Richie chuckled. “No problem. Talk to you soon.”
Monroe disconnected the call and took a sip from his coffee cup. Things were going according to schedule so that was perfect. He had a few different buyers confirming contracts and playing out their designs for their stores. A florist, a clothing boutique, a pizza place, an ice cream and sweets parlor, a salon, and even a small organic grocer and vitamin shop. They just needed something special, something unique that could draw more people to shop there and to be a highlight of Chance.
His phone rang, interrupting his thoughts.
“Hey, bro, what’s up?” Monroe asked Caldwell.
“A lot. You’ll never guess who I bumped into in town.”
“Who?”
“Alicia.”
Monroe felt his chest tighten as he sat forward in his chair to listen to his brother. Months ago, when she first arrived in Chance, they each caught sight of her at separate times and were interested. A couple of months back they had to provide precautionary protection for her because her friend Marlena had some trouble. In that week he and his brothers felt even more of an attraction, but Alicia wasn’t responsive. She was shy, petite, quiet, and seemed a bit on edge. That just seemed to interest them more.
“So did you actually speak to her?”
“I did better than that. I had a great idea. You know how we have been debating about what to do with that large window downstairs, and you know how Alicia creates those one-of-a-kind stained glass mosaics and scenes? Well I thought—”
“That she could make something custom for us where she would work from our home and where we could make her feel more comfortable and perhaps see if she’s attracted to us, too.”
“Exactly. Interestingly enough, I asked her about opening up her own storefront and selling her creations. She seemed cautious in her response and when I mentioned someone backing her up financially like a partner she all of about smashed that idea. I wonder if your theory about her trying and failing at a business was accurate. Maybe someone hurt her. I don’t know, but since she said yes to coming by our place and seeing the potential job, I’ll take it and see where it leads for us.”
“That does sound promising and intriguing. We can push for more info as she gets comfortable,” Monroe said.
“If she takes the job. She didn’t seem too enthusiastic about it.”
“Well if what we think is true and that someone hurt her or that she has financial problems then we’ll find out and we’ll help her. She’s the kind of young woman that needs reassurance and to feel she can trust the people she is with. Why do you think she’s always with Marlena, Mercedes, and Adele? They’re all pretty quiet and shy.”
“Well, this is our opportunity to let her get to know us. So, what else is going on? How is the construction going? Have you spoken to Richie?”
“Sure did. Looks like the foundations will be poured next week. I need to talk with Hank about some aspects of the construction. The Gianero family that is opening up the pizza parlor and small restaurant would like to have a second floor and balcony overlooking the streets in the front and the gardens in the back. I think it’s possible but we’d have to alter some of the other designs a bit. Maybe change up the final drawings. I kind of like the idea.”
Caldwell chuckled.
“Well, Hank is the one to talk to. I guess I’ll catch up with you later. I want to go over the landscape proposals and designs to see how we’re going to do the layout. I’ll send you over anything I need confirmation on.”
“I’ll be back at the house by late afternoon. I have some meetings and some calls to make.”
“No problem. Catch ya later.”
Monroe smiled as he leaned back in his chair. Caldwell got them the opportunity they’d been waiting for. Alicia was going to be coming to their home and possibly working there. What better opportunity to get to know her and for her to get to know them. She should feel comfortable and at ease in no time. He felt the excitement immediately. He’d never felt like this before. Monroe never liked a woman so instantly and never one that wasn’t throwing herself at him and his brothers. Alicia was different. She was sweet, sincere, and seemed timid. He felt an instant protectiveness over her just like his brothers did. He had to make sure that things went right. She was perfect for them and they needed to prove that to her.
* * * *
Alicia stared at the construction site from the hilltop down the street. She jogged here, just like she did every Wednesday and Friday before work. It was so exciting to see them begin to lay out the site and plan where the buildings would sit. She imagined what the strip on the outskirts of Chance would look like once they were complete. The town was expanding, and who knew how many more residents and storefronts there would be. This location could be prime. She just knew it.
She swallowed the lump of emotions in her throat along with the sensations of anxiety. She knew in her heart that this could be a great opportunity, yet every time she considered taking that next step to achieve her lifelong goal of being a storeowner and entrepreneur, she thought about Tony and what he had done to her. Hell, she thought about the criticism she would receive from him and how he would have the gall to come out here and insult her or worse, see the potential in the area and in her store and try to push his way in. As much as she wanted to believe she’d have the nerve to tell him no, she knew otherwise. Once he got Alvin involved and they tag-teamed her, she would collapse under their control.
Her vision blurred from filling with tears as she thought about Tony, thoughts of him taking over her ideas and ultimately owning her. In a lot of ways Tony believed he did own her. When he said she was special, and that there would always be a special place in his heart for her, she knew it was his way of saying he owned her. A part of her at least that no other man could ever have. Her virginity. He was so screwed up for doing that. Why couldn’t he just let her go? He was the one that cheated on her. She recalled seeing that jerk just a month ago while at a convention in Dallas. He was so pompous and acted like he had every right to touch her, to flirt and behave like she had been so important to him at one time. He even suggested going up to his hotel room and “talking.” She almost fell for his lies, but the creepy way he made her feel when he touched her or caressed her arm made her push him away and head home early. He was such a controlling, slimy skunk. How could she have been so stupid?
Then she realized, as she watched him mix and mingle, that he was like that with all women. He flirted, he seduced, he manipulated, and she saw him in action. Why did he have such a hold on her? She knew she needed to ignore his advances, and his hurtful comments that always seemed to hit her so hard. How did he have the ability to make her feel weak and not good enough?
Because he took my virginity? Who the hell cares? Plenty of women have multiple sexual partners before they find that special one. Why should it be different for me? He destroyed my confidence and til this day I can’t make a firm decision on my own. I just keep working, creating my stained glass pieces, and hope to get discovered. That might never happen.
She came back from that trip frustrated, but also hurt. She had thought that she loved Tony and he loved her. They talked about their dreams and investments together. They seemed to be on the same page and equally determined. He built her up. He made her believe in herself and when she felt as if she were flying, heading toward success, he pulled the rug out from underneath her in more ways than one. Aside from the material things—the business sold out from underneath her, the future and her career—he tore her heart out. Even after time had passed and she saw him, Tony had a way of making her feel like somehow she was to blame. Like without him she couldn’t succeed. Deep down she knew it wasn’t right, but her self-confidence withered. Seeing him a month ago she realized that Tony still had a hold of her. That he could make her question her own judgment, her own decisions and her own capabilities. It didn’t help that Tony was her brother’s best friend.
Her brother, Alvin, hadn’t been much help when things went wrong. Alvin thought the world of Tony. When Tony said that the buyout was out of his control, her brother believed him. Alvin saw Alicia as weak, passive and unable to do anything on her own. That was what got her to finally leave Dallas and head this way. Finding Chance where no one knew her or where she came from gained her the ability to be more independent and prove she didn’t need Tony or anyone else to succeed in life. That was the plan, but looking at the construction again, feeling the determination to give this risk a try on her own, had her shaking in her sneakers and wondering if she were cut out to be anything other than Alicia Waltz, eBay shop owner of stained glass art work.