A Family for Thanksgiving by M. K. Stelmack

Author:M. K. Stelmack
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2023-08-14T15:44:45+00:00

CHAPTER TEN

NATALIA SPREAD THE three résumés along the polished stove top that now served as her counter. The candidates all sucked for one reason or another. Inexperienced, inflexible, disinterested.

“Auntie, can we go now?”

Sadie had been patient through the interview process. She’d amused herself with paints, and for the last one, Natalia had given Sadie her phone to play games on, the interview punctuated by Sadie’s triumphant cries when another level was achieved.

“Yes,” Natalia said, piling the sheets together. She could sleep on it, but she had to decide soon. Here it was, the first of August and no staff. She’d delayed her soft opening to help Sadie adjust to her new watery home, but now her own business drive—and Gina—was pressuring her to get a move on. As it was, she’d probably missed the window to open this coming long weekend. She could try running it herself, she supposed, but that would only work on a very short-term basis. Sadie was her top job.

The front door gave a glassy rattle from a series of knocks. A woman waved. She looked familiar, but only when Natalia opened the door did it click.

“Carolyn! Come in.”

“I’m sorry to come unannounced,” she said, “but I heard from Gina that you were looking...and I came up. I was wondering if you’d be interested in talking with me about the position.”

Natalia took in the short hair dyed autumnal shades, the stylish blouse and pants, the alert aspect. Hard to believe that this was the same dispirited, slouched woman from the Calgary store.

Wanting to manage Natalia’s pet project.

“Sadie, I have one more person to talk to, and then I promise we’ll leave for the day.”

“I’m sorry,” Carolyn said to Sadie. “I’m interrupting time with your auntie.” And to Natalia, “I can come later.”

It was the way Carolyn apologized to Sadie first that melted Natalia. Sadie had her eye on Carolyn’s hands. “They’re so beautiful.”

Carolyn stretched out her fingers to better show off her nails. “Aren’t they? Lake and beach themes. Look, there’s a shell on my pinkie. See?”

Sadie inspected the pinkie and the nine other fingers, Carolyn giving her all the time in the world to do so. Was this really the same woman? And if it was, what if she slid back to her earlier dysfunction?

“Is it okay if I talk with your auntie for a few minutes?” Carolyn knew how to ask for the sale.

Sadie nodded. “I can wait.” She returned with Natalia’s phone to her seat at one end of the long dining table.

Natalia showed Carolyn to the other end of the table and opened with the obvious question. “What happened to your store?”

“You don’t know? We’re doing what you’re doing here, converting it into a Home & Holidays store.”

Gina had told Natalia none of this. Wouldn’t a partner consult before implementing a change, as she had done before starting this shop?

“My shop’s undergoing a makeover, like I did.” Carolyn laughed, a warm and light crescendo that had Sadie lifting her eyes away from her screen.

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