Presley lets out a little laugh. “Not much, actually. I’m thrilled about the opportunity. But I have a few reservations I’d like to discuss with you before I commit.”
“You can talk to me about anything, Presley. Now and in the future.”
Stella’s warmth and kindness set her at ease. “My mother recently passed away, and I’m in the process of settling her estate.”
Stella touches her fingers to her lips. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t know.”
“Thank you.” Before Stella can question her further about Renee’s death, Presley continues, “Mom’s house goes on the market on Monday, but my realtor can handle the showings. At some point, I’ll need to make a trip to Nashville to clean out the house. But, until I have a contract, I won’t know when that’ll be.”
“Understood,” Stella says.” We’ll figure it out when the time comes.”
Presley takes a bite of the cream cheese pastry, closing her eyes while she savors it. “I have to stop eating like this if I’m going to be working here. I’ll gain ten pounds the first month.”
Stella laughs. “Isn’t that the truth? I stay away from the kitchen as much as possible.”
Presley adds cream to her coffee and takes a sip. “You, being from New York, should understand my hesitation in moving to a small town. I’m not convinced I’ll love Hope Springs as much as you do. But I’m willing to give it six months. If I’m not happy, I’ll turn in my notice. But I won’t leave you in a bind. I’ll stay as long as it takes to find a replacement and train him or her. I hope this is something you can live with.”
Stella doesn’t bat an eye. “I totally understand. It’s my job to make you happy, so you’ll stay. I appreciate your honesty, Presley. You’ll be a welcomed addition to the team. Now, about salary,” she says and tells Presley the amount she’s willing to pay her.
“Wow! That’s extremely generous.”
“Believe me, you’ll earn every penny,” Stella says. “When can you start?”
Presley tells her about the apartment in Everett’s building, and her plan to fly to Nashville tomorrow and drive back early in the week with her belongings. “I should be able to start on Tuesday, Wednesday at the latest.”
“That would be outstanding.” Stella is visibly relieved, as though hiring an event planner had been weighing heavily on her. “We have plenty of rooms available next week if you need a place to stay while you make this transition.”
“Thanks. I’ll keep that in mind. But I should be fine.” Presley pops the rest of the cinnamon roll into her mouth. “You mentioned hosting a party for the townspeople. If you’re serious about it, we should plan something for the last weekend of October or the first weekend in November. Any later and we’ll be getting close to Thanksgiving. How do you feel about a Sunday afternoon event? After the weekend guests check out.”
Presley can see the wheels spinning in Stella’s head as she thinks about it. “I love the way you dive right in. But are you sure it’s not too much for you, with moving and starting a new job?”
“I’m positive. In my opinion, we should make this party a priority.”
“I agree wholeheartedly.” Stella leans forward in her chair. “I say we go for it. I’ll talk to Cecily and Naomi about which date works best. When you get back from Nashville, we’ll set up a meeting. In addition to this party, we need to start planning for the holidays and working with the brides on their wedding plans for next summer.” She uncrosses her legs and gets to her feet. “In the meantime, go enjoy what’s left of your weekend. This might be the most relaxation you have for a while.”
Presley stands to face her. “No relaxation for me. I’m on my way to see a man about an apartment.” They cross the room together. When they reach the door, Presley turns to her. “Thank you for this opportunity, Stella. I promise to give this job a hundred percent.”
Stella smiles warmly at her. “I have faith that you will.”
Presley nearly skips down the hall to Billy’s Bar. Her new job is a solid gig. The work excites her, and the salary is way more than she expected. Although she’s not ready to give up her cell phone, she’ll borrow from Everett’s playbook and use her time in Hope Springs as a hiatus from the real world. Who knows? She might enjoy small-town living. If nothing else, she’ll figure out what she wants to do with the rest of her life.
When she enters the bar, Everett looks up from tallying credit card receipts. “You took the job!”
She slides onto a barstool. “How can you tell?”
“It’s written all over your face.” He stuffs cash and credit card receipts into a bank bag and zips it up.
Presley notices Everett’s damp hair and shirt clinging to his broad shoulders. “Oh shoot! I forgot to give you back your raincoat last night. I left it in my room. I’ll bring it down later. You didn’t walk to work this morning, did you?”
He combs fingers through wet hair. “I always walk, rain or shine.”
She offers a guilty smile. “I’m sorry.”
He shrugs. “What are friends for?”
Presley thinks back to their kiss last night. She must forget about his sexy lips on hers if they’re going to just be friends.
She looks through the lounge to the windows. “I’m glad I don’t have to go to a football game in this weather.”
“Right! We’re gearing up for a busy afternoon. I imagine a lot of parents will bail on their tailgate plans.” He hands Presley a slip of notepaper with a phone number and the name Ruben Sanders scrawled in messy handwriting. “In case you’re still interested in the apartment.”
“I’m definitely interested.” She unlocks her phone screen. “It’s almost ten o’clock. Is it too early to call him now?”
“Go for it. I’ve seen no
