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My interest in Will was strictly business. I needed information.Answers.
Besides, the man couldn’t really sit in a glass office and not expect people to occasionally watch him while he did… whatever it was he did.
Oh, God.
Will was standing up. He was looking at me.
Oh, God.
He was walking toward the lobby where I was sitting. Was he smiling? Maybe?
Oh, God. OhGodohGodohGod.
“Joanne, why don’t you come back to my office, and we’ll go over your paperwork.”
I nodded and scrambled to follow.
Will had seemed pleasant enough, but… did that mean anything? Not necessarily. I wasn’t usually in a position to tell people no at work, but the few times I’d needed to, it had been with a sympathetic smile.
Had Will looked sympathetic?
Shit.
I just. Didn’t.Know.
“I didn’t even realize Patty’s Petals was for sale,” Will said, once we were settled in the slightly more comfortable office chairs. “But now that I think of it, it makes sense. I can’t really see Brady running that place. Not like Henry did, anyway.”
“You… know Brady?” I was completely thrown off by that little revelation. Sure, it was a small town, but damn. Brady had barely even been there a week.
“Well, I don’t reallyknowhim. Not anymore, anyway. We graduated high school together, but I haven’t talked to him much since then. But if he’s anything like he was all those years ago, he can’t stand to be tied down. Owning a neighborhood flower shop just wouldn’t be his thing. Maybe he’s changed, but…” Will shrugged. “Anyway, back to the business at hand. I think it’s admirable that you want to buy the shop. According to your loan application, you’ve worked there almost since it opened, is that right?”
“Yes, almost since then.”
Will nodded without saying anything else and looked back down at the paperwork, his maybe-a-frown expression reappearing.
I clasped my hands together in my lap to avoid fidgeting, but it really felt like I was on trial. Like my entire past was under consideration, and my entire future might hinge on this one brief meeting.
Luca had been right, though. I couldn’t afford to let the opportunity slip through my grasp. I had to at leasttry.
“It really would be a dream come true to buy the shop,” I said, trying to keep my voice from shaking. If there was ever a time to sound confident and sure of myself, it was now. “I’m familiar with all of the day-to-day operations, and all of our regular customers know me by name. I think we’d get a lot of support from the community, if you’ll give me a chance.”
Will met my gaze and nodded thoughtfully, then gave me what could only be described as the kind of sympathetic smile I had been dreading earlier.
“Well, I certainly don’t like to tell people not to follow their dreams and knowing how much Henry loved that shop makes this an even more difficult decision. I’d love to see it stay in local hands if it does have to be sold.” He sighed and pushed back from his desk a little. “Unfortunately, there’s just no way I can justify giving you a loan at this time. Maybe once you get some of the things that are negatively affecting your credit cleared up, you can try again. Maybe try working with a credit counselor? I’m sorry, but there’s really nothing more I can do.”
I nodded numbly, even though I wanted to argue. I wanted to tell Will that Iwastrying to get those things resolved, that I really was doing better, that I didn’t havetimefor credit counseling or whatever. That it would be too late if I had to wait to apply again until some undetermined future date.
But the look on Will’s face told me it wouldn’t matter. The decision had been made, and no amount of arguing, or begging, orpleadingwould get me what I wanted.
It just wasn’t in the cards for me, no matter how good Luca may have felt about my odds.
“Thank you for your time,” I said, standing and shaking Will’s hand before turning and leaving the too-bright, too-open glass office.
I needed to get out of there before I embarrassed myself by crying or falling to my knees and actually begging for the money.
Neither of which would be a good look.
Neither of which would solve any of my problems.
