“Hello, Mr. Reynolds,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady.
“Shiloh, I’ve reviewed your proposal and discussed it with my financial advisor,” he began, and I held my breath. “We both agree that you’ve presented a solid case for the expansion, and I’m willing to lease you the additional space on the terms you’ve proposed.”
I let out a sigh of relief, feeling a surge of joy and gratitude. “Thank you so much, Mr. Reynolds! I promise you won’t regret this decision. We’ll make Shiloh’s Sweets an even bigger asset to the Harmony Grove community.”
“I have no doubt about that, Shiloh,” he replied warmly. “I’ll have the lease agreement prepared for you to review and sign soon. Congratulations.”
After hanging up, I immediately dialed Teddy’s number, my excitement bubbling over. “Teddy, you won’t believe it! Mr. Reynolds agreed to lease me the additional space! We can start the renovation as soon as I sign the papers!”
Teddy’s voice was full of enthusiasm. “That’s fantastic news, Shiloh! I’m so happy for you. Let’s meet soon to discuss the next steps and get started.”
Next, I called Waylon, Jasper, and Lacey, inviting them to join me at the bakery for a small celebration. “I couldn’t have done this without all of your support,” I told them.
Within the hour, they arrived at the bakery, their faces beaming with happiness and pride. I had prepared a selection of our finest sweets and some sparkling cider for the occasion.
“To new beginnings and the future of the bakery!” I toasted, raising my glass. My friends echoed the sentiment, and we clinked our glasses together, the sound of our shared joy ringing through the bakery.
As we laughed and reminisced about the journey that had brought us to this moment, I knew deep down that, with my friends by my side, the bakery’s future was as bright and promising as the golden sun shining down on Harmony Grove.
5
TEDDY
My body thrummedwith energy as I strode through the door of Shiloh’s Sweets, the smell of freshly baked pastries rising to greet me. The bells jingled against the glass, announcing my arrival. I couldn’t help but feel a sense of anticipation. Today, Shiloh and I were going over the various proposals I’d put together. Knowing his budget was a big concern, I wanted him to feel comfortable with the money he decided to spend.
“Hey, Teddy,” Shiloh called out from behind the counter, his warm smile and sparkling eyes immediately putting me at ease. “Let me get you a cup of coffee and a bear claw. I just have to finish up a couple things in the kitchen and then I’ll be right out.”
“Thanks.” I couldn’t help but feel nervous and excited all at once, like a high schooler waiting for their crush to walk by. It was ridiculous, really; I was a grown man, far too old to have a crush on anyone. I needed to remind myself I was here to do a job. A big job, at that. This was the type of project that could propel me from residential headaches to commercial remodels.
Shiloh returned swiftly with a steaming mug of coffee and a plate barely big enough to hold the flaky pastry. The aroma alone was enough to make my mouth water.
“Here you go,” Shiloh said, sliding the plate and mug across the counter towards me. His hands were strong and confident, the hands of someone who knew how to knead dough and create magic from simple ingredients. “Take a seat, and I’ll be there in a few.”
“Sounds like a plan,” I responded, taking the offered items with a shaky hand. Internally, I berated myself for acting like such a fool. It was just coffee and a pastry, not some grand romantic gesture that he’d remembered how I liked my coffee.
“Is everything okay?” Shiloh asked, concern evident in his eyes. God, those eyes. He had this way of looking at me like he was trying to discover my deepest secrets.
“Everything’s fine, just a little anxious is all.” Well, that was one way to inspire confidence in my professionalism. I mentally kicked myself. “Sorry, I know I’m not making the best impression here. I swear, I know what I’m doing.”
“Hey, you’re not the only one,” Shiloh said gently, his gaze never leaving mine. “I have complete faith in you, Teddy.”
“That means a lot to me. Thank you,” I replied, feeling a faint blush creep up my neck. It had been a long time since anyone had expressed that kind of confidence in me—other than Waylon and Jasper, of course. Sure, there were accolades from the people I helped out around town, but this felt different. And coming from someone like Shiloh, the kind words meant more than he could ever know.
“Anytime,” Shiloh said with a wink, turning back to his work behind the counter. I watched him for a moment, admiring the way he moved with grace and precision, before taking a seat at one of the small tables scattered throughout the bakery.
As I sipped my coffee and nibbled on the delicious pastry, I couldn’t help but feel a spark of hope ignite within me. Maybe this renovation would be the start of something good, both for Shiloh’s Sweets and for me personally. Damn Waylon getting into my head.
“Let’s see what you have in mind,” Shiloh said, gesturing for me to sit down at the table.
I pulled out my folder stuffed with sketches and tables, the pages slightly dog-eared from countless late-night revisions. “I picked a few of the sketches you seemed the most drawn to from our last meeting and put together estimates on what each would cost.”
I worried my bottom lip as he checked over the figures. His face was unreadable, and it drove me crazy. I wanted to scream for him to say something already.
“I like the way you laid out the schedule here. Did you build in extra time for everything that will inevitably go wrong?” I
I bristled at first, not liking to be questioned. Then, I remembered Shiloh was level-headed, and likely knew there were things that would be out of my control. I appreciated him anticipating some delays; that meant he’d be less likely to get pissed at me over them.
“I’m confident in these timelines.” I sat a bit straighter, leaning forward slightly, pointing to the far right side of the page. “If you see here, that’s how many work hours I expect different pieces of the project to take. I built in extra time when figuring out the deadlines but we might have to amend those more depending on your schedule.”
