Page 77 of Meet Me in Ivy Falls

I moved up beside him and stared at the black SUV idling in front of the building.

‘Don’t let that good ol’ boy intimidate you. You’ve done the work and it’s better than anything Brinkley has ever had in their stores. Trust your team. Trust yourself and let’s get this done.’

He clasped my hand and I gave it a firm shake. My world felt like it was righting itself. That the tides were finally shifting in my favor.

‘Second presentation today!’ Teddy Ray Jones swept through the glass doors and into the conference room, the scent of heavy cologne trailing behind him. He took the seat at the head of the table, his tree-trunk arms settling over his potbelly. ‘This better be good. I’m wasting time and money by sitting here.’ He swung around in his chair, his eyes flitting over the room until they landed on me. ‘Mr Townsend, the clock is ticking.’

I still couldn’t get over the fact that this bear of a man ran one of the biggest restaurant chains in the country. His hair was dyed shoe-polish black. The flannel shirt and jeans he wore said he was ready to milk a few cows, not listen to an advertising presentation.

He dressed down to throw people off, tired of everyone kissing up to him and his Wharton School business degree. Thanks to a few phone calls to his former staff, I knew all of this and planned on using it to my benefit.

‘Today, we thought we’d start the presentation a little differently.’

Sienna moved to the stool waiting for her in the center of the room. She picked up her guitar and slid the red-and-black woven strap over her head.

Teddy Ray tented his hands on the table in irritation. ‘Didn’t come here for a concert.’

Ignoring his comment, I gave Sienna a smile of encouragement. A single strand of magenta hair floated across her forehead. She strummed out the first chord and then a low plunk and a popping sound stopped her. The room stayed silent. Sienna froze.

Teddy Ray groaned and pointed to his watch. ‘Tick. Tick. Mr Townsend.’

I rushed toward a panicked Sienna. ‘What’s wrong?’

‘I broke a string,’ she whimpered.

‘Do you have more?’

‘Yes, in my case.’ The corner of her eyes watered, reminding me of Piper.

‘It’s all right. Go fix it. I’ll take over until you’re ready.’

She jumped off the stool and rushed to the black case propped near the door.

This was one of those moments Torran talked about. Where all eyes were watching and what you chose to do next made all the difference. These past months I’d been torn between my job, Torran, my sister and all the memories of my parents. It had been a storm building in the distance waiting to come to a head.

My next move determined my future and I had to think fast. I nodded to Marissa who slid my laptop toward me.

‘Our team has done a little research.’ I tapped at the keys and brought up the four-color rendering Torran had sent me. ‘This is a property in a small town called Ivy Falls which is about a forty-five-minute drive from here. We worked with a historic renovation firm to scout properties and put together a proposal for your company. This house was built in 1885. It still has good bones and a solid foundation. It would be the perfect site for Brinkley’s next restaurant.’

Teddy Ray pulled the screen forward. ‘1885, you say? Don’t think we’ve worked on one that old before have we, Sam?’

One of Teddy Ray’s suited minions shuffled to the table. ‘No, sir. That’s the oldest, Mr Jones.’

‘And this company can do it right, sir. They are also currently filming a TV pilot for the Hearth and Home Network. There’s a possibility if the show gets picked up, they could feature this renovation, your renovation, in the future.’

‘Hearth and Home, you say? My wife Georgia loves those home shows!’ He snapped his fingers and Sam took down the property’s address and Torran’s business information.

‘Beck, uh, Mr Townsend, I’m ready.’ Sienna’s small voice forced me to step back from Teddy Ray, who continued to stare at the screen with interest.

Sienna strummed out the opening chord once again. ‘Brinkley Foods brings you the best of Southern tradition,’ she sang in a wobbly voice. ‘Hot wings, cold beer, and turkey pot pie, and you can never ever go wrong with a delicious side.’ Karl pressed a button on his computer and the sound of the recorded track flooded the room.

Teddy Ray cracked his neck from side to side and heaved out a long breath like the song was a waste of time. When the chorus rolled around, things changed. He began to bob his head as Sienna strummed out the jingle. By the time the third progression of lyrics started, the whole room was buzzing. Teddy Ray even managed to crack a smile at the line about the homestyle biscuits being better than your mama’s.

As the final line faded out, Teddy Ray leaned back in the chair. His stare moved between my laptop and Sienna. The rest of the presentation hinged on the song. If Teddy Ray didn’t like the restaurant idea, or the jingle, it was game over.

Teddy Ray tapped his fingers against the wide oak table. Marissa, the lead account executive, sat frozen in her seat. I wasn’t sure Pete was breathing. No one in the room dared to move.

‘Miss, what’s your name?’ Teddy Ray finally drawled out.