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“Pleasure is all mine, darling. My name is Walter. But you can call me Walt,” He offers. “Are you two from around here?”
“Nope, we are both from Reed Point, about two and a half hours west of here. I am living here temporarily for business and Olivia is visiting. Are you from here, Walt?”
“Born and raised. It’s always been my home. Eighty-three years if you can believe it and I’m finally retiring.”
“No way. Good for you. What do you do for work?” Parker asks.
He sips his coffee, placing the mug back on the table with his wrinkled hand. He folds his arms across his middle and his chest heaves.
“I own my own business. An antique shop with my wife. You can see it from here, it’s just past the blue awning.” He points down the road, in the direction of the ocean, where real estate is prime, and the street is always busy with pedestrians. “But it’s time to pack it in. It’s just not the same without my Dottie, who I lost two years ago. My kids tell me I need to take it easy.”
“I’m sorry for your loss,” Livy says softly.
“Thank you. I sure do miss her. She kept me in line. I was a wild one before I met her.”
“Sounds like someone I know,” Livy teases me.
Walt affectionately tells us about his late wife and his eyes mist over. They were happily married for sixty years, shared three kids and worked alongside each other in their antique store for over fifty years. All here in Cape May.
“When will you officially start retirement?” I ask.
“Next month. I’ll have an estate sale and then I’m closing the doors for good. It’s hard to believe.”
I ask him what he is doing with the building and he informs me his lease is up in ten months and until then he is planning on subleasing the space. It gets me thinking.
“Have you found someone to take over the lease?” I ask.
“Not yet, that’s next on my list. Why? Do you know someone who could be interested?”
I eye Livy and she returns the look. If I’m reading her right, I think she’s at the very least open to looking at it.
“I think I do. Walt, how would you feel about Olivia here, possibly opening up a flower shop in your space? I’m trying to get her to stay here with me and that could be my incentive.”
“You mean, a guy as good looking as you needs an angle to get a girl to stay with him?”
I laugh. “I know! It’s crazy but it’s true.”
Livy nudges my shoulder. I shoot a wink her way and she rolls her eyes.
“I think a good florist is exactly what this town needs. You two remind me of my wife and me when we were your age. Why don’t I take you over now and show you the space? We can see if you like it. Then you can talk it over and give me a call.”
I look Livy in the eye, trying to assure her we are just looking. Nothing more. We don’t need to rush into anything, but secretly I’m hoping she loves the place. This could be the way I can get her to stay here with me. Walt just might be the answer to my prayers. My Hail Mary.
“We would love to take a look at it,” Livy answers softly. I’m sensing by the hushed tone in her voice that she’s not entirely sold, but maybe with any luck we can get her there.
When we reach the front doors of Walt’s antique store, my eyes are on Livy. She takes in the exterior and the weathered board and batten siding that at one time was painted a bright white. She steps across the threshold into the small store and her gaze travels down to the worn pine wood floors that look original to the space. Sunshine pours through the two large rectangular windows on either side of the glass front door, casting a warm and welcoming feel. We move deeper into the open floor plan, admiring Walt’s many treasures that seem to be displayed on top of each other over tables and shelves around the store.
“Well, this is it,” Walt announces proudly. “There’s a restroom in the back right corner and a back door that leads to access to the alley. There’s plenty of parking back there too.”
“It’s really wonderful, Walt. I love what you and Dottie did with the place,” Livy says, smiling, taking in the charm of the little shop.
“The bones are good. It just needs a little paint and some TLC, and you’d be up and running in no time. I’m sure you are well aware that it doesn’t come better than this location here in Cape May. You’ll have endless foot traffic all day,” Walt says, proving himself to be quite the salesman.
“We are,” I answer, moving around an old desk to extend my hand to our new friend. “Thank you, Walt, for your time. Can I give you a call to talk numbers and let you know what we decide?”
“That would be fine. I am happy to have met you both.”
“The pleasure was all ours.”
