“Your friend sounds either lucky or impulsive,” Autumn laughed.
“She’s both in equal measure,” Madison answered.
“What else? What’s her personality like?”
“She has an amazing heart. Though she is a bit disorganized and spacey.”
“I’m guessing that’s one of the reasons she needs someone to help her professionally?”
“Yes, I think having a direction will help her immensely. She and I have both been looking for someone to take on the job for a couple of weeks now. But we haven’t had much success. Either people are charging too much. Or a couple haven’t wanted to take on a lesbian bar as a client.”
“Well, I think my prices are pretty reasonable. And as a lesbian myself I’m excited to have another option for places to go for a good drink on the weekends.”
“See, I knew I was going to like you,” Madison chuckled.
“Well, if it means a beachside lesbian bar, who am I to refuse? Let’s set up a time for me to get together with your friend. Maybe I can at least point her in a helpful direction.”
“You’re a lifesaver.”
“I mean let’s not be hasty. But I do try.”
The two of them watched as Nick ran back and forth into the waves. He was such a happy guy. It was almost enough to reignite Autumn’s dog fever. Almost. But she wasn’t quite ready for that much commitment. So far, she had to count today a success. She’d signed up to volunteer with cute animals and gotten a lead on a possible client. All in all, this lunch break was a success.
Internally she could hear her parents cheering. Her parents had always gauged a successful life based on the economics of a person’s life. When she talked to her parents on the phone it wasn’t her new home, her friends, or even her love life they wanted to know about. It was business. Both James and Moira Kingsport were big names where she’d grown up. They’d each created their own businesses and scaled them successfully.
As far as Autumn was concerned her parents were convinced, she had too much potential for a typical nine to five. They’d been skeptical about her decision to open an interior design business. Both had suggested real estate as the best investment in the future. But Autumn had sold them on the fact that everyone who bought a new home wanted to style it. They had been cautiously optimistic after that. Since starting Autumn had gotten some pretty big clients. And a beachside bar would do nothing but punctuate her portfolio.
Chapter 3
Quinn fought her growing anxiety. The interior designer was coming over to the bar today, and she wanted everything to be perfect. From what Madison mentioned this interior designer wanted to make sure that they were a good fit. Quinn knew she wouldn’t get a second chance at a first impression.
Quinn had spent several minutes sweeping and cleaning up the old tables as best as she could. She loved this old bar and felt almost a kinship with it. More than anything she hoped that she’d be able to express that accurately to this woman. The front doors opened, and Quinn snapped her head to the side. Madison stood at the door; arms folded over her chest. She watched Quinn with a twinge of bemusement in her expression.
“What do we have going on here?”
“I wanted to make sure that the place gave a good first impression.”
“Is that why there are balloons tied to the tables?” Madison asked in obvious confusion.
“Yes,” Quinn announced proudly.
Madison smiled sweetly and came to give her a hug.
“Are the balloons a good touch?” Quinn asked.
Quinn glanced around the bar. When Madison had told her that she’d found an interior designer that might be interested in her bar project Quinn had gotten to work immediately. There were brightly colored balloons tied with ribbon to every single table. Madison glanced around the room and smiled. She cupped Quinn’s face in her hands.
“I think that if Autumn can’t appreciate your unique charm, then this isn’t meant to be,” Madison announced.
“Is that the designer’s name?”
“It is. And don’t get excited but I can confirm that she’s a lesbian,” Madison laughed.
Quinn supposed there was a benefit to hiring an interior designer who was also queer to help her decorate her lesbian bar.
“That’s great news. How did you manage to find an interior designer in the local queer community?”
“We volunteered at the rescue together.”
