“Good.”
“You’re late today,” Josie said, trying not to let on that she’d been watching the door for Eve’s arrival all afternoon.
“I went to the office to check in with some of my other clients and start typing up my marketing plan for you. I really only stopped by to go over the schedule for the next week with you and pick up the kittens.”
“Oh.” Josie tapped her fingers against the bar. “You’re finished observing me, then?”
Eve’s gaze dropped to Josie’s hands. “Yes.”
“So what’s next?”
“I’ll bring the camera crew with me tomorrow afternoon before you open, and we’ll shoot our meeting where I present my makeover plan for Swanson’s to you. You’ll remain open for business as usual through the weekend, and on Monday we’ll begin our reno work. We’ll shoot the makeover reveal on Thursday, and you’ll have your grand reopening on Friday.” As Eve rattled off this information, her gaze returned to the laptop in front of her.
“Wow, that’s…a lot. And so soon.” Josie had seen all these dates when she signed the contract, but it felt a lot more real now that she realized how quickly it was all going to happen. Eve would present her plan tomorrow. Josie’s palms began to sweat.
“That’s how the show works,” Eve said.
“And you can’t give me even the slightest idea of what you’re going to do?”
“Sorry.” Eve glanced up, and then she sighed. “But you have my word that everything I’ve done is with your best interest at heart, and Swanson’s.”
“Your idea of what’s best may be very different from mine.”
Eve’s expression cooled, lips drawing into a slight frown. “You asked for this, Josie. You begged for it, as I recall.”
“I did.” She blew out a breath. “And I’m so grateful to you for taking me on. I’m sorry for being so neurotic about it. I just…this bar means a lot to me, that’s all.”
“I know that,” Eve said. “You may find my ideas rather unexpected, at least at first, but I don’t think you’ll dislike them.”
“Okay.” Josie moved down to greet a couple who’d just taken seats at the bar. The next time she glanced in Eve’s direction, her seat was empty.
She’s gone upstairs to check on the kittens…the kittens she secretly cares about.
Josie grinned at the thought. A few minutes later, though, Eve was back…with the box of kittens. She set them on the bar as she packed up her laptop. Wow, she really had just stopped in to go over the schedule with Josie. And she was more than a little disappointed Eve was heading out already. Apparently, she’d gotten pretty used to her company over the last few days.
“Leaving so soon?”
Eve nodded, glancing over her shoulder at Josie. “It’ll be easier to finish typing up my report at home. The hair-and-makeup team will be here tomorrow at one to get you ready, and I’ll see you around two to shoot our segment.”
Josie swallowed. The big reveal. “See you then.”
* * *
Josie woke justpast eight on Friday morning, still desperately tired after a late night in the bar, but too wired to sleep. She tossed and turned as her brain spun out of control, imagining all the potential scenarios that could go down later, from décor she hated to a rebranding of the bar that she wanted nothing to do with.
But, as Eve had so eloquently reminded her, she’d asked for this. Begged for it. And she would do her best to accept and be grateful for whatever Eve gave her. Eve was good at this, after all. The businesses she helped onDo Overalmost always went on to achieve success…as long as their owners didn’t screw up after she’d left.
Giving up on sleep, Josie climbed out of bed and fixed herself a cup of coffee, which she brought with her to the rooftop patio. It was peaceful up here, especially at this hour. She found a chair that was relatively clean and sat, closing her eyes. She used to come up here all the time with her dad. The rooftop had only been open to customers on the weekend, so on weekday afternoons, she would sometimes bring her homework and sit in the sunshine.
Her dad would sit with her and read a book or help with her homework. Sometimes, they’d put their feet up on the railing and just talk. They’d shared so many great conversations. In fact, she’d been sitting right here when she came out to him. He’d sat in silence long enough for her to start to panic before he’d crushed her against him in a massive hug and told her he’d always love her, no matter what.
She swallowed past the tears that threatened at the memory, taking a hearty sip of her coffee. It was so unfair that he’d been taken from her so soon, that she’d lost both of her parents so young. Sometimes, life was just cruel.
“I’m doing this for you, Dad,” she whispered, looking around at the wasteland of discarded furniture around her, so different from the pristine rooftop in her memory. “To bring Swanson’s back to what it was when you were here.”
She kept that thought at the forefront of her mind as she got ready for her day. And she was still holding on to it when Eve arrived that afternoon with her camera crew in tow. She stood in the doorway, dressed in a pale pink silk shirt and white pants, looking so chic, sohot, Josie all but forgot how to speak.
“Ready?” Eve asked, setting a folder on the bar between them.
