by Marie Force
* * *
After the training ended, Amanda walked along the sidewalk to the diner where she’d cross the street to get to the store. Just as she was about to step off the curb, a gigantic moose came strolling down the center of Elm Street and stopped about five feet from her to take a good, long, measuring look at her.
Amanda held her breath, uncertain of what was happening.
“Fred is sizing you up,” a voice next to her said, startling her.
She took her eyes off the moose only long enough to glance at Hannah, who was holding baby Callie.
“Sizing me up?” Amanda said, her voice higher than usual.
“Yep. He’s deciding if he likes you for Landon.”
“What if he decides he doesn’t like me?”
“I’m not sure what’ll happen. He may try to run you off.”
Amanda whipped her head around to stare at Hannah. “Run me off? What does that entail?”
“It hasn’t happened before, so I can’t say for certain. Fred tends to approve of the people we choose for ourselves, but we can’t take that for granted.”
“And of course you know how crazy that sounds?”
Hannah shrugged. “I can’t help if I understand him at a different level than everyone else does.”
“So what’s the secret to getting across the street?”
“You wait until he’s ready to move. Or you go around him. Seeing as how you’re still nursing that ankle, I’d wait in case he decides to give chase.”
“Give chase,” Amanda said. “Lovely.”
“Usually, he is, but as my husband and family like to remind me, he is a wild animal, so you have to prepare for the unexpected.”
“I’ll just wait for him to move along, then, I guess.”
“Good call.”
After a full minute passed in which the gigantic moose didn’t blink as he continued to stare at Amanda, Hannah stepped off the curb and approached him.
“Nothing to see here, Fred. Move along.”
A male voice came from behind them. “No, Hannah. Get my daughter away from that moose. Right now.”
“Daddy is always spoiling our fun,” Hannah said to Callie, but she returned to the sidewalk as Nolan joined them.
“Come see Daddy, angel.”
Hannah transferred the baby to her father. “Don’t get her dirty.”
“I’d rather get her dirty than eaten by a moose.”
“He is not going to eat her. He loves her.”
Amanda wondered if they considered this conversation “normal.”
“Fred!” Hannah’s sharp command shifted the moose’s attention to her, which was a relief to Amanda. That stare was intimidating.
“Let Amanda cross the street. We like her. It’s all good.”
Fred let out a loud moo that made Amanda nearly jump out of her skin and took a step forward. And then another.
She let go of the breath she’d been holding as she watched him walk away, slowly, as if he was in no particular rush.
“I think you passed the test,” Hannah said.
“Well, that’s a relief.”
“My wife is stark raving nuts, in case you were wondering,” Nolan said.
“But he loves me anyway,” Hannah retorted, making a face at him.
“Someone’s gotta.”
They were too adorable for words, Amanda decided. “Thanks for helping me get his approval. I’m sure it was much more about you than me.”
“He does tend to follow my lead,” Hannah said in all seriousness. “Were you headed to the store?”
“I was. I’m hoping to find your dad there.”
“Callie and I just saw him in his office.”
“Thanks. I’ll see you later.”
Hannah waved Callie’s hand for her. “Say bye-bye to Auntie Amanda.”
“Bye, Callie,” Amanda said, touched to be given auntie status. Looking both ways for cars—and recalcitrant moose—Amanda crossed the street to the store, taking pains not to look at the blackened hulk of what remained of the inn next door. The place was crawling with workers cleaning up the debris.
She entered through the main doors and immediately felt calmer and more centered. The Green Mountain Country Store was one of the most magical places she’d ever been.
It would be hard to capture the essence of the place in mere words, but she looked forward to the challenge of using the personal experiences of people connected to the store to tell its story. She wandered through the toy department, past the household goods and the apothecary on her way upstairs to the offices, all the while wishing she had time to linger. The store drew her in like nowhere she’d ever been, and the thought of working there excited her.
Emma was eating lunch at her desk when Amanda walked into the reception area. “Hi there. How was the training?”
“It went very well.”
“I give you credit,” Emma said, flushing. “I’m not sure I could cover that topic with that audience.”
“Eh, I’m used to it. If you’ve seen one sex toy, you’ve seen them all.”
Emma laughed. “If you say so.”
“Is Linc available by any chance?”
“Sure. He’s in his office.”
“Thanks.”
“How’s the ankle?”
“Much better, thank goodness.”
“Glad to hear it.”
Amanda had started to walk away when she recalled that Emma had a daughter. “Your daughter…”
“What about her?”
“How old is she?”
“Just turned eleven. Why?”
“I’m not sure if you’ve heard, but at some point, my twelve-year-old daughter will be coming to live with me.”
“I did hear about that, and I’m happy for you even if the circumstances are tragic.”
“I know. I’ve been trying to keep that in mind as I think about having her with me. Maybe when Stella comes, we could get the girls together. She’ll need all the friends she can get.”
“I’d love that, and Simone would, too.”
“Great. Thank you.”
“Good luck with it all. If you need someone to talk to who understands girls that age, I’m right here.”
