AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She frowned at him. “What’s wrong with you?”
“Nothing.” Things had gotten awkward after their kiss. He couldn’t make them even more complicated.
Her gaze searched his. “You sure?”
“Positive.”
“Hey, Sara. I thought I saw you walk in.” Melinda approached them with a smile on her face. Her gaze moved between the two of them. “Are you two together?”
Immediately, he shook his head.
They both said in unison, “No.”
“Oh. I’m sorry.” Melinda looked a bit flushed. “My mistake.”
“We’re nottogethertogether,” Sara clarified. “But we’re here together to pick out some coffee table books for the inn’s lobby.”
Melinda’s eyes widened. “Is this for the lobby remodel? I heard it was going on while Josie was out of town.”
“It’s not a remodel,” Kent said.
“It’s a refresh.” Sara reached into her purse and pulled out her phone. Her fingers moved rapidly over the screen. “Here are some photos, but they don’t really do the room justice.”
Melinda took the phone and scrolled through the photos that Kent didn’t even know existed. It was a good idea. He should do that when they got back to the inn.
“This looks fantastic.” Melinda continued to stare at the images. “I’d like to get something like that done here.”
Her statement drew Kent’s interest. If he could keep drumming up business, maybe he could hire some help, and then the refresh project wouldn’t seem so overwhelming. As soon as the thought came to him, he dismissed it. He’d already investigated going out on his own, and he knew the statistics weren’t in favor of a new business. His best option was to take an accounting position in a big company.
Still, it wouldn’t hurt to hear what Melinda had to say. “What did you have in mind?”
She gestured to the bookshelves in front of the display window. “I was thinking of doing away with these bookshelves and making room for a reading nook. This window lets in a lot of light, and I thought some people might want to hang out and read. I could even offer some refreshments. What better advertisement could a bookstore have than a bunch of people reading?”
“Oh, I like the idea,” Sara said. “What would you do? Add a couple of couches and chairs?”
Melinda shook her head. “I want something unique. Like different shaped benches with little tables for drinks.” She gestured to the ceiling. “With the very high ceilings in here, I even wondered if it would be possible to put in a loft.”
“I love the sound of it,” Sara said. “You might even put in some seating for the little kids.”
“That’s a great idea.” Melinda’s eyes lit up. She turned to him. “Can you do something like that?”
“It’s way outside of my capabilities. But my brother Liam makes handcrafted furniture. He might be able to come up with some stuff for you.” He reached for his wallet and withdrew a business card with his brother’s information. “You can reach him here. But I have to warn you that he’s in high demand, and he has custody of his little boy this summer, so it might be a while until he’s able to work on it.”
Melinda took the card. “Thanks. The inn’s lobby really does look amazing. You two do good work.”
“It was Kent’s idea,” Sara said. “I wasn’t so sure about it, but he did what needed to be done in order to give the place a polished look, which is what brought us here.”
“And now you just need the finishing touches?” Melinda’s gaze moved between them.
Sara nodded. “We were thinking about some big, colorful books.”
“Oh sure.” Melinda started to move toward the back of the shop. “Do you have a particular subject in mind?”
Sara sent him a questioning look. This was her idea. Why was she looking at him? She raised her brows as though prompting him to say something.
He said the first thing that came to mind. “How about something that has to do with the ocean?”
It wasn’t exactly creative, but considering the Brass Anchor Inn was situated on the beach, it made sense. And hopefully it would tie in with all of the Bluestar Island memorabilia.
