Chapter 25
She couldn’t believe what she was hearing.
Rock and Lance had almost finished securing the scene in the showroom. Amy watched from the tiny brick-paved garden behind the shop that stretched the row of connected buildings. Topiaries, Japanese maples, vines and trees were trained against the solid back-face of the units. The common area was a delight and she’d seen it as a bonus when she’d decided to rent the shop.
Right now she barely noticed it, her lips tight with disbelief as she listened to Jay Donovan, the bank manager, on her cell.
“I’m sorry, Amy.” She could hear the frazzle in his voice. “I know you. I know you’re good for it. But after you blew that meeting off today, there’s nothing I could say to Tomas to get him to consider you for the full amount. And right now, he’s in the driver’s seat. He’s tightening things up.”
She pushed her hand through her hair as she winced. “It was just coffee, Jay. And something important did come up. If I’d have thought it was a formal meeting…I’m available right now. Or whenever. Gramps has an appointment in Toronto I promised to drive him to next week, but other than that, I’m there. Whenever you want. ”
“Damn, Amy! We were going to look at your loan application, and your business plan. You know that. And with Tomas showing up, it changed everything.”
She paced along the walk, focused on the little tufts of greenery growing up through the red bricks. Over the way, a tiny wren alighted on a copper bird bath, one made up of soldered links and placed there by one of the artisans a few units down, gorgeous. The wren dipped its beak into the cool water repeatedly, splashed itself.
No wonder. It could enjoy itself. It didn’t have a financial cataclysm crashing down on its feathered little head.
But she’d faced challenges before, and Jay wasn’t a jerk. This was business, and things often turned on a dime.
Only this time it was her dime.
“What are my options?”
He hesitated. “If your mom or dad would co-sign, I might be able to get you the full amount.”
“It’s my business, Jay. I’m taking care of this. It’s me, or it’s nothing.”
“And that’s exactly why I want to give you this loan so badly, Amy. I respect the hell out of you.” He sighed, and she heard the resignation in his voice. She wasn’t surprised. Since the days they’d shared the same playground, him as a senior and her as a scrawny little St. James kid, they’d known each other, and become friends as time went on. When he said he knew her, he actually did. “If you at least had some small amount coming in already, over there…”
“Not likely. It’s a mess, especially after this. No one will pay me anything for any piece of that place right now.”
Jay sighed. “I did talk him into the bit for your rent, without any change to our previously discussed terms. You’re covered for that. But I’m sorry as hell. The renovations aren’t covered, and neither are your startup costs. Between you and me, I’ve got an old computer here in the office we were going to junk. If you want it, I’ll arrange to put it in the garbage at a mutually convenient time, and you can have it. In fact, there’s another one we’re going to put down soon too. I can make sure you get that one as well.”
“I’ll be by. Just tell me when it works for you. And Jay? Thank you.”
“I’m sorry as hell, Amy. I know I keep saying that. And if I can finagle things, I will. You know Mum always ran things differently. People first, needs first. Profit a necessary third.” She heard the unhappiness with the current situation in his voice. “But she’s away now, getting better. And I haven’t been in the biz long enough to push my weight around. If she was here, damn it, you’d have your loan. Tomas or not.”
The image of Jay’s mother dropped into her mind. Strong, with fashionably cropped white hair, designer suits, bold jewelry, and bright scarves. A woman to be reckoned with, Judy Donovan. Shrewd, but the heart beating in her chest was powerful and determined. She was a force of nature.
And one everyone in Jack’s Bay was thrilled to have on their side.
And it reminded her—everyone had their problems. Not that she needed to be reminded of that. Her whole business plan revolved around that very fulcrum, and with that, she was even more determined to provide the services that everyone up here, out here on the shimmering, blue waters of Jack’s Bay needed as much as those down in Toronto, or in the smaller centers along the way.
“Give your mom my love, and don’t tell her about this. And Jay?”
“Yeah?” Weary, she could tell he was ready to get on to his next call, maybe a very similar one to the one he’d just had with her.
“Get ready for the biggest damn peach pie you’ve ever had, this weekend. Saturday night if you’re free. Bag us a quart of Kawartha Black Raspberry Thunder, and I’ll stay and decimate the sucker with you. Around 8?”
He didn’t say a word, but she heard his soft yelp of delight as he hung up the phone.