Page 95 of New Day at the Beach House

She laughed. “I know, but I can’t help myself.”

“You’re the boss. Whatever makes you happy.” He gave her a wink as he carried the box to the back.

The boss. Wasn’t that something? She’d never thought that title would apply to her. And yet, here she was. In charge. Life was something, wasn’t it?

Her phone chimed again, this time with a text message.

She read it. Saw the ad, interested in the receptionist position, would love to see the place and chat more!

Wow, her first potential employee! Trina answered with the salon’s address, then a quick note. Come on by, I’ll be here until noon.

That seemed like long enough to wait. The sign guy was due any minute and she wanted to get back and go wedding dress shopping, which reminded her that she needed to let her mom and Mimi know. She sent them a text with her estimated return home. She was about to put her phone away when the potential employee answered.

Sounds good. See you soon!

Trina tucked her phone into her back pocket and glanced down at her outfit. She’d dressed sort of casually today in just capri jeans and a T-shirt. She hadn’t thought she’d actually be interviewing anyone today.

Nothing to do about it, though. Hopefully, they’d understand the salon was a work in progress and she was there working. She finished her sweeping. She carefully used a scrap of cardboard as a dustpan and dumped the pile into the big plastic trash can the guys had set up. She did her best not to get dirty.

Ethan brought in more boxes of lights. He set them carefully on the floor near the wall before putting the ladder up.

She went over to talk to him. “Maybe I could work on putting the shelving unit together? Unless you think it’s too big of a project. I’m eager to get that set up. I’ll have product coming in soon.”

“You’re welcome to give it a go, but there are no windows in the storage room and I’m going to have to kill the power for a bit so I can get the lights wired up.”

“Oh.” Trina made a face. “About that. I have someone coming in shortly to interview for the receptionist position. I might need the lights on for that.”

He nodded. “I’ll get this light up, then turn the power back on. I can work on the shelving unit until your interview is over.”

“Okay, thanks. I’m going to run out to the car. I brought two of our folding chairs to set up for interviews. I hope no one thinks that’s cheesy.”

He smiled. “If people come in for an interview, their main goal is to impress you. Even if they think the chairs are cheesy, which they won’t, they won’t say anything.”

“Good point.” She went out to the car and got the chairs. They were the metal frame and canvas kind that they used at the beach. In fact, as she opened them, sand came off of them. She brushed the seats with her hand so they were totally sand-free, then set the two chairs up facing each other in the front of the salon.

The area would eventually be the waiting lounge with sleek black leather furniture and a drinks station and a gleaming chrome and marble table in the center. A selection of interesting and current magazines would be available for her clientele to look through while they waited.

There was nothing worse, Trina thought, than going into a salon that had nothing to read but dated magazines that were in terrible shape. A Cut Above would have new ones all the time. And not just People. Celebrities were interesting enough, but there was so much other stuff going on in the world. She wanted National Geographic, at least one home decorating magazine, maybe an older ladies’ magazine, too. Good Housekeeping, Real Simple, or something like that.

After all, those were the women who had money. Maybe she’d get something for the men, too. GQ or Sports Illustrated. Women liked sports. Some did, anyway. She made a quick note in her notebook to research magazine subscriptions.

The interior lights went off and Ethan came out of the back. There was still plenty of light in the building. Even with paper over the front windows, lots of sunlight filtered through. Ethan climbed the ladder and began to work.

A knock on the door was followed by it being opened. A middle-aged man came in wearing a Bright Signs polo shirt. “Hi. Are you Trina?”

“I am. You must be the sign guy.”

He smiled. “I am. Tim Bright, at your service.” He handed her a business card, which she took. “I’m going to take some quick measurements then I’ll be on my way. We’re doing the building sign, road frontage sign, and a window sign, is that right?”

Trina nodded. “That’s right. Thank you.”

“Thank you. Once I confirm the measurements to you in an email and you sign off, we’ll go into production. I’ll have an installation team out here next week.”

“That fast?”

“Yes, ma’am. We do everything in-house, so we work quick. Not many people want to wait for their signs.”

“Makes sense.”

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