Sickness and sadness overcame Timber as tears streamed down her face. She jumped out of bed and ran downstairs to her office to scan the letter and email it to her attorney, just to weigh her options and see if he had any ideas or advice on how she could remain in the space. She then emailed the letter to her real estate agent Sue as well in hopes that she may have some inside information on the sale of the property and the potential buyer.
As Timber hit the “Send” button, the thought of buying the property herself came to mind, but she knew that she couldn’t afford it. And by the time she tried to look for investors to partner with her on purchasing the building, it would probably be too late, and the gallery owner would have already snapped it up.
Timber walked back upstairs and slid into bed slowly, still in shock from the letter. She thought about calling Eva or Brian. But she decided against it, not wanting to burden them with the awful news just yet. She would wait to hear back from her attorney and Sue in hopes that they’d come up with some sort of master plan that would enable her to stay in her amazing space. If they didn’t, Timber had no idea what she would do; especially after she’d put so much blood, sweat and tears into making Soothing Bliss absolutely perfect.
And then, right before an exhausted and emotionally drained Timber closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep, she look a moment to just feel sorry for herself. All of the unexpected bumps in the road that she encountered were becoming more and more painful. From her disastrous work experience at Boris Pharmaceuticals to her heart-wrenching breakup with Brian to her devastating breakup with Alex, Timber had undoubtedly been through her fair share of struggles. But the one thing that she always had to fall back on was Soothing Bliss.
And now, just as business was booming thanks to her expansion into the space of her dreams, it appeared as though she was going to have to relocate. And unless she could find a property that rivaled her current location, Timber would be forced to move Soothing Bliss back into her basement and close the day spa altogether. The mere thought of it all was unconceivable. She wondered just how many more heartaches she could withstand, because right now Timber felt as though if this one didn’t work out, she may very well not recover from it.
Chapter Thirty-One
The next morning, Timber was sitting in her office at Soothing Bliss, watching as Anne and the rest of the staff frantically opened the boxes that had just been delivered. The season of Christmas was upon them, and it was Timber’s favorite time of the year. She and the staff had been so excited to receive all of the decorations that they’d ordered and display them around the store. Celebrating Christmas at Soothing Bliss for the first time together was really special for all of them, and they had already made plenty of plans to host holiday events throughout the season as well as a big party for their clients.
“Timber!” Anne said, shuffling back to her office excitedly carrying a gold glitter-coated reindeer in one hand and an overstuffed Santa Claus in the other. “Aren’t these adorable? Come on out here and take a look at the rest of the decorations. They’re beautiful! Those inventory reports of yours can wait. Plus we just had Holly deliver some of her freshly-made hot apple cider and delicious cinnamon scones.”
“That sounds wonderful,” Timber said, forcing herself to smile through her sadness. Seeing everyone so happy and ready to pour even more effort into the Soothing Bliss store was all the more difficult for her to watch. “I just need to check a couple of emails, then I’ll be out.”
“Okay, hurry up before all the goodies are gone!” Anne said before walking out and rejoining the rest of the staff.
Timber sighed deeply and turned to her computer to see whether her attorney or Sue had emailed her back. When she opened her inbox, she saw that she’d received messages from the both of them. She opened the one from her attorney first. In the message, he told her that he would definitely look into the sale of the property for her, and do some research on the potential buyer. He also said that he’d search for some sort of loophole that could stall or maybe even prevent the sale, which would be contingent upon how the buyer intended to make use of the space. But he warned Timber that they would be working on borrowed time, so if she was at all interested in purchasing the property herself, she would need to start pulling together her resources and investors immediately.
Feeling somewhat discouraged, Timber moved on to Sue’s message. Just as she’d thought, Sue had some inside information on the potential buyer. He was a very rich, successful art curator who was looking to open his own gallery in an effort to showcase some of the most unique conceptual artists in the country. In an effort to stand out amongst the already overcrowded art gallery scene, the curator planned to feature the wildest, most flamboyant risk-takers in the art world. His main goal was to draw huge crowds and make tons of money. Art installations that included water and fire stunts, fireworks displays and even human aerial tricks would be the norm.
Sue ended the email with the worst news of all, which was that the potential buyer was planning to pay cash for the property in an effort to speed up the closing process. So that meant Timber had even less time to figure out a way to stay in the space.
Timber closed her eyes and held her head in her hands, feeling more and more frustrated by the minute. Not only did it seem as though the cards were stacked against her, but this art gallery went against everything that Archdale was about. It sounded more like a gimmicky money grab than a beneficial cultural addition to the community. She took a deep breath and responded to Sue’s message, thanking her for the information and asking if she could start the search for another space, just in case. Timber knew that her current location would be a tough act to follow, but at this point, it didn’t appear as though she had any other choice. Then she forwarded Sue’s message on to her attorney in hopes that the additional information on the potential buyer would help in his search for a loophole.
After that, Timber stood up, put on a happy face and headed into the store. She looked around and already felt her mood lift as she saw wreaths hanging from the walls and stockings lining the shelves. Garland lined the doorways and railings, and their huge live Christmas tree was already standing tall in the front of the store. As it sparkled with bright yellow lights, Anne stood on a ladder and placed the most beautiful crystal star that Timber had ever seen on the top of the tree.
