Say Cheese, page 23
“Well, now,” Ned interjected. “Seeing how this building is empty, and the landlord happens to be my sister, I could probably arrange a good deal on the rent.”
“See?” Elle grinned, uplifted by the sudden turning of the tide in her favor. “I happen to know that most of the other small businesses who were at the festival are in a similar position to us. Big dreams and small wallets. But if we join forces, we can get what we need at a price we all can afford.”
“How?” Angie asked, her skepticism starting to fade, replaced by cautious but genuine curiosity.
“We create a cooperative,” Elle said, her eyes shining with excitement. “Just as we’d have a single storefront, we’d have a single website and online shop that showcases not just cheese but all our Vermont-made goods. We might even be able to get funding from the state tourism board.”
Ned let out a whistle. “That’s a hell of an idea, Elle. I like it. It could take the town from here”—Ned held his hand at waist height—“to here.” He raised it above his head.
“I agree,” Elle said, nodding. “When I saw all the tour busses at the fall festival, I knew there was so much untapped potential.”
“And this would be year-round?” The mayor was practically salivating by now, envisioning the influx of tourists and revenue for the town.
“Absolutely,” Elle confirmed. “Think about it. Sun or snow, tourists can browse in climate-controlled bliss, taking their time and, hopefully, emptying their wallets. And since not everyone can travel to Vermont, we can bring Vermont to them through the magic of online shopping.”
“I’m sold.” Ned’s voice brimmed with enthusiasm.
Elle turned to Angie, her heart pounding. “What do you think?”
“It has potential,” Angie said slowly, but Elle could see the excitement building in her eyes, like she was almost scared to hope. “But how do we start?”
“That’s where you come in.” A smile spread across Elle’s face.
“Me?” Angie placed a hand on her chest, but she hadn’t started running away yet, so Elle took that as a good sign.
“Yes. You were able to rally so many businesses for last year’s festival. I need you to talk to everyone and invite them to an informational meeting. We’ll need to fix this place up—”
“I can work on my sister to get the building up to code, no cost to the cooperative. And for the more decorative stuff, my cousins are in construction and owe me some favors. They’ll give you a good deal on whatever needs doing,” the mayor said. “I’ll start working on the town council for the food and liquor permits. I have a feeling some of the local distilleries will want to sell here.”
“I hadn’t thought of that. You’re brilliant!” Elle gave the mayor’s forehead a kiss, instantly turning scarlet as she realized what she’d done. “Sorry, I’m just excited”
He simply laughed. “I won’t tell my wife. She’s the jealous type.”
“Me too.” Angie teased, laughing with the mayor.
“What do you think? Can we make this happen?” Elle asked.
“I can’t picture you failing at anything. Put us in, Coach!” Angie put her hand out like athletes did before a big play.
The mayor and Elle added their hands.
“One, two, three. Let’s go Deerfield Marketplace!”
Elle took in the freshly painted walls and refinished pine floors of what she hoped as of the end of the night she could officially call the Deerfield Marketplace. The transformation in just eight weeks was amazing. With the Lanes pitching in to thoroughly clean the place, Ned’s sister footing the bill for the basics, and Ned’s cousins providing inexpensive labor for the rest, the project had so far cost the creamery little more than elbow grease.
“Do I look okay?” Standing in front of one of the windows overlooking Main Street, Elle did her best to fluff her hair, using her dim reflection as a guide, but the results were questionable.
“If you want my honest opinion…” Angie let her voice trail off, and Elle began to panic.
“Yes? What? Do I have lipstick on my teeth?” She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, hoping to catch any stains that may have lingered.
“No, no,” Angie chuckled. “You look great. It’s just that, well, you have on too many clothes for my taste. I prefer you without them.”
“Angela Lane!” Elle pointed her finger at Angie, wagging it as she scolded. “I’m trying to convince the entire Deerfield Valley Chamber of Commerce to buy into our cooperative tonight. I can’t give my speech naked.”
