Dress Me in Wildflowers (14 page)

Farrin caught the pitying glance of the teller to her left. What was going on here?

“Ms. Taylor, if you’ll come to my office, I’ll be glad to help you.”

If there was one thing in the world Farrin hated, it was hypocrites. And it looked as if Janie’s father was as much of one as her mother. All one big happy family of social climbers. Farrin looked at Janie, whose face reflected embarrassment and hurt. So maybe they weren’t one big happy family anymore.

“That’s not necessary. It’s only a wire transfer.”

“What is the size of the transfer?”

Farrin named the down payment figure.

“Our tellers are not authorized to handle transfers of that size. But I’ll be happy to process this quickly.”

Without even a glance at his only child, Fred Carlisle strode toward his office, forcing Farrin to follow if she wanted to complete the paperwork for the inn purchase today. Before she followed, she glanced at Janie again. She looked as if she’d shrunk. Farrin knew that feeling. She would have bet her entire net worth on the fact that she would never have felt sorry for Janie Carlisle, but she’d have walked away broke.

Farrin followed Mr. Carlisle’s bulk into his corner office. She compared it to Drew’s more modest one. Cold and impersonal décor from the “Bank President” collection — bronze paperweight, a cherry bookcase lined with books that looked as if they’d never been opened, a framed letter from the president of the country. The only personal touch was a solitary photo of himself and Mrs. Carlisle on what looked like a cruise ship. Not a single picture of Janie or her children. How odd for a grandfather not to display endless photos of his grandchildren.

“I hear you’re purchasing the Ivy Springs Inn,” Mr. Carlisle said as he sank into his huge leather chair that probably cost more than her mother had made in a month as a school cook.

It might be petty, but it gave Farrin great satisfaction to know her own office was more stylish and yet less pretentious.

“Yes.”

“What are you planning to do with it?”

“I’m still working on the plans.”

“Should you need financing for any improvements, I’ll be glad to help you.”

Farrin nearly laughed in his face. “I’ll keep that in mind.” For all of two seconds. She didn’t like to conduct business with people who treated their own family members as he had Janie. It didn’t matter that Farrin had imagined all kinds of ways to get revenge on Janie Carlisle. She wasn’t related to her.

Mr. Carlisle tried to pry more information out of her. How long was she staying in town? Was she planning to have a second home in Oak Valley? Did she need other financial services? She responded with only minimal replies that revealed nothing. She’d come to Merchants Bank out of habit because it was always where her mother had gone. She should have gone to the Valley Bank directly across the street. For as long as she could remember, the only two banks in town had sat across from each other, positioned like dueling men. And she’d been inside the Valley Bank maybe once.

“That should do it,” Mr. Carlisle said as he completed the necessary paperwork for the transaction. “Can I do anything else for you?”

“Yes, you can answer a question.”

“Okay.”

“Why do you not trust your tellers with a basic wire transaction?”

He sputtered, surprised by her question. The town bigwig wasn’t used to being challenged. “We like to give extra attention to our special customers.”

“By that you mean customers with lots of money?”

Mr. Carlisle’s face tightened at the edges.

“You don’t have to answer that. I get the picture. The people who have been coming here for years, bringing in their small or modest business, don’t warrant ‘special attention’ from the bank president, but big dollar signs do.”

He leaned back in his chair. “You’re a wealthy woman. I assume you know how the business world works.”

“Yes, I do. But I didn’t get ahead by humiliating my employees in public.” She rose. “I have never been a big fan of your daughter’s, but she didn’t deserve that condescending tone you used with her . . . and certainly not in front of her co-workers. Just so you know, if I need further financial assistance, I’ll be taking my requests to Valley Bank.” Without waiting for his response, Farrin strode from the corner office and through the lobby. For someone who wanted to visit Oak Valley quickly and quietly, it sure did feel good to rattle the establishment and shock a few old cronies. She smiled as she walked out the door and turned toward Drew’s office.

****

After completing an hour’s worth of paperwork in Drew’s office, Farrin went straight to the inn to explore her new acquisition. Outside, she stared at the two stories of brick, the single stone step that descended from the front door onto the sidewalk, and the distinctive, unadorned, porchless façade of its Federal style. She walked inside and let her hand run along the old check-in counter. For a moment she thought she could hear Grandpa Ernie’s laugh, and her heart ached that he wasn’t there to capture her in a bear hug. She wandered from room to room, admiring the craftsmanship of the simple, wooden furniture and letting her imagination create scenarios for the building. She still couldn’t believe she owned it — or that she’d voluntarily created a concrete tie to Oak Valley, even if it was only until she could find a suitable owner.

The sound of footsteps in the entryway brought her out of the large dining room. Janie Carlisle stood in the middle of the hall staring up the stairs.

“I hope your father didn’t send you over here.”

Janie looked at Farrin. “My father doesn’t know where I am.” She took a few steps forward. “It seems that I owe you another thanks.”

“For what?”

“Standing up for me with my father. You have more backbone than I do.”

Farrin almost wished the Janie Carlisle she’d known in high school would reappear. She’d been prepared to deal with that person, not the broken version of that girl.

“No one has ever stood up for me that way,” Janie said.

“You should stand up for yourself.”

“It’s not that simple.”

“Why not?”

“You’ve met my parents. They’re . . . intimidating.”

“Your parents are hypocrites.” Farrin said. “There was a time when they considered me not fit to walk into their businesses, and now they’re falling all over themselves to be associated with me. I don’t forget that easily.”

Janie’s face reddened. It was the most color Farrin had seen in her cheeks since she’d been back in town. Janie moved to the bottom of the stairs and wrapped her hand around the newel post. Farrin wasn’t sure if it was to admire the historic staircase or because Janie needed the support to keep her upright.

