“I bought up all the lumber in town and ordered a lot more,” he explained. “And I’m thinking about offering the owner of the stable on the main road and the owners of the three other buildings next to it an opportunity to relocate to my new street so I can put the entrance to my store right on the main road. What do you think?”
“Visibility from Nashart’s main road would be ideal if you can manage it, even if you do have an entire street of your own to work with back here.”
He grinned. “Oh, I can manage it, since I’m their landlord now.”
“But the size of the building for your store will depend on what you plan to sell. Which is?”
“Furniture and silverware to start with. The Melling brothers who buy my silver make everything you can think of: jewelry, candelabra, knickknacks, dinnerware, picture frames, even fancy mirrors, so I’ll be going to New York to visit them soon. Oh, I’ll also sell bonnets.”
She was delighted. “Really?”
“Ma mentioned it this morning.”
“Well, that will certainly draw the women in town. So a silver section combined with jewelry, that you might want up front. The furniture will take up the most room because you will probably want to display full sets of it, and at least two sets each for bedrooms, dining rooms, and parlors. What about a second floor?”
“I was thinking I’d live up there myself.”
“But you may end up needing a second floor for the store—and do you really want to climb two flights of stairs to the third floor to go home at the end of the day?”
“I’d still like my own place here in town.”
“Why? Your family’s ranch isn’t far from here.”
“And if I get hitched?”
“Hitched to what?”
He laughed; she grinned. She did know what the phrase meant in Montana. But when they left his new property to have lunch, it ended up being all she could think about. He was already planning ahead for when he got married—just not to her. He’d had many opportunities to broach that particular subject with her. The times they’d made love were prime examples of when he should have gotten down on his bloody knee just so shecouldsay no. Damnit.
“Why the sour face?” he asked when she set the restaurant menu down. “Nothing on the menu appeals to you?”
She cast off her jealous thoughts and dredged up a smile for him. “No, I was just thinking that you’ve been talking about a store bigger than any I’ve ever seen.”
“I have the room for it, so why not?”
“Indeed. In big cities, there isn’t much land available, so shops are squeezed in wherever there is space. But with your big store, you will need more than a few employees.”
“I’ve already asked around. There’re only two men in town willing to work for me who don’t already have jobs, and neither of them wants to do any selling.”
“There are employment agencies in the big cities that can hire employees for you, but if you do bring people in, you will need to provide them with someplace to live. Perhaps build rooms in the back? Or you could build your own boardinghouse for your employees next to the store.”
“Another good idea I hadn’t thought of.”
“And what about a warehouse to store your merchandise, or are you going to make your customers wait, as your mother did, when you need to restock?”
“You’re amazing,” he said with a wide smile. “I never really thought that far ahead.”
“So think about it. When you buy in bulk, you will get discounts, which will raise your profits. You did plan on making money at this, correct?”
He chuckled. “That wasn’t the goal, but I suppose it would be a nice bonus.”
“And the rest of your street? You’ll have room for a boardinghouse, a warehouse, even a house for yourself. You’ve got both sides of the street to fill.”
“Only because the mayor wouldn’t agree to prevent any saloons going in, so I took the whole parcel. But it’s probably a good investment. I can lease the land to other merchants, or just wait and see what the town needs and put the stores up myself.”
She started to laugh. “So not just an entrepreneur, but on your way to being a business tycoon?”
“No, just thinking ahead, mainly making sure this particular street doesn’t attract any rowdiness.”
