And right now, Willow doesn’t need one since the windows are still covered with paper, making it clear the store isn’t open yet.
From the looks of it right now, it’s far from ready, too.
The place is kind of a disaster.
Shelves I built for Willow lean up against the walls in various places and half-unpacked boxes are strewn across the floor along with random packaging materials that appear to have been chaotically tossed to the side.
An old cash register sits on the vintage display case Killian found for her when they went on their trip down to Asheville searching for cool things for the store, and various other items lie haphazardly around the room, waiting for someone to organize them.
It definitely looks like she could use some help.
I let the door close behind me, and I move in deeper, starting to imagine what it will look like when it’s finally completed.
I’d be the first to admit I didn’t know how she could transform the newspaper office into a retail space, given I had only ever seen it used for one thing and set up in one way, but even in this state, I’m starting to see her vision.
The inherent charm of the historic building that’s stood here proudly on Main Street for over a hundred years brings a warmth to the room that’s been improved by a fresh coat of paint in a barely-there honey tone that was absolutely intentional on Willow’s part.
But where is the woman behind it?
Willow should be here, waiting for me to come hang the shelves as we arranged earlier. I start to call out for her, but if Niall is here and sleeping in the back and I wake him up, neither he nor his mother will be very happy.
Best to find her quietly.
I move through the space toward the back room that I know she was setting up as an office, my boots thudding on the worn wooden floors, but just as I reach the door, Lucky steps out, clutching several glass candle jars in her hands, and almost slams into me.
“Oh, shit!” She jerks back, her eyes widening. “Christ, you scared me!”
“I seem to be doing a lot of that lately.” I offer her an apologetic smile, retreating a step once I’m confident she isn’t going to drop any of the candles. “Sorry about that. What are you doing here?”
She chews on her bottom lip, scanning the space with an unreadable expression that almost looks like confusion. “Um…I guess I work here now.”
Works here now?
Clearly, something happened between me dropping her at her place last night and today that I have been left completely out of the loop on. Not that I expected Lucky to call and let me know wasn’t waiting tables at the diner anymore, but Willow certainly could have offered me a heads-up before I walked in here.
I raise a brow. “You do?”
She nods, clearing her throat, almost as if she’s not completely sure it’s true or isn’t on board with the job change. “Your sister-in-law and Raven came into the diner earlier.”
That explains it.
I can already see where this is going before she even completes her story. When Willow and Raven are together and they set their minds on something, they’re like bulldozers and it’s almost impossible to get out of their way.
If they saw Lucky struggling at the diner the way she has been, both of them would have felt inclined to find a way to help her…by finding her another way to make some money.
“And let me guess, they somehow convinced you to quit the diner and come here?”
Lucky releases a little laugh. “It honestly wasn’t all that hard. I’m a shitty waitress.”
Her self-deprecation makes me wince, and I feel the need to defend her, even if she won’t defend herself.
“No, you aren’t.”
She gives me an incredulous look, that perfect mouth of hers twisting. “I appreciate the morale boost, but we all know I sucked at that job.”
“I wouldn’t say sucked.”
But I can’t fight the grin that pulls at my lips as I say the word, nor can she mask her own.