“I think you should. You’re beautiful.” Angie gave Elle a kiss, the kind that left Elle’s mind wandering to all sorts of inappropriate places.
She quickly shook herself out of it and wiggled free of Angie’s embrace. “You’re impossible. You need to go to that side. Greet the people as they come.”
“I’d rather make you come.”
“Honestly? I swear, we work together and live together. You see me twenty-four hours a day, and this is the moment you choose to turn up the heat?” Elle rolled her eyes, playfully shoving Angie toward the door.
“Poor sport.” Angie’s expression contorted with defiance, even if she did leave Elle alone.
At that moment, the shop door opened. Expecting to see one of the evening’s many guests arriving inconveniently early, Elle was delighted when Candace walked in.
“I’m so glad you made it!” Elle tossed her arms around Candace’s neck. “How’s the new job?”
“Couldn’t be happier,” her friend replied with a grin. “Who knew that working for a publishing company was what I really wanted all along? I clock in at nine and hardly ever work overtime. Did you know they have shorter hours in the summer, too? And not once, in all the months I’ve been there, have they destroyed a small business on behalf of a mega corporation.”
“No way!” Elle laughed. “It’s like you’ve won the job lottery.”
“I know, right?” Candace joined in with the laughter. “I’m starting to come around to this revolutionary concept of not selling my soul to the Evil Empire.”
“I’ve been sleeping better at night, too. That’s for sure,” Elle admitted.
“I think that has more to do with your knight in plaid flannel.” Candace glanced back to the door, nodding toward Angie. “But was that my imagination, or did I detect a little trouble in paradise as I came in? Should I rent a truck?”
“No, and don’t look so hopeful at the prospect,” Elle joked, nudging her friend’s arm. “I have no plans to move back to the city. Angie and I are fine. She’s just being her usual self, trying to get me to give tonight’s presentation naked.”
“Gawd,” Candace gushed. “I hate to admit this, but she sounds perfect.”
“I’m not getting naked.” Elle felt a blush rise.
“The point is you’re with someone who wants you to be naked all the time. Where can I get me some of that?”
“If all you want is naked time, aren’t there hookup apps for that?”
“That’s the problem. I think I’m ready for more.” Candace sighed with a sincerity that surprised Elle. “I’m sick and tired of hookups. I want my happily ever after. Like you.”
“Do you really think that’s what I have?” Elle asked, feeling a sudden wave of insecurity. When she’d moved into Angie’s cabin three months ago, it was meant to be temporary. But the more time went by, the more she realized she didn’t want to leave.
“Uh, yeah, that’s what you have,” Candace told her without a hint of hesitation. “You make me sick. In a good way, of course. I’m happy for you. But what are you going to do? Last time we talked, you were adamant you wanted to find your own place as soon as you could. Is that still in the works?”
“Yeah. Maybe. I mean, there aren’t many rentals in the area, you know?” Elle shifted on her feet, knowing that wasn’t the whole truth. “Besides, the cabin is plenty big for two. And we’ve gotten into a good routine. We make dinner together. Read on the couch with Chester between us and the fire going. You can’t do that alone in an apartment. So… maybe not? I just don’t know.”
“I hate you. Seriously.” Candace mimed sticking two fingers down her throat. “Do you think if I drove my car into a river, I would find my Angie?”
“Let’s start with a new dating app before going drastic, shall we?” Elle suggested. “Less dangerous.”
By now, several business owners had begun to arrive, milling around the empty space and checking out some of the sample displays Elle had arranged as props for her talk.
“Elle, this is so lovely.” Rachel, looking so polished in wide-leg trousers and a stylish blazer instead of her restaurant uniform that Elle barely recognized her, put a hand to her mouth as she belatedly noticed Candace. “Oh! I’m so sorry to interrupt. I just wanted to say how great this place looks.”
