For the Love of Quilts

By Gini Athey

Can a career woman find happiness and success in the small town she once fled, where nothing and everything is the same when she's forced to come home?

 

After losing her job and the accompanying promotion in a corporate buy out, thirty-something Emily Crawford finds herself stalled in her quest to climb the corporate ladder, earning success on her own merits, not her family name. When she learns that her beloved Aunt Sara has passed away, Emily returns to her small hometown of Woodlawn, Wisconsin.

 

At the reading of her aunt's will, Emily learns she has the opportunity to inherit Sara's estate if she can, within six months, show a profit for Sara's Antiques, the eclectic store her aunt started twenty years ago. Unfortunately, running a family-owned business and remaining in Woodlawn has never been Emily's goal. In fact, that was the very reason she left in the first place.

 

Emily's high-school sweetheart, Taylor Crawford, an adopted member of the sprawling Crawford clan, is the executor of Sara's estate. He urges Emily to accept the challenge, promising to help her make a success of the antique shop.

 

With no other options, Emily grudgingly agrees to take over management of her aunt's store. She struggles to learn the ins and outs of the business, but soon realizes something is missing—a personal connection that would make the shop feel as much hers as Sara's. There's added pressure for Emily to remain in Woodlawn when Taylor admits he still has feelings for her.

 

A mysterious journal may hold the secret for Emily to carve out her own place in Woodlawn and accept the precious gifts awaiting her. Can the magic of a small town, loving friends and family, and an unexpected inheritance lead to the fulfilling life Emily never imagined?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Gini Athey
• Release date: Mar 15, 2024
• ISBN: 9798224104789

Book preview

1

Today was the day I'd worked twenty years to achieve. I was just moments away from the culmination of all my education, long hours, and dedication to the firm being rewarded with a promotion to the Executive Suite. Drawing in a calming breath, I checked my appearance in the mirrored wall of the elevator compartment. I’d gotten up early to make sure my appearance was exactly right for a woman taking her place among the corporate leaders. The navy pinstriped suit was tailored to flatter my figure without emphasizing my female attributes. The silver beaded necklace and matching earrings were stylish without being flashy. My two-inch designer heels were my only indulgence—the buttery leather was a nod to high-quality and comfort while the slight lift boosted my confidence.

When the elevator stopped at my floor of Jameson and Lore Manufacturing Corporate Headquarters, I arranged my features into a serious expression and stepped out. The tall plant at the end of the hallway cast a long shadow from the late May sunshine coming through the end window. I could see the Chicago skyline beyond. It was a beautiful spring day.

Three doors to the left, my boss, Garner Smith, was already at his desk. He looked up when I stopped at his door. Morning, Emily.

His greeting was not unusual. I'd come to like his familiar use of my name. It reminded me of the close-knit small town where I’d grown up, where people not only knew each other but cared. In my climb up the business ladder, many executives handed me assignments without acknowledging me or my skills. Not that it bothered me because I was aiming for another form of recognition—I was headed to the top. Those offices were located one floor up.

Our meeting this morning has been moved to 9:30. We'll go together. Garner returned to the work on his desk.

You're coming, too? That's kind of unusual isn't it, when we go through performance evaluations? I shifted the briefcase I carried every day to my other hand.

Yup. He didn't look up.

Why would they want you to be there? What do you think⁠—

It’s at 9:30. Be ready. Come here at 9:15. He waved his hand for me to leave.

My desk and office, much smaller than those upstairs that I'd seen, had become my comfort zone. I accessed my computer calendar for the week and found a new notice for the upcoming days – no new assignments. Unusual. Very unusual. My gut clenched. For months my calendar had been filled with assignments. I loved the excitement and challenge of completing each project on date or early if I worked extra hours. I didn't have a family that needed my attention, and my cat had died three months ago so I was free to come and go with my time.

Coming in early didn't help my nerves when the meeting reminder notice kept flashing on the monitor. I was lost in thought about all the new packaging projects I would be part of following my promotion when my phone alarm beeped at 9:10, the time I'd set. I took a deep breath and reset my long hair into the clasp I'd chosen to match my silver jewelry. I was ready to move upstairs. I would remember this day for the rest of my life.

Garner was standing in his doorway when I arrived. Ready? He checked my outfit like a father sending his daughter on her first date. Big day for you, Emily. Come down from your office on the top floor every now and then and say hello.

You did your part preparing me for today. I'll be eternally grateful. I didn't know what else to tell Garner without getting sentimental.

