Ragged Rainbows by Linda Lael Miller

Author:Linda Lael Miller
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HQN Books
Published: 2013-02-15T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

If Ivy and Todd were surprised when Shay arrived at Reese Motors promptly at five-thirty, they had the good grace not to show it. Freshly showered and made up, Shay went into her office long enough to check her telephone messages and align her work for the next day.

When she came out, her friends were waiting, Ivy wide-eyed and just a bit pale, Todd blithely unaware that anything was amiss.

Shay gave Ivy a scorching look that warned of an imminent confrontation and said, “Well, let’s look at those buildings. We’ll pick up the pizza on the way to my place, afterward.”

Ivy swallowed visibly and croaked, “Okay.”

Their first stop was the large Victorian house Todd had mentioned. It had been empty for a long time, but Shay could see vast potential in it; if she renovated the place, she would have room not only for her business, but for half a dozen small shops. She wouldn’t run these herself, of course, but rent them to other people.

Todd assured her that the house was basically sound, though it needed a great deal of work. The plaster in most of the rooms was either stained or falling off the walls in hunks, and the ceilings sagged.

Shay liked the house; it had personality. The kitchen, while much in need of repair, was large enough to accommodate the needs of a catering service, and the spacious dining room could be converted to a reception area of sorts. The pantry, almost as big as Shay’s kitchen in her rented house, would make a suitable private office.

“I have some rough estimates on the renovation, if you’d like to see them,” Todd offered.

Shay was pleased by his thoroughness. Here was a man who would go far in the business world. She reviewed the estimates submitted by various construction companies as they drove to the other potential site. The amounts of money involved were staggering.

The second site was a small restaurant overlooking the water. The ceiling had fallen down, coming to rest across a counter still equipped with a cash register. Debris of every sort was scattered on the floor, seeming to pool around the bases of the tattered stools that lined the counter. The smell of mice was potent.

“It does look out over the water,” Ivy ventured. She’d been very quiet all along.

“That’s about all it has going for it,” Shay replied. “If I were going to open a bistro or something, I might be interested, but I don’t think a view is going to be any particular plus for a catering service.”

Todd nodded his agreement.

Suddenly, Shay was very tired. After all, it had been a crazy day. “I’ll need some time to think this over, Todd, but I’m interested in the other place. Do you think I could get back to you in a few days?”

Again, Todd nodded. “You might want to get some other estimates. The ones I gave you were meant to give an idea of what would be required.”

Shay looked down at the sheaf of papers in her hand.

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