Carpe Bead'em (17 page)

My mind, heart and soul are ready to
start working on new bracelets for Sheila, but with Aunt Grace weighing heavy
on my heart, I decide to stop by and visit before I throw myself into beading
new bracelets.

I don’t know why I’m shocked, but there
he is. Uncle Jimmy perched on the stoop. He must be back on the wagon.

“Your aunt is upstairs.” He points up
the steps without moving to let me through.

“Good seeing you again.” I give him the
old captain’s salute.

“Gotta favor.” He looks up. He actually
gives me eye contact, which sort of creeps me out.

Great.

“Sure, what?”  There it goes, flying out
of my mouth before I can think about it. I should know better.

“Grace and I want to go bet on the
ponies. We want you take us in that fancy car of yours.” Was this a statement
or favor? “We want to go this weekend.” 

Seriously, they want me to take them to
the racetrack? I can’t believe they want to spend their last dime on horses. I
can’t imagine taking them to Wal-mart, much less River Downs.

Just then, the phone rang. Saved by the
bell!

“Hello?” I don’t look to see who it is
because I don’t care. It’s getting me out of this conversation and talking to
my enemy is worth getting off the hook with Uncle Jimmy.

“I’ve been thinking about you all day.” Bo’s
voice drips through the phone.

Well, well, don’t hold back, baby.

“Hello.” I plunge forward after once I
realize I’m leaning up against the wall in the hallway. “I was just thinking
about you too. I’m getting ready to visit with my aunt. Can I call you back?”

“Your crazy aunt?” His laugh sounds so
sexy.

“Yes,” I whisper.

I get a little tug in my heart. I feel a
little bad that all my friends refer to poor Aunt Grace as crazy. Of course I
don’t make matters better because they’re just repeating what I say.

“I won’t hear from you in a week.” He
jokes because of the time she called and I missed going out with the running
group.

Another missed opportunity with Bo. I have
to stop missing those opportunities.

“Really I’ve had a nice time visiting
with her while staying here. I try to see her once a week.”

“That’s sweet.” He sounds sincere. “I’ve
got to run, but I wanted to call and thank you again for such a great time.”

“You’re always welcome here.” The warm
fuzzy begin to creep back.  

Before I let him hang up, I told him
about my Beadnicks’ job with Sheila Gray.

“Maybe when you come visit, you can talk
to Monk about financing and taxes,” he says.

Eww. . . good point. I haven’t thought
about all that. “He can sit down with you and make sure that Dee isn’t screwing
you out of money.”

“I don’t think Dee is
that
kind
of person.” I state.

I don’t like the idea of him accusing my
friend. “It’s not all about money. It’s about me having happiness and joy in
what I’m doing.”

I catch myself off-guard with such a
grown up statement. Since when did I
really
believe that?

“It is all about business, Hallie.” He’s
states a fact. “The reason I have Monk as a partner is because he’s good with
finances.”

Aunt Grace opens her door and peeks her
head. She opens the door wider. “Hallie, dear, I didn’t know who was talking
out here. Thought I lost my mind.”

“Bo, Dee is not my partner.”

I really never have considered this a
joint venture, only a business arrangement. Not different than any other deal
in the retail industry.

“You know the saying, if you have to
have a partner, then you can’t afford it, anyway.” Aunt Grace blurts out.

But she’s right. I smile at her, and put
my forefinger to my mouth and give her the old
shh
sign.

“She sees potential in my designs. I’m
going to do the same thing with all the little boutiques. Besides, I’m excited
that Sheila Gray wants my designs.” I follow Aunt Grace into her family room.
She turns off the television and politely waits as I finish my conversation.
“I’ll call you when I leave Aunt Grace’s and after I pick up my bead order from
Dee.”

“Wait,” Bo says. “Why not send the beads
to your house? You have an established business name, use your social for the
tax ID and you can make it all your own. Just promise me you’ll think about
it.”

“I promise.” I smile holding the phone
close to my heart. This is the first time he’s called me and we talk about more
than running. I jump at the cockroach running across my Manolos and throw my
leg in the air, launching the roach in mid flight across the room.

“Aunt Grace, seriously? Pest control?
I’ll pay for it.”

“It wouldn’t be the same without them
critters.” She put her glasses on. “Did you see Jimmy outside?”

“Yes.”

“Did he ask about the races?”

“Yes.” I’m trying to leave it to
one-word answers because I don’t want to take them and she’ll talk me into it.

“You gonna take me?” She leans in with
her head cocked, giving me the wonky eye.

“You mean both of you?” She knows I’ll
do anything for her, but not so much him.

“Hallie, you know I don’t ask for a
single thing unless I really need it.”

“You want me to drive you to a racetrack
so you can blow your money?” I can’t believe it. He’s talked her into winning a
ton of money and she’ll fall for anything he says.

“I want to get out of here and have a
little fun.”

“My friend is going to be visiting this
weekend from Chicago, so I’ll see if she doesn’t mind.” God, I hope Georgia
minds. She’s coming in to do a photo shoot at Fountain Square for Fit Pregnancy
Magazine.

During my brief visit with Aunt Grace, I
agreed to take them with or without Georgia. On the drive up to One Bead At A
Time, I have a nagging suspicion I’ll regret taking them.

I can’t wait to get to One Bead at a
Time. My stress builds at the mention of Aunt Grace and dissipates with the
feel of the beads sliding off my fingertips onto the wire. Plus I can’t wait to
see if my order came in.

Dee is in her normal position, standing
over a few ladies trying their hands at earrings. I can tell by her tone, she’s
a little frustrated with them. Earrings aren’t the easiest to make. You have to
manipulate the wire and pliers at the same time and twist.

