Page 13 of Finding Hope

“If you need me just rip down some of that brown paper and I’ll come right over.”

Claudia wanted to shake her head and groan. Austin wasn’t that kind of threat. Just as she was trying to think of some reason why she would be knocking on the door Austin stepped out of the building.

“I was going to wait for you to knock on the door, but I couldn’t. You held out 24 hours longer than I thought you would,” Austin said.

Claudia stopped in front of him and folded her arms over her chest.

“You know what kind of disturbance you are causing by being so secretive. You’re from this town and you know the people why won’t you say what you’re doing?”

“Because I was waiting for the right woman to ask me?” he said with a sweet smile.

“The right woman?” she parroted.

“I’m curious. What do you think is going on in this building?”

Frustrated that he had been waiting for her to come along and she had actually fallen for the bait, Claudia was in no mood for games.

“It could be stolen property,” she said.

“No, I have enough money to buy whatever it is I want,” he said.

“Maybe you’re going to open up a factory and put workers in it?” she taunted.

“Wow your opinion of me is getting lower and lower with each guess.” He said with a raised eyebrow.

“Well then before we get lower than a snake’s belly maybe it would be best if you just let me in?” Claudia didn’t really think he was going to let him, but it was worth a try. Then the unexpected happened. Austin gestured for her to go into the building.

“Only for you my lady,” he said.

Claudia didn’t hesitate she walked right in. she didn’t have history with this building and what she expected to find was a dump. Instead, what she found what’s the cabinets factory with wooden doors and long tables in groups of three. The walls were painted a buttery yellow and the light in the factory was a soft white.

When she walked in, she heard her footsteps echo in the store. It had the smell of fresh paint and cut wood. She noticed on a table closest to them she saw some papers and tried to gradually make her way to them. When she reached them, she looked over her shoulder to see Austin smiling. He knew where she had been going and had been watching the whole time.

“What are these?” she said as she looked at schematics for sewing machines and drawn plans of her shop and displays in it.

“Are you trying to buy my shop?”

“Do I look like the type that would do that?”

“I don’t know what the type looks like. I just know that people sometimes do what they want no matter what.”

“I’ll try not to be hurt but perhaps it will make you feel better when I tell you that I don’t have any doubts about your character and that is why I want to make a proposal.”

Claudia took a step back.

“Not that kind of proposal, a business one. “

“Okay, what do you want?”

“I want some time. I’m not ready and I think I’m only going to get one chance at this with you,” Austin pleaded.

“You expect me to go back to my store with not story to tell Jillian?” she asked sarcastically.

Austin looked around and then ran his hands through his hair.

“Tell her I’m almost ready to give her the tour. She’ll be the first one in because I want to be neighborly and all.”

Claudia took another look around and sighed.

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