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“Why aren’t you doing this?” Alice’s gaze remained fixed on me.
No one had ever asked me that. Even my family, who’d watched me build the outdoor space. “I want to, but it’s not that simple.”
Her brow furrowed. “Why not?”
For the first time, Alice was asking me personal questions. It was fair turnaround because I’d asked about her past. “I’m the youngest. Dad doesn’t see me as responsible.”
“Have you asked him if he’d be willing to expand the business to outdoor patios and kitchens?”
“Not yet. The timing has to be right.” At her questioning look, I continued. “I need to prove to him that I’m responsible. When Maggie was young, he paired me with one of my brothers. He couldn’t count on me to be on time for work. Then I had a string of unreliable nannies.”
“You’ve got me now. Surely, he’ll listen to you.”
I laughed. “I don’t know. There are these roles we play in childhood, and they continue into adulthood.”
“I don’t know about that, but the stonework is beautiful. I would think this outdoor space would be desirable in Colorado. With the mountains as the backdrop, you could spend a lot of time out here.”
I handed the seltzer to her, wanting to change the subject from my role in the family business. “What do you do with your mosaics if you don’t sell them?”
“I gift them to my family, and I’ll probably make one for Amelia’s teacher.”
She was looking for reasons to make the mosaics but was too stubborn to sell them.
“Elle bought me the kiln. She’s the reason I can do any of this.”
I could hear the words she didn’t say.Elle saved me. “She wants to help you.”
She gave me a look. “I lived in her house for free. She’s done a lot.”
“You want to live on your own, don’t you?” I got an independent vibe from her that belied the way she’d lived the last few years.
“A part of me thinks that would be a good idea. I’ve only ever lived with my parents, Elle, and now you.”
I resisted asking her what the other part of her thought. I probably wouldn’t like it. “This is the first step to you getting a place?”
Alice winced. “I looked at the apartment prices here. They’re sky-high.”
“If you—”
She leaned closer to me—my heart stopped at the possibilities—but she only touched my forearm. “Let me guess. Sold my pieces?”
I swallowed hard. “That’s right.”
Sighing, she settled back into her cushion, and I missed her proximity. “I’d have to figure out how much the materials cost, shipping costs, and what I’d charge for them.”
Encouraged she wasn’t saying no, I said, “Don’t forget to factor in how long it takes to create one. Your time is worth money.”
“That’s the hard point. Valuing my time.”
I had a feeling she didn’t value what she did or who she was, and her parents had a lot to do with that. They didn’t encourage her passions and skills. They belittled them. Instead, they pushed her to chase the illusion of fame and money with reality TV.
“Maybe I could take them to a store downtown.”
Realizing how big an admission she’d just made, I didn’t want to say anything to deter her. “If you need me to watch Maggie so you can go down there during business hours, let me know.”
“They’re open until five on weekdays, so I can go one night this week. If I wanted…”
The question was, would she?