Candace stuck out her hand. “I’m Candace, Elle’s best friend from Boston. Her single best friend,” she added, perhaps having made the same observation about Rachel’s charming appearance as Elle had.
Rachel blinked before breaking into a smile. “Is this how they do it in Boston?”
Candace offered an easy shrug. “It’s how I do it.”
“Well, Boston. I’m Rachel. I own the best restaurant in town. You should come by.” Rachel left them, but as she did, Elle noticed an extra twist in the restaurateur’s hips.
“And here you’ve been saying you envy me.” Elle gave Candace an incredulous look, marveling at her friend’s effortless flirtation. “With swagger like that, I doubt you’ll spend many nights alone if you don’t want to.”
“I guess I haven’t really tried.” Candace admitted. “At least, not until now.”
“Now is as good a time as any to start.” Elle chuckled at her friend. “Maybe we should get dinner at The Barn while you’re in town. It really is the best place in the area. The whole country, probably.”
“It’ll be my treat, a celebratory meal after your successful launch of this new business venture.” For the first time, Candace paused to take a good look at the space, her gaze falling on some photos that Elle had added to one of the merchandise displays. “Hey, are those your photos?”
Elle blushed. “They’re just temporary. I wanted to show the prospective business partners what it might look like in here with everyone’s products filling the shelves.”
“This better not be temporary.” Suddenly, Angie was at Elle’s side, her arm around Elle’s waist. “I think those photos are the best thing in the whole store. You must be Candace. I’m Angie. Elle’s told me so much about you I feel like we’ve met already.”
“Likewise, and you better not let Elle stop taking photos, or we’ll have nothing but trouble.” Candace made fists and bounced on her toes like a boxer.
Angie smiled at Candace’s playful threat. “Trust me, I would never. I think she’s got an amazing talent.”
“I agree.” Candace’s eyes lit up. “Come to think of it, the fine arts editor at my company would flip over some of these. Mind if I show her?”
“Oh, come on,” Elle said, shaking her head. Any time too much attention was paid to her photos, like right now, she started to feel itchy all over, or like she was having that dream where you show up to class in your underwear. “Nobody’s going to care about some pictures from an unknown amateur.”
“These aren’t just pictures,” Candace argued as Angie nodded her agreement. “They tell a story of small-town resilience and the American spirit.”
“Whatever.” Elle rolled her eyes, certain her friend had lost her mind. “Next, you’re going to be going on about following my dreams again.”
“Is being a photographer your dream?” Angie asked, her brow furrowed in a way that made Elle want to smooth away the lines.
“Only according to Candace,” Elle assured her. “She thinks I’m too practical.”
“That’s because you are. Will you at least send me some of the files so I can share them with my coworker?” Candace pleaded. “If she ends up wanting to use any of your work, I could get a bonus.”
Elle laughed. “Now there’s the old Evil Empire Candace I know and love.”
“If she won’t send you some photos, I will,” Angie promised before turning to Elle. “I think it’s time to start the presentation.”
“Right.” Elle tried swallowing, but her throat was dryer than the sand in the middle of a desert.
Taking a deep breath, she moved to the center of the space, where dozens of business owners and local artisans were seated in folding chairs. “Hello, everyone. Thank you for coming tonight.”
In the back of the room, Angie pantomimed unbuttoning her top button to show off more cleavage, and it took all of Elle’s concentration not to burst out laughing.
Elle tried to refocus her attention. “Please ignore the ladders, tarps, and paint cans you might see here and there. I’ve been assured the work will be done by next week.”
“It looks fantastic, Elle.” The mayor gave her two enthusiastic thumbs-ups.
“Thank you, Ned. We couldn’t have done this without you. As you know from the proposals we sent you, we are looking for at least thirty businesses or craftspeople to partner with us in a cooperative we’re calling Deerfield Marketplace.” She went on to explain the highlights of the plan, ending with, “During the off season, we’ll be open on the weekends, but once summer and fall roll around, we’d like to be open seven days a week. Does anyone have questions?”
