“That’s more than okay. I’ll email you a copy of the building plans. It might help you work out what furniture you’ll need.”
“I’d appreciate that.” Jackie’s thoughts were already racing with ideas for her store. All she had to do was find a few thousand dollars to make those ideas a reality, and earn enough money to cover her business and personal expenses.
When she thought about it like that, opening a knitting store sounded totally achievable. It wasn’t until she factored in the wages she wouldn’t be getting from The Flower Cottage that she panicked.
Was she really doing the right thing by risking everything she’d saved to open a knitting store? After she’d finally built a life that wasn’t filled with stress, she was doing something crazy that could take her straight back to the reason she’d come to Sapphire Bay.
But there was a voice inside of her, telling her this could be the beginning of something truly wonderful. All she had to do was believe in herself.
And that was even harder than finding the money to open the store.
CHAPTER5
Jackie knocked on Paris’ front door. With a little over a week until Andrea’s wedding, they were about to see their friend’s wedding gown for the first time.
Paris opened the door and smiled. “Come in before you catch a cold. Richard and Jack have gone out for a couple of hours, so we’ve got the house to ourselves.”
As soon as she walked into the living room, Jackie felt her tense muscles relax. Today had been a roller coaster of emotions. She’d wavered between hopeful optimism and sheer terror whenever she thought about opening a knitting store.
Paris held out her hand for Jackie’s coat. “Make yourself at home. Andrea’s changing into her wedding gown. She shouldn’t be too long.”
“Have you seen her dress?”
“No, but I can’t wait. Would you like a cup of coffee or a mug of hot chocolate?”
Jackie sighed. “Hot chocolate would be wonderful. I’ve been working on a business case for my knitting store and my brain’s ready to explode.”
Paris took a moment to absorb what she’d said. “Oh, my goodness. Have you really decided to open a store?”
“If I can apply for some funding to help with my start-up costs, I will.”
“That’s amazing! Congratulations.”
“I’m trying not to get too excited,” Jackie said ruefully. “I’ve got a long way to go before I can sign the lease.”
“Are you still looking at the cottage on Anchor Lane?” Paris asked.
“That’s the only store I’m interested in. It’s so perfect, it’s scary.”
“What’s scary?” Andrea asked from the doorway.
Jackie and Paris turned around.
Andrea was wearing the most stunning creation Jackie had ever seen. The long, satin gown shimmered as she walked into the room. A layer of delicate lace covered in sparkly beads swirled across the fabric, giving it the romantic feel Andrea had wanted.
“You’re absolutely beautiful,” Paris said softly.
Jackie couldn’t believe Andrea had found such an amazing dress. “You look gorgeous. The dress is lovely.”
A soft blush made Andrea’s eyes gleam. “It wouldn’t have looked this good without Kathleen. She had to reshape the entire bodice and take three inches off the length of the skirt.”
Paris hugged Andrea. “You wouldn’t know it hadn’t been made for you.”
Over the last few weeks, the hunt for the perfect wedding gown had taken so many wrong turns that none of them had expected to find one. When they’d seen the photo that Tess, one of the founding members of The Bridesmaids’ Club, had sent Andrea, everyone was excited. Apart from being two sizes too big, the dress was everything Andrea was looking for.
“Can you believe it’s finally happening?” Jackie asked Andrea.
“I never thought I’d fall in love again, let alone get married,” Andrea said with tears in her eyes. “But when I met David, I knew he was special.”
