The Magnolia Cafe(24)

Bella blushed. “Thank you. I do love fixing up the pieces I find.”

“Those tables made out of old drawers are so cute.”

“Sometimes I can salvage some old drawers out of furniture that is just too worn or broken to still use as a dresser. Or I take out the bottom drawers of a dresser and open up that area and make a television stand with space to put TV receivers or game consoles in that area. Then I use the drawers to make a table. I found a haul of old spindle legs I’ve been using.” Bella crossed the room to the far corner. “Here is the counter I was talking about. I think it would work out perfectly for the bar. I got it for a steal.”

“It has so much character. It will be perfect.”

“I thought so.”

“Here are some of the old doors I found at a thrift store. See this one? I’ve already poured polyurethane on top of it and it filled in the dips of the panels and now it’s all flat.”

“Oh, that looks nice. It will be a nice eclectic mix for the tables with the different doors.”

“I thought I’d cut a few of them in half to make smaller tables, too.”

“I should get Hunt to pick these up and we could put them out in the old garage behind my house. I’ll help him work on them to get them all ready to go.”

“I’ll come help you when you start and show you how to do it.”

“That would be great.” Natalie walked over to a long wall lined with wooden chairs. “Are these the ones you’ve picked out for the patio?”

“Some of them. I also found a place that has a dozen chairs for sale for a really great price. I’m going to go run look at them in the next few days.” Bella wrote down another note.

“So far, I think I’m actually going to come in a bit under Keely’s budget. And it will be good publicity for my shop if people comment on the updated look at the cafe. Keely said she was going to promote my shop and tell everyone where the new pieces came from.”

Bella showed Natalie the numbers and the estimate for the rest of the chairs and doors. “That’s a really good deal you’re giving Keely.”

“I’m still making a fair enough profit, and the cross promotion will do me good.” Bella grinned. “Besides I go there at least once a week. It will be nice to have the patio there and the inside updated a bit.”

“I’m going to snap a few photos on my phone and show Keely, but she said she trusts me to pick out things more than she trusts herself.”

“Just let me know. And if Hunt wants to come by and pick up the doors, he can anytime.”

“I appreciate your help with all this. I want it to look so nice for Keely since she’s kind of entrusted me with the redecorating.”

“I think it’s going to look great.”

Natalie followed Bella out of the storeroom and back into the shop. She tried to resist stopping to look at each and every display Bella had put up. She needed to get back to the cafe and let Keely know what she’d found. Hopefully, with an okay from Keely, they could get started turning the doors into tables.

Natalie left Bella’s shop and climbed into the truck. After Kevin had died she’d gotten rid of her car. She didn’t need two vehicles and the truck had been all paid off. She liked driving Kevin’s truck, it kept her feeling close to him. She hoped she had lots and lots of years left driving it. She pulled out of the parking space and headed over to the cafe. Hunt had said he wanted to use the truck this afternoon to pick up supplies for the patio.

~ * ~

“Hey, I’m home” Hunt walked in the door to his sister’s house, set down his toolbox, and dropped his tool belt on top of it.

“Back here,” Natalie called out.

Hunt walked to the front room and saw Natalie sprawled out on the couch. She looked exhausted.

“Bad day?”

“You could say that.” Natalie tossed a pillow at him. “It was a crazy day at the cafe. One of the part-time waitresses quit again. And I managed to drop an entire pitcher of water.”

“Sounds like a banner day to me.” Hunt walked over where his sister was stretched out on the couch. He scooted her feet over and squeezed onto the end of the couch.

“Make room for me, sis.”

“So, you had a bad day, too?”

“I had one heck of a day. I drove into Mobile to pick up the pavers for the patio. You know the ones that were supposed to be delivered that never were. So I went to pick them up myself and they only had half of the order. I don’t know how I can finish the patio if I can’t get the pavers. They aren’t sure they can find enough to match what we already have.”