“I feel like my luck has been terrible lately. Running out of gas and just…a lot of stress. I’m hoping there isn’t some random hole in this mattress so I can actually relax, sleep, and get through everything this week.”
I wave him off with a smile. “Good luck with that.”
He disappears up the stairs toward the apartments, and I turn back to evaluate my shop, thinking through his suggestions.
I take several steps backward and cross the street, standing on the sidewalk so I can take in the full picture of the storefront.
From here, I can barely even read the name of my shop, and with the reflective glass, I can see why no one can tell what it is.
No wonder I’ve had such a hard time getting people to come in. I feel like an idiot for not seeing it sooner.
I thought the things I’d done were good ideas, but being a lawyer clearly didn’t translate into being a good businesswoman.
As much as I don’t want to admit it, Max is right.
I pull out my phone and text Sarah, telling her not to worry about coming in tomorrow. Then I walk over and close the shop, knowing I’ve got a lot of things I need to fix in the next few days.
There’s something about having a trial run before the busy season starts that makes me feel slightly better. If I can make the changes now, maybe I’ll see some improvement in profits before summer fully hits.
First stop: taking down the reflective glass.
Then I’ll have to ask Talia who she recommends for window coverings, because there are going to be times when I’ll need to shield customers and employees from the blaring evening sun.
I also need to think about a rebrand.
Sadly, there are already several things stamped with Honey & Harbor, but I can always reorder them after I come up with a new name and logo.
I thought everything was perfect two weeks ago when I opened the shop, but I guess it’s better to course-correct now than wait until later.
I pull out a step stool and start peeling away the reflective material from the windows.
Here’s to a new business and another chance at making this work.
We’ll see if Max’s suggestions help by the time The Season begins. I only hope he’s going to stick around a while longer.
21
MAX
There’s still a lot I need to figure out, and while I’m supposed to be relaxing here, this somehow feels just as important.
Sure, I can’t see the faces of the people who will one day live in my apartments, but it gives me hope that I’ll be able to help someone like Avery and her family soon.
I finally have all the paperwork from Richard and for Avery’s rent on the apartment and coffee shop. Her name is on both, and I wonder what the connection is with the sister and if she helps pay—or if Avery does it all. Not that it’s my business.
With all that’s going on with the remodels and the fact that she paid for the construction of the coffee shop, I want to do something nice, but I know she’ll say no if I ask her directly. I’ve got to figure out a way to make sure she gets a discount or some money back.
That’s a later decision, though.
I stop at a small hole-in-the-wall restaurant down the road for dinner and then start walking back as evening settles over the town.
It’s idyllic, even if I only have an air mattress and a pillow Ifound at a little décor store. Well, technically it’s a throw pillow, but it’ll work for what I need right now. Avery also promised to bring over a few blankets. There’s not much else I need for now.
I don’t know if it’s because I’m distracted or because I don’t recognize the coffee shop without the reflective tape, but I make it almost an entire block before I realize I’ve gone too far have to turn around.
How crazy is it that one minor change can make such a vast difference?
The lights are all off inside, but I want to celebrate with Avery. I don’t know why this feels like such a big deal to me, but maybe it’s because she listened when I was sure she wasn’t going to.
