I signed the final lease papers on a Tuesday afternoon.
The estate agreed to rent the building to the Gull's Rest for two years, with an option to renew if I kept up with the repairs. The cooperative approved a smaller loan than I'd requested. I used my savings, the grant money, and what I'd made during the festival to cover the first payments.
The buyout agreement gave me a year to purchase Evan's half of the business. It was a risk. The diner might not earn enough. The roof could fail again. The festival might bring fewer people next year.
I signed anyway.
Afterward, I took the bus to the used-car lot and bought a small hatchback. It wasn't as reliable as the car I'd sold, and it smelled faintly of old coffee. I kept the bus schedule in the glove compartment. I also kept the paper ma
