Chapter Eight
“You’re good for the weekend? Don’t need any sandwiches for the road or anything?” Summer asked. She was still in her yoga outfit, and Jake pulled her close, smelling her, the ultimate combination of coconut shampoo and natural fragrance.
“I’ll grab something light on the way. Lisa’s making a late dinner so we can all eat together,” Jake said. “Have fun with Kimber.”
“I will. It’s mostly a work thing,” Summer said.
Jake scrunched his face up. “Right. So you’re telling me there will be no wine, no fun, and all serious matters?”
He could tell Summer was trying to keep a straight face, but she broke out in a laugh. “Fine. There might be some of that too. That girl knows how to enjoy herself.”
“I’m just glad you’re smiling again.” He kissed her deeply, feeling her body press against his.
Summer looked up at him as he broke the kiss, and she asked, “What was that for?”
“Summer Phillips, I wish you were coming this weekend.” Jake stepped toward his truck, where Aspen sat in the front passenger seat, patiently waiting for him.
“So do I.”
“Be careful,” he offered.
“What do I need to be careful of?” she asked.
“You and Trina are infiltrating enemy grounds this weekend. Just be cautious.”
Summer grinned at this. “I will. Love you.” She waved at both of them and blew kisses.
Jake got into the truck and said through the open window, “I love you too.”
The week had been a tough one, but things felt like they were getting back to normal. He laughed at the thought. His life had felt so rushed over the past two years, a whirlwind of work and Summer. It was going to be great to finish the house, get married, and slow things down for a while.
Jake petted Aspen’s back as they drove out of town; the dog’s head stuck out the window, tongue flapping in the wind. As he hit the highway, he cranked the radio, singing along to a classic summer country song.
*
“What do you think?” Trina asked as Summer entered the cabin’s doorway.
She looked around the space. It was great: pine floors and matching vaulted ceilings. “This is super nice. Did you know that I’ve never stayed out here?”
Trina waved her inside, and Summer kicked off her flats and followed her friend to the kitchen. “Seriously? Never?” Trina asked.
“Why would I? Do you go to hotel rooms in Boston?” Summer asked.
“Only when Chris wants to roleplay,” Trina said with a wink.
Summer couldn’t tell if she was serious or joking, and she thought she’d save that for a late-night discussion. “I stand corrected. I used to imagine what it would be like to be a tourist coming to stay in the Pines when I was a little girl. I thought it was so boring. I used to ask my Dad why anyone would pay to visit our little town, and he used to tell me it was because the Pines was magical. The rest of the world was flat and dull, but when you came to the Pines, you were transported somewhere special.”
Trina was typing on her laptop. “This is gold.”
“What are you doing?” Summer asked.
“Taking notes about what your dad used to say. We need to connect Peaceful Pines to the heart of the town.” Trina typed a few more lines, and stood back up. “Okay, let’s get right to this. How bad is it?”
“The studio attendance?” Summer asked.
“Yes,” Trina replied, rolling her eyes.
“It’s not dire. This month is about thirty percent lower than normal, if we’re talking revenue,” Summer said.
“But a portion of your clientele have yearly memberships, correct?” Trina asked.
“Yes. An annual contract, which they pay in monthly installments.” Summer sat on a stool at the kitchen island as Trina went to the fridge. Moments later, her friend had a chilled bottle of Moscato out, along with two stemless glasses.
“Where would you be this month without those monthly subscribers?” Trina poured two liberal servings, passing one across the granite countertop to Summer.
“About fifty percent of normal revenue,” Summer whispered, getting Trina’s point.
“Okay, that’s not good. We need to do something about this quickly. Follow me,” Trina said, grabbing her laptop and heading to the living room. The back windows were open, letting in a warm Friday night breeze, and Summer caught the majestic view of the lake from the large panes of glass.
Trina plugged her computer into the flatscreen mounted above the fireplace. She used her mouse to control it, and sat down on a brown leather couch, urging Summer to join her.
“This is what I have so far,” Trina said, bringing up a social media site. “I used the photos you sent me, and I’ve created an Instagram page.”
Summer leaned forward as Trina opened the page. The main image was of her sign, Peaceful Pines, lit up at night, the vintage lamps spelling out the name of her business. Trina had three images posted so far, each with a spattering of likes. One was a shot of the painted symbols on her studio wall. Another was of Summer teaching a full class, in a gecko pose at the front of the room. Kimber had taken it, and it looked great on the TV. The last was a yoga mat from above, with two feet visible, and a mala curled up just in front of the toes.
“I took that one myself,” Trina said. “We’re going to do some localized advertising to get follows on this platform and Facebook.” She flipped to a different screen, where the Peaceful Pines image acted as a banner.
“These look great, Trina.” Summer hadn’t liked social media much, but it was definitely time to get on board. She’d been putting it off for far too long. “Kimber is obsessed with this stuff, so I’m going to put her in charge of it.”
“These are just basic things every company should be doing,” Trina said, and Summer knew she didn’t mean offense by it. She was totally right. Summer sipped her wine and nodded solemnly.
“What else are we doing?” Summer asked.
