Nash Brothers Box Set - Carrie Aarons Page 0,66

instead, like the mature adult that I was, driving double the time and avoiding the places I knew he’d be.

In better news, I wasn’t running scared. The man I love may have broken up with me and called me reckless, but I was trying to be far from that. Because I may not be creating a love life in Fawn Hill, but I sure as hell was building a life. I’d decided to stay, and the first act to furthering that was telling Grandma to put the bookshop on the market.

It had stunned a lot of residents when she’d done it, and we both knew they were gossiping about the two of us and my involvement with her giving up the store. None of them knew what we were planning … well, except for Jerica Tenny, the realtor who was helping me look at commercial listings for the yoga studio I wanted to open up.

Jerica was a slim, short woman probably around the age of my mom, except she looked nothing like the realtors I’d dealt with in New York City. She was the kind of motherly figure who looked like she baked pies and sewed costumes, instead of being the real estate maven of Fawn Hill. Which I mean, probably wasn’t as demanding as the city, but Jerica was whip smart and fair. I actually really liked her.

“This space just dropped in price because the buyer who bought the building was going to convert it, but the idea never passed the town planning committee. So, it’s within your budget, and I could probably get them to come down a bit so that you’d have enough to get a loan to fix the space as you want it.”

Jerica led Grandma and me around the half-finished space. I watched my footing, carefully trying not to step on nails or piles of sawdust. The ceiling was … non-existent, and some of the walls were half-installed. It needed paint, hardwood, an outfitted front desk space, a locker room, cubbies …

But. It was the first location she’d taken us to see that had floor-to-ceiling windows on two sides. The natural light in here was off the charts. And if I was forced to teach inside rather than in the park, I’d take all the natural light I could get. The shape of the space was also ideal, I could almost envision where everything would go. And it was within the budget Grandma and I had painstakingly gone over.

“Under budget would be good. This place needs a good spit shine.” Grandma nodded her head.

I’d been taking some basic online business courses at night because if I was going to do this, it was time to buckle down. I’d learn about basic accounting, bookkeeping, customer support, marketing, and all the other things that no one realized went into owning a business. It was overwhelming, yes, but for the first time in my life, I was truly excited about my professional goals.

Looking out the window, I noticed it had another perk. It was located just off the core set of shops on Main Street, on the side toward Grandma’s house. Which meant I wouldn’t have to drive past the vet’s office.

Jerica and Grandma were staring at me now. I knew that they saw right through into my thoughts. A blush creeps across my cheeks. I’m not embarrassed that Grandma knows my heartbreak.

It’s that the entire town knows Keaton dumped me that’s causing the shame. People I don’t even know whisper about me on the street. I can feel their eyes track me as I workout in the park or pick up dinner from Kip’s to take home for Grandma and me. Were they calling me desperate? Did it look strange that an outsider would stay in Fawn Hill after their boy wonder kicked her to the curb?

I try to push the sadness and those shameful thoughts from my mind.

“I think this is the one,” I say with more confidence than I feel.

Because I love the space, and I love my idea, but what do I know about starting a business? Virtually nothing. I have a feeling I’ll be getting a crash course as soon as the keys to this place are in my hands.

Jerica smiles, and Grandma winks at me. “I’ll start drawing up the papers.”

36

Keaton

We all take a collective breath as we get back into the car, an uncomfortable, sorrowful silence washing over us.

“If that wasn’t the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do.” Mom’s voice