That sounded like something she’d say. He had no idea what Jack’s flower arrangement would look like, but he did have some exciting news. “I met a lady today who’s donating enough money to build three tiny homes.”
Jack waved at Mr. Penman, one of the oldest residents in the tiny home village. “Will she be our neighbor?”
“No. She doesn’t live in Sapphire Bay anymore. She’s visiting her friends. The thing is, she still owns a house on the edge of town, and she doesn’t need it anymore. She asked Pastor John if he knew anyone who’d want to buy it.”
“Stacey and her mom are moving into a new house tomorrow. Stacey’s painting her bedroom pink and purple, ’cos they’re her favorite colors.”
“She must be looking forward to that.” He studied Jack’s face. “What if we moved into a new house?”
“Like Stacey?”
Richard nodded.
“What about our friends? I’ll miss them.”
“We’d still be living close to the village. We could invite our friends to our new house.” The earnest expression on Jack’s face tore at Richard’s heart. With everything his son had been through, any change to his routine was difficult. “We wouldn’t be moving straightaway. I’ll need to talk to the bank to see if they’ll lend me some money.”
Bending down, Jack took the front door key out of a box they’d hidden under a rock. “Paris visited the bank. She wants to open a flower shop.”
“I know. I’m remodeling the cottage she’d like to use.”
Jack’s eyes widened. “You are?”
“If she gets the loan, she’ll be able to decorate the store exactly how she wants.”
“I hope she can open her store. She said no one in her family has ever owned a business.” Lifting his backpack off his shoulders, Jack climbed the stairs into the loft.
Richard wondered what else Paris had told the group of eager flower enthusiasts. “Would you like a glass of milk before dinner?”
“No, thanks.” Jack’s head appeared over the rail. “If we move, can I have a puppy or a kitten?”
From the first day they’d arrived in Sapphire Bay, Jack had wanted a pet. Mr. Snuggles, The Welcome Center’s resident rescue cat, had filled the void in his son’s life. But, if they moved farther away, he wouldn’t see him as often.
The worried frown on Jack’s face made Richard’s decision for him. “A kitten would be okay. We could visit the animal shelter and see if they have any that need a home.”
“Yeah!”
“I’ll have to talk to Pastor John first. Someone else might buy the house.”
“I know.” Jack climbed down the stairs. “If we move into the lady’s house, will it be our forever home?”
“I hope so.” He knew how important having somewhere to call home was to Jack. “I had a look at the house this morning. It has a swing hanging from a big apple tree in the backyard. We could build a treehouse and make the property ours.”
With a contented sigh, Jack sat at their small dining table and pulled out his homework. “It sounds like a nice house. Grandma could visit us.”
Richard took some chicken out of the refrigerator and thought about his mom. “She would enjoy that. What homework do you have?”
“I need to finish a story and do a worksheet for math.”
“Let me know if you need help.”
“Okay.” Jack bent his head and started writing.
If living in their own home was a big deal for Jack, it was even bigger for Richard. It would give him a sense of permanence, a safety net he hadn’t had in years. But, mostly, it symbolized a new beginning, the start of something that would provide a brighter future for him and his son.
Paris tapped her pen against her chin. After speaking with Shelley, completing the bank’s application form wasn’t quite so daunting. They’d increased the expenses Paris expected to have and reduced her projected sales. Her net profit wasn’t as generous, but it gave her more wiggle room if something unexpected happened.
The one thing she hadn’t factored into her budget was the cost of advertising. Hopefully, some of the low-cost ideas Shelley gave her would be enough to attract new clients to The Flower Cottage.
