Broad Street Goddesses Page 13

  Paige felt the pain of the small town sting her, “I don’t mix business with pleasure.” Defiantly, she reached for the box.

  “Just a minute, there…” He softened his voice, “don’t get your panties in a bunch.”

  Paige was furious but she perked an ear, “You have a couple of beautiful pieces there. I’d be happy to offer you a fair wholesale price if you can wait a few minutes for me to calculate.”

  Paige heard Georgia’s voice in her head and swallowed her resistance to doing business with one of the ‘crusty old dudes’ of Nevada City. She nodded to Samson and sat firmly onto a green vinyl chair with chrome legs. Time was on her side and she’d wait to see what he was offering.

  She watched him deftly weigh each ring for gold or platinum content then measure each stone and calculate its worth. He kept coming back to the sapphire, squinting through the microscope nodding his head. Samson disappeared behind a burgundy curtain and returned to the counter, handing her both the box of rings and an appraisal of its contents in a sealed envelope, “Here you go. I’ll get a cashier’s check if you want to sell.”

  Paige took the box and the envelope and slipped them into her satchel. “I’ll be back tomorrow. I want to sell.”

  “Fair enough.” He called as the door slipped silently closed behind her.

  Paige just started walking. The whole move, the mansion, the relationship with Jake, was history repeating itself. Red dirt had only given her the sense of false security. Etta’s presence had been scarce since Will had returned and her only other friend, Jake, had become a double agent for the enemy. The uneasy feeling in her chest lurched until she felt like she was going to be sick. She walked past the fire station where she’d attended the barn dance and just past Louie’s Pizzeria she ran smack into Addy as she was closing her bakery for the day.

  “Paige,” Addy’s hand was on her arm, her earth mother eyes full of concern, “Honey, you’re crying!”

  Paige reached up to her rolling eyes, “I guess I am.”

  “You look like a woman who could use some girl chat.”

  “I don’t think that’s going to fix what’s gone wrong, Addy.”

  “Oh dear,” Addy threw her huge leather purse over her shoulder and linked her arm through Paige’s. “Never underestimate the power of good Vodka,” strange advice coming from the baker of gluten free breads and sugar free pies.

  Addy led her across the street and straight into O’doul’s, “You get us a table and I’ll get the remedy.”

  Paige wandered through the darkness of the pub and found a table against the wall. It was a pretty quiet Monday night. She slid into the booth and realized the uneasy thrumming in her chest was her heart aching. Pulling a few napkins out of the holder she dabbed the tears from her eyes and folded her hands on the table top. Studying her fingers, she noticing sea foam green paint under her nails; another round of sobs bubbled up.

  “Okay, now drink. I’ve got Hardy making more as we speak. He’s under strict orders to keep it coming.” Addy settled in to her side of the booth and looked across the table, “Paige, sometimes you just have to talk to someone. You’re a member of the sisterhood now which means I’m legally required to buy you drinks until you start talking.” Addy emptied her glass and quickly looked toward the bar to see if Hardy was making his way over yet.

  “It’s such a mess… I don’t know where to start.” Paige was picking at the paint around her fingernails.

  Addy nudged the martini glass closer to Paige, “I’m telling you, it’s practically the cure for a bad day.”

  The pink drink went down easily, “Thanks, that’s really good.”

  “M Hmmm… now… what’s up?”

  “Well, you know I bought my house from an internet auction site.”

  “Yes, I think you mentioned it.”

  “The city has plans to tear it down for parking.”

  “That’s ridiculous.” Addy waved her unmanicured hand dismissively.

  “According to Jake, I’ve got to make a good case to the City Council a week from tomorrow. They have slotted it for imminent domain and then demolition by next summer.”

  “Holy shit.” Addy said, “Who’s responsible for selling you a house that was ear marked for the city?”

  “I haven’t gotten that far yet. I had a title company, I have the deed of trust, I don’t know what I can do at this point if the city really wants to tear it down. I know the house has been there for over a hundred and thirty years, it must have some intrinsic value to the city.”

