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you’re pricing yourself out. You’re not willing to accept offers on your

things, even when they’re reasonable. And your display is, well, lacking.

I’ve set up quite a few of ours. I can tell you this is not the way to get

people to visit your area. They look at it and see a bunch of disarray and

mess and clutter and they just walk right past.”

Wade whipped around and stared at her, stunned. Wynn had filled Romi

in on what Wade’s real issue was. He hadn’t minced words. She hadn’t

either. She figured Wade wasn’t going to listen to her either way, and he

was already a sourpuss, so her words likely weren’t going to make a

difference. She also doubted that anyone had bothered to tell Wade the

truth.

The customer wasn’t always right, and neither were the vendors. He

needed to hear it, especially when he was blaming everyone else and going

around saying that Kiera didn’t know how to run a business because she

was a woman. That was the real part that pissed Romi off. She might have

been gentler otherwise, but she felt strangely protective of the store, and of

Kiera.

“Well, I…” Wade’s mouth gaped like a fish flopping around out of water.

“I’ve never—”

“Been told the truth because everyone here is too busy trying to make

everyone happy that they’re actually shooting themselves in the foot?”

Wade’s face lost some of its pinched look, which, in turn, served to make

his features a little less sharp and pointy. “I…I…”

“Take a look at the other displays. Look at how they’re put together.

Check out the similar items and the pricing. You’ll see that I’m right. I’m

not saying this to be mean. I’m saying this because it’s the truth and it’s

basic business. And you’re right, if you’re only making a couple hundred

dollars a month, being here probably isn’t worth it.”

Romi bit down hard on her bottom lip. She hoped she knew what she was

doing. The space was a large one. Then again, since the rent was paid on