Page 16 of Hidden Vows
“That didn’t take long,” I mutter under my breath, returning to the chair I was sitting in before they arrived. “Marybelle was here earlier. You heard right. She’s retiring and selling the bookstore, but she offered to let me buy it first. She’s giving me a week to decide.”
“What’s there to decide?” Ava practically shouts as she takes the armchair next to me. “You love this place.”
“Rebel, tone it down a bit.” Gage chuckles softly, perching on the armrest of his girlfriend’s seat.
“I will not! This is the perfect opportunity!” Ava’s eyes brighten with so much excitement; I can’t help but smile at her. “You could gut the whole place and build a kitchen where the storage room and offices are.” Ava stands, turning to the space in question. “And you could shift the counter to face the front of the store, putting a few tables in front of that window. You’d probably lose a few bookshelves, but you could become a specialized bookstore and only sell a certain genre or something, so losing the space wouldn’t be a big deal.”
When Ava spins back to me, her eyes catch on my open computer, the business plan I was working on still on the screen.
“Oh my god! You’ve already thought of this!” she shouts as she lifts the computer from the table.
“Of course, I’m thinking about it. I just have to figure out how I’m going to pay for it.”
Gage’s eyes shift to mine, and his brows pinch in, curiosity written across his face. “Your dad won’t help you?”
I shift in my seat, discomfort coursing through me. It’s been a long time since I’ve opened up to anyone about the complicatedrelationship with my father, and the idea of doing so now makes me nervous. But I’m also sick and tired of keeping it all in and doing everything by myself. I want to be a good friend, and Gage and Ava deserve nothing but the truth from me.
“My dad is a firm believer in working for everything you have. He worked his way up to the powerful man he is from nothing and thinks I need to do the same.” I fiddle with the frayed edge of my jean shorts, avoiding eye contact.
It’s hard admitting this, especially to a man whose parents would do everything in their power to help their children, no matter the cost to them. “He’s a businessman at heart, though. So I’m sure if I went to him with a clear business plan, I could probably get him to invest in the idea.”
“How could he pass it up?” Ava bounces where she stands, done holding in the excitement coursing through her. “All he has to do is come in one morning to see the crowd you bring in with your treats. Forget the books. You could only do a bakery and make enough to thrive.”
“I love the books, though.” My eyes move around the shop. There might be a lot of things I would change about this place when it comes to its inventory, but the atmosphere is something I absolutely love.
“I know you do.” Ava moves back to reclaim her seat in the armchair, leaning against Gage as she smiles at me. “What are you going to call it?”
“Oh, I’m not going to change it. Well, not really, anyway. This place has always been Falls Book Haven, and it feels like a haven. I don’t want to change that.”
“If you’re incorporating a bakery, though…” Gage’s words trail off, his meaning clear. The name should match the purpose.
“I was thinking Falls Book Haven and Café.”
“I love it.” Ava beams.
“Don’t get too excited. I still have to figure out the money side of things.” My eyes shift to the business plan on my computer. I hope I can get this right. The more I think about it, the more I want this to happen. “What about you?” I turn back to Ava. “If I don’t get the money, what will you do? There’s no guarantee whoever Marybelle sells to will keep this as a bookstore.”
Ava’s gaze shifts to Gage briefly, her body leaning a little more heavily into his side. “Well, I’ve actually been spending a couple of afternoons a week helping Benny Meriwether out at his office.”
“You have?” I’m surprised but ecstatic about this news. While I’ve loved having Ava working part-time in the bookstore, I always thought it was unfortunate that she gave up practicing law.
She and I didn’t know each other when she first got to Ashford Falls, but I heard how integral she was to Scott keeping custody of his youngest son. There wasn’t a person in this town who thought it was right what Caleb and Quinn’s mother did to Scott, especially after she abandoned them all when Max was only two.
But even with the win on the case, she was still adamant about moving on from being a lawyer. Hearing that she’s spending time at the local law office with Benny Meriwether is great news. I can imagine how happy Benny is with that development. He’s been talking about retiring for years but keeps putting it off since the closest lawyer is three towns over.
“Yes, but don’t get your hopes up. I’m still not sure it’s what I want to do with the rest of my life. There are still a lot of mixed emotions around practicing law. But I’m happy to help you review anything you need to make this café a reality.”
“No, I couldn’t ask you to do that.”
“You didn’t ask, I offered.” Ava’s smile makes it hard to think she’s speaking anything but the truth.
The idea that Ava wants to help me shouldn’t surprise me, and yet it does. I can’t understand why someone would want to help a person that barely lets them in. But then again, Ava understands that better than most would.
I reach across the open space between our seats and grasp her hand, trying to convey how grateful I am. “I would really appreciate your insight.”
“Of course.” She squeezes my hand, silently communicating how much she gets it.
“But you both can start on that tomorrow,” Gage says, standing from his seat and pulling Ava up. “Now it’s time for all of us to go home and get some rest.”
