Twelve
“So here’s what I see.” Jared pushed a piece of graph paper across the table at her. “You need to set yourself apart from the crowd.”
The dinner plates had been cleared, and the strawberry tartlets she’d made for dessert sat in the center of the table along with the unopened bottle of wine Jared had brought.
“You need to come up with a distinct look that people will identify with you when they come into the store. You need to organize your collection and present it in a way that not only draws the customer in but makes it clear this isn’t your grandfather’s store.”
Over dinner, they’d discussed the town, the economy, gas prices—anything but the shop. She’d begun to wonder if Jared had an actual plan, though she had to admit she’d enjoyed simply talking to the man. Articulate guys with a wry sense of humor completely did it for her.
And one glance at Jared made her hotter than hell. No other way to put it.
He’d pulled a sheet of paper from the breast pocket of the crisp white shirt he wore, unfolded it, and laid it on the table between them.
It looked like a floor plan for her shop but it was divided into distinct sections.
“Okay, that makes sense,” she said. “But I don’t think I understand your floor plan.”
He tapped his long fingers on the paper, and her mouth dried as she remembered exactly what those fingers could do to her body. “I did some browsing up and down the strip today and, with the exception of one shop, none of the stores were shopper friendly. Frankly, they’re a mess. They’re cramped and hard to navigate. The lighting sucks. Small pieces are stuffed inside big pieces, paintings sit on the floor, the display cases are filled to overflowing. You don’t get a real sense of each piece. It’s just a huge jumble.”
Intrigued, she tore her gaze away from his fingers and into his eyes, so blue she swore they sparkled even in the dim light. “And your answer to that would be…”
“Rooms.”
She frowned. “You want me to put up walls in the shop, chop it up into smaller spaces?”
Shaking his head, he pointed to the floor plan, but she couldn’t take her eyes off him. “No, I want you to create individual spaces without the walls. You have beautiful pieces, Belle, but you need to display them in a more coherent setting. Put the beds together, put a mattress on them, and dress them. Let people see each grouping as it might look in their house.”
The man was absolutely gorgeous when he got passionate about something, she realized. Of course, he didn’t need much help but add in his enthusiasm and she needed a fan and new panties.
He seemed to have put a lot of thought into his ideas, which she was beginning to visualize.
“You’ve got lots of dishware but they’re all stuck in boxes with one or two pieces on display,” he continued. “Bring it out, set the tables. You’re going to have to outlay some cash for linens and mattresses, maybe some rugs, but it shouldn’t be enough to break you.”
Yes, she saw exactly what he was talking about now. Still, there were some drawbacks. “What about the artwork?”
“Expand the gallery. Break into the back room you use for storage and combine the spaces. Do you have somewhere else you can use for storage?”
A true art gallery. She’d wanted one for years but had never wanted to ask Granddad for the space. He’d been much more interested in furniture and he’d already given her one room for her erotic collection. And though he’d encouraged her to develop her own tastes, there just hadn’t been enough room for her art.
She nodded slowly. “Actually, I do. I can use the basement for storage. Granddad had a climate-control system put in when we first renovated the building, but it was a hassle getting the big pieces up and down. He’d used it as a workshop for a while, but not recently.”
“Then make it easier to access with an outside entrance and a ramp. You could back the truck right up to it and transfer the furniture directly into the basement. Or you might want to build another room off the back. You have the space on the lot. I checked in at the borough offices today and made sure.”
Sinking back into the chair, she couldn’t believe he’d gone to so much trouble for her. “I don’t know what to say, Jared. It sounds…wonderful.”
He sat back as well and grinned at her. “Hey, I told you I was good.”
And he knew it, too. But that confidence only added to his appeal. She returned his smile even as she shook her head. “I never had much interest in the business end of the shop. I’d rather be on the hunt for new material, though Granddad made sure I knew everything I needed to know to take over.”
Jared refilled her wineglass and his then reached for a tartlet. “Tyler takes care of most of the business. I’m the idea guy. I think them up and implement them. Tyler finds the money to pay for it.”
“Like the spa.” She swallowed as he bit into the sweet. “I, ah, did some preliminary searches for furniture and found a few things I’d like you to look at.”
He nodded, leaning farther back into the chair. “I set up a meeting with a local real estate agent for tomorrow morning to see if there are any properties in the area that might be suitable. You can show me the furniture tomorrow afternoon.”
“And you really think this area will sustain the kind of business you’re proposing?”
“I’m not looking for area residents to sustain it. I mean, I’ll be glad if they come but I’m looking for this to be a destination. A place to get away from the fast pace of the big city. More like a resort.”
Annabelle shook her head. “In Nowhere, Pennsylvania?”
“That will be part of the appeal. Middle of nowhere, no sirens, no helicopters. The spa will be all inclusive. The restaurant will be open to the public and so will the shops.”
“What kind of shops?”
“Nothing extensive. Boutiques. Clothing, accessories, makeup.”
“Lingerie?”
Jared’s brows lifted. “Interesting. Why?”
“Kate designs some of the most beautiful lingerie I’ve ever seen. And some of the most exotic.” She was wearing one of Kate’s creations now. She’d worn it with the plan of showing it to him later. “She’s never said anything about selling her designs but it was just a thought.”
“And it’s a good one. Have you given any more thought to the rooms? How to decorate them?”
Truthfully, not much because she’d spent most of her time thinking about him. “You said something about making it a sensualist’s dream yesterday and that sparked some ideas. I’ve been thinking about themed rooms, possibly picking a piece of art for each room and building the theme around it.”
And now that she was thinking about it, she couldn’t stop. “Actually, let’s go downstairs so I can show you a few ideas.”
Jared watched Belle’s gaze go unfocused as she stared at a spot just above his right shoulder.
He recognized that look. Tyler got that look when he had an idea he was chewing over. Usually a good idea.
Belle had completely dismissed him, her thoughts turned inward, as she rose from the table and headed for the stairs to the first floor. He followed along, curious to see what she wanted to show him. And he was completely enjoying the sway of her hips encased in tight jeans and the brush of her flame-colored hair against her purple sweater.
Though she wasn’t wearing anything overtly sexy, the jeans and sweater hugged every luscious curve and made him lust for what he couldn’t see.
In the shop, she flipped a switch and the lights in her erotic gallery cut through the dark. His cock gave a twitch as he remembered what they’d done the last time they were in there.
He followed more slowly and when he reached the gallery, she stood with her hands on her hips in front of a display case of shunga prints from the 1700s.