Chapter Nine
Cora parked behind the SUV her realtor drove. She’d gone through half a tank of gas that morning traveling to storefronts that were either available to lease or would be shortly. So far, she’d seen nothing that impressed her.
Discouraged, but not defeated, she got out of her car and studied the curb appeal. Unlike most of the places she’d toured this building stood alone with no other stores within a two-hundred-foot radius.
On the plus side, it offered plenty of parking. On the other hand, she’d lose much of the foot traffic that had helped Mistletoe Mercantile turn a profit. She’d have to work hard at marketing the store as a destination, but she wasn’t afraid of hard work.
Liza Ambrose, her realtor, met her at the sidewalk’s end. “Any initial thoughts?”
“It’s a quaint location, warm and inviting from the outside.”
“Wait until you see inside. It’s much larger than it appears.” Liza spouted square footage facts as they walked inside.
A masculine scent teased Cora’s nostrils. She inhaled deeply, reminded of Gabe. The current tenant ran a leather goods store and all products were made by local artisans. Each product, even those of the same style, were unique and one-of-a-kind.
Cora walked the perimeter of the showroom. At each point, she pictured how she’d lay out her products, envisioned Mistletoe Mercantile in this location. Of everywhere she’d looked, this was the first place she could conjure that image.
She approached the store owner. “Would it be okay if I see the storage areas?”
“Sure.” He waved her back. “Take your time.”
The storage area was substantially smaller than what she had now, even accounting for the fact she didn’t use most of the upstairs space. She’d have to ask if placing a small shed out back would be allowed. The other option would be to store product at home, but that idea didn’t sit well with her.
When she returned to the front, she approached the store owner. “Do you mind if I ask why you aren’t renewing your lease?”
“Not at all.” A proud smile took over the man’s face. “Business has steadily increased over the last several years, and I decided it’s time to move. Come June, I’ll be moving the store to the plaza.”
Cora gulped. “June?”
“Yes, ma’am. Perfect time to catch summer tourists.”
“Congratulations. I hope it all goes well for you.”
“Thanks.”
She walked away, exited through the front door and found Liza on her phone. Waited politely for the realtor to end the call.
Liza turned around, an insincere smile plastered on her purple-painted lips. “Isn’t it lovely?”
Cora tried not to glare and show her annoyance. “It won’t be available until June. I can’t have three months of downtime.”
“I know, but this location is wonderful and it’s within your price range. It’s sure to go quick.”
“I’ll have to take my chances.” She sighed. “If nothing else comes up, then this place will work, but it’s not ideal.”
Liza’s nose pointed in the air. “With your situation, you’ll have to make compromises. It’s not feasible to expect the perfect storefront within your constraints.”
She’d had enough of the realtor’s haughty attitude. Too bad she hadn’t noticed it before signing a contract with her.
“If anything else comes on the market, let me know.” She turned on a heel and walked to her car with her head held high. The perfect spot would become available. She knew it in her heart, as certainly as she knew her name. If only she could see into the future and know where that would be.
Before she went to the store, she stopped by the grocery store’s salad bar and grabbed lunch. She sat in her car to eat, knowing if she waited until she got to work her salad would wilt before she ate.
She shot Gabe a text, letting him know this morning’s search had been unproductive, and she’d give him all the details later. A heaviness threatened to overcome her. As soon as she sensed it, she stopped and prayed. She wouldn’t lose the calm and peace she’d worked hard to restore. God would provide, and in the meantime, she had a store to run.
Christmas was five days away—they were in the homestretch. While November was her biggest sales month for Christmas décor, December remained her top month overall by far. Trinkets and gifts flew off the shelves faster than she could put them out.
All employees were scheduled for the maximum hours allowed. Cora would work from open to close every day until Christmas Eve. She was already tired thinking about it, but she knew that time would fly.
