“I’m sure. I can talk the talk, but I can’t write the write, so I’ll leave that one up to you.”
“I promise I’ll do it justice. Everyone will know how special this place is by the time I’m done.”
“That’s what I like to hear,” he said, patting my hand before going back to messing with things behind the bar. “What else you wanna know?”
“I think I know quite a bit of the history already, but I just want to fact check everything to make sure I get it right. I’m gonna rattle off some things, and you tell me if I’ve got anything wrong.”
He nodded in agreement.
“You opened this place in your early twenties?”
“Yep. Twenty-one to be exact.”
“And you’re the one and only owner?”
“Just me, myself, and I,” he said, flashing his million-dollar smile.
“Have you ever thought about selling? I bet this place would be worth a pretty penny.”
“Not even once. This place is priceless. Someone could offer me a million dollars and I’d have to turn them down. Money could never buy everything that’s built into these walls. That kind of stuff is invaluable.”
“I mean this next question with the utmost respect, but you’re someone who’s had a few trips around the sun; what do you hope happens to this place when you’re gone?” I asked.
“Honestly, I’m not sure. I have a few ideas, but nothing is set in stone. I guess at the end of the day, I just want this place to stay exactly how it is for as long as it can. That would be my hope,” he responded, his voice filled with a hint of anguish.
“I have no doubt that will happen. There isn’t one person in this town who would let your legacy die with you. I can promise you that too.”
“Hey now, I’m not dying anytime soon.”
“I know, I know. I’m just sayin’,” I said, throwing my hands up in defeat. “Thanks, Wilson. I’m sure I’ll have more questions, but that gives me a good start. I can’t wait to get goin’ on this. Whenever I’m done, I’ll be sure to let you look it over before anything is sent out.”
“Thanks, darlin’, I can’t wait to get my hands on it.”
I stood, grabbing my purse from next to me. “I’ll keep you posted on everything. Can you let Maggie know that I’ll chat with her later? I want to go back to the office and get started.”
“Of course. Like I said, let me know if you need anything.”
“Will do. Thanks again.”
He tipped his black suede cowboy hat and threw a wink in my direction.
Chapter Ten
The next couple of weeks passed in a blur.
A blur that was both exciting and fueled with a heavy dose of self-doubt.
The article was finished. I’d intended to keep my promise to Wilson, and I was pretty confident I’d done that, but I still couldn’t shake the fear of what everyone else would think or how my role at theTribunewould be received.
Donna had called one morning, saying her phone had been ringing off the hook all morning.
“You outdid yourself, Scarlett. Quincey Falls has fully welcomed you as the newest journalist of theQuincey Falls Tribune, and I couldn’t be prouder of you,” she boasted.
Her praise was a confidence booster, there was no doubt about that, but I was still missing the most important person’s seal of approval.
Wilson.
The plan had been to have Wilson read the final article before it went to print, but he decided he wanted to be “surprised,” which was equally exciting and terrifying. He’d read littlesnippets here and there because he had been a part of the whole process, but he hadn’t seen all the pieces put together.