“Anne,” Timber breathed, unable to take her eyes off of the stunning adornment, “That is gorgeous. We didn’t order that, did we? I don’t remember seeing it.”
“No, I brought this from home. This star has been passed down in my family for generations, and it’s been in my possession for the past three years. It means so much to me. And last year, after my husband died right before Christmas, I remember looking up at it and making a wish that during my next phase in life, I would have the courage to step out and pursue some sort of new endeavor. I hoped to be accepted into a warm and welcoming environment, where I would serve some sort of purpose. And then, not long after that, you hired me to come work for Soothing Bliss and my wish was granted. So I figured that this year, the star that brought me here should be put right in the midst of our staff and all the holiday cheer.”
Timber blinked back tears as she smiled up at Anne. “That is such a beautiful story. Thank you for sharing it and for feeling as though we’re deserving enough to have something so special here amongst us. And I’m glad that Soothing Bliss was able to answer your wish. Having you here has meant just as much to us as it has to you.”
“Thank you,” Anne said sincerely, she too looking as though she was fighting back tears.
Timber’s sales associate Sarah handed her a cup of cider and a scone. She happily took them and decided that for the time being, she would stop worrying about the sale of the building and instead focus on all of the goodness and cheer that was around her. Anne mentioning her husband passing was a reminder that things could always be worse, and in spite of the obvious, Timber knew that she still had so much to be grateful
for.
Once she’d drained her cup and took the last bite of her scone, Timber opened a box of gingerbread-scented candles and began placing them throughout the store. When that was done, she opened a box of frosted miniature Christmas trees covered in colorful ornaments and scanned the store for the best places to put them. As she looked around, her eyes fell upon that beautiful crystal star. Timber felt mesmerized by it and could have sworn that she saw it twinkling back at her.
Remembering Anne’s magical story behind the star, Timber decided to go out on a limb. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and made a Christmas wish. Then she went back to work in helping to decorate the store, feeling as though her wish probably wouldn’t be granted but knowing it was worth a try.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Later that evening Timber was at home, relaxing on the couch and talking to Eva. She’d finally broken down and told her about the possible sale of the building, and Eva was doing everything in her power to console Timber.
“There has to be something that we can do, Timmy,” Eva insisted for the hundredth time. “Have you heard anything new from your attorney or Sue?”
“No, not yet. My attorney is still busy looking for some sort of loophole, and Sue has started the search for a new location. As much as I don’t want to, I’m moving forward as if the building has already been purchased. I have to be ready, because the last thing I want to do is move the company back to my basement and close the spa.”
“I can understand that,” Eva said quietly. “But that current location is going to be a hard act to follow. Not to rub it in or anything,” she added quickly.
“I know. That goes without saying.” Timber sighed.
“On another note,” Eva said, her voice suddenly perking up, “We have a fantastic weekend planned. I’ll be coming to town to attend your first holiday event and my father’s Christmas party at the restaurant. You’re still coming to that, aren’t you?”
“I am,” Timber said hesitantly. “Do you think his girlfriend will be there?”
“Probably,” Eva replied begrudgingly. “I just can’t understand why they’re still together. They barely even see one another!”
“Well, I can’t speak on that, but I do know that she hasn’t been too pleased that Brian and I have reconnected and get together on occasion.”
“That’s because she knows my father is still in love with you.”
“Eva, come on, don’t start with that. We’re just friends, and I honestly think we’re better off that way. There’s no pressure for either of us to be who we aren’t for one another. We just accept each other for who we are, and that seems to be working out just fine for us.”
“Yeah, okay,” Eva said sarcastically, “Somehow I’m not convinced of that, but I’ll take your word for it.”
“You’re still going with me to help pick out a Christmas tree for my house, aren’t you?” Timber asked, anxious to change the subject. Because between the possible closing of the Soothing Bliss store and the fact that Brian was still in a relationship, the last thing on her mind was getting back together with him.
“Of course! I wouldn’t miss Christmas tree picking with you for anything. It’s our yearly tradition, plus considering I’m the Christmas tree whisperer, there’s no way you could complete that mission without me.”
“Oh, is that what you are now?” Timber laughed.
“Twelve years and counting! Plus, Cameron went out and bought my Christmas tree without me. And as mad as I wanted to be at him, I just couldn’t be, because he chose the most beautiful Douglas fir that I have ever seen.”
“Aww, how sweet. I’m so glad that things are still going strong between you two,” Timber said, genuinely happy for her best friend in spite of her own single status. This year would mark the first Christmas that she would be spending alone, without a beau, in years. That on top of the fact that she may lose her store space was almost too much to bear. But before she could even start to wallow in that fact, Timber stuck to the promise that she’d made to focus on the positive and quickly forced those thoughts out of her mind.
“Things really have been going great between Cameron and me,” Eva gushed. “And I really do think that he may be, dare I say it, the one.”
“What?” Timber exclaimed, practically falling off the couch. “Those are two words that I never thought I would hear you say.”
