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When she left, Holly gazed out the window, down to the street below. “This is so nice. I can’t remember the last time I went out, much less for breakfast. It feels like a luxury.”
“I’ll have to take you out more often,” I said to her.
Holly shook her head as her lips twitched into a smile, and she perused the menu.
When the waitress arrived, we ordered, and she left with our menus.
“What kinds of things are you hoping to make with the kiln?” I asked her, genuinely curious about her ideas. I didn’t have anyone else to talk to about things like this. None of my brothers were interested in where I got my ideas or what motivated me.
“I want to do icicles, candy canes, and maybe teardrops. I’d love to make bird-shaped ones. The ones I buy at the store aren’t as beautiful as what I can make myself.”
“I have no doubt.”
“I want to play with it and come up with different options. I’d like each ornament to be unique.” Holly’s eyes shined with excitement.
“That’s a great idea. It ups the value.”
“I wasn’t thinking about money or how much I could sell it for, but I love the idea that each one is unique and no one has the exact same creation.”
“Buyers will love that, too.”
She bit her lip. “I hope so.”
“Are you familiar with how to work the kiln? It can be dangerous.”
“I took every class available at the community college. I’m aware of the safety precautions. But I need an oxygen and fuel supply, so I can’t do it at the apartment. It will have to wait until I have my own place.”
“You could set up in my workshop.”
Holly’s eyes widened. “Are you serious?”
“I wouldn’t have offered if I wasn’t. I have what you need. It makes the most sense.” The idea of her working close to me was attractive.
“Are you sure? I wouldn’t think you’d want someone in your space.”
I wanted to give her the opportunity and space to make her creations a reality. “I’m lucky to have the property and the space. I don’t mind sharing it with you.”
“We’ll have to see what it costs first. There’s the kiln, and I’ll need a few other things, too.”
“Owen should have everything you need.” I’d already confirmed that.
“That makes sense. I wonder why I’ve never heard of his shop before.”
“It’s so specialized; people usually look for him online and are willing to travel.”
“I’m lucky he’s so close.”
I flashed her a smile. I was lucky because I knew about Owen, and he worked with me to make it feasible for Holly to buy the kiln. I just hoped she didn’t figure out that I’d done anything to manipulate the situation. I’ve wanted to do so many things for her, and she wouldn’t let me.
Holly reached across the table to hold my hand in hers. “Thank you for everything you’ve done. I wouldn’t have these opportunities without you and your family.”
I liked her holding my hand a little too much. It reminded me of when we were teenagers, and things were easy. We didn’t worry about the future. We just lived in the moment. “You would have gotten there eventually. Your work speaks for itself.”
“I wouldn’t have expanded as quickly.”
“You can’t plan to meet the right person. Sometimes your business just explodes unexpectedly, and you have to ride the wave.”
“That would be amazing if that happened.” She slipped her hand from mine, and I reached for it before she could hide it underneath the table. “You need to accept that amazing things are happening to you.”
