Wildest Dreams (Thunder Point #9)(28)

“I’m up to my elbows in flowers so why don’t you just take the key and go upstairs. Look around. You’ll see I left a lot behind when I moved out—Winnie’s kitchen is much better stocked so whatever is in my little kitchen can be used or packed up and stored. There are extra linens, too. It’s tiny, Lin Su. But the sofa pulls out.” Grace handed her a key. “I’m afraid the back stairs is the only entrance but at least there’s parking. And I’d be happy to give you a flower shop key so you can go through the shop if you want to enter from the front of the building.”

“Thank you. I’ll only be a minute.”

Lin Su let herself into the loft and just stood inside the door for a moment. It was, as she expected, beautiful. Yes, it was very small, but not much smaller than the trailer, which she had hated so much. Yet this space was furnished richly. There was a dark wood wall unit of cupboards and shelves that held a large flat-screen TV. The sectional was soft leather, the two accent tables were dark wood. No cheap blinds in Grace’s loft—the only window had custom wooden shutters. The little kitchen was perfectly functional—small refrigerator, two-burner stove top, microwave, sink and a table that could seat two comfortably. There was no oven.

The loft was long, divided in two. One half was the small kitchen and living room. An arch separated it from the other half, which was a bedroom and bath. Between the sections was a closet on one side and a little stacked washer and dryer plus utility closet for the vacuum cleaner, ironing board and other supplies.

She looked around the bedroom—it was very economically designed—a queen-size bed on a wooden frame, a small foldout desk, an armoire, tiny closet, two bedside chests with drawers and more drawers in the wooden platform under the mattress. She touched the wood of the headboard—again it was rich and fine. It reminded her of the home she had grown up in—the furnishings were tasteful and expensive. She sat down on the bed. The mattress was firm. When she stood again, she smoothed the comforter.

She stayed a little bit longer than she intended. She looked in the bathroom—it was large and comfortable. She sat in the living room facing the TV. She opened and closed the shutters behind the sofa. Well, there was no question about it—she would love to live in such a place. She’d lived in larger homes and apartments, but they were invariably in poor repair in bad neighborhoods. Often, she shared them with roommates to cut the rent. Her first few years on her own with Charlie had been very difficult—there was school and a job and a baby who had frequent bouts of upper respiratory illnesses. Then things calmed down a bit but the past five years with the recession, scarce jobs and rising costs had been difficult. She and Charlie had lived in some real dumps, that little trailer taking the cake.

But this—this beautifully decorated, compact little loft—was not only lovely and comfortable, it was right in the center of town, two doors down from the deputy sheriff’s office where Seth Sileski worked. It was not really a place to raise a family but it would be so ideal for a single woman and her son.

Too bad it was impossible. Even if it was priced reasonably it would be hard for her to afford. The furnishings alone made it even more valuable. And Lin Su had already made a decision—she wouldn’t negotiate with Grace. Over the years, she’d become a fierce haggler. Even used-car salesmen quaked when they saw her coming. But Grace was her employer. She might take care of Winnie but she knew she worked for Grace.

She went back downstairs. Grace was still busy at her worktable, constructing an arrangement. Lin Su handed her the key. “Grace, it’s very beautiful. It’s small but so expertly arranged.”

“You should have seen what I started with—a completely unfinished attic, full of junk left behind by Iris’s mother. She was the last owner of the flower shop, and when she had something she didn’t know what to do with, she shoved it upstairs and it never came down again. Iris and I had a field day poking through her stuff. Not much was worth keeping.”

“Did you do it yourself?” Lin Su asked.

“I only helped. I had to hire tradesmen—there wasn’t even a bathroom up there! But the plumbing was in the right place. I painted, papered, sanded, but no way could I install a tub or toilet. And that arch? That was indulgence—I really didn’t need a door that closed for just me.” She clicked her teeth. “I suppose that could be a problem with a fourteen-year-old son.”

Lin Su laughed a little. “I think he’d like it if I didn’t live with him at all. Boys his age resist mothering. But we manage. Our trailer didn’t offer much by way of privacy—one pocket door to the bedroom and a pullout screen to close off the bathroom.” She shrugged. “It was manageable. But, Grace, I’m not sure we can make this work.”

“Ah,” Grace said. “Just too small? Not enough storage space?”

“Grace, it’s beautiful. It’s first class. I’m afraid I have a tight budget. But I’m sure something will...”

“Lin Su, I wasn’t thinking of charging rent! If it works for you, use it!”

“Now wait,” Lin Su said suspiciously. “You can’t mean to just loan it to me.”

“Why not? I didn’t charge Ginger rent.”

“But she worked for you!”

Grace laughed. “And who do you work for?”

“But I don’t work in this flower shop! The loft is part of the flower shop!”