  “The only history I can remember was a pot bust back in the nineties.” Addy laughed but Paige didn’t find humor in it, “Sorry Honey, I’m not very good at making jokes.”

  “It’s not you; I’m really pissed off at myself that I may have missed a vital step in buying the property. It just doesn’t matter, Addy. I love that house, I feel like I was born to live there and create this Bed and Breakfast. I’m so passionate about it! I just can’t believe that this can be taken away.”

  “There’s a whole bunch of us here who care about you and that house, Paige. I’ll put the word out and we’ll help you find the way. Wednesday night we usually play games. This week we’ll meet at your house and strategize.”

  “Everyone is so busy with their own lives now, I can’t ask them to come to my rescue.”

  “You need us and we’ll be there..”

  “Just like that?”

  “Yep. Just like that. I’m going to give you some advice,” Addy started her third drink, “Do not, under any circumstances stop working on that house. You’re restoring her and you’re both absolutely glowing. It’s like you’re spirits are linked together.”

  Paige looked into the bare, beautiful face of Addy the strange little earth mother baker who tonight, had chosen Vodka as the remedy. For a moment, Paige felt hopeful.

  CHAPTER 16

  Paige turned Nora Jones on for background music. Georgia remained mysteriously and supportively quiet while Paige continued to work on the house. One more bedroom and the guest quarters would be completed. She looked up into the foyer to admire her handiwork and felt comforted by the warm Tuscan gold of the walls. Light danced through the stained glass windows, creating Monet color splashes along the curved wall. As Nora sang in her carefree sultry tones, Paige swayed to the music, closed her eyes and absorbed the moment. The knowing in her heart said all would be well, logic told her otherwise, she’d had her beautiful creations stripped away before and it almost killed her. The faint recollection of Jakes advice, “when you start thinking with your heart and loving with your brain…” It was a battle she was not familiar with.

  Etta opened the door without knocking, carrying a wooden box the size of a loaf of bread like a precious relic, its contents unknown to Paige. She kissed Paige on the cheek and said, “We’re finally here!” Mim followed Etta, dragging a second box prepared with volumes of old binders. Addy appeared behind them with dinner. Della and Patti came with drinks and a huge dry erase board.

  Paige watched in amazement as the women set up command central in her library. Dinner was served on paper plates but Mim refused to have cocktails out of paper cups and rummaged through the kitchen until she emerged with crystal stemware. “It’s absolutely barbaric that we would be reduced to paper cups.”

  “Well, your highness, I was only thinking of clean up.” Della shot toward her friend.

  “I’ll wash the crystal.” Mim said indignantly.

  “Okay, for starters,” Mim said around a bite of Chicken Primavera, “We’ve got to know exactly what the city has planned. I brought a copy of the proposal.” She laid it out on a large antique library table in the middle of the room. “Jake’s right, they want to use this property as a parking lot.” Everyone gathered around the table to look at the master plan of Nevada City. There was universal grumbling and heads shaking in disgust.

  “I think we should get the best history and lineage of the house for our presentation.” Addy said, handing
out pink cocktails in glimmering crystal. Paige looked around at the faces; everyone one of them radiant in their own right. Addy’s fresh face, straight hair pulled back to a pony tail, wearing jeans and a white shirt un-tucked and naturally casual. Mim’s magical essence was focused to a fine point. Della, flowing and fluid, Etta, her hippy happy self, and finally Patti who looked like he just walked out of a board room, threw his jacket onto a chair.

  “I hope everything we need is here in the boxes. Don’t any of you ask me how I got them!” Mim announce trying to hide a conspiratorial smile.

  “Did you steal them?” Etta’s eyes stirred with wonder.

  “Of course not Darlin’, I merely borrowed them for a bit. That old Blanch in the main office wouldn’t let me into the archives because it was too close to closin’ time. I just waited until dark and used my old key to get into the basement. Easy as pie…”

  “Easy for you to say.” Paige thought.