“Excuse me, ladies.” Dee walks over and
grits her teeth. “A little more challenging. They just aren’t getting it.”

She reaches down and places two big
boxes on the counter. “I haven’t had time to check the packing slip. You can do
it.”

“What do you think about me getting a
tax ID and send the beads to my home?” I watch her carefully to see how she
reacts.

“You have the name, you’ve got the
clientele and if you want to continue to do this in Chicago, you are going to
be on your own,” she says, and I know it’s going to be okay “You can’t be
coming here every week to pick up beads.” There is pleasure in her eyes, like a
mother when her baby takes her first step. She’s been guiding me all along
toward independence and I just haven’t seen it until now.

The idea of me being my own boss does
scare me a little. I pick up the two boxes.

“I’ll think about it,” I said, heading
for the door. Dee wants me to stay, I can tell, but I can’t wait to get home
and spend the rest of the day creating designs for Sheila Gray, my first
celebrity client.

Home.

Funny, I’ve never considered Cincinnati
to be my home.

Chapter
Thirty-Two

Stretchy bracelets, toggle bracelets,
clasp bracelets, bracelets with dangling charms, bracelets with dangling beads,
earrings, a couple of watches. You name it, I bead it.

Carefully, I brush my hands over the beads
spread out on the floor as if they were precious gems. There are orders from
Dee to be filled, along with some from parents’ of some of the teenagers.

It’s definitely time to think about a
tax ID, and begin to make those business decisions. Bo’s right. I need Monk’s
help to show me the basic ropes. Otherwise, with my luck, I’d get put in jail
for tax fraud.

This week I will apply for a tax ID, and
next weekend I want to drive to Chicago to surprise everyone. I’ll make it a
point to stop by the bar to see Monk, and pick his brain.  

I’m not telling a soul, not even Lucy.
She won’t care anyway, since she left a message saying not to worry about her.
She’s visiting her family, along with Beck, and doesn’t know when she’ll be
back.

The bracelets for Sheila Gray were
delivered by courier. She left a voicemail saying how perfect they were and
there aren’t any changes. She left a few dates to set up an interview. But I’ll
have to get back with her. I’ll be back in Chicago, and my plan is to have a
few boutiques carrying Beadnicks’ jewelry so I can plug them.

Bo and I keep our compromise not to
commit to each other until I go back. We talk a few times during the week and
discuss new running tips for me to work on while I’m away. He did throw in a
few things we can do as a couple when I get back.

There is never a hint of Piper in his
life. And she hasn’t bothered me at work. In fact, it’s like she’s non-existent.
She’s a been thorn in my life and that seems to have been pulled out.

I put the stretch cord down on the board
when the phone rings. It’s Georgia. She’s supposed to be here by now.

“Hey, girl!” The excitement is
inevitable in Georgia’s voice.

“Where are you?” It’s natural for me to
worry, since she’s pregnant.

“We’re on Fountain Square, scoping out
the place for the photo shot.” She barks out some orders in the background.
“Did you pull some accessories for us to use?”

“I did. I got a few purses, some at the
higher end of the spectrum, and a couple scarves.” I want to use our fall line
to showcase. Gucci is extremely pleased with the idea.

“Didn’t you get jewelry?”

“You’re going to love it.” I didn’t tell
her that she’d be using all Beadnicks jewelry. There is no way I’m picking any
other designer. Every piece is custom-made to match each piece of clothing and
other accessories.

“Great. Hey, I gotta go. See you in a
couple hours.” She hangs up, leaving me time to lay out the accessories on
Lucy’s bed. I step back for one last look. For the first time I am proud of
myself.

Henry jumps off the bed when he hears
the door open.

“Honey?” He drags out the beginning
syllables. “I’m home.”

I almost beat Henry down the steps. It’s
been so long since Wilson’s been home and I’m excited to see him. He hasn’t
heard all my good news. Bo, jewelry, Bo, no Piper, and did I mention Bo?

“Prudence?” I’m a little taken back when
I see her standing in my family room.

It’s shocking to see her and Wilson,
hand-in-hand. Not that they won’t make a great couple, but when did all this
happen?

“Wilson was in Chicago for business.”
They smile at each other with a secret looming between them. She wraps her arms
around his neck. “We hit it off and have a lot in common. It’s history from
there.”  

Still in a little bit of a shock, I’m
not sure what to say. 

“If you were going for surprise, you did
a good job.” I continue to shake my head back and forth between the two. “Wow!
I saw the connection you guys had, but this?”

“I know.” Prudence squawks. “He’s
amazing and Daddy loves him.”

Of course daddy Roebucks loves him.
Prudence’s dad loves anything that signals money. After her mom passed away,
her dad left her to be raised by nannies while he was off making money and
having an affair.

“You’ve already introduced him to your
dad?” I ask in disbelief.

This is a big step for her. Usually they
don’t get past the front door.

She takes me by the arm and whispers in
my ear. “I think he is the one.” Her shoulders rise along with her eyebrows.

I drag her upstairs to have a “come to
Jesus” meeting. She needs someone to show her the light and I’m that someone.

“Are you kidding me, Prudy?” I shut the
bedroom door behind me. I have to hear the words come out of her mouth and into
the universe. 

Gracefully, she sits on the edge of the
bed with her head held high and posture perfect.

“Of all people, I thought you’d understand.”
Her body stiffened. “You know I don’t let men into my life. Especially a love
interest.”

My heart aches for how I just treated my
friend.

I sit next to her.

“It worries me because it’s so soon. I’m
just surprise, that’s all.” My voice fades away.

She grins from ear to ear. The sparkle
in her eyes says it all. “You know, it’s weird. I never expected to fall in
love with another lawyer.”