Page 74 of Butterfly Sisters
“That’s a beautiful thought.”
“I feel like she was telling me to focus on what’s in front of me.”
“Which is?”
“This.” She waggled a finger between the two of them. “Being here at the cabin is the first time that you and I have talked in two years.”
“I know. It’s been nice, hasn’t it?”
“Yes. I’d never have thought you, me, and Mama would be able to live under the same roof without going crazy. But it’s actually been… fun. And I was so worried that I’d miss it that I put off my trip to Paris until after summer.”
Leigh smiled fondly at her sister.
“It got me thinking about the cabin.” Meredith twisted around to address Leigh. “I told Mama first and now I’m telling you. I’m not going to rent it out. It belongs to us. The three of us.”
Leigh gasped and threw her arms around her sister. “I can’t believe you’d do that,” she said, her words muffled by Meredith’s shoulder as she squeezed her.
“I’ll do it forus,” Meredith said. “We deserve it after all we’ve been through.”
“Yes,” Leigh said, laughing with happiness. “We definitely deserve it.”
“I was thinking that the three of us could do some renovations to it ourselves—things we want,together. We’d only change what would make it ours, leaving lots of Nan here too.”
“That sounds amazing,” Leigh said. “I’m sure you’ll have tons of ideas with your artistic eye.”
Meredith grinned, happy, her body uncharacteristically still and calm. “So how will we spend the rest of our lives here?” She waved an arm around the room. “Visits every year?”
“Morethan every year!” Leigh pulled her sister in for a second hug. “Mama could even move here full time if she wanted to.”
“Yes,” Meredith agreed. “And I’ll need somewhere to work while I help you get your business up and running.” She winked at Leigh.
“I hate to pull you away from your gallery,” Leigh said seriously. “I know how busy you must be.”
“I’m used to working on the run, remember?” Meredith assured her. “I can make it work. And I couldn’t pass up a chance to spend more time with you and Mama.”
Those words were music to Leigh’s ears.
“The other three retailers will be visiting after you today,” Leigh told Samantha Perkins, the owner of The Attic Light bookstore, as the woman walked around the tiled floor of Greystone Properties, peering up at the display window. “Interest is high.”
“Parking looks good,” Samantha said, as she toured the space. “What’s the total driving time from the highway?”
“It’ll run you about twenty minutes, and Nashville’s only twenty-five to thirty minutes.” Leigh had already sold her on the importance of having a bookstore in the area.
Samantha bent down and opened the cabinets under the counter. Then they walked to the door and Leigh held it open for her, clicking off the lights on the way out. “And the lease contract—is it three or five years?”
“Five,” Leigh said, opting for the longest lease to gain as much revenue as possible.
Samantha opened the door to her rental car. “When you get all three of the other leases signed, let me know, and we’ll follow suit.”
“Delighted to hear that,” Leigh said, reaching out for her hand.
Samantha offered a firm shake. “Thank you for meeting me today.”
“Of course,” Leigh said. “I’ll be in touch soon.”
Samantha Perkins got into the car and shut the door, waving before she started the engine and drove away.
Leigh checked her watch. One down, three more to go.