  Mim was quiet for a moment, dark reflection in her eyes. She wore a flowing dark blue gypsy dress with no shoes. Her signature jewelry was absent, her eyes looked tired but her presence was strong. When she finally spoke she did so with a tone Paige didn’t recognize. What she said drew the undivided attention in the room, “Paige, Darlin’, I want you to know that Jake really has nothing to do with the city’s ambition to destroy your house. He’s bound by law to uphold the best interests of Nevada City as their sole counsel for another year and a half.” She looked thoughtfully out the float glass bay windows onto Broad Street and continued, “When Jake needed money for Law School and I couldn’t help him...” Addy noticed tears working the corners of her eyes and scooted closer to put a hand on Mim’s shoulder. “When the City offered him the grant for school with the condition of public service his love of Nevada City was foremost in his mind. Not bein’ able to help that boy is one of my deepest regrets. Our leadership was trustworthy and well respected at the time.” Her lips went tight and her eyes narrowed as she continued, “Since then, Jed has become a festering boil on the butt of this community. Sorry if that offends you Addy, I know he’s your uncle.”

  “Not by blood, thank God!” Addy patted her hand.

  Mim continued, “He’s got everyone so wound up around here the city council can’t find their asses with both hands and a compass. We should have known if he wasn’t born here, he wouldn’t have our best interests at heart.”

  “Not being of Red Dirt and all…” Della said curtly with a pout of her pretty pink lips. Everyone nodded in agreement.

  “Jed Grisworth doesn’t have the good sense God gave a piss ant.” Mim said with contempt, “And I for one, am going to make it damned difficult for him to be re-elected City manager again.” They all shook their heads and breathed out a sigh of disgust. “Now let’s fry his chicken…” Mim said sweetly, “so to speak.”

  “Paige, your drawings for the place are amazing.” Della said, running her bright red manicured fingers flashing with rings over the lines of her drawings. “With your permission I’ll have copies made and then mount them on presentation boards for the Council meeting.” Paige looked closely at Della. A Botticelli work of art, her dark hair streaked and tossed into a style carefree and wild. She wore a golden duster over a shirt that exposed her ample bosoms and snug Capri pants. Her tiny feet were adorned in shimmering gold sandals. Della was an artist of sensual perfection and wore her essence well. Her dramatic eyes flashed to Paige, “Well, I think it will make a huge impact. Do you trust me with the presentation?”

  Paige said, “Of course! We can use the original sketches. Time is short. Wouldn’t the real thing be better than sketches?” Della cocked her head to one side in question. Paige jumped up and said, “Come with me, I’ve been working reletlessly!”

  As the group climbed the grand staircase, Patti cooed, “What a grand color Paige, so warm and unassuming at the same time. It’s like this color has been on the walls for hundreds of years, but it’s fresh.”

  “That’s the point.” She led them through her haunted hallway to the first bedroom and opened the double doors with a flourish. Revealing to them, a color of sea blue that felt like a mist of ocean. The bed was massive and draped around all sides with filmy shimmering fabric. Pillows of all shapes, sizes and textures created the desire to run and jump into the pile of down. It was elegantly unique yet luxuriously comfortable. A gold brocade chase lounge sat in the bay window overlooking the city streets. The women were speechless as they touched and walked around wide eyed through the room and finally peeked into the bathroom.

  Della sighed, “Absolutely amazing, Paige, you have kept the originality of the house and made it new. I just want to crawl up onto that bed and melt into it.”

  “Go ahead!” Paige waved her hand inviting them to jump in.

  A spark of delight crossed Addy’s face as all the women crawled up onto the bed and with moans of pleasure they snuggled into the massive king sized down filled mounds of colored sand and ocean. Patti, who had been looking out the window, slipped out of his expensive leather loafers, revealing French manicured toenails and seized the opportunity to make a leap into the middle of the bed prompting squeals of juvenile laughter from the women. He sat smugly in the middle and rolled up his black silk sleeves, loosening his lavender tie.

  Mim said with a giggle, “I do believe we have a thorn among the roses.”

  “Paige this is glorious!” Patti gushed running his hands over the textures of the bedding.