“Well, things change I guess. Cameron has been so loving and supportive of everything I’ve done as well as the things I want to do. I’ve been thinking more of opening my own public relations firm, and I’m planning to make the leap after the New Year. I think that you and my dad’s entrepreneurial tenacity has really rubbed off on me. And Cameron has been my biggest cheerleader throughout my decision-making process.”
“That is fantastic news, Eva. I definitely think you should. You’re so good at what you do, there’s no way your company wouldn’t be a huge success. And you already know I’d be there to help you with whatever you’d need.”
“Why thank you. And I think I’ll take you up on that offer when the time comes.” Eva paused for a few moments, then continued. “So…have you told Brian about the potential sale of Soothing Bliss’s location?”
“No, I haven’t,” Timber sighed. “I just…I guess I don’t want to look like a failure in his eyes. Brian was there during the inception of Soothing Bliss, and now that it’s grown and flourished to the point that it has, I don’t want it to appear as though business is waning and that the expansion wasn’t a success.”
“Timber, you do know that it’s not your fault the building is up for sale, don’t you? That’s no reflection on your business. Soothing Bliss was a huge success before you even moved into that building. That space just enabled you to expand. And if the sale does go through, you’ll end up finding a new location where you’ll be just as successful, if not more. And as for Brian, you’ve already proven to be a great, accomplished entrepreneur in his eyes, and he couldn’t be more proud of you. Keep in mind you’re the one who inspired him to partner with Bistro 57. So, give yourself credit. You have done great things, and you will continue to do so no matter what.”
“Thank you for that,” Timber said, Eva’s kind words giving her a boost of encouragement. “Since I’m still waiting for my attorney and Sue to get back to me with an update, I’ll hold off on mentioning anything to him for now. I don’t want him getting all worried and overly concerned, plus he’s already got his hands full with teaching and the restaurant and that girlfriend of his.”
“Ooh, do I sense a hint of jealousy there?” Eva teased.
“Will you stop it!” Timber insisted, getting up and heading downstairs. “Listen, I need to go. I didn’t finish processing the payroll at the store, and I need to get it done before midnight tonight. I’ll see you tomorrow?”
“Yes you will, with jingle bells on,” Eva said.
“Are you bringing Cameron with you?”
“No, he’s flying back home to visit his family, so I’ll be traveling solo.”
“That’s okay, I’ll be your date,” Timber said, logging onto her computer and pulling up her payroll software.
“Sounds like a plan. I’ll be at the store by three o’clock for the launch of your holiday peppermint product line, then we’ll head over to Bistro 57 for the holiday party.”
“Perfect. See you then,” Timber said, hanging up the phone and turning her attention to her computer. She thought about calling Eva back to remind her not to mention the potential sale of the property to Brian, but figured she’d already made it clear enough and instead concentrated on her payroll.
Chapter Thirty-Three
The next afternoon, Timber watched as Eva came bouncing through the doors of Soothing Bliss. She hurried excitedly over to Timber and gave her a huge hug, then removed her coat. The best friends gave each other a once-over and broke into laughter. They were both dressed in festive fitted red dresses that looked almost identical.
“Great
minds,” Eva said before spinning around and looking at the store. “Timber,” she said, “This place looks like a Christmas dream. I saw all the decorations in the photos on Soothing Bliss’s website, but they didn’t do this place justice. Did you have the decorations professionally hung?”
“No, we did this all ourselves,” Timber said proudly. “And considering that the staff is just as crazy about Christmas as I am, it wasn’t difficult at all.”
Eva gasped when she looked over at the tree and her eyes landed on the crystal star. “That star is absolutely stunning. Is that ornament you were telling me Anne brought in?”
“It is. Isn’t it beautiful? Be sure to make a wish before you leave. I’m convinced that it’s magical.” Or at least Timber was hoping it was, considering she was still waiting on her wish to come true.
“I definitely will. And look at this turnout! It looks like everyone in town showed up.”
“I know,” Timber said excitedly. “And they’re all loving the new holiday collection. Anne said that we’ve practically sold out of it already!”
“That is so great, Timber. I’m so proud of what Soothing Bliss has become. And this is just the beginning. Before you know it, you’ll be opening stores all across the country!”
“Whoa, slow down,” Timber said, liking the idea but feeling overwhelmed by the mere thought. “I’m too busy just trying to keep this store open.”
“I believe that without a doubt, we are going to find a way to keep Soothing Bliss right here in this location,” Eva said confidently. “Now, please escort me over to the Christmas tree so that I can make my wish, then over to the goodies table for a cup of eggnog and a plate filled with elf cupcakes and Kris Kringle cookies,” she said.
“Follow me,” Timber smiled, leading the way over to the tree.
* * * *
A few hours later, Timber and Eva pulled into the parking lot of Bistro 57. Timber was still feeling a bit apprehensive about showing up and seeing Brian’s girlfriend again. She knew that Linda wasn’t very fond of her and Brian’s friendship, but both Brian and Eva had convinced her that she had nothing to worry about and that she was more than welcome to attend the party.
The Road To Bliss Page 21