Page 80 of Tempt
“Then it is. You’ve got good instincts, Millie MacAllister. Trust them.”
I smiled. “I appreciate that.”
“And keep me posted.”
“Okay. I hope you feel better. Drink some tea!”
He laughed, and the sound warmed my body. “Goodnight.”
“Goodnight.” I set my phone back on the charger and rolled over, pulling the blankets up to my shoulders.
I remembered falling asleep with his arms around me and waking up in the cozy warmth of his embrace. I thought about his voice, sometimes deep and serious, sometimes quiet and confessional, sometimes teasing and playful. I breathed in, hoping for a trace of his smell, but smelled only fabric softener and remembered I’d washed the sheets.
If only the feelings I had for him would fade as easily as his scent.
Instead, it felt like they were growing stronger.
* * *
The following morning at work, I spoke on the phone with the commercial real estate agent Frannie knew, a woman named Maxima Radley. The name sounded vaguely familiar, and Frannie said that was because it was Maxima who helped her start her own bakery years ago. I loved that, and so did Maxima.
“This is fate,” she said after I told her what I was looking for. “I’m going to find you the perfect spot. I already have one in mind.”
“You do?”
“Yes. It’s an address right on Front Street. It’s a historic building with a ton of charm. It was originally a hatmaker’s—a millinery—but more recently it was a gift shop.”
“I think I know the one you mean,” I said, recalling the vacant storefront from my last few visits downtown. “Front Street would be perfect. But that’s probably pretty high rent.”
“Well, it’s not a huge place,” said Maxima. “In fact, you’d probably only have room for a couple dressing rooms, assuming you need a large mirrored area for fittings.”
“I would.”
“And there wouldn’t be a ton of room for racks or anything.”
“I can use rolling racks if needed,” I said, recalling what Alison had said about making the most of space. “And when I start out, I won’t have a ton of inventory.”
“Let’s just go see it. It has a lot of the things you’re looking for—high ceilings, tall front windows, exposed brick walls, and the location is excellent.”
“Okay,” I said. “It does sound amazing.”
“I’ll be honest and say it does need some work. But that might keep the rent down. I’ll contact the building owner and a few others and get back to you with possible appointment times.”
“Sounds good, Maxima. Thank you.”
After we hung up, I mustered my courage and sent an email to Chloe, asking her if she had any time to chat with me today. Before hitting send, I chewed my thumbnail for a moment. For some reason, this one thing felt like my biggest step so far—it meant actually leaving something behind. Once I left Cloverleigh Farms, I couldn’t turn back.
Then I remembered Alison’s words:Sometimes a dream won’t wait.
I hit send.
* * *
Chloe’s grin appeared before I even finished my prepared opening. “Oh my God,” she said, her eyes lighting up. “This is an amazing idea and you have to do it.”
“Really?” I was on the edge of my seat. “You’re not upset?”
“Of course not! Yes, you’re an outstanding event planner and I love having you at Cloverleigh Farms, but you’re family too! I want what’s best for you.”
