“The business closed when her mom retired because she couldn’t sell it. Rhoda inherited the building but couldn’t cover the expense, so she sold it to Dad. A bunch of us helped move her collection across the street to the Grand Hotel. She rents a storage room from Cole, and it’s stacked floor to ceiling with movies on celluloid. There are a lot.”
“No kidding,” Luke looks impressed. “How many is a lot?”
“Thousands, easily. Silent films. Black and white classics. Movies I’d never heard of.” I shrug at his skepticism. “It would be kind of amazing to have her show them off.”
“It would. It really would.” He sounds excited. “People might drive in for that. Where is she?”
“Working in Toronto, I think. Madison would know.”
“Thanks. I’ll look into that.” He smiles and his expression is warmer this time. “But none of this is why you’re here, is it?”
“No, it’s not. You own the building where The Carpe Diem Café is located.”
“I do.” Luke’s smile fades. He’s wary now, as he hasn’t been yet. “Got a problem with that?”
I keep my tone even, because if I fight with Luke about anything, it isn’t going to be this. “No, just a question. Sierra wants to do some greenhouse growing. Herbs for Merrie. Maybe she’ll end up selling the extras. But if I’m going to arrange for a greenhouse to be built on the roof, I need your permission to alter the property.”
Luke leans against one of the seats that are destined to leave the building. He’s studying me, his arms folded across his chest. “That’s a cool idea.”
“It is.”
“And you’re going to help her?”
I nod. “She’s enthused. Can’t be a bad thing to encourage that and it is in my wheelhouse.”
“Definitely.” He’s smiling a little again now but his eyes are bright. “I’m spread too thin to pay for it, though.”
“I can cover it.”
“Really?” He arches a brow. “You’re doing my leasehold improvements now?”
I smile that he’s teasing me a bit. Maybe we could actually get along. “The greenhouse rep is offering a deal in exchange for promotional access. He wants to photograph it for some marketing scheme.”
“All the buildings in the world with greenhouses on their roofs. I like it.”
I nod.
“And what ultimately happens to the greenhouse?” he asks. “You should know that Merrie and I have kind of a rent-to-buy thing going on.”
That doesn’t surprise me. I never imagined Luke was staying in town. “I was thinking it would be Sierra’s if she stays interested.”
“If not?”
“Then Merrie would get it with the building, I guess.”
“You wouldn’t tell Sierra about that possibility upfront?”
I shake my head. “I wouldn’t want her to feel obliged to do something that she didn’t want to do.” It’s only after I say the words that I realize what I’ve admitted.
And Luke heard it. “Did you ever have a choice, Mike?” he asks, sounding genuinely curious.
It seems important to consider my reply before I speak.
“Probably not. I always liked the greenhouses, though, so I never really thought it was an imposition to join the familybusiness.” I realize I might as well say it. “I have wondered since what it would have been like to do something else.”
“Like what?”
“Anything that didn’t fall under Dad’s oversight,” I say and have a moment to regret being so forthright before Luke laughs.