  “I’m going to send over the photographer from the paper and get a piece put in the Union. We’ll get the community interest, with your permission of course.” Addy was fluffing a beautiful gold pillow as she climbed down from the bed. She looked back at the rag-tagged bunch billowing with satin and smiles, “Well that would be a pretty picture for the front page!”

  “The Goddesses of Broad Street,” Paige smiled.

  After another moment of pleasure, Mim jumped off the bed and clapped her hands, taking charge of the situation, “Okay chickens, let’s get movin’,” she led the group back to the Library so they could get to work.

  “What’s in the books, Mim?” Patti pulled a down feather from his spiky hair.

  “County records for properties.” Mim gently took the book from Patti and placed it on the far end of the large table. “If I recall correctly, the house was built in the 1860’s. We need to have names and dates, and anything else interesting that happened here, especially something that ties into the history of Nevada City and the gold rush.” Mim handed out white gloves.

  “Gloves for stolen ledgers?” Addy asked with humor.

  “We’re just borrowin’ them. Gloves keep the oils on our skin from breaking down the documents. Don’t you all look at me like I’m crazy, old historians die hard, you know. I spent the first half of my life in the archives preserving them.”

  White gloved, the dedicated committee searched. Patti occasionally made notes on the yellow legal pad next to his volume. Della had been collecting the notes and marking dates on the dry erase board, creating a time line. When all the volumes had been gone through, they sat in silence, looking at the dates, digesting the information.

  “Something’s missing,” Etta said looking perplexed.

  “The dates between owners are too long.” Patti noted.

  “It has to be right under our noses.” Della said.

  “Wait a minute!” Mim stood and started to pace with a scowl, “We need old newspaper articles that coincide with the dates we have. Things were recorded like a diary in the newspapers back then.” She sat in contemplation tapping her nails against the wooden table, “Time is short, I hope we’re on the right track.”

  Etta stood and walked to the middle of the room, her pale blue and lavender tie died skirt moving gracefully around her legs. “I feel it.” The women all looked at Etta. She felt energy in the room that wasn’t there hours ago when they’d gathered. It was an electricity of discovery, something that was not of them, but created for them, “
She’s here.” Etta’s eyes transformed from pale hazel to dark green, her gaze focused on the air in the room. Not looking at anything in particular.

  “Who’s here?” Della whispered.

  “Can you hear her Etta?” Paige asked softly, “I can’t hear her.”

  “Okay Ladies … this is getting weirder by the minute.” Patti said in a hushed tone. Instinctively they had migrated to a huddle. The music suddenly stopped. A door upstairs slammed twice. They all jerked in unison looking to one another for an answer as a chill pricked unanimous skin.

  “Georgia?” Paige called out, looking towards the stairs in the foyer. The door slammed again, “That’s not nice. If you have something to say… then say it.” Paige had a furrowed brow.

  “Jesus, I never get used to this!” Patti threw his hands up in a huff and waved them around, strutting like a bird, “I don’t know how you do it Etta… it scares me stupid.” His hands went quickly into his pant pockets as his eyes darted nervously around the room, blond spikes flopping.

  “How delicious,” Della whispered, her little heels clicking off towards the foyer. The squeak of the upstairs attic door was magnified through the quiet house; visibly it stood open at the top of the stairs in welcome. Della continued to the bottom of the stairs and started her ascent to the open door.

  “Della,” Etta put her hand on her arm, “Come back into the library.” Della’s large brown eyes made slow motion contact with Etta, “That’s it, Honey, come back in here for a minute.” Etta guided her back into the library where every face looked on in horror. She kept Della’s hand in hers as she began to give instructions very slowly with an even tone to keep everyone’s mind easy. “Paige, please get me the box I brought. Addy, come and hold on to Della. She’s a little distracted right now and I don’t want her wandering off without us. Mim, the candles and the lighter, Patti, please join us.” Patti was frozen watching the attic door and began to wander to the foyer. Etta went after Patti and brought him back to the room guiding his hand to Addy. She then closed the heavy double doors connecting the library to the foyer.