“We also have a concern regarding two identical businesses within a very small square mile radius,” piped up one of the two men on the panel, the thick-tusked troll. “Particularly as that business is well established in the community. There’s no ambiguity onitsstatus as a chain store.”
He was talking about Ranar’s little shop, Sumi realized. Her cheeks heated, her giddiness over the chance encounter with the handsome snake man resolutely put on the back burner of her mind until she emerged triumphant from this meeting. Surely in an affluent community, there would be room for two flower shops?
“I think we’ve established in our prior discussions over the financials regarding this matter that the issue of whether the community can support two identical businesses is one of undue concern.”
The speaker was the other man, younger, in his early 30s at most. Handsome, dark haired, from a distance he appeared as human as Sumi. His voice was clipped, andunlike the Fox woman, his face bore no smile for her. The troll huffed, but the dark haired man continued, ignoring him.
“My concern remains with the architectural plans. I’m not seeing a long-term root abatement system in place to ensure the sidewalk or neighboring sewer line incur no damage from this tree structure, Ms. Trent. What is the long-term water displacement plan for the rest of the roofline once your tree has surpassed the ceiling? Without those elements in place, I cannot in good conscience—“
Her tree.The tree that every Bloomerang franchise store had, the only design element that would tie her shop to its sister stores around the unification.
“Oh, the tree! Um, every partner shop has one, but it’s a nod to the non-human ownership of the company,” she quickly clarified. “And like the rest of the shop, it will be unique. Butthey all have them, so I’m sure all of that’s been taken into consideration. I don’t think that’s really anything to worry—“
“I’m a structural engineer, Ms. Trent.” A smile for her at last, although it was icy, with long canines.Not that human after all. “I assure you, it matters quite a bit.”
Sumi felt her heart sink.You can look somewhere else. There has to be somewhere within commuting distance with a space for rent. Figure out where Greenbridge Glen is after this.
The young man had paused, just long enough to make her squirm before continuing. “But to your point, I have no doubt these concernshavebeen raised before, which tells me the plans exist somewhere. Your architect needs to unearth them. I’d also like to see the growth projections on the tree over the next two decades. Barring that issue,“ the young man went on, closing the folder before him, “I have no objections regarding the status of the business’s individualism.”
Her head raised, eyes widening.No objections? Does that mean you’re good?
The troll at the center of the table sputtered. “Owen, I think this is worthy of a second look between—“
“We’ve taken a second look, Barth. And a third. I looked over the financials again this morning, and I still don’t see a problem regarding the use. The Food Gryphon now has three locations in the tri-state area, yet you’re not calling them a chain. Bloomerang is at the very least Sylvan-owned. That’s more than we can say for the pharmaceutical company operating in the commerce parkway.”
“The community perception, though . . . the Chamber of Commerce has already received quite a few calls—“
“Community perception isn’t our problem.” That sharp, icy smile from the dark-haired man once more, this time for the fox woman who’d objected, flashing to Sumi as he continued. “It’ll be hers.”
Wait, what?The fox woman clammed up, suddenly more interested in the front of her folder than in giving Sumi her kind, disinterested smile, but the troll, still sputtering, wasn’t finished.
“Just the same, I think your father would appreciate you being a bit more circumspect with regards to—“
“My father wasn’t voted into a seat on this commission, Barth. I was.” The young man’s tone was sharp, and even from where she sat, Sumi could see the glint of his canines, the silver flash in his dark eyes. The room went silent. “Ms. Trent,” he continued several beats later, his voice still clipped, but not as icy, “this approval is contingent upon your architect submitting detailed plans to the city regarding root containment and a long-term abatement strategy to prevent damage to the municipal facilities, in addition to the other items we mentioned today. If you don’t meet the deadline previously set forth , you will not be permitted to open your doors.”
Her heart was holding its breath, the air in her own lungs non-existent, every cell in her body holding itself tightly as the dark-haired man signed the form on the table before him. A goblin who’d been sitting in the front row of the room scurried forward, nearly falling off her chair in her haste, carrying a lacquered wooden box. From it, the young man withdrew a long-handled stamp. The fox woman looked away as he stamped the document, and the troll fumed.
“If I may give you a small piece of advice,” he went on, handing the papers to the troll, once she’d resecured the stamp. “This is a tight-knit community. You’re coming in at a disadvantage. Get involved, and get involved quickly, Ms. Trent. If you follow Lolly, she’ll ensure there’s nothing else we need from you at this stage. Best of luck, and welcome to Cambric Creek.”
“Hello?”
Sumi beamed when Meredith answered the phone, barely able to keep control of the fist that desperately wanted to pump the air in triumph. “Hey, it’s Sumi.”
“Oh my gosh, I was hoping you would call! Girl, you not only got out of this place, you slapped your ass all the way out of town! I was cracking up when I heard the news!”
She blushed, knowing too well that she had been likely the topic of every conversation in the teachers lounge in the weeks after her resignation.
“Well, buckle up. You’re the first person hearing my big news and I just had totellsomeone.“ She felt as though she might lift up into the sky, floating above Cambric Creek and all of its busy residents, up until she floated away. “I just got approved to open a business, here in the place where I moved. I’m opening my flower shop!”
Meredith squealed. “You know, I can’t help but feel thatI’mresponsible for all of this. We manifested it all that day in your classroom. Now all we need is to find you the hot twenty-five-year-old to blow out your back.”
“Oh, I already met him too!” Sumi was relieved that the sidewalk where she currently stood was empty, in between City Hall and the long community center. She knew that she was flapping around like a giddy teenager, bent over at the waist as she laughed, but it couldn’t be helped. “He’s not twenty-five, but heisgorgeous. Definitely has back-blowing potential.”
She envisioned Ranar’s thick serpentine trunk, wantingdesperatelyto know how he would feel against her. She could tell even through the shirt he’d worn that morning that his back rippled with muscle. It made sense, for he likely needed a powerfully strong core to hold up his human-like upper body without legs for stability.What do they say? 40% of our balance relies on our big toe?She’d laid her hand over his arm thatmorning and she’dfeltthe strength in it, like a steel cord. Sumi had no doubt that he’d be able to blow out her back every day of the week and twice on Sundays.
“We met for the first time a few weeks ago. I bumped into him randomly this morning and he kind of asked me out? I’ll keep you posted, but if he wants to make me his breeding bitch, I’m not gonna say no.”
“Girl, say less.”
