Customers could also take their drinks into the adjoining room where four to five cats roamed on any given day. Because of her partnership with the Golden Falls Animal Shelter, all of the cats were available for adoption. They had toys, cat trees, window perches, and more to keep them busy.
As welcoming as Lily’s café was, it was also a little cluttered when you walked in, which is why we started with rearranging the tables. There were also opportunities to add more color and Lily’s personality into the space. I wanted to start with small changes that were low cost and would make an immediate difference.
The back-and-forth brainstorming with a client was always one of my favorite parts, especially if they were excited about theproject. While Lily had mentioned feeling overwhelmed, I could tell she had a lot of ideas and so much passion for her business.
After earning an associate’s degree from the local community college, Lily opened her cat café last year. It had always been her dream to combine her love for animals, coffee, and baking.
Not only did I learn more about her business, I also found out Lily had lived in Golden Falls her whole life. Her parents and older brother lived in town, too, and she had an older sister who was a travel nurse in Hawaii.
“Having extra seating will be great, but no rush on adding it, especially if we add extra seating to the cat room,” I assured Lily. I paused to write on my to-do list to stop by the thrift store to see if they had any comfortable chairs or loveseats. “I think new curtains would also be an easy addition, and we’d talked about how you wanted to add some color to the walls. Should I pick up paint swatches?”
Lily chewed on her bottom lip, reluctantly responding, “I can’t ask you to help me with that, too. You’re already doing so much.”
“Lily, youhiredme,” I said, amused. “This is what I’m here to do, plus it means I get to see more of the town. I assume there’s a hardware store nearby?”
She nodded. “Yeah, Hal’s Hardware. Hal’s the best. You’ll like him, and he’s a good person to know around town. Which reminds me, I need to show you around downtown and introduce you to some of the other business owners and residents. I want you to meet my best friend, Eliza, too, but she’s out of town for the next few weeks at a yoga conference and retreat in Madison. She owns the yoga studio a few doors down.” She waved her hand in the general direction. “You probably saw it on your way to the café.”
“I did! It caught my eye right away. I’m excited to meet her and whoever else you introduce me to.” I was excited to formfriendships and connections in Golden Falls, even if I was only staying for a few months. I could easily see this being the type of place I’d come back to visit. “The store’s called Hal’s Hardware?”
“That’s right. Just a couple blocks away past the restaurants and shops, toward the grocery store.”
Wanting to be sure, I pulled out my phone, tapping on the maps app and searching for the hardware store. “Got it!” I said once I found it. “I think a neutral color or a pastel yellow would look really nice for this main wall and help the chalkboards pop. We can keep the other walls off white to help this one stand out but add other pops of color with various decor. I’ll keep an eye out when I’m shopping and text you pictures of anything I find.”
Lily nodded, a grateful smile gracing her lips as she slipped her notebook and pencil into the front pocket of her apron. “That sounds perfect. Whatever you think will look good will work for me. This is going to be great!”
She rounded the counter to begin cleaning up for the day, and I followed suit by packing up my laptop and notebook.
“Oh, by the way, are you free for dinner sometime this week or next?” Lily asked. “My parents have been wanting to introduce themselves. My dad loves to grill over the summer, and we’ll have a bonfire, too.”
“I’d love to. Text me the address and time, and I’ll be there.” Sliding my bag on my shoulder, I added, “I’m going to walk around downtown and pick up groceries before heading back to the cabin. I’ll let you know about the paint, and we’ll go from there.”
“Yeah, actually, I’m about to wrap up here. If you want, we can walk together, and I’ll show you around?”
“I’d love that,” I eagerly replied.
Lily untied her apron and hung it up on the wall. The hook was shaped like a cat, of course. She grabbed her purse and met me at the door, fishing out her keys to lock up.
“Next time you come by, I’ll have a new creation for you to test,” she said. “I’ve been trying a recipe for vegan strawberry muffins, and I think it’sjustthere. I’ll want a couple people to try them before I sell them at the café.”
“Wow, that sounds absolutely amazing. You don’t have to ask me twice. I’m more than happy to try. Anything strawberry for the summer is perfect.”
“We’re on the same page today. I knew there was a reason I liked you,” Lily teased.
I had no clue how Lily had time to be coming up with new creations while also revamping and running her café. This business meant a lot to her, and it made me even more eager to be in her corner.
5
WESLEY
Damn tourist season.It was already starting.
I hated the influx of visitors who came into town over the summer. Yes, I was grateful for the extra foot traffic—both for the bar I owned and the other businesses in town—but I still hated how there were so many new people around.
I’d lived here my whole life and still hadn’t fully accepted that Golden Falls needed and thrived on tourism, especially during the summer. You either hated it, or you loved it. It was clear where I stood.
It especially irritated me when visitors treated Golden Falls as just another vacation spot, ignoring the people who lived here full-time. They came for a few weeks and then turned their backs.
I had connections to this town, to the people, that went beyond a simple visit. This was and always would be my home, and I was protective of those around me. I could count the people in my inner circle on one hand: my parents, two sisters, and Cooper, my best friend who was more like a brother.