“I’ll absolutely take you up on that. Thank you.”
“Sure.”
Hunter came out of his office. “I thought I heard you. I wanted to tell you I found that keyboard we talked about. Would you like me to order it for you?”
“That’d be great. Can I give you my credit card?”
“I’ll order it through the store account and get you a good discount. You can pay for it when it arrives, if that works.”
“It does. Thank you so much. I can’t wait to be able to practice.”
“I’ll call you at Landon’s when it comes in.”
“Perfect. Thanks again.”
“No problem.”
Amanda went to Linc’s office and knocked on the door. “Hi there.”
“Amanda, hi. Come in.” Linc stood and gestured for her to have a seat. “The training seemed to go very well this morning. You did a wonderful job.”
“Thank you. I’m glad you were pleased.”
“Very much so. You handled their concerns like the pro you are.”
“It takes a minute, but once they realize these products aren’t that different from other health and wellness items, it does get easier for them to speak about them without getting embarrassed.”
“I appreciate your outstanding effort to help them see that. I think the product line will be a huge hit in our store and especially in the catalog.”
“I agree. What do you think of the idea of hiding the products in the store to make it a bit of a scavenger hunt to find them?”
“Brilliant. I talked to Wade about that, and he agrees.”
“I’ll make myself available to the sales team this week to work out any concerns or remaining issues.”
“And then what’s next for you?”
“I was hoping to discuss that with you.”
“I heard from Dani and from Landon that you’re interested in a position with our company.”
“I am. She mentioned the assistant manager job at the warehouse.”
“That’s open, but we have another thing coming up that I think might interest you even more.”
“What’s that?”
“Catalog director. Cameron and Lucy have overseen the first iteration of the catalog, but it’s going to be issued quarterly, so we’ll need fresh content and art for the cover with every new edition. With the first catalog hitting in September, we’re going to need Cam and Lucy focused on the website and e-commerce full time, which leaves us in need of someone to oversee the catalog going forward. Would that interest you?”
Amanda didn’t even have to think about it. “One hundred percent yes.”
Linc’s smile unfolded slowly across his handsome face. “You sure about that?”
They shared a laugh.
“It’s perfect. There’s nothing I’d rather do. I’ve been wanting to write more, and the kind of profiles I’ll be doing for the first catalog is the sort of thing I’m eager to do. That position would be a perfect fit for me.”
“I had a feeling you might say so.” He handed her a sheet of paper that detailed the offer, including salary and benefits.
Tears appeared out of nowhere, as they often did these days. “I’m sorry.” She accepted the tissue he handed her. “I’m sure Molly told you I’ve been an emotional disaster area since the fire.”
“She certainly didn’t put it that way.”
“Well, it’s true. I’m on emotional overload. Your son has been a saint.”
“He’s a good boy.”
“He’s a wonderful man.”
Linc nodded. “That he is.”
“Have you heard about my daughter?”
“I have.”
“At some point, she’ll be coming to live with me, and it’s important that I’m upfront with you about how she’ll be my top priority.”
“I wouldn’t expect anything different. This is a family-friendly company. I raised ten children while running this place. I never missed a game or a play or a parent-teacher conference, and I don’t expect my employees to either. We cover for each other as needed, and we put family first. Always.”
The trickle of tears became a torrent. She used the tissue to mop them up. “I’m mortified.”
Laughing, Linc got up and came around the desk to sit next to her in the other chair. “Don’t be. You’ve had a lot to deal with all at once. Anyone would be overwhelmed.”
“Your company is exactly what I need right now, and I gratefully accept your wonderful offer. I promise to work very hard for you.”
“I have no doubt that you will, and we’re thrilled to welcome you to the team—and the family.”
“Thank you so much. I promise not to be one of those people who cries at work.”
His warm smile touched her. “It’ll all be fine. I promise. My father-in-law likes to say that we usually figure out our path when we’re already on it, and I’ve found that to be very true.”
“That sounds about right. I suppose I need to get busy finding a place to live and buying sheets and towels.”
“I know just the place to get everything you need—with an employee discount.”
Chapter Twenty-One
“I plant a lot of trees. I am a great believer in planting things for future generations.”
—Penelope Keith
After leaving the store with her offer letter in hand, Amanda walked back to the Grange, where she’d parked her rental car. It was such a beautiful sunny day, and more than anything, she wanted to see Landon to share the news about her new job. But first, she had her meeting with Mildred. After that, she’d go find Landon.
Mildred lived in a tiny house on the outskirts of Butler and welcomed Amanda into her cozy home with a friendly smile. At a quick glance, you’d never know the woman was in her nineties. She had snow-white hair and lively hazel eyes. “You must be Amanda. Come in.”
“Thank you so much for seeing me, Mrs. Olsen. I really appreciate it.”
“Please, call me Mildred, and I’m delighted to have the company. Could I offer you a cup of tea or coffee?”
“Tea would be wonderful.”
“Right this way.” Amanda followed her through the living room to a galley kitchen. “Have a seat and make yourself at home.”