No time to waste. At least we can arrive on time. The elevator door opened when he pushed the button.

When we stopped one floor up, we were escorted to the large conference room at the end of the hallway. The expanse of windows on two sides of the room provided views of Lake Michigan and Navy Pier. Six men in suits were already seated at the table. I recognized John Simpson, CEO of Jameson and Lore, at the head of the table.

Ms. Crawford, Mr. Smith, please be seated here. He indicated the empty chairs to his right.

Garner gestured for me to sit in the first empty chair. It was, after all, my performance review. He sat in the second. My nerves started jumping so I held my hands tight together in my lap. Never before had other executives been present for one of my annual evaluations.

Mr. Simpson looked at the papers in front of him. We have received your performance reports, Ms. Crawford, and I must say your work ethic has served you well during your time with Jameson and Lore. You've been instrumental in keeping the projects assigned to you on schedule. YouCare Cosmetics is thrilled with the packaging for their new youth line.

He withdrew two envelopes from the stack of papers in front of him. I'm not going to keep you in suspense any longer. He tapped the envelopes on the table. I'm aware of the rumors and speculation about Jameson and Lore merging with another company. While that was our intent at the beginning of the negotiations, there has been a change. We are no longer merging with Anderson and Goff. They’ve presented a total buy-out offer that has been approved by the board of directors. The new owners are ready to assume control immediately and will be bringing their entire staff to manage the daily operations, as of today. He frowned but didn’t make eye contact.

With that said, it is my responsibility to inform you both that your positions, through no fault of your own, have been eliminated. He passed an envelope to each of us. We have established a placement service to help you find another position. Please contact them to schedule an appointment. When you return to your offices, there will be a box for you to pack your personal items in. Your keys will need to be forfeited when you leave today.

I looked at the other men seated at the table. None looked at us. Garner nudged me to stand when Mr. Simpson stood up. Thank you for your service to Jameson and Lore. We’ll be happy to write letters of recommendation if you request them. He shook my hand first, then Garner's.

Garner led me out of the room, his gait stiff. Well, Emily, that wasn't what I'd expected.

Stunned, I opened the envelope. There was no way I could read the notice wrong when I got to the part about position eliminated. Did I? Did you?

Garner opened his envelope. Guess so. They've eliminated both of us. I wonder how many other employees will get similar notices?

Neither of us talked on the ride down. Garner stepped into his office and closed the door. I stood in shock when I got to my office. All the electronic equipment had been removed while I was gone: the computer, the monitor, the in-house phone, and all my paper files. I grabbed my personal phone and called Garner.

Yeah, my office was stripped, too. He confirmed that his situation matched mine. Well, pack up. Let's have a drink in the coffee shop downstairs before we go.

If they let us in. My voice had the sound of defeat.

Hey, you're not even forty years old. With your experience, you'll be able to get a job anywhere. I'm too old for most companies to hire me.

Our pity party lasted through an espresso and a cappuccino. Garner held his cup high in the air. To us. It was a good run while it lasted. We clinked our cups. I need to get home and tell my wife before she hears the news from someone else.

Me, too. That was a lie. There was no one waiting for me, just an empty apartment. I grabbed my box of personal items, and after five years for me, many more for Garner, we turned in our keys at the reception desk and walked through the front door for the last time.

Clouds from the west had approached the city in the few hours since I'd arrived in the bright sunshine. My mood followed the darkness. It wasn't as if I hadn't had disappointments and failures on my path to the coveted executive level, but never had I been fired. Terminated. Eliminated. Downsized. No, I had been the one to decide I needed to change jobs and companies to go higher on that proverbial ladder.

By the time I got to my apartment, the city was under a blanket of dense black clouds ready to spill a hard spring rain before nightfall. I thought about calling a couple of friends, but they would still be working and I didn't know what more I could tell them other than I'd lost my job. I could soften the news by saying my job had been eliminated, which would mean that I wasn't responsible for losing my job, but why bother? I didn't have answers for their questions about what I'd do next.

Are you going to take a vacation before looking for another job? Judy would ask. She worked to have money to travel.

How are you going to afford living in Chicago? would be Mary's question. As a financial analyst, she claimed to still have her first earned dollar.

Ben would offer to have me move in with him. He'd wanted us to have a relationship beyond friendship for a long time. No, I didn't want their questions or their pity. I wanted my job back. The one that would have gotten me one step closer to a corner office.

Then I asked myself: