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I click through the remaining slides and outline the key details that the current website for the diner lacks.
“Any questions?”
“You offer upkeep on the websites you design?” Dawn asks, and I nod.
“I do. But I’m also happy to go through anything you might want to learn if you’d prefer not to go that route.”
Dawn shakes her head. “Honey, there’s no way I’d be able to maintain something that in depth. I know good food, and I know how to talk to people. Websites are beyond me.” She waves her hand at my computer. “As you might have already noticed.”
I nod. “That’s fair. I’m happy to show you the packages that I offer to clients who opt for maintenance.”
I click over to my email and press send on the drafted email to each of them. “I hope that it’s not too presumptive, but I took the liberty of looking at each of your websites and mocking up changes that you might like or might find helpful. You’ll find a message with your respective websites if you wanted to take a look.”
“About how much does it cost for us to take your designs and implement them into our existing site?” Andy asks, and instead of the cloying uncertainty this meeting started out as, giddy elation starts to simmer in my veins.
I go over my pricing and fee options along with my current schedule for delivery time frames as the other women take a look at the drafts that I created for them in anticipation of this meeting.
“Holy shit, would you look at that?” Andy says.
“Mine is better. Look how cute this layout is.” Cassie shows Andy her phone.
“You nailed the boutique. The class, the charm. It’s all there, and I love the online shopping option.”
With each comment, my confidence soars. By the time the women are done looking over three full days of my work, I’m smiling so hard my cheeks hurt.
“I absolutely want this for my jewelry,” Cassie says to Andy.
More confirmations come from the women before Dawn turns to me. “Well Maisie, it looks like you’re going to be busy.”
I’m listening to the women chat about the ups and downs of their months, sales are down for Cassie, but she’s expecting her normal holiday rush in a few months to make up for the slow time. Andy’s had to fire two stylists for drama at her salon, and Dawn’s a stable sort that lets each of them bounce ideas off her until they untangle current problems. I haven’t gotten an SOS from Harlan, so I can only assume all is well there.
Once the conversation dies down a bit, Dawn turns to me. “Okay ladies. Enough of work. Maisie, where are you from?”
I start at the change in topic and feel heat creep up my neck at the attention of the women.
“Oklahoma. Tulsa area, but I’ve been all over the states for the last year and a half.”
Dawn nods. “I’ve heard of people who are doing that now. They sell all their worldly possessions and then nomad their way across the country.”
“Well, I didn’t really sell anything, just decided to be more mobile and see more of the country,” I hedge.
“And you did all that with a baby?” Andy asks incredulously.
“I was pregnant for the first nine months of it, but, yeah, pretty much.”
“Girl, you’re a stronger person than me. I couldn’t imagine being on my own with a baby while driving hours every day.”
I shrug. “It wasn’t that bad. I wasn’t driving every day. Mostly, I find long-term rentals and stay for a few weeks before moving onto the next city or town. Audra’s still young enough that she’s easy. It’s when she starts walking that I’ll be worried.”
Giselle nods. “My sister has three kids, all under six, and I don’t know how she does it. I swear she doesn’t sit down from the time she wakes up until she passes out at night.”
“How long are you in town for?” Cassie asks, her shrewd gaze on me.
I fight the urge to squirm in my seat. “I don’t know.”
The words leave ash in my mouth the second that I say them. The thought of staying in Everette is appealing as hell, but I remember why I ran in the first place.
“Where’s your daughter now?” Andy asks.