Rachel raised a hand in the air.
“Yes?”
“Why not longer hours during the holidays? I need more space to sell my pies.”
“Yeah, and in the winter,” Yasmin piped up. “I want to sell my scarves and sweaters to the skiers.”
“We can work out those details together,” Elle assured them, overwhelmed by the enthusiasm everyone was showing. “This entire project is to benefit not only Deerfield as a community but all the surrounding businesses.”
“How flexible are the terms? Say I only want to serve food six months a year,” the Taco Dude asked. “You can’t keep a man inside during festival season.”
There was laughter in the crowd, and Elle broke into a broad smile.
“Yes, we can be flexible.”
Elle continued hitting all the points from her presentation, noticing a lot of head nodding and smiles. Her heart soared.
Was this really going to come together?
Before she knew it, she was done talking and directed anyone interested in participating to the sign-up table, where George and Shirley sat. Elle tried to catch Candace to see what she’d thought of the presentation, but she spotted her friend chatting up Rachel again and knew it was pointless.
As Elle was walking toward the sign-up table, the Taco Dude caught up with her, his easy stride keeping up with her quick steps.
“This is fantastic,” he said. “Simply fantastic. I’ve needed to make this a year-round gig, and you’re making it happen.”
“Aw, thanks—” Elle stopped as she tried in vain to think of the man’s name. “I’m sorry, I only know you as the Taco Dude.”
“You and the rest of the town. I’m John.” The man was clearly of Latino heritage so Elle couldn’t help but be surprised. “I know, I know. When my parents had their first kid born in Vermont, they figured I’d fit in more with an American name.”
“I think Taco Dude suits you,” Elle told him.
John smiled, seeming reassured. “You’re sure about the six months?”
“Absolutely.” Elle suppressed a cheer when John, or rather Taco Dude, headed to the sign-up table.
“Hello, again,” said a gray-haired woman in a flowing skirt and silver rings on each of her fingers. It took Elle a moment to realize she’d seen the woman before.
“You’re the teacup lady!” Elle was going to have to become much better at remembering names than she had been in Boston. You never knew when familiar faces would pop up again in a small town.
“It’s Flo. And I have good news. I found that teacup to complete your set. I can bring it by next week.”
It took Elle a moment to process what Flo was saying, but once she did, she was overcome with emotion at the thought of presenting it to Angie. “You really found it? How much do you want for it? I’ve got cash with me.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it. Consider it my way of thanking you for everything you’re doing for the town. You’re a hero.” Flo gave Elle’s hand a squeeze before making her way over to George and Shirley.
“She’s right.” Once again Angie was by Elle’s side, causing a moment of panic as Elle tried to figure out how much of that exchange Angie had heard.
“Will you stop sneaking up on me? You’re going to give me a heart attack one of these days,” Elle said, playfully punching Angie’s arm.
Angie laughed. “Sorry, I just can’t help it. It’s my job to stick close so I can keep you safe.”
“From what exactly?” Elle asked, raising an eyebrow. “Jewelry makers and the knitting club?”
“You have a knack for getting into trouble,” Angie teased. “And for being a fantastic business consultant. We’re almost fully booked.”
“No way!”
“Seriously, Elle. You’re making a difference in this town. People are noticing, and they appreciate it.”
Warmth spread through Elle’s chest at Angie’s words. She hadn’t realized how much she had missed that feeling of making a difference. In Boston, everything had been about making money and climbing the corporate ladder. But here, in this small town, she had found a purpose that went beyond her own personal gain.
“You know, I don’t think I’ve ever felt so at home anywhere else.”
Angie grinned. “That’s because you belong here.”
“Maybe you’re right. I never thought I’d find myself living in a small town, but now I can’t imagine being anywhere else.”
As she thought about the upcoming drive along curving mountain roads to Angie’s cabin, and Chester waiting for them to give him treats and pat his head when they got home, Elle realized just how much she loved this place and the people in it.
