To Chrissy’s surprise, Edward bit his lip. He took a deep breath and sipped his black coffee. She frowned at him. This was not like Edward. He was always so confident; he never hesitated, for all the years Chrissy knew him. Something was bothering him, and it was weird that he would try to keep something from her. Edward may have been her butler, but he was family.
Chrissy took a sip of her coffee and placed it back on the table.
“Edward, spit it out.”
He managed to grin at her. “Miss, I do not like asking you favors. It is so inappropriate.”
“You’re family. In fact, you’re the only family I have. Please, I know you work for me, but I want you to feel you can come to me about anything.”
Edward took a deep breath. “Alright…do you remember my niece?”
“Emma, sure, she spent last Christmas here. It was a blast!”
Emma Longfire was Edward’s twenty-year-old niece. She was studying to become a US citizen and attending Penn State as a business major.
“She enjoyed your company, as well. She has decided, to my great disappointment, to drop out of school. So, she’s studying to become a US citizen and has no place to live. She also has no job. Do you think she could live here until she gets back on her feet?”
Chrissy smiled. “I have a better idea. Why doesn’t she stay in the guest house, and she could work for me as a personal assistant for the grocery store project.”
About one month ago, Chrissy had bought the property of where the glass factory used to be. It was being renovated right now into a grocery store. In the past, the community of Stoney Brook, PA had tried to bring in a grocery store in town, but after about six months, it had folded. The residents of Stoney Brook were forced to drive towards the freeway outside of town where a Wal-Mart supercenter stood. This was where they were forced to shop for food. Contrary to what the Wal-Mart management believed, people wanted another option.
“I think she would love that. We talk on the phone every Sunday and she has been intrigued by the grocery store development. She said what Wal-Mart is doing to grocery stores, Amazon is doing to bookstores.”
“She’s right. By the way, Stoney Brook doesn’t have a book store either.”
Edward grimaced. “Yes, I’ve noticed. What a disgrace that is. The public library doesn’t exactly have a vast array of choices. I too am forced to use that ghastly website. But I do not want you to get any ideas. You have too many projects already.”
Chrissy laughed. “True, but there are grocery stores that have a book section. Perhaps, we could make sure to stock books you’re interested in reading.”
Edward grinned. “I’m afraid that would be a boring selection for the rest of the town. You might want to include some popular books, in case. Are the kids these days still reading those dreadful vampire books?”
“Vampires, Edward? Those are so passe. But I do believe epic fantasies are still popular with kids.”
Edward grimaced. “Sorry, but my people in England are superior when it comes to literary culture. And we have better fantasies too. I’m not talking about that blasted boy wizard either. But don’t tell Emma that when she arrives. We get into the ugliest of rows when debating literature.”
“Your secret is safe with me.”
* * *
This is the end of Part One. Part Two will come out tomorrow.