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Taking the drab space and turning it into her vision.

Three walls had been removed so the entire front portion was one big room, and now rustic shelves and tables were set up everywhere.

Accents done in grayish greens and pops of pink.

Warm browns and cozy grays.

The floors were worn planks of aged, recycled wood.

We’d already begun to stock the displays of merchandise that Elena had sourced predominantly from local artisans.

Every kind of knickknack and gift. Trinkets and jewelry. Blankets and scarves. Candles and homemade jams.

Most everything was handcrafted.

Unique and as beautiful as her.

She’d even teamed with some local artists to display their art on the walls.

It was so Elena that I could have picked it out of a lineup and testified that it was her handiwork without ever having had proof that she’d been a part of it.

Elena pinned me with that gaze. “Would you mind helping me get those two big chairs out of the back lounge? I want to use them for the interviews.”

“That’s what I’m here for,” I said as I turned on my heel to head toward the hall that led to the backside of the building. We had converted the entire back half into a big storeroom and breakroom.

She punted a disbelieving sound as she followed two steps behind. “Huh, and here I thought you were firmly in the security guard realm.”

I grinned at her from over my shoulder. “Adept at both.”

“Brawn and intimidation.” Nothing but snarky praise, this one.

“Those two things are basically the same and are my one positive trait,” I told her as I hooked a left into the storeroom.

I angled through the stacks of metal shelves loaded down with boxes of product.

“I just hope you and my brother don’t scare the customers off.” I was sure even she couldn’t tell if she was teasing.

“What, you don’t think the townsfolk have gotten used to seeing us hanging around yet?”

“Um, you do realize they scatter whenever they see you coming?”

“Huh. Hadn’t noticed.”

Lies.

I’d seen a woman dive with her son behind a bush the other day when our crew had come riding through.

I ducked into the breakroom on the far right.

It wasn’t huge, just a square box with cubbies on the far wall, a circular table with four chairs in the middle, and a small kitchen area to the left.

On either side of those two cabinets were two oversized pink-and-white-striped chairs.

Plush and high-backed.

Honestly, the lounge slanted a little more toward luxury than any dingy backroom that I’d ever encountered.

Obviously, Lena planned on taking break time very seriously.