Bride 2 Be

Chapter 16--New Ventures

Chapter 16
NEW VENTURES


Calvin stood next to his car, staring at the big gray building. Most windows were smashed out, and glass remnants littered the ground and sparkled in the bright sunshine. The brick walls looked in good shape, but they could use a new coat of paint. The interior of the structure is what worried him the most. The pictures he saw online were at least ten years old and dark and shadowy. It had sat empty for a long time, which was never good. He wondered if they might be better off tearing it down and starting from scratch. If it were structurally sound, that would be a bonus. Nolan pulled in and parked near the building, with Anna and Lisa pulling in behind him. Before he could make his way over to them, two more vehicles arrived, one after the other.

He wanted this to be a private tour but understood that their designer had a mind of her own and had to know what was going on at every juncture. He respected Anna and Nolan, and there was no way he would be the one causing problems in their marriage. Lisa exited Anna's car, turning to look at him with a bright smile on her lovely face, but he couldn't help but smile back at her. She was something special, someone worth his time and the physical distance, though he didn't see distance being the case for more than a short time. He needed to be near her. She gave him something other than work to focus on and made him feel part of her world. He loved that about her. She never put on airs or expected him to be someone else.

Calvin headed over to the group as the realtor unlocked the door.

"Hey, Calvin, this the architect I was telling you about, Taylor Allen."

They shook hands. "Nice to meet you," Cal said. "Nolan says you're a whiz at getting plans together and have great insight."

Taylor smiled. "I appreciate that, but this kind of project will also be new for me."

A short woman with curly brown hair stepped forward and extended her hand. "Hello, Mr. Grayburg, I'm Helen Johnson."

"It's very nice to meet you, Miss Johnson."

"Shall we?" she said, holding the door open for them to enter.

"Thank you," Calvin said, reaching for Lisa and escorting her over the threshold. He could admit it was more about being close to her than ensuring she was safe. Her high heels probably put her at a disadvantage, but he'd be there to catch her if she lost her footing.

"I wish that the electricity was on, but there should be enough sunlight for you to navigate the building," Miss Johnson said, stepping in front of the group. "There are two sections to this building. This used to be where GM built wiring harnesses. As you can see, all of the equipment has been removed, and what was left is stacked in the other section."

She pointed toward the wall that seemed to run through the middle of the building. "Through that doorway is a decent-sized kitchen and office space. The cubicles are still here, but I don't know what kind of shape they are in."

Calvin moved to the center of the enormous room and turned in a circle, taking in the open space of that section. "It's bigger than I imagined."

"Pictures can't compare with seeing things firsthand," Nolan said.

"Where is the loading dock?" Cal asked.

Miss Johnson pointed toward the other section. "Just beyond that wall."
Calvin reached for Lisa's hand and dragged her along with him. So far, he found the building's size and layout perfect for their intended use. Even if they had to tear down the separating wall, it would be worth the five hundred thousand price tag, though he knew he could shave at least one hundred thousand off that. Just the thought had him smiling as they reached the door. He pulled the handle down and opened the door, the dusty handle leaving residue on his hand. He stepped through, holding the door for Lisa, not wanting her to get filthy since she was going back to the Boutique afterward.

Light shown through the busted windows, illuminating a dim glow through the space. Most of the cubicles were covered in a mountain of dust; some had fallen apart and were lying on the floor. The loading dock doors were completely intact, though he couldn't understand why they would build the kitchen so close to an entryway.

"What do you think?" he asked.

Lisa turned toward him, resting her hands on his forearms. "Are you really serious about expanding here?"

"Does that frighten you?" Cal asked, smiling down at her.

Lisa shook her head. "No, that's not what I meant."

"Well," he began. "We are paying a fortune in rent on the Upper East Side. This makes perfect sense for you and Anna, who are both here."

Lisa crossed her arms before her, looking down at her feet. "Moving operations here would be a big deal. Someone would need to oversee things," she said.

Calvin reached out, placed his finger under her chin, and raised her face. "Yes, love."

The endearment made her smile. "Does that mean you'd be moving here?"

He inched his face closer, wanting nothing more than to kiss her breathless, feel her warm body pressed into his. "Can you think of anyone better?" he whispered.