“I’m glad you bought this place,” Janie said. “My little girl loves to dream up stories about the people who’ve stayed here. She’s a huge history buff, and she already knows more than I do about the history of Oak Valley. Who would have thought I would have bookish kids?”

“You did well in school.”

“Because there was no other option. Fred and Jewel Carlisle’s daughter had to be perfect at everything. I didn’t enjoy school. I enjoyed parts of college, but it was mainly because I was away from home. I got a business degree because that’s what was expected of me.”

“But it wasn’t what you wanted.”

Janie nodded.

“What did you want to study?”

Janie shrugged. “I didn’t know, but I didn’t have the luxury of going in undeclared and finding out.”

“You’re not over the hill. Go back now. Your kids are old enough to do a lot on their own while you study.”

Janie’s lips twisted into a bittersweet smile. “College money doesn’t grow on trees.”

“No, but your father is a banker. He can help you out.”

“I don’t think so considering he just fired me.”

Surprise smacked into Farrin. “Fired you? Because of what I said to him?” She never would have imagined Mr. Carlisle could be that cold or vindictive.

“No, that was just an excuse. It was something akin to torture for him to have to see me there every day anyway. This was an easy out for him.”

“What was his reasoning?”

“He doesn’t have to have any. He’s the boss. He can hire and fire at will.”

How could the bastard fire his own daughter for no good reason? Especially when she was a single mom with two kids to raise.

“Does he think this won’t get around and make him look bad? There might be limited competition for business here, but there’s still one competitor.”

“The banker didn’t bank on me telling anyone.”

Farrin couldn’t help smiling at the hint of revenge in Janie’s voice.

Janie looked toward the opposite end of the entryway. “What are you going to do with the building?”

“First thing is to arrange to have it cleaned and cosmetic work done, some repairs. The jolly mayor hinted that there might be an issue with codes and zoning otherwise.”

“What a windbag.”

Farrin laughed. “Who is he anyway? I don’t remember him, and there aren’t that many people to remember here.”

“He’s J.D. Dalpin’s grandfather. He moved here after his wife died and proceeded to try to run Oak Valley like he’d run Charleston, West Virginia, where he’d been mayor for like a hundred years.”

“Not exactly the same size city.”

“No. He’s the one who was so all-fired excited about putting in another parking lot downtown, sure it would rejuvenate business. The only thing that’s going to rejuvenate Oak Valley is a miracle.”

Farrin partly wished the town would finish its slow demise and cease to exist. But a sliver of her wished Janie’s miracle would materialize, that something would cause a boom in business, bringing in more intelligent, less narrow-minded residents and giving the pretty spot on the map a new life and new hope for the good people like Faye who called Oak Valley home. She was beginning to feel like a split personality.

“What about you? What are you going to do?” Farrin asked. Why did she care? Because no matter what Janie said, she’d gotten her fired. Of course, Farrin wouldn’t feel so bad if it wasn’t for Janie’s two innocent children. They shouldn’t have to pay the price of Farrin’s ego and their mother’s and grandfather’s inability to get along. She knew more than she cared to about being the child of a single mom barely getting by.

Janie sighed. “I have no idea.”

The sun hitting a cobweb in a corner caught Farrin’s attention. Traffic sounds from the street — a horn, some idiot chirping his tires, the rumble of a truck in need of a new muffler — filled the lengthy pause.

“Forget degrees. Is there something you enjoy?”

“I love photography, nature photography. But it’s not really reliable for putting food on the table and shoes on my kids’ feet.”

“Sometimes you have to take a leap of faith.”

“And sometimes it’s not an option to risk falling off that cliff.” Janie lifted her hand from the dusty stair railing and wiped it on her pants leg. “Whatever you decide, I wish you the best with the inn.”

Janie walked toward the front door, somehow holding herself together despite the horrible day she’d had.

“Janie?”

The girl who’d once destroyed any hope Farrin had of dating not only Drew Murphy but also any other guy in a tri-county area turned back toward her. Speaking of leaps of faith . . .

“I’m going to need someone to head up the restoration efforts here. Work with contractors, make sure they’re here when they’re supposed to be. Arrange to have the furniture cleaned, the garden restored.”

“Are you . . . offering me a job?” Janie’s expression said she was afraid to hope.

Farrin swallowed. “Yes.”

Janie looked at her as if she’d turned fluorescent green. “Why? I have no experience other than at the bank. And . . . well, I’m pretty sure you hate me.”

“Because I’m not going to be the one responsible for your kids not having what they need.”

They continued to stare at each other from opposite ends of the hallway. Finally, Janie looked down at her feet. “Thank you.” Her voice sounded loaded with tears that she was either too embarrassed or proud to shed.

Farrin knew that feeling, too. Damn it, she wished she’d stop discovering she and Janie had things in common.

Janie looked up. “What do you want me to do first?”

Farrin looked around. “This place needs a deep cleaning, and I need to find a reliable and reasonable construction company to make repairs to the outside.”

“Bennett’s Construction has a good reputation. And . . .” Janie looked back at Farrin. “My kids and I could do the cleaning.”

“There’s a lot of work to do.”

“If we don’t do it fast enough, I’ll find some other help.”

Farrin nodded. “Okay, we’ll try it.”

“Thank you.”

Farrin shifted uneasily. All of Janie’s thank yous were beginning to make Farrin uncomfortable. “You ready to get started now?”

Janie looked down at her bank attire, gray slacks and a black blouse. “I need to change.”

“That’s fine. Make a list of cleaning supplies you’ll need. You can pick those up while you’re out. Since you worked at the bank, I assume there will be no problem with you keeping financial records for me?” Which Farrin would go over meticulously, just as she did with her accountant in New York. She wasn’t going to be one of those successful people who lost it all because her accountant was tinkering with the numbers and sending her into bankruptcy.