Sutton
June
“What is it with you and lights?”
Excitement filled my chest at the sound of Brody’s voice. I looked down from the ladder I was standing on and laughed. “I can’t figure out why this light stopped working.”
He winked. “Good thing I’m here. And I brought food.”
My pulse picked up some as I continued to stare at him. Why was his wink so freaking sexy?
“You brought me lunch?” I asked, finally climbing down the ladder.
“I did, indeed. I ran into Palmer at Seaside Grill, and she said she’d left your shop to grab lunch for you guys. Then she got a call from the vet’s office, asking if she could come in and cover for Judy at the front desk since she’s not feeling well. So, I offered to bring you lunch.”
He handed me a brown bag, and I took it from him with a smile. “Thank you so much, Brody. It was sweet of you to bring it by.”
“No problem.”
I walked over to the counter and opened the bag to find a turkey and swiss on rye with a bag of chips and a small piece of pie. The sight made my stomach growl.
“Where’s your breaker box?” Brody asked.
“It’s in my office, right behind my desk.”
He nodded and headed that way as I dug into my lunch. A short while later, Brody walked back out into the store. He glanced around the place, and I wondered what he thought of it.
Whenever I looked at my little boutique, I was filled with a sense of satisfaction. I’d worked so hard to open this shop, and it was my pride and joy. My favorite part of the store was the front window display. I’d decorated it with an old dresser that Palmer had painted white and distressed. Each drawer was open, holding different items. Next to the dresser was a display of hats. I loved hats. All different kinds of hats. Next to those, I’d placed a beautiful piece of artwork that a local artist had made.
When you first walked into the store, the check-out counter was on the left wall. I used different pieces of vintage furniture throughout to display clothes and other items for sale. I had a beautiful baby blue armoire where I displayed scarfs and other accessories. I’d picked up the large vintage table where I displayed sale items at an estate sale not that long ago. To me, it was boring to walk into a store and see the usual racks of clothes.
A large, beautiful white rug sat in the middle of the store and added a touch of warmth. On the wall opposite the check-out counter were two dressing rooms. Toward the back were a few steps that led to a small seating area and more storage. There was also a cute little loft that I wanted to do something fun with at some point. I hadn’t had any great ideas for it yet, which was a good thing because my budget was stretched thin these days.
Finally, there was a large stockroom, my office, and a full bathroom. The theme throughout was coastal chic, hence the name of the shop.
Brody’s voice broke through my thoughts. “Looks like the fuse blew. I can swing by and pick up a new one. Your toilet is running as well.”
“Yeah, I’ve got that on my list of things to fix.”
“I’ll pick up a new float. I tried adjusting it, but I think it’s best to replace it.”
I wiped my mouth and placed the napkin back in the cardboard box that contained the other half of my sandwich. “I feel like I’m totally taking advantage of you…but can we add something else to your list?”
He laughed. “What else do you need?”
“Well, there’s a plug in my office that’s never worked.”
He nodded and pulled out his phone to start making notes. “I’m going to head to the store. If you think of anything else, text me.”
I followed him to the door. “You may have opened Pandora’s box. There are too many little things around here that need to be repaired.”
Brody stopped, turning to face me. “Did that asshat you married ever do anything?”
I looked over my shoulder at the store. “No. He never really wanted anything to do with Coastal Chic,” I said before focusing back on Brody. “He said it was my little pet project.”
His brows shot up. “Pet project? What the fuck was wrong with that guy?”
Laughing, I replied, “Everything.”