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Her face went blank for a second. Then she nodded and sipped her coffee for the first time. “I guess you can tell I’m a little nervous. Honestly, I really want the job. Beau, I mean, Bubba has been telling me what you’re doing and frankly, I’m a little jealous. I can do a good job for you, I promise. Even without a work history.”
“Well, that’s all I can ask for, right?” I closed my notebook and stood. “You’re hired. I’ll have to get all the paperwork at the shop so we’ll meet there tomorrow at eight. We’ll talk about money, benefits, and hours then. I’d like to open the shop at least for appointments only in the next week or so. But let me show you our first project.”
She stood and dropped her purse on the floor, forgetting it was sitting on her lap. “Seriously? I’m hired? You don’t need background checks or references?”
“You have a reference sitting here. Bubba wouldn’t have brought you to meet me if he didn’t think you could do it.” I waited for her to get her purse. “Do you have a notebook in there? Or a phone to take pictures of the rooms?”
After Heather left for the day, I went out to the front porch to review more applications. One employee was amazing. Two would be better. And if I wanted to have some regular open hours, I needed at least four. And a CPA or a business office manager. I had a lot to do if I wanted Goldstein Antiques up and going by the end of the month.
Bubba came up and set a glass of sweet tea on my table. Then he leaned against the railing watching me. “Thank you for taking her seriously. She’s been trying to get up the nerve to come talk to you for the last week. She’s redone that notebook’s pictures at least three times.”
“Your bedroom was cute.” I sipped my tea, watching him. “And she’s the perfect employee, even without a work history. She’s just what I needed. Do you have any friends in the same boat?”
“Actually, that was Bobby’s bedroom. Mine was football themed.” He laughed and shook his head. “I don’t know anyone who loves design like my mom. But I’m sure she might have some referrals if you ask her.”
“I’ll do that tomorrow.” Setting the glass down, I exhaled. “I’ve got a long list of things to do and I keep adding to it. Opening this business is going to take a while.”
“All you have to do is what you can do right now. Don’t worry about everything but keep putting things on your list to get better. That’s what my dad always said. You don’t have to be perfect today, but you need to do the work to be better tomorrow.”
I watched a blue jay land on the tree near the porch. “I like that motto. I might steal it.”
He studied me for a long minute. “After Nic reassigns me, I’d like to talk with you about something.”
“You want to come work with me and your mom?” I teased watching his face for indicators of what the subject might be.
He shook his head and stood up. “I have a job. We’ll talk later. I’m going to walk the perimeter, unless you need something.”
“No, I’m good.” I watched for a while as he stepped off the porch and went around the west side of the house. My mind pressed on the question, what did he want to talk about? I could only think of one thing, he wanted to ask me out on a date. My stomach clenched a little as I thought about the way he looked in that suit. And the way his bright blue eyes watched me. Was I ready for a relationship after breaking up with David? Probably not, but I could be ready for coffee.
And that’s all I needed today. Or whenever Beauregard King stopped being my bodyguard. I was ready for coffee.
I sipped my tea and went back to finding a few people to interview tomorrow. My new life in New Orleans was beginning to pull together. I’d lost my grandmother, and Aunt Franny, at least for now, but I’d gained something I hadn’t known I’d been looking for. A place to call home.
A chuckle came from the wicker couch on the other side of the deck, but when I looked over, my grandmother was disappearing. “I love you Grandma. Thanks for bringing me back home.”
A faint, “You’re welcome,” echoed on the deck, then the sound, like her apparition was gone as well.
Time to get to work.
