Page 4 of Wolfish
“I don’t blame you. Will you be digging up our skeletons?”
“Do you have any in your family tree?”
Daniel laughed. “Don’t we all?”
“For sure.” She liked his sense of humor. “If I find some human bones unearthed, I’ll study them.”
“And you’re single?”
The question took her aback. “Well, yes. Are you?”
He smiled. “Sure am. Okay, you’re approved. Good luck with your venture. If you need any help with the shop, ask. And when you’re ready to look up the cemeteries, I’m only a call away.” He handed her a business card.
“I don’t need the sheriff to sign off?”
“No, he said I could do it.”
“All right, well, I’m thrilled. Thanks so much.” She shook Daniel’s hand, who shook hers warmly and a little longer than she thought necessary, making her smile, and he released her hand.
Then she hurried out of the office to purchase the store. Once she was at the real estate office, she met with Regina Fairhaven, the woman she had spoken to before. “I’ve been approved to open a shop next to the tea shop, and I’m ready to purchase the store.”
Selena had already negotiated a good deal for it because it had been sitting idle for so many months. “What had it been before this?”
“A rare bookstore.”
“Oh.” That disagreeable owner who wouldn’t carry the kind of books the townspeople wanted to read. A surefire way to go out of business. No wonder Silva wanted her to open another shop in its place.
“You might have heard that the previous owner had been boycotted. I’m sure you will have the opposite experience.”
Selena sure hoped so. Then she signed the paperwork, paid for the shop, and headed over to it with the keys in hand. For the first time since starting this venture, she knew this was becoming a reality, now that she was no longer apprehensive about getting so many people’s approval.
She walked inside and stared at the four walls. A lovely, oak display window would showcase her merchandise, and an oak counter would be used to sell merchandise. She would also hire a couple of clerks if she received a large volume of business so she could take breaks if she needed to.
For now, she needed stands for clothes and shelving, and then she would work with the other businesses to determine which merchandise she could sell that didn’t compete with theirs. It appeared that the previous owner must have had portable shelving and either took it with him or sold it.
The movie theater, Hastings Bed and Breakfast, and the MacTire sisters' hotel wouldn’t be a problem. Maxine Fox’s clothes shop could be more of an issue. Selena wouldn’t order anything tea-related, which was in Silva’s tea shop, so that wasn’t any big deal either. The Timberline Ski Lodge’s gift shop shouldn’t be a problem if she didn’t carry ski-related merchandise.
She decided on all-wooden shelves for the old-western town appeal. No chrome clothing racks. The counter was a perfect fit. Behind the counter, she would put a long mirror to make the store appear even larger. She was glad the shop had a restroom, something she knew would be important when it opened.
Then she called Silva as a courtesy, but also because she was dying to tell her since she had been so welcoming. “I bought the shop.”
“I’m so excited for you. What do you need first?”
“A carpenter to put in wooden shelves.”
“Frank Sutter can do the job.” Silva gave her his phone number.
Selena was so glad she had asked Silva for advice. Within the hour, Frank came over to learn what she wanted, took measurements, and suggested trimming the shelves with decorative molding to give them a more antiquated, charming appeal.
She loved his suggestions, and he quickly began to work on it. “Can you add a mirror behind the counter?”
“Framed?”
“Yes.”
“Sure can. Do you need dressing rooms?”
“Oh yes, two please.” Boy, did she luck out. She hadn’t even thought of that, though if anyone wanted to try on sweaters, sweatshirts, or T-shirts, they could.
