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“Because I always walk, Jacob. I have to get in my exercise.”
I eye my mom from across the table. Patty Henderson is in excellent shape and looks about fifteen years younger than she is.
Her salt-and-pepper hair is pulled up into a bun on top of her head, showing off the modest diamond studs in her ears my dad bought her the year before he died. The navy blue turtleneck brings out the blue in her eyes.
I tap the edge of the menu. “You deviating from your usual today?”
She glances up and her eyes dart to the front door. “Maybe, I don’t know yet.”
“Seriously?”
My mom never deviates from her egg white omelet, wheat toast, and bowl of fruit with a glass of OJ and black coffee.
“Seriously, Jacob. I feel like a change today.”
“How’s the shop?” she asks, her gaze sliding over the tattered plastic menu.
“It’s fine.” I shift in my seat, rubbing my chin. “There is something I want to talk to you about concerning the shop.”
She raises her gaze and studies my face. “Sounds serious. What’s up?”
I let out a sigh, hoping she’s on board with my plan. Even though she—as an investor—isn’t involved in everyday operations, I feel obligated to share my plans with her.
I don’t have any idea how she’s going to take this, so I just dive right in.
“I want to do some work on the shop after the first of the year.”
“What kind of work?”
“The place needs a renovation, Mom. Business is steady but they’ve built one of those new quik lube shops down by the highway. They’re slick and new and quick.”
“Aren’t they just oil changes and stuff?”
I tilt my head side to side. “Some of them, yes. But the one they just built opens next week and they’re a full-service place. Tires, diagnostics, oil changes. All the things we do. And being a chain, they have deep pockets. They have all the new equipment, stuff like that.”
She studies my face, a finger tapping the edge of the menu. “I trust you, son. You do what you think needs to be done for the shop. Do I need to put in some money?”
“No, I’m going to take care of it.”
“Your dad left me in pretty good shape, Jacob. I can help.” She eyes me. “That’s not all, is it?”
I roll my lips inward. Of course she’d pick up on the fact I had more. “No.” I blow out a breath. “I want to expand the business into car restoration.”
“I’m not surprised.”
“You’re not?”
She shakes her head and looks over the menu. “Nope. That’s always been your thing. And you’re damn good at it. Your dad never had any want to do that other than as a hobby with you, but if you think you can swing it and the renovation too, I think you should go for it.”
I let out a slow breath. I wasn’t expecting her to be so on board. I thought she’d have some hesitation. I sure as hell do.
I’m the third Henderson to keep the shop going, and I don’t want to be the one who runs the business into the ground.
“You’re not worried about your investment? It’s your livelihood. And with Melinda going to college next year, I know you’re going to need the income from the shop. If I do the restoration, it’s going to be a big project.”
She drops the menu to the table. “Jacob, we’ll be fine. When I tell you that Dad set us up just fine, I mean it.”
Her eyes dart over my shoulder again, and I’m about to ask her what the hell is going on when Maggie comes up to the table.
