She didn’t have to ask twice.
* * * *
Lucy finished restocking and tidying up the small massage room after her last client of the day left and she walked down the hallway to the kitchenette. Her new receptionist, Tamara Resendez, was just washing the coffeepot and drying it as they prepared to close the shop on Friday night.
She’d told Cassie over at Divine Drip about needing a receptionist and Cassie had told her that her daughter, a senior in high school, was part of a vocational work-release program at her school and was interested in becoming a licensed massage therapist. Lucy had taken an instant liking to Tamara when she’d come in to fill out an application.
Lucy was anxious to get out to Beck’s house to help with labeling his products. There was a problem with the newly designed labels that the print shop had done for him and they’d had to do a rush reorder. Consequently, they had to do them all that evening to be ready for the Divine Trade and Craft Fair the next day in Central Park, right across the street from her shop.
“Lucy, there’s someone waiting up front for you. She said you’d know her.”
Just as Lucy turned, the front doorbell rang. She hurried to the front as two women walked in chatting a mile a minute.
Just what I need. What’s she doing here?
Tabitha Lester turned to her and gave her a prissy, pseudo-gracious smile. “Ah, Lucy. Don’t mind us. We wanted to stop in just for a minute. I wanted to show my friend your shop.”
Lucy struggled to hide her surprise at Tabitha’s act and said, “What can I do for you, Miss Lester?”
Tabitha patted her hair, waved her hand dismissively, and continued talking to her friend, “You can see how well preserved this section of this building is. The Abbott brothers did very good work bringing it back to its former beauty. I think it and the property next door would be just perfect for office spaces.” She turned a smile on Lucy, dislike glowing in her eyes. “Might we have a look around?”
Lucy tilted her head and held up a staying hand. “Sorry, Tabitha. I’m still not clear why you’re here, and we’re closing up for the day.”
Tabitha shrugged nonchalantly. “I’m just showing my realtor friend the space. She’s in the market to branch out from her Real Estate office in Morehead to here.”
“And you’re showing her my shop and Seth’s studio? Why?”
Tabitha rolled her eyes. “It’s not like either of you will be here much longer, dearest. Divine just isn’t a very good market for a massage parlor and a tattoo parlor. You might have better luck getting business out on the Interstate though.”
The realtor gave Tabitha an odd look. “Actually, I thought these properties were already available. Massage retreats and tattoo studios, if they have good reputations, are excellent draws for smaller communities.”
“Lucy?” Tamara touched her shoulder and whispered. “My mom is waiting to pick me up out front.”
Lucy turned to her and nodded as Tabitha yakked on to her friend about the architecture, and walked Tamara to the door. If this conversation got ugly, she didn’t want Tamara around for it. She noticed someone sitting in one of the chairs and swallowed her snicker when she recognized Madeleine Sinclair. Madeleine winked at her as she folded the newspaper she’d been reading. Evidently Tabitha hadn’t noticed her yet.
“Anyway…” Tabitha said, looking askance at Lucy as though she was rude for keeping them waiting while she let Tamara out and waved to her mom, Cassie. “We’d like to see the rest of the shop, if you please.”
Lucy blinked and noted the pained look in the realtor’s eyes. She gave her head a little shake to make it clear she’d had a misunderstanding.
Madeleine rose from her chair, and Lucy remembered why she’d always enjoyed working for her. She was clad in a royal blue business suit that probably cost more than Lucy made in a week, maybe even two weeks. As was befitting a salon owner, her hair, nails, and makeup were flawless. But even beyond that, Madeleine exuded confidence and business savvy as she smacked her paper into crisp folds and slid it into her posh leather tote.
“Claire? Your name is Claire Wilkinson, yes?”
The realtor turned to Madeleine, “Yes, yes it is. Wait! Madeleine? Madeleine Sinclair?”
Madeleine smiled widely and opened her arms. “I wasn’t sure if you’d recognize me.” To Lucy, Madeleine said, “Claire was my realtor when I purchased the spa years ago, Lucy, and a lovely woman to do business with.” Miss Wilkinson and Madeleine hugged each other and then Madeleine patted Claire’s forearm. “I would love to see you open up shop in Divine but I think you may have been misled.”