Her lips parted, and that was all the encouragement he needed. He kissed her softly at first, but he was on fire the second she responded by wrapping her arms around him. Passion ignited, and he needed more of her, to taste her sweetness again, to feel her desire for him. He nibbled her bottom lip, coaxing her to open for him, and the second he did, Lisa's tongue pushed inside his mouth. Remnants of coffee lingered. Her fingers grasped his shirt when he deepened the kiss. At that moment, he only wanted to stay with her.

Voices from the other room grew closer, causing him to pull back. He looked down into her sparkling eyes and smiled. "I think this will be good for us," he whispered.

Lisa nodded, crossed her arms, and turned toward the doorway as the others filed into the room.

"What do you think, Calvin?" Nolan asked.

"It could work. Depends on the price tag for renovations." Cal smiled, "If only I knew of a good contractor."

Nolan laughed, "One who could make it worth your while, I'm sure."

Anna threaded her arm through Nolan's. "I know the perfect guy for the job." She planted a kiss on his cheek.

Nolan turned to Taylor. "Is it doable, Taylor?"

"The loading dock is in a horrible location. No idea why anyone would put it at the center of the building, but we can work around it." Taylor moved toward it, looking around, then walked to where the cubicles lined the opposite wall, with the kitchen sitting between both. "I'd relocate the office space to the other section of the building. You could keep this space for shipping and loading, which protect the other workers from the elements and the noise."

Taylor looked at Calvin. "Tell me about the work your employees will be doing and how many offices you'll need."

"I'm thinking we'll need at least three rows of tables set up for sewing stations, about five office spaces, the breakroom, of course, and the loading dock will need to stay," Calvin said, moving toward the big bay doors. "We'll also need storage space as shipments come and go."

Taylor turned to the wall that separated the two spaces and moved to it, running his hand across it. "This load-bearing wall is an obstacle. I'd remove it first, put in eight columns to reinforce the truss to hold the weight." He turned around to face the west wall. "We could relocate the kitchen and break area to the front of the building at the south wall here," he said, pointing, "and that would really open up this space.

Calvin nodded. "I like that idea."

"That would also give you the space needed for storage," Nolan added.

"Getting more light into the work area would be a good idea. A storefront system would work well with LED lighting. I don't see any need for this drop ceiling."

Calvin looked up, noticing the ceiling tiles damaged by water and crumbling while other areas were bare. "Are you suggesting leaving it open?"

Taylor nodded. "Yes, while you'd see the heating ducts, it's become quite common. Most paint it a flat black, but you could do any color, really."

"I've seen that before. I can picture a medium gray up there," Calvin said.
Taylor headed through the doorway and back to the other section of the building. "Since the parking is at the east side and in front on the south side, I'd suggest adding two entrances on the south wall."

"How soon could you two get plans drawn up and get me an estimate of what the renovations would cost?"

"I could get you a mock-up in a few hours," Taylor said. "I have already obtained the original plans from when this structure was built."

"I can get you a rough estimate this afternoon when I get the dimensions from Taylor," Nolan added.

Calvin smiled. That would mean he could have a proposal ready if he worked through the afternoon by morning. He was excited and prepared to get his plan in motion and move Grayburg Corporation front and center in the fashion industry.

"Great. I still would like to see that office space, but I'm not worried about renovation pricing at the moment," Calvin said.'

"It's only a five-minute drive from here," Nolan said. "Are you ladies coming along?"

Anna shook her head. "No, I think we're good."

"Alright. Cal, ride with me. When we return to pick up your rental, I'll check out the lot, exterior, and outer perimeter," Nolan said. He moved to his wife, put his arm around her, and escorted her out the door.

Calvin lagged behind everyone as they filed out of the building, taking one last look at his future.

"Cal?" Lisa said.

He turned and smiled at her, loving how she made his name sound sexy. He didn't blame her for not wanting to see the office space. One neglected building would be enough for anyone.

"Coming," he said, moving towards her, wanting nothing more than to kiss her again and share in the excitement of this venture, but he held back. He could wait until he had her alone back at her house later that afternoon.

"After seeing the other building, are you returning to the Boutique? Or, I can give you the key to my place, and you can work from there," Lisa said.

He looked down into her face. "Would you mind letting me work from your house?

