grinned. “Sounds like a plan, then. I’ll tell Liz to throw my hat into the ring.”
As Emma went about her day at Sweet Nothings, a thought occurred to her—one that left her feeling decidedly unsettled. Was she anxious to get close to the Grangers and possibly pick up some clues, or was she in reality dissatisfied with her current life, as her mother had suggested?
• • •
LATER that afternoon, the door to Sweet Nothings opened and Priscilla stood on their doorstep. “I’ve come to see what you’ve done with the shop.”
Emma was surprised to find herself feeling nervous. She very much wanted her mother to like what they’d accomplished with the store.
Arabella bustled over to Priscilla and took her by the arm. “Come on in and look around. What do you think?” She waved a hand around the interior. “Quite a change, isn’t it?”
Priscilla walked over to the wall of cabinets and ran her hand down the glossy white finish. “These are beautiful.” She opened one of the doors. “And so clever. You can hang the longer gowns, and they won’t wrinkle.” She turned to Emma. “Was this your idea?”
Emma nodded.
“Brilliant.”
Emma felt a sense of warmth wash over her.
Priscilla trailed her fingers along the row of colored silk and satin gowns. “Such beautiful things.” She gave a smile that Emma thought was almost impish. “I might have to do some shopping while I’m here.”
She closed the cabinet door and went over to one of the two distressed shabby chic armoires Emma had ordered. “These, too, are terribly clever. They’re perfect for the space.” She looked around. “And the lovely pink paint makes me feel as if I’m on the inside of a fancy chocolate box.” She turned to Arabella. “Was it hard to let go of the old things?”
“No, not once Emma described her plans to me. I was ridiculously sentimental about the décor for way too long as it was. That pea green shag rug . . .” She shuddered. “And Emma encouraged me to include the vintage items I’d been collecting along with some new stock.”
“It gives a unique twist to the shop,” Priscilla said approvingly. “Something the chain stores don’t have.” She glanced around again. “It’s lovely. Just lovely. Hard to believe it’s the same place. You did a wonderful job.” She smiled at Emma.
“Brian helped,” Emma said. “He did all the carpentry and painting.”
“He’s a very talented young man.”
Emma felt a frisson of pride.
“It’s just too bad,” Priscilla added, “that he’s wasting his time in this tiny little town.”
Arabella rolled her eyes behind Priscilla’s back.
“I’ll be off then.” Priscilla waved good-bye as she headed out the door. “Lucy invited me to her shop for a cup of coffee and some pastries.”
It was later that same afternoon when Liz called. Emma could tell by the excitement in her voice that she had good news.
“I talked to Jackson Granger, and Hugh’s partner, Tom Roberts. They’d love to chat with you about the part-time position. They seemed quite keen. Relieved, actually.”
“That’s wonderful.” Emma sank into Arabella’s desk chair in the stockroom and eased off her shoes. They’d been run off their feet all morning—a group of women from the local Newcomer’s Club in Memphis had made a special trip to the store, and the ladies had been enchanted with Sweet Nothings. The cash register had been ringing all morning, and the group had departed with plenty of black-and-white Sweet Nothings bags swinging from their arms.
“They wondered if you could stop by around five o’clock tonight for an interview? I know it’s short notice, but I think it’s just a formality.”
Emma glanced at her watch. It was almost four o’clock. Things in the shop had died down, and she ought to be able to sneak upstairs to freshen up. She was quite sure Arabella would watch Bette while she was gone.
“Tell them I’ll be there,” Emma said. “And
As Emma went about her day at Sweet Nothings, a thought occurred to her—one that left her feeling decidedly unsettled. Was she anxious to get close to the Grangers and possibly pick up some clues, or was she in reality dissatisfied with her current life, as her mother had suggested?
• • •
LATER that afternoon, the door to Sweet Nothings opened and Priscilla stood on their doorstep. “I’ve come to see what you’ve done with the shop.”
Emma was surprised to find herself feeling nervous. She very much wanted her mother to like what they’d accomplished with the store.
Arabella bustled over to Priscilla and took her by the arm. “Come on in and look around. What do you think?” She waved a hand around the interior. “Quite a change, isn’t it?”
Priscilla walked over to the wall of cabinets and ran her hand down the glossy white finish. “These are beautiful.” She opened one of the doors. “And so clever. You can hang the longer gowns, and they won’t wrinkle.” She turned to Emma. “Was this your idea?”
Emma nodded.
“Brilliant.”
Emma felt a sense of warmth wash over her.
Priscilla trailed her fingers along the row of colored silk and satin gowns. “Such beautiful things.” She gave a smile that Emma thought was almost impish. “I might have to do some shopping while I’m here.”
She closed the cabinet door and went over to one of the two distressed shabby chic armoires Emma had ordered. “These, too, are terribly clever. They’re perfect for the space.” She looked around. “And the lovely pink paint makes me feel as if I’m on the inside of a fancy chocolate box.” She turned to Arabella. “Was it hard to let go of the old things?”
“No, not once Emma described her plans to me. I was ridiculously sentimental about the décor for way too long as it was. That pea green shag rug . . .” She shuddered. “And Emma encouraged me to include the vintage items I’d been collecting along with some new stock.”
“It gives a unique twist to the shop,” Priscilla said approvingly. “Something the chain stores don’t have.” She glanced around again. “It’s lovely. Just lovely. Hard to believe it’s the same place. You did a wonderful job.” She smiled at Emma.
“Brian helped,” Emma said. “He did all the carpentry and painting.”
“He’s a very talented young man.”
Emma felt a frisson of pride.
“It’s just too bad,” Priscilla added, “that he’s wasting his time in this tiny little town.”
Arabella rolled her eyes behind Priscilla’s back.
“I’ll be off then.” Priscilla waved good-bye as she headed out the door. “Lucy invited me to her shop for a cup of coffee and some pastries.”
It was later that same afternoon when Liz called. Emma could tell by the excitement in her voice that she had good news.
“I talked to Jackson Granger, and Hugh’s partner, Tom Roberts. They’d love to chat with you about the part-time position. They seemed quite keen. Relieved, actually.”
“That’s wonderful.” Emma sank into Arabella’s desk chair in the stockroom and eased off her shoes. They’d been run off their feet all morning—a group of women from the local Newcomer’s Club in Memphis had made a special trip to the store, and the ladies had been enchanted with Sweet Nothings. The cash register had been ringing all morning, and the group had departed with plenty of black-and-white Sweet Nothings bags swinging from their arms.
“They wondered if you could stop by around five o’clock tonight for an interview? I know it’s short notice, but I think it’s just a formality.”
Emma glanced at her watch. It was almost four o’clock. Things in the shop had died down, and she ought to be able to sneak upstairs to freshen up. She was quite sure Arabella would watch Bette while she was gone.
“Tell them I’ll be there,” Emma said. “And
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