“That is for me to know and you to find out.”
“So you’ll tell me the other reasons eventually?”
He shook his head.“I make no promises.”
She gawked.“Fine.I guess tell me the simplest reason.”Lilian’s mind already had a list of what that reason might be.She looked so pathetic he had to step in.His mother liked the bookshop, and he didn't want it to fail.It was likely the latter, but she braced herself for anything.
He laced his fingers and leaned over the wood on his elbows.Lilian watched the movement, fascinated by the muscles that peeked out from under the T-shirt's sleeves.He said he worked in accounting, but those arms didnotbelong to a normal accountant.
“All right.I’m helping because you asked.”
“Because I…” She stared at him, waiting for the punchline to hit.Waiting for him to crack a smile and admit to joking.But it never came.“That can’t be it.”
“It is.”He nodded.“That’s the simplest reason.”
“Yeah but…” The other reasons she’d concocted threatened to tumble out of her mouth before she bit them back.“That can’t be it.There has to be more to it.”
“I said only one.”
“Okay, well can you expand on that simple answer?I’m sure other people have asked you for help before.”
Hawk shook his head.“Nope.I’ve seen vendors at the faire come and go.People who thought they were ready to expand but had no plan.Others who didn’t have the right product.You, however…” He looked as if he was about to say something more but stopped himself.
Lilian leaned forward.“I what?”
He ran a hand through his dark locks as he hesitated.“This is starting to brush against reason number two.”
“Goody.So I am getting my other reason?”She grinned at him and received an exasperated eye roll.
“Fine.Reason two.You have two foundational things every business needs.A good idea and, by asking me for help, you’ve shown you have the work ethic.”
“That’s it?Those are the only things a business needs to succeed?”
“And a little bit of luck.But who needs luck when you have me helping you?”That wasn’t a joke.He was completely serious as he continued, “All the vendors who eventually fail make the same mistakes.Mistakes I can spot on day one, but they refuse to adjust.They’re convinced they can fix it on their own.”
“And they can’t?”
“Most don’t,” he said.“You could have been like them.Determined to drown on your own.But you recognized something wasn’t working, and you're willing to fix it.Even if that means accepting help from someone you don’t like.”
“I don’t—”
“Please.”He held up a hand, cutting her off.“Let’s not lie to each other.We have to be honest if this is going to work.Can you do that for me?”
Her face flushed with embarrassment.She’d rarely talked to someone who was so… blunt.Her Midwestern upbringing had taught her there was a certain level of politeness one must always show, even to people you didn’t like.No, her feelings toward Hawk weren’t a secret.But she was mortified at having to say that to his face.
Hesitantly, she agreed.“I can do that.”
“Good.”He held her gaze, and Lilian found herself unable to look away.“You saw things needed to change and you adapted.Not just asking me for help but by doing the show as well.That’s exactly what a business owner should do.Don’t let opportunities pass you by.”
Will it be enough?
She didn’t realize the words had come out of her mouth until Hawk spoke.“Sometimes it’s not.”
The bluntness of the statement hit like a punch to the gut.All this work she was doing—it could be for nothing?The disappointment was a bitter pill to swallow.
She must have been doing a terrible job with her emotions because Hawk quickly jumped in to ease the sting.“You’re doing the right thing here.Here's what happens next.I’ll come up with a profitable plan for your store, but you have to clean this place from top to bottom.”
Lilian stared at him, then at the piles of old paperbacks stacked in every available space of the shop.“Um, this is clean?”
