I drifted off to sleep with a smile on my face, dreaming about the wonders of my darling little shop and all that it would become.
6
Nick
While Damon and Joey were working on hiring a good crew for the renovations on our new office building, I had managed to find a decent month-to-month space to lease for the meantime. It was nothing like the black marble flooring and vaulted ceiling corner office with a view overlooking New York City that I had before. It was dark with its wood paneling and outdated dark green carpeting, but it would do.
And it was good I had it too because letters started coming in from perturbed shop owners over the raise in rent. A few of them had called and wanted to set up an appointment to meet with me in person. I would have been happy to sit down and address their concerns, but I didn’t have a secretary. Not yet.
I was looking forward to hiring one that day as I leaned back in my chair and stared at the empty walls – missing the big windows in my old office. I was hoping for some bright, hot young chick who might initiate a little harmless flirting throughout the day. Or to be a little eye candy around the office if nothing else. Of course, I’d need her to be kind of a bitch so she could handle things like angry tenants barging in unannounced.
I was imagining the ideal girl when suddenly the door flung open. I muttered off something about expecting someone who was showing up for an interview to at least have the courtesy to knock first, but I stopped mid-sentence when I looked up and saw none other than the angriest tenant of all. Delilah Meadows.
“What the hell are you doing here!? You can’t just…”
“Oh, is it annoying to have someone burst in and ruin whatever you had planned for the day?” she asked sarcastically, placing a hand on her hip. “Imagine someone doing that to your whole life. Sucks, doesn’t it?”
I groaned and accepted my fate. She was here now and I had no secretary or security to throw her out. I kept one hand firmly wrapped around my cell phone in case I needed to quickly dial up one of the guys to come help me take care of this. But for the moment, I was trapped. And, as usual, she looked like she had a mouthful to give me.
“How did you find me?”
“I know everyone in this town. Mr. Baker told me you were renting out one of his offices,” she shrugged, helping herself to the seat across from me.
“Look, this isn’t a great time. I’ve got a few appointments…”
Before I could get the words out, a knock came to the door frame. Delilah and I both looked up to see what I had envisioned as the ideal secretarial candidate. She was young with plump red lips and big sparkling eyes. She wore a pencil skirt that hugged her curves and had ample cleavage spilling out of her button-up blouse.
“Mr. Ransom?” She grinned. “I’m Molly. I’m here for the interview.”
I cut my eyes over to Delilah, wishing she’d get the hell out. But instead, she stood up and marched right over to the door.
“Mr. Ransom will be with you in a moment,” she snapped in a snarky tone just before slamming the door shut in the poor girl’s face.
I drug my hands across my face as she returned to her seat. “You’re very rude. You know that? Whatever happened to southern hospitality?”
“We’re only hospitable until you cross us. Then we turn on you like rabid dogs. The rest of your tenants are no exception. So keep that in mind as you’re plotting on new ways you can ruin our businesses.” She rolled her eyes back to where the interviewee had just been standing. “And when you’re trying to flirt with whoever you hire.”