smoothly, we should close in a week.”
Brent spoke up, seeming like he was trying to regain Kevin’s attention more than actually from genuine interest. “It’s in one of those old brownstones, right?”
“Well that narrows it down. Very deductive, Brent.” Monica didn’t like Brent. No doubt. Actually Casper had noticed that it seemed no one at the table liked Brent. “Imagine. A brownstone. In Boston.”
Kevin started to laugh, then cut off abruptly, with a side-glance toward Brent. “You’re right. It is in a brownstone. Right across from the theater in South End.”
Casper sat up straighter. “The one pretty close to the Eagle?”
“Uhm….” Kevin narrowed his eyes.
“About a block away from The Butcher Shop.”
His eyes lit up. “Yes! That’s the one. You’ve seen it?”
“Yeah, I went by it tonight.” Casper noticed Brent giving him an accusing look. “I, uh, went to a play this evening.” He turned back to Kevin, shoving his irritation with Brent aside. “The one with the green storefront and the blacked-out windows.”
Kevin nodded. “Yes. That’s it.”
“Wow. I’m so stinking jealous. I was just thinking how I’d kill to open a bakery in that spot. Good for you!” Casper meant it. “I hope it works out for you. You’re giving me hope. What’s it like inside?”
Kevin faltered for a moment, a look of stress or fear washing over his features. “Oh. Let’s just say it’s beautiful from the outside.” A nervous laugh escaped, and he cleared his throat once more. “I’ve spent more time in there than I should. The first floor isn’t too bad. Well, I thought so at first, until I saw the other three stories. I can’t figure out how a building in that location was allowed to get into such a mess. Some old lady lived in the top two floors and ran a business of some kind on the main level. A shoe shop, I think it was. I thought with it being in a historic district, it would be in decent shape.”
Brent smacked Kevin on the shoulder. “You’re going to have a three-story wedding dress shop? I didn’t know there were that many options. They’re just a bunch of white dresses.”
Casper couldn’t help but roll his eyes. If Brent was trying to get into bed with Kevin, which he obviously was, regardless of his sudden status as Casper’s boyfriend, he’d just ruined any shot he’d had. Probably hadn’t been much of one to begin with.
“Well, no, it won’t be a three-story wedding dress shop.” Kevin scooted infinitesimally away from Brent. “At most it could be two, one day. It could be a four-story building, but it’s divided into three. The first level has high ceilings that take up two stories. There is a second floor, but it’s a mess. And the top floor is an apartment, of sorts—gorgeous windows, but it should probably be condemned. I think I’ll have to shut off the two upper floors. It would be too expensive to redo the whole thing and fill the entire place up with inventory. But maybe one day.”
Brent tried again. “An expensive brownstone and you’re only going to use one level? Talk about financial suicide. I think you need me to help you with business planning. I might be better at it than you.”
The entire table gaped at Brent.
Casper wanted to stand up and announce to the restaurant that Brent never had been nor ever would be his boyfriend.
Monica let out an exasperated breath. “As much as I hate to ever agree with even a drop of what comes out of Brent’s mouth—”
“Hey!”
“Shut up, Brent. Go get us coffee or something.” The practiced sneer cutting across her face was most definitely drag queen worthy.
The hurt that crossed Brent’s face actually made Casper feel a bit sorry for him.
“As I was saying,” Monica addressed Kevin. “He might have a point. Maybe you could rent out the second level to another business or something.”
Kevin considered for a moment, then shook his head. “I don’t want some random store
Brent spoke up, seeming like he was trying to regain Kevin’s attention more than actually from genuine interest. “It’s in one of those old brownstones, right?”
“Well that narrows it down. Very deductive, Brent.” Monica didn’t like Brent. No doubt. Actually Casper had noticed that it seemed no one at the table liked Brent. “Imagine. A brownstone. In Boston.”
Kevin started to laugh, then cut off abruptly, with a side-glance toward Brent. “You’re right. It is in a brownstone. Right across from the theater in South End.”
Casper sat up straighter. “The one pretty close to the Eagle?”
“Uhm….” Kevin narrowed his eyes.
“About a block away from The Butcher Shop.”
His eyes lit up. “Yes! That’s the one. You’ve seen it?”
“Yeah, I went by it tonight.” Casper noticed Brent giving him an accusing look. “I, uh, went to a play this evening.” He turned back to Kevin, shoving his irritation with Brent aside. “The one with the green storefront and the blacked-out windows.”
Kevin nodded. “Yes. That’s it.”
“Wow. I’m so stinking jealous. I was just thinking how I’d kill to open a bakery in that spot. Good for you!” Casper meant it. “I hope it works out for you. You’re giving me hope. What’s it like inside?”
Kevin faltered for a moment, a look of stress or fear washing over his features. “Oh. Let’s just say it’s beautiful from the outside.” A nervous laugh escaped, and he cleared his throat once more. “I’ve spent more time in there than I should. The first floor isn’t too bad. Well, I thought so at first, until I saw the other three stories. I can’t figure out how a building in that location was allowed to get into such a mess. Some old lady lived in the top two floors and ran a business of some kind on the main level. A shoe shop, I think it was. I thought with it being in a historic district, it would be in decent shape.”
Brent smacked Kevin on the shoulder. “You’re going to have a three-story wedding dress shop? I didn’t know there were that many options. They’re just a bunch of white dresses.”
Casper couldn’t help but roll his eyes. If Brent was trying to get into bed with Kevin, which he obviously was, regardless of his sudden status as Casper’s boyfriend, he’d just ruined any shot he’d had. Probably hadn’t been much of one to begin with.
“Well, no, it won’t be a three-story wedding dress shop.” Kevin scooted infinitesimally away from Brent. “At most it could be two, one day. It could be a four-story building, but it’s divided into three. The first level has high ceilings that take up two stories. There is a second floor, but it’s a mess. And the top floor is an apartment, of sorts—gorgeous windows, but it should probably be condemned. I think I’ll have to shut off the two upper floors. It would be too expensive to redo the whole thing and fill the entire place up with inventory. But maybe one day.”
Brent tried again. “An expensive brownstone and you’re only going to use one level? Talk about financial suicide. I think you need me to help you with business planning. I might be better at it than you.”
The entire table gaped at Brent.
Casper wanted to stand up and announce to the restaurant that Brent never had been nor ever would be his boyfriend.
Monica let out an exasperated breath. “As much as I hate to ever agree with even a drop of what comes out of Brent’s mouth—”
“Hey!”
“Shut up, Brent. Go get us coffee or something.” The practiced sneer cutting across her face was most definitely drag queen worthy.
The hurt that crossed Brent’s face actually made Casper feel a bit sorry for him.
“As I was saying,” Monica addressed Kevin. “He might have a point. Maybe you could rent out the second level to another business or something.”
Kevin considered for a moment, then shook his head. “I don’t want some random store
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