Page 3 of A Perfect Match
KRU
“This is gonna clean up real nice.”Dan the real estate agent smiles over at me, his high wattage grin reminding me of the huge billboard of his face over I-90 in Cleveland.That’s where I’ve been living the past two years, and that’s where I found his face—I mean services.
“Shouldn’t be too much work to get it in condition to open.”I lean against a countertop along the front wall.I wonder if Dan can hear how hard my heart is pounding.Being here, next to him, the camera crew and producers waiting outside, has the reality of the situation hitting me hard.
I did it.I am the new owner of this damn-near-lakeside building, which will not only be my newest business, it will be mynew home.
But the work is only beginning.
This place has been empty for god knows how long, but the bones are good.That’s what I keep telling myself, at least, as I launch myself into the wild unknown of financial risk.Because the reality is that I just sank every last penny I’d saved over the past five years into this place.Sure, I’d done extensive market research, pored over business plans and menu concepts.All signs pointed to this restaurant, here in Bayshore.
But it meant a big loan, a reality TV show to help offset some of the costs, and selling my share of the business Maverick Daly and I started in Cleveland.
This fucking needs to work out, because I don’t have a Plan B.
“I saw you on that food truck show,” Dan says, stuffing his hands into his pockets.“You did awesome.I love how you came back to help Maverick’s food truck at the end, too.”
“It’s what you do for your brothers.”I cross my arms, barely able to think back to the wild months of that food truck reality show.It had launched this exciting new chapter of my life, that’s for sure—taking the leap to leave my native Wisconsin, move to Cleveland with Mav and build out our food truck concept together.The past few years have been a dream come true.
And now I’m ready for bigger dreams.
“I’m sure you’ll drum up a bunch of interest with that camera crew outside.”Dan tips his head toward the front of the building.“Bayshore is a solid little place.You should do well here.”
I’m worried that I’ll just fumble and fail, but I hope once I see the restaurant coming together, I’ll start to feel more confident about this crazy ass scheme.I remind myself that I felt the same way in the weeks leading up to opening our Fork & Claw food truck in Cleveland.This is part of the process.I should get that tattooed somewhere on my body.
“It’ll turn out great,” I say.
“I’m sure you’re ready for these.”Dan reaches into his pocket, producing the keys.They jingle regally, somehow, the bell signaling my new life.We’ve already finished paperwork, so all that’s left is this—giving me the keys to my own damn property.
As soon as I clasp them in my hand, Dan lifts a finger.“A couple extra details.You might have noticed the barn across the end of the parking lot.Thatisincluded with the purchase, the previous owner confirmed.She hasn’t been inside it for at least a decade so there’s no telling what’s there.Apparently it was an old coach house from the family of the previous owner’s husband that they never bothered to tear down.That’s this key here.”He points out a smaller padlock key on the ring.
“Cool.Surprise barn,” I say with a laugh as I turn over the keys.There’s only three, and if there’s a surprise barn in the mix, there should be more.“And the other two?”
He points to each key in turn.“Rear entry, which goes into Cloud Nine.Front door on your side.Now, minor detail: I don’t have the keys to the apartment upstairs.Turns out, the former landlord was renting it to the business owner next door.”
I blink.“Well, that’s new information.”
“To me as well.But I’m sure you can clear that up.I don’t think there was a rental agreement for the apartment upstairs, so it shouldn’t be hard to get her out.She’s got a lease for the shop though.”
“And I don’t plan on touching that,” I say.The income from the other side of the shop is the bulk of my loan payment each month.But it doesn’t cover all of it.So this restaurant that doesn’t exist quite yet needs to generate some cash,and fast.
We share a chuckle.Dan looks toward the door, and I follow his gaze.The camera crew is unloading onto the sidewalk out front.It’s time to get things going.
“I’ll let you guys get to it.”Dan offers a hand, which I shake firmly.
“Thanks for all your help.”
“You let me know when you’re ready to buy the next one, okay?”He shoots me that billboard smile again, and with a wave, he’s out the door.
I watch the door shut behind him, and then let out a long breath.
This place is officially mine.
This barren, 1970s-looking, wood-paneled mess is mine.
I’ll celebrate later.Right now, I have a camera crew to receive.
I breeze out of the front door, a few different emotions clamoring for space behind my ribs.But I don’t have time to think about those, either.Leaving behind the business that Mav and I built is one thing.Moving to a brand new city is a whole extra level of newness.But hell if I’m not also mourning something I shouldn’t even be thinking twice about…that girl I met in Cleveland last month.
