Christmas in Angel Harbor - Jeannie Moon Page 0,89
that’s going to help you get your new store up and running. If that’s what you want.”
“What do you mean? My crew?” The question was sincere. She had less than six weeks to vacate her store. She’d rented a storage unit, but her big plan was to have a company come in eventually, and sell the fixtures after she’d sold off or donated her stock.
Gina stepped forward and touched Jane’s arm. Her big brown eyes dominated her face, but it was her gentle smile that calmed Jane’s nerves. She was the sweetest person, and she’d been a wonderful friend. Gina was smart and creative, and just as invested in Angel Harbor as Jane was.
“Jane, if you’re ready to give this a shot, you have all of us to help you. Do you see Dave over there?
Jane followed Gina’s gaze and she waved. Of course she knew him.
“Did you know Dave is a cabinet maker?” she asked. “You helped him pick out books for his mother who recently moved to a senior living center and was having trouble adjusting. He didn’t know what she might like, but once a week, you would pick out titles for her. If you saw something come in that she might like, you put it aside, not even knowing if he was going to be back. His mother cherished every book. To thank you, he’s going to build your shelves and storage. All you need to do is get him the materials. Claire is going to help Tracy with decorating. The two of them are going to work with your vision to create a store that feels like home.”
Jane was overwhelmed. These people, her community, were rescuing her. Just when she thought she had lost everything, her neighbors proved her wrong.
“The gentlemen from the hardware store are donating all the paint and supplies,” Claire said with her light Irish brogue. “And, bless them, they’re going to come after work to do the painting, install any hardware, and hang all your pictures.”
Two large men, with black hair and coal dark eyes, raised their hands. “Miss Jane,” one of them said, “I’m Rafe Espinoza, and this is my brother Marco. I don’t know if you remember us, but when we were young and had just arrived in this country, you let us stay at the store after school when our mother was working in the diner.”
“Oh my goodness! Yes! I do!” She remembered those two sweet, scared little boys whom she’d seen sitting in a small booth at the diner while their mother finished her lunch shift. She was perfectly happy to have them come sit in the children’s room to read or do some homework.
“I own a landscaping business,” Marco said. “And Rafe is a contractor. We’ll be donating our time and labor to help with the renovation. It’s the least we can do.”
“Excuse me?” She was stunned. She hadn’t seen these men since they were in high school. That had to be at least ten years ago.
Big and handsome, the Espinoza boys shared the same broad smile. “We’ve never forgotten how nice you were to us,” Rafe said. “You helped with our homework, and with our English. You made us feel like we belonged, and we’ll never forget it.”
“I don’t know what to say,” she gasped. “I don’t deserve this.”
One by one people came forward to tell her how they would help, and why. Stories of what Jane had done for the town, of how she’d helped people came flooding out. Donations of materials and labor, free advertising; those who couldn’t do anything else volunteered to help her pack, move, and unpack. One customer owned a large warehouse, and he offered to store everything for her until she could reopen in the new location.
Finally, Tara brought an easel forward, and Tracy and her husband came with her. Her daughter, more beautiful by the day, had grown into an incredible young woman. “Now you can see what’s been planned. Uncle Greg did some drawings.”
Tracy’s husband was an architect, but he specialized in urban design and planning. Jane didn’t see a lot of glass and steel on the North Shore, but when the first rendering was revealed, Jane was sure he’d missed his calling. It was a gorgeous sweeping panoramic view of the inside of the shop as he imagined it. Bright, with large windows, shelves along the walls, and a central information counter in what was currently the foyer created a perfect environment. The space was open