She would think a break would give her a chance to breathe, a chance to sit back and take stock of her life. Yet, all it did was make her stir-crazy. At least she was cooking again. It had been so long that she’d forgotten how good it made her feel.
She washed and put her mug away, did a little internet shopping, and decided to take a stroll around the ranch. This time, she planned to hike on the road. After what Sawyer told her about ticks, she wasn’t taking any chances walking through the brush.
Plus, there were no cows on the road.
The property was vast. Gina didn’t know where it started and where it ended. But there were pastures that seemed to go on forever and lots of outbuildings and barns. Some in better shape than others.
She followed the creek in search of Charlie and Aubrey’s showroom and studio. At the barbecue, they’d mentioned their fledgling business of selling homemade furniture. Although Gina didn’t know a thing about design, she was all for women turning their passions into careers.
The risk was letting the career consume the passion. She knew about that firsthand.
Up ahead, an old weathered barn with a big wooden sign for Refind told her she’d found her destination. An electric tool buzzed as a crew of men framed an adjoining building to the barn. Country music played in the background and no one seemed to notice Gina, who’d had the foresight to wear her hat and sunglasses.
The barn’s large sliding doors were open. Gina popped her head inside, but no one appeared to be around. She felt funny about just walking in.
“Anyone here?” she called, doubtful that she’d be heard over the noise.
“Round back,” someone yelled.
Gina found Charlie sanding a dark wooden secretary that looked straight out of someone’s grandmother’s house. Next to the hutch was an unopened can of turquoise paint and a box of antique glass knobs.
“Hey.” Charlie stopped working and flipped up her goggles. “Welcome to Refind. Come on in. Aubrey’s in her office. I’ll get her so we can give you the grand tour.”
From Gina’s earlier peek, the store had been more than she’d expected. For some reason, she’d envisioned something like an antique mall, a mishmash of items laid out in no particular order. Instead, Refind reminded her of a chic showroom that had been built to look like a barn, rather than the other way around. It was like something you’d find in an upscale town in Vermont or wine country.
They entered from a side door. A section in the corner had been cordoned off for clients to sift through fabric and wood samples.
“That’s temporary,” Charlie said. “Until we get