With both her words and her actions, Beth epitomized what was good in Yorkshire Falls and she’d made Kendall feel like she was an honest friend, not someone out to provoke her jealousy. “Rick’s good at the shoulder bit. His initials should have been S.O.S.”
Kendall laughed.
“There was a time that protective streak of his got him in trouble,” Beth said.
Charlotte shrugged. “Jillian was an idiot.”
“Right,” Beth said. “She never should have married Rick in the first place. No good could come of it. She knew Rick always had a thing for her and—Oops. Sorry, Kendall.” Beth blushed. “Sometimes I talk too much.”
Kendall shook her head, too fascinated by the information. “No, that’s okay. Insight into a man’s good.”
“But it wasn’t meant to make you feel bad or worry. Jillian’s so far in Rick’s past it isn’t funny.”
Kendall hoped so. Because just hearing that he’d had feelings for his ex-wife was like a sharp knife gutting at Kendall’s insides. But she didn’t intend to share that information with her female cohorts. “You really don’t need to convince me of anything. Rick and I have an arrangement—” As the words came out of her mouth, they felt bitter on her tongue.
Not just because she owed Rick and needed to uphold her end of their bargain but because she’d begun to feel proprietary about him despite her words to the contrary.
Uh-oh.
Charlotte burst out laughing, startling her.
“What’s so funny?” Kendall asked.
“I’m not sure if it’s your expression or your insistence that there’s nothing serious between yourself and Rick. But whatever you say, okay. Let’s talk business.”
“Sounds good to me.” Relieved to be off the subject of Rick, Kendall pulled out a travel case she used to show her designs and opened it on the table. “This is my wire jewelry. In my experience it appeals to a variety of women. What’s your minimum age demographic?”
“Early twenties,” Beth said. “Some mothers bring their younger daughters in, but most take them to Kmart or the mall in Albany.”
“Want to change that?” Kendall asked. “When I was in New York I didn’t have the connections to get my jewelry into the trendy boutiques but I was able to sell on campus at some of the colleges and the students loved the matched sets. Take a look.”
She pulled out a tray of thin choker necklaces made of glass beads imported from West Africa, along with matching dangling earrings. “These sold well.”
“They’re different,” Beth murmured, approval in her voice.
“What are these?” Charlotte pointed to a black silk string hanging out from beneath the drawer.
Kendall lifted the drawer. “This is something new I’m trying. Knotted silk string necklaces.”
“I adore them.” Charlotte studied the pieces in question. “And yes I think the kids will love them.” She snapped her fingers. “Oh, and I know the perfect place to debut them.
There’s a sidewalk sale this weekend. I’ll check with Chase and see if he can alter the ad we took in The Gazette. Add information about Kendall’s jewelry. What’s your business’s name?”
“Kendall’s Krafts.”
Charlotte grinned. “Love the alliteration. And I’m sure we can make this work for us both!”
Charlotte’s voice rose in anticipation, creating an excitement that even Kendall couldn’t quite squelch. “You should know, I can’t afford much but I’m more than willing to contribute to the cost of the ad.” Kendall couldn’t afford her offer but she considered it an investment in her future.
Charlotte waved a hand in the air. “Nonsense. First off, he doesn’t act it but Chase is a real softie when it comes to family. And I know both Raina and Chase consider you family. Because of Crystal,” she rushed to clarify. But her grin told Kendall she was also thinking of Rick. “Don’t tell anyone though. It’s one of the perks us Chandlers get.”
Us Chandlers. Kendall shivered at the notion, liking being included in that moniker way too much.
“Okay, so on to commission,” Charlotte said, unaware of the turmoil her words caused inside Kendall.
Kendall took a minute to think. When it came to setting a percentage for commission, she always factored in the cost of her goods, labor and overhead, along with the pricing of other competitors in the market. In this case, she seemed to be the only one in the small town offering her kind of wares which was a huge benefit.
She grabbed a sheet of paper, planning to write down a fair price she fully expected Charlotte to haggle downward, but one which Kendall could still live with. Instead, Charlotte scribbled a number first and passed the paper across the table.
Kendall glanced down. The amount Charlotte offered was a higher amount than what Kendall had had in mind. She crinkled her nose, wanting to argue. She had no doubt Charlotte’s generosity stemmed in most part from Kendall’s relationship with Rick, something she didn’t want to take advantage of. But much as she hated to admit it, she wasn’t in the financial position to argue herself down—not when Charlotte’s offer was more than fair to them both.
Kendall grinned, relief flowing through her. “You’ve got yourself a deal. Now. Did you know you have just six seconds to catch a potential customer’s eye?” Excited, she dove right into the next part of her proposal.
“That’s one lesson of retail I had to learn quickly, especially in this town.” Charlotte laughed. “What are you getting at?”
Kendall drew a deep breath for courage. She never took the initiative once she’d released her goods for sale within a retail store. In most agreements, the artist held ownership rights but had no say in the display or how the items would be sold or marketed. After careful research and a trial and error approach, Kendall had learned the rules well. But something about Charlotte’s enthusiasm inspired confidence and a surge of creative ideas.
Nothing ventured, nothing gained, Kendall thought. If she wanted Charlotte to take her in when she opened in D.C., she needed to prove herself here and now, in a smaller market.
“I’m suggesting that you use the necklaces on your mannequins. Change your window display to catch people’s eyes and add the necklaces to match and accessorize.”
“Hmm. Good idea,” Beth whispered to Charlotte.