of dismantling her mother’s old life.
It wasn’t until much, much later, that she had another chance to think about her own.
Sitting in the office, she finally closed the folder on the growing stack of papers she was accumulating as the final closing of the shop was all coming together. She rubbed her eyes, then the back of her neck, as she thought about what her mother would say when she returned from her trip to find that Holly had sold off the stock…and leased the store to Mrs. Gillespie. Maybe she should have found someone completely out of her mother’s orbit to take over the space, or just put it up for sale. “Lock, stock, and creepy Santa Clauses,” she muttered.
But she was helping make someone else’s dream come true, and ownership of the building was an asset for her. It was something solid, a move toward building some kind of future for herself—at least investment-wise—beyond renting a flat and working in a field that was more security blanket than passionate goal. She picked up the envelope that Mrs. Gillespie had dropped off earlier. The woman might be old and eccentric, but now that she had her own passionate goal clearly within her grasp, she certainly wasn’t wasting any time. Holly smiled briefly, remembering Mrs. Gillespie’s response to her when she’d made a similar comment as she’d been handed the legal-size package.
“I’m seventy-eight years old; time isn’t exactly a commodity I can afford to waste.” She’d folded her hands in front of her once Holly had the envelope in her hands, and added, “It’s not at any age, if you truly understand the value of life.” Then she’d walked out and left Holly to deal with the appraiser.
She thought about going for some dinner before opening up the packet and seeing exactly what her new tenant was proposing. Apparently unwilling to wait for Holly to come up with a price, she’d gone ahead and put together a proposal. Which, as far as Holly was concerned, was a relief. She’d run it by her lawyer and the accountant he’d recommended she retain and see if they thought it was a viable offer, and barring any wild requests or lowball rent arrangements, she was certain they’d have a deal.
And then what?
Her thoughts shifted to Sean. She wasn’t even sure what to do this evening, much less the rest of her life. After her little theatrical exhibition in his office, he’d left her to her own business, presumably to regain some semblance of sanity. Which, to be honest, she appreciated. It had been both an emotionally charged and an emotionally draining week. She just hoped he understood that. And was fairly certain he did. In fact, that was the thing about Sean that drew her the most. He was understanding, willing to talk things out, a good communicator, and not afraid to tell her when he thought his ideas might have more merit.
So, did she go over there, talk with him? He was probably in the midst of the dinner rush at the moment, so probably not the best time. Was she supposed to just show up back at his house tonight? She felt like they should talk again first, reconnect, before she just strolled into his house. Goldilocks, indeed.
Deciding that looking at the proposal was less complicated, she slid out the documents and slid the cover letter to the side to glance over the basic setup of her proposed lease agreement. The payment structure actually seemed fair, though she’d still vet it with her lawyer and accountant, but…she peered closer. What was that part about…“commission for works sold will be kept separate and apart from any and all tenant–owner contractual obligations for the…what?” Frowning, Holly flipped through the rest, then finally went back to the cover letter. “What the hell is she talking about, commission on works done? Done by what? Or who?”
Then she picked up the cover letter and started reading…and realized it wasn’t simply a form letter, but a descriptive part of the proposal. She read through the whole thing, slowly sinking back in her chair…as Mrs. Gillespie presented to Holly what her future in Virginia could actually be. All mapped out and wrapped in a very wonderful bow. “Huh,” she said, unable to articulate her stunned surprise any more clearly. It was all…a lot to think about, but already, she felt her pulse thrumming with excitement. Could she really do this? Did she dare?
She was so lost in thought,