“Probably not,” I said.
“When hell freezes over,” Flo had said when I asked her if she were willing to consider a move.“I love you, but I’m not leaving Mami and Papi and my sisters’ kids for any job.”
I knew exactly how she felt.
“I’m recommending her for a position with Louis Vuitton New York,” I added.
“So you’ll be hiring locally,” Phee said.
I nodded. “Jenny Snow on the retail side, to start. And I’ll need at least one more person to help with assembly.”
Mr. Laurence twinkled at me from under his eyebrows. “Nice to see new businesses moving into downtown.”
I smiled back. “You would know. Trey was telling me about your plans to convert the old tobacco warehouse.”
“What plans?” Phee asked.
I was aware of Trey, approaching from the porch. “For the farmers’ market.”
Mr. Laurence glanced from me to his grandson. “Farmers’ market?”
“I’ve been getting bids on the work,” Trey said. “I wanted to have the plans before I talked to you about it.”
Mr. Laurence grunted.
“Right now, the sellers and the buyers are limited by the weather,” Trey said. “If we had something that could serve the community year-round—”
“It’s a great idea,” Mr. Laurence said. “Start small. Expand hours on the weekends and then add more days. And vendors.”
Phee nodded. “Antiques.”
“Artist studios,” I said.
Trey glanced at Eric. “I thought, food trucks. Maybe a brewery.”
“I like your vision, son,” Mr. Laurence said gruffly.
Trey flushed with pleasure, shoving his hands in his pockets. “It was Amy’s idea.”
“It was not,” I said.
“Better reward her, then,” Mr. Laurence said at the same time.
Trey cocked an eyebrow. “Want a boat ride, little Amy?”
I raised my chin, aware of our family watching our every move. “I can row.”
“You rowing me, while everybody watches? No way.”
“Give me an oar, then. We’ll row together.”
We ambled down to the dock, where the flat-bottomed johnboat was tied up.
“Nice day,” Trey said when we were floating with the current.
It was a lovely day. The river murmured over trees and stones. The sun sparkled on the water.
I bit back a smile. “You brought me down here to talk about the weather?”
