“Is he enjoying being back in college?” Paris asked.
“He loves it. After we’ve looked at the wedding dresses, would you mind if I visited him? Depending on the day, he could meet us in town.”
“That’s a great idea. Tess said she could open The Bridesmaids’ Club for us next Sunday. Does that suit everyone?”
That suited Shona. Nate didn’t have classes on the weekend, so it was perfect. “It’s fine for me.”
“And me,” Andrea added. “I’ll ask my part-time staff if they can work instead of me.”
“Next Sunday it is!” Paris picked up two off-cuts of wood and handed them to Shona. “On that positive note, screw these two pieces of wood together at right angles. If you need a hand, let me know.”
With a confidence she hadn’t had a week ago, Shona attached a screw to the end of the electric drill. Within seconds, the piece of wood was sitting at a perfect right angle to the other.
Andrea clapped. “Yeah, you! That’s impressive.”
Paris grinned. “Not bad for a woman who doesn’t know how to use a drill.”
“All it takes is a little practice and a son who doesn’t mind teaching me over the Internet,” she said proudly. “How do we make the shelving unit?”
Paris looked at the instruction sheet and picked up another two pieces of wood. “You have to screw these together to make the frame. Just do what you did to the off-cuts, and you’ll be fine.”
Shona double-checked the final position of the wood. When she was happy, she sunk two screws into the frame. “That's one side done. What's next?”
Paris handed her another piece of wood. “Same thing again.”
By the time she was finished, even Shona was impressed with the shelving unit. Including the top, there were four shelves she could use to display her merchandise. She gave it a wiggle to make sure it wouldn't collapse.
Andrea tilted her head to the side. “It looks great. I can imagine it full of quilts and other handmade gifts.”
“And it's sturdy,” Shona added. “I'll work out how many I want and place an order tomorrow.” She looked around the empty cottage and sighed. “There's so much to do.”
“When do you want to open the quilt shop?” Andrea asked.
“I'd love to open it in two weeks. That gives me enough time to let my existing customers know I've moved and to advertise the store to people who haven't seen my quilts.”
“Tell us what furniture you haven't been able to find. I’ll search the Internet and see what I can find.”
“Thanks.”
Paris nudged her arm. “Don't look so worried. With the three of us working together, everything will be perfect.”
Shona forced a smile and remembered the words she used to tell Nate.You're braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.
If it worked for Winnie the Pooh, it could work for her, too.
* * *
After takingAdele out for pizza, Joseph was walking back to his truck when he saw some light spilling onto the sidewalk in Anchor Lane. It was too late for The Flower Cottage or The Starlight Café to be open, so he assumed Shona must be in her cottage.
When she’d told him about the money she'd received from a charitable trust, it was hard to pretend he knew nothing about it. She was excited about opening her quilting store and very thankful for the trust’s faith in her.
Hopefully, she never discovered who was behind the loan. “Do you want to visit Shona?” he asked Adele. “It looks as though she's in her store.”
“Yes, please. Is she opening her quilting store soon?”
“I'm not sure when it opens, but it can’t be far away.”
“I wonder if she’s brought her quilts into town. There were lots of them at her house.”
