After the inn was complete, Penny put her previous career as a property developer to good use. The cottages she was remodeling on Anchor Lane were like jewels in the small town. Not only were they creating job opportunities for the community, but tourists loved the old-fashioned charm they added to Sapphire Bay.
“Thanks for showing me the cottage, Penny.”
“You’re welcome. Let’s go inside before we get frostbite.” Penny opened the gate. “Be careful on the path. Our sub-contractors shoveled the snow off the cobblestones, but they could still be slippery.”
Jackie nodded and stepped more cautiously toward the front door. Her breath caught as Penny took a key out of her pocket.
“You’ll have to use your imagination,” Penny warned as she opened the door. “The cottage is totally bare of any furniture and decoration.”
Jackie sighed when she saw the cozy interior with wooden floors, exposed beams, and large windows that let in an abundance of natural light.
As soon as she stepped into the large room on the right-hand side, she could see the space filled with skeins of colorful yarn, knitting needles, and customers happily browsing her wares.
Penny picked up the remote control for the air conditioner and turned it on. “We kept the fireplace for ambience, but it’s the air conditioner that’ll make the cottage nice and warm in the cooler months. The cottage is almost a replica of Paris, Andrea, and Shona’s stores. They used this side of the cottages for their main retail space, but you could organize it however you like.”
Jackie ran her hand along the original window frame of the hundred-year-old cottage. “If I opened my knitting and yarn store in this cottage, I’d do the same. In the summer, sunlight will pour through the windows on this side of the building.”
“It’s my favorite side of the cottage, too.” Penny pointed to the back of the room. “Come and see the kitchen.”
As she followed Penny, Jackie looked up at the pressed tin ceiling. Unlike the other three cottages, the pretty, white-painted tiles weren’t confined to the entryway. They were through this entire space, and their heavily embossed design made the cottage even more irresistible.
Penny walked into the kitchen and smiled. “We couldn’t salvage anything from the kitchen. So, everything you see is brand new.”
Jackie’s heart raced with anticipation when she saw the white cabinets and stainless-steel counter. “There’s more than enough room for what I’ll need. Even if I had special events in the store, I could still prepare food and drinks for everyone.”
Penny nodded. “That was our goal. Do you have any questions so far?”
Jackie had so many she didn’t know where to begin. “If everything works out, when would you want me to sign the lease?”
“I don’t have anyone else interested in the cottage, so there’s no rush. But the sooner you know what you’re doing, the better it’ll be for everyone.”
Jackie bit her bottom lip. “If someone else asks about the cottage, would you give me the first option to lease it?”
“Of course, I will,” Penny said. “Did Paris tell you about the rent reduction?”
Jackie nodded. “That’s really generous of you.”
“I know what it’s like to start a small business. There can be lots of expenses you don’t expect when you’re starting out.”
Penny showed Jackie the bathroom, the storage area, and the retail space on the left-hand side of the building. While they were moving around the cottage, Jackie pulled out her cell phone and found the notes she’d made last night. Over the next few minutes, she asked Penny a few questions. There were probably a lot of things she hadn’t considered, but she’d never opened a business before.
Apart from having an extra window, the left-hand side of the cottage was a replica of The Cozy Quilt Shop. Shona had created her retail counter and work area on this side of the building, and Jackie thought she could do the same.
Penny pointed to the walls. “If you’d like something other than white walls, you’re more than welcome to change the color.”
“I don’t mind the color of the walls,” Jackie replied. “It makes the rooms seem larger than they are. I really like the cottage.”
“Enough to open a business here?” Penny asked.
“I’d love to, but I still need to work out how much it will cost for the furniture and everything else I’ll need.”
“I understand, but don’t take too long to decide what you’ll do. This is the last cottage on Anchor Lane that’ll become a retail store. Once it’s gone, I’m not sure when another building will become available for what you’d like to do.”
Jackie knew how difficult it was to find any type of building to rent in Sapphire Bay. Even finding somewhere to live had been a long, drawn-out process. “I should be able to let you know what I’m doing by the end of next week.”
“That sounds great. If you decide you’d like to lease the cottage, we’ll work out the details and get you set up in no time.”
Jackie nodded. “Thanks for showing me the cottage. It was good to see what it looks like instead of imagining what’s inside based on the other cottages.”