She smiled. "Of course not. I think I can trust you," she teased. Lisa dug into her purse, pulled out her keys, and removed her house key from the keyring. She held it out for him.

"What time do you think you'll be home?" he asked, taking the key.

"Usually by five-thirty."

He planted a quick kiss on her mouth. "Great, I'll see you then."

They moved out of the building, and the realtor locked the place. Nolan and Taylor stood beside Anna's car, waiting for him. The sooner they looked at the other building, the sooner he could get moving on his proposal. With any luck, he could call a board meeting by the end of the week, and just that thought thrilled him to his toes.

"Let's roll," Nolan said as they approached.

"Let us know how it goes," Anna called out of the driver's window as Lisa entered the vehicle.

Nolan turned back, stuck his head through the open window, and kissed his wife. "Like you won't be calling me in thirty."

Anna shook her head and started the car. Calvin enjoyed watching those two and how they interacted with one another, and it made him smile, seeing how they didn't seem to care who was around when they were affectionate. His parents only seemed to dote on each other in the privacy of their home, though he knew they adored one another. It was a different time, and the world was changing regarding being affectionate in public, though Cal did believe there were limits to that. He followed Nolan and Taylor to the Brady Construction truck and entered the backseat.

"Are you having any doubts about this yet?" Nolan asked, getting behind the wheel and starting the truck.

Cal shook his head. "No. That building has a great location, and the work shouldn't take long to get it up and running. The biggest obstacle I can see right now will be filling jobs."

Nolan glanced at him from the rearview mirror. "I don't think you'll have trouble there. Most of the town would jump at a chance to better their station," he paused, "that is if the price is right."

Calvin laughed. "Seems to almost always be the case. If this project is a go, can you work on both buildings simultaneously?"

Nolan sighed. "That depends on how involved things are. I assume both buildings will need a complete electrical and plumbing upgrade, probably new heating and cooling, and construction itself."

"I understand."

"What kind of time frame are you thinking?" Taylor asked. "You know the town will have to approve everything, and sometimes they can be sticklers, making it difficult to get plans out promptly."

"I was hoping to be moving operations in three months."

"Shit," Nolan said. "I'm good, but do I look like a miracle worker to you?"

Calvin chuckled again. He felt Nolan would find that an impossible task, but he had to ask and gauge the man's workload regardless. Plus, he knew how quickly he constructed his home once he and Anna were engaged.


"How fast were you able to move into your house?" Calvin asked. He knew he was probably pushing it with Nolan, but it was worth it.

"Hey," Nolan said. "I had everyone I knew working to get that done, including hiring outside help."

Calvin whistled. "There's an idea. Is there another construction company you trust that could work with your crew to get things up and running?"

Nolan pulled to the fenced yard, threw the truck in park, and turned around. "I know a few. Before considering doing that, let's wait and see what things look like inside this building."

Calvin nodded.

The relator pulled in behind them and got out of her car. She walked to the driver's door and smiled. "I'll unlock the gate for you to pull in."

"Thank you, Miss Johnson," Nolan said.

"From what I've seen of the property and plans, that warehouse would be easy to add to later if things go well," Taylor said.

"Really? That does make it even more promising," Calvin admitted. He liked this idea more and more with each passing minute.

Taylor nodded. "You probably hadn't realized there's another acre beyond the tree line."

The men waited, then pulled into the yard and back to the building. Calvin was already smiling before they even made it inside. He could tell by the pretty beige and brown brick exterior that this building was in better shape than the old warehouse they'd just seen. If his calculations were right, this place wouldn't need as much work as the other. That is, as long as he didn't get too particular about ceramic tile and color schemes. He knew his father would expect things to match the suite of offices at Grayburg Corp., but he also knew they could do that without importing tile from Italy.

Miss Johnson pulled her vehicle beside them and approached the glass doors. Calvin jumped out of the truck, eager to get inside and see how right he was about this building.

"Now, this has only been vacant for five years, and the last time I was here, it was still in good shape," she said.

"How long ago was that?" Cal asked.

"Two years ago. The company that looked at it thought it was too pricey for their investment. If your company moves in here, that would signal to other companies that northern Michigan is a place worth looking into."

She smiled at Cal and unlocked the building. Taylor and Nolan lagged behind talking.


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