“We need a discount. Something to drive multi-passes, or monthly.” Trina tapped her finger on her chin in thought. “I have it!”
Summer jumped up from her chair in excitement. “That was quick. What is it?”
“Summer pass. For your name and for the season. Good for three months. Unlimited classes.” Trina raised her glass, and Summer clinked hers to it.
“That’s a great idea. I can charge a couple hundred dollars,” Summer suggested.
“Have you seen the deals the spin place is offering? We need to go lower. Drive word of mouth among the tourists. I’m thinking we do ninety-nine bucks. Unlimited.” Trina looked pleased with herself.
“That seems a little low. I’m not sure it will be enough to cover…”
“Sum, hear me out. This is how these things work. Some tourist will come here, think they want to spend the summer getting into shape and enjoying the peaceful ambiance of this dreamlike town. They’ll see your deal, sign up, and then only go to three classes over the course of their holiday here. It happens with this type of promotion all the time. The averages work out in your favor.
“Not only that, they’ll tell their friends about how good the classes are, and they’ll come for single classes, paying full pop.”
Summer sat back, suddenly feeling like everything was going to be all right in the world. She knew Trina here was going to help. “It’s probably a good thing I didn’t come with you in Boston. This stuff all comes so easily to you, Trina. I couldn’t even think of it for my own business.”
Trina shook her head slowly. “It’s always that way with business owners. They’re too close to it. The day-to-day grind, the feet on the street. Sometimes it takes an outside perspective to see what’s really missing. That’s why I have a brand new Mercedes coupe in my garage. Because I make companies see that, and do what I just did. I still think you could join me at some point.”
Summer was impressed. “I can see how you’re so successful, Trina. Wow. How about I keep my company afloat before considering other ventures?” They laughed, and it felt good. It was nice to be with a friend that cared about her and understood what she needed. “Thank you so much for helping. I need this.”
“That’s what besties are for.” They clinked glasses again, and Trina got right back to business. “Okay, we have social media, we have a plan of attack for the promotional offer, but we’re missing something.”
Summer was curious. “What?”
“We need a charity event of some sort. The people coming to the Pines are usually well-off. More affluent than the average American. They care about helping people, and I think we can use that – while actually helping people, of course. How do you feel about organizing an event for a cause?” Trina asked.
Summer had never thought about it, but as soon as she heard it, her arms got goosebumps. “I love it.”
“Yeah? Great. What can we do?” Trina asked.
“Run? Yoga in the Park? Picnic?” Summer threw ideas out, wondering if any of them would stick.
“All of them. We create a weekend of events. Get the whole town involved. We do a huge Yoga in the Park, followed by a fair in the festival square. I can picture it now. This is going to be huge. All sponsored by Peaceful Pines, of course.”
Trina was staring Summer in the eyes, and Summer stood up, crossing the room to look outside as the sun set beyond. She was thrumming in excitement. “Yes. Of course.”
They sat talking about the promotion, the festival, and everything in between before Trina eventually shut her laptop. The bottle of wine was empty, and Trina opened a second as Summer turned on some lamps. They’d been so engaged in what they were doing, neither noticed they’d been working in near dark. Trina popped the cork and filled their glasses.
“I can’t wait for the wedding. I’m so excited to be your maid of honor. The bachelorette party is going to be epic!” Trina exclaimed as she held both glasses, walking towards the patio. Both women had changed into pajama wear, thin enough to keep the summer heat at bay. They made their way onto the outside deck chairs that showcased a view of dense forest leading into a meadow.
Summer had so much on her mind, she’d almost forgotten about that part of the wedding. She played along. “Me too. I’m excited for it all.”
“How’s the planning? Anything I can do?” Trina had asked her a few times before, and Summer had passed her mom’s number to her friends, saying she was in charge.
“Unless my mom has asked, probably not,” Summer said with a sigh.
Trina seemed to catch the noise. “That good, huh?”
“It’s not bad. We’re just having her wedding again. I can’t seem to bring myself to complain to her. They’re paying for it, and between the house and the studio, I don’t have energy to give it.” Summer was settled to letting her mom have her way.
“What does Jake think about it all?” Trina asked.
“He doesn’t seem to mind. He just wants us to be married. And I have a strange suspicion he wants a baby as soon as he can get one made.” Summer laughed, spilling her wine slightly as she gained composure.
“I have the feeling Jake will go along with anything if it makes you happy. You should talk about it with him. It’s his wedding too, and you two are going to be together forever. Make it count.” Trina scooped some dip onto an extravagant cracker, and Summer joined her, picking away at some cheese from a premade tray.
“You’re right. I’m sure he does have his own ideas. He’s such an amazing man, Trina. How did the two of us get so lucky?” Summer was so glad to have this night with Trina. They’d accomplished so much, and she was warm and fuzzy from the wine, content as Cinnamon in the afternoon sun.
“We deserve them because we’re awesome women, Summer.” Trina smiled. “Don’t forget it. You’re special and deserve a special life.”
They stayed up way too late and ate way too much fancy cheese, knowing that the morning was coming, and that they had a mission the next day.