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Chapter Seven
It was a little past nine and Shanda wasn’t home. He could call and check if she was coming, but he assumed it meant things didn’t go as planned with her parents. Kenneth was about to leave when her van pulled into the driveway.
She walked up to his car and said, “I’m sorry I’m late. I hope you weren’t sitting here waiting too long.”
“Just a few minutes.” It had been closer to twenty, but it didn’t matter. She seemed…flustered. He opened the door and followed her inside. “I take it things didn’t go as you hoped.”
She huffed as she tossed her purse on the couch. “Absolutely not. I was only supposed to be there to love and support my sister. Instead, I got pulled right in there, and worse. My dad is upset that I didn’t tell him about Home Blown.”
“You mean your financial difficulties?” he asked. She nodded. “And did you tell him that you’re working on changing that?” Kenneth knew it wasn’t going to be a quick or easy process. His gut still told him that her heart wasn’t in it, either.
“Oh, he knows,” she sighed.
There was something she wasn’t telling him. “I would’ve expected him to be pleased with you taking the initiative.”
“The only thing he wanted was to meet you,” she stated.
“Me? Why?” Kenneth hadn’t wanted to coach her on how to run Home Blown, and it wasn’t easy either. Shanda challenged him on everything he had suggested. Now her father was going to be questioning his advice? Hell no. He was doing this to be... Hell. I just wanted to see her again. Not her entire family.
“I’m not really sure. I would think that he doesn’t believe I can turn things around on my own and wants to make sure I have someone who has my best interests in mind.”
“Shanda, I don’t do this for a living. I’m just offering advice based on what I know makes a successful business. There are companies you can hire who might better suit your needs.”
She looked at him, eyes wide and pleading. “Please don’t leave me now. I don’t want someone coming in and bossing me around. It’s bad enough I have to do what I don’t like in the first place. It would only make me hate it even more.”
“You hate it?” he asked. She closed her eyes as though she couldn’t even bring herself to utter the words a second time. He reached out, took her hand and said, “Shanda, why didn’t you tell me? I wouldn’t have pushed if I knew you didn’t want it.”
She opened her eyes and said, “Kenneth, you came into the shop and offered me help. You didn’t ask for anything in return. Like a knight in shining armor rescuing a damsel in distress.” Shanda huffed. “You just didn’t know the mess you were getting into.”
“Shanda, that doesn’t answer my question. Do you like owning Home Blown?” That was clear. She shook her head. “Then why do you?”
“My granddad gave it to me. I used to go there with him on the weekends and work with him since I was little. He taught me everything I know about blowing glass. I spent my entire summer vacations with him. It was the best time of my life.”
She stopped just before saying what she needed to. So Kenneth drew it out of her. “But?”
“But I don’t want to own the shop. I want to be in the back where I can create pieces that mean something to me,” she said.
“Why didn’t you tell him that when he gave you the shop?”
“Because I didn’t want to let him down. This shop had been his life. I guess I wanted to make it mine. I just don’t…”
“Want it,” he said softly. He knew that probably was the first time she’d admitted it to anyone, maybe even to herself. It also explained why she challenged everything he suggested. It was nearly impossible to be successful in a business that you dislike. “Shanda, that changes everything.”
“You mean you won’t help me anymore?” Shanda asked, her hand now gripping his tightly.
“I’m not going anywhere. But it changes things as far as Home Blown. I think you really need to be honest with your granddad as to how you feel. Maybe he’ll have a resolution that would work for you both.”
She smiled and said, “You mean you’re not upset?”
“About what?” he asked.
“That I dragged you all the way down here on a Friday night to…talk business, and I don’t even want it,” she stated.
He chuckled. “I was hoping that you were just using that as an excuse to see me. Guess I was wrong,” he said.
She giggled. “No. Not entirely. I’m sure there is something you can teach me. And who knows, maybe something I can…teach you too,” Shanda said, her cheeks turning pink.
Kenneth wasn’t sure their conversation about Home Blown should end so quickly. She was finally opening up, which gave him more of a perspective on how to really help her. Of course right now, they were both hurting in an entirely different way. Maybe after some fucking hot sex, their minds would be clear to focus on business.