“Thank you.”
Mildred prepared the tea with an expert-level attention to detail, brought the delicate china pot to the table to steep and went back for teacups, cream and sugar and shortbread cookies. When everything was set up to her satisfaction, she took the other seat at the small table.
Amanda took her notebook out of her purse and stirred cream into her tea.
“You have to try the cookies,” Mildred said. “They’re from the store. Some of our most popular.”
Amanda took a bite of a cookie, and the lemony, buttery sweetness exploded on her tongue. “Oh wow. That’s good.”
“Don’t tell anyone, but I eat a box of them a week.”
“Your secret is safe with me.”
She leaned in to add, “The good thing about being ninety-two is you can eat whatever the heck you want, within reason, of course.”
“Of course,” Amanda said, delighted by her. “So tell me how you got started with the company.”
“I was eight when Elmer’s daddy hired me to sweep the floor for a dollar a week. That doesn’t sound like much these days, but at the time, it made a big difference for my family. I came every day after school to sweep, and every Saturday morning. After I finished school, I joined the bookkeeping department, and I’m still there more than eighty years later.”
Amanda took notes as Mildred spoke. “That’s an amazing accomplishment.”
“It’s been a wonderful life, to be sure. I’m the last remaining first-generation employee of the store. I’ve seen it all, I’ll tell you.”
“What’s the greatest change you’ve witnessed during your tenure?”
“The sheer volume of customers that come through our door, and with the catalog coming, I imagine that number is only going to get bigger. Our company is growing in leaps and bounds, thanks in large part to Lincoln’s leadership. He’s such a nice boy, and so very smart. Elmer will tell you he’s injected so much energy and passion into the business.”
Amused to hear Linc, who was at least sixty, referred to as a “boy,” Amanda said, “How do you feel about the changes?”
“While I’ve always loved the nostalgic atmosphere in the store and don’t think that should ever change, I understand that times change, and we have to do the same to stay relevant.”
“That’s a very evolved attitude.”
“It took me a while to come around, but Linc’s an inspirational leader. He’s committed to keeping the business moving forward. You didn’t hear this from me, but there’s even talk of a second store in Stowe.”
“Is that right?”
She nodded, her eyes twinkling over her teacup. “The kids don’t know yet.”
“That’s a big scoop.”
“Sure is. Linc, Elmer and I talked about it over lunch last week, and it sounds to me like Linc is pretty far down the road with the idea. He’s even located a space he’s interested in.”
“When will he tell the kids?” Amanda asked, intrigued by the family dynamics.
“When he has all his ducks in a row. The kids tend to be more conservative about new things. If it was up to them, there’d be no website, no catalog, no warehouse, no intimate line. They prefer to keep things the way they’ve always been, whereas Linc sees the bigger picture.”
“That’s the exact opposite of how you’d expect it to be.”
“For sure.”
“Tell me more about you. Did you grow up in Butler?”
“I did. We lived three streets over from Elm, right near where Hunter and his
Megan live now. I could walk to the store after school. I was twenty when I married my Herman, and we had fifty-two wonderful years together right here in Butler until he passed.”
“I’m so sorry for your loss.”
“Thank you, honey. It was twenty years ago now. I miss him every day, but I’ve made a nice life for myself. I’m very thankful to still have my work. Hunter keeps me very busy.”
“Can you tell me about your specific role within the company?”
“I oversee all the accounts receivable. In other words, the money coming in.”
“I see.”
“I also prepare quarterly sales reports for Hunter and give him advice on things he needs to know, such as when one of our vendors is experiencing hardship or if one of our accounts is in arrears. That kind of thing.”
“How do you feel about working for someone so much younger than you?”
“Oh, I love working with Hunter. He’s so smart and savvy. I’ve learned so much from him. He’s like a beloved grandson to me. I can’t wait to meet his little one. I’m going to spoil him or her rotten. I’ve already crocheted two blankets for the baby.”
“That’s lovely.”
“It’s been a lovely life.”
“Could I ask you something else?”
“Anything. I’m an open book.”
“You grew up in Butler, lived here your whole life. Have you ever wished you lived somewhere else?”
“Not for one second. I have everything I need right here.”
“Did you travel?”
“My Herman and I went somewhere every year for ten years straight because we thought we ought to see the world. Without fail, I’d no sooner get there than I couldn’t wait to come home. After the tenth year, I confessed to him that I didn’t want to travel anymore. You know what he said?”
“What?”
“He said, ‘Oh, thank you, Jesus. I don’t either.’”
Amanda laughed. “I love that!”
“I was so relieved! For the rest of his life, we were two homebodies who were perfectly content with our little town, our work, our friends, our home, our church and each other. We never wanted for anything more than that.” She paused and tipped her head. “Well, we wanted children, but that didn’t happen for us, so we adopted other people’s children, like Molly and her sister, Hannah. Those two girls gave me a lot of adopted grandchildren. Eighteen between them!” She patted a spiral-bound journal. “I have all their birthdays written down so I won’t forget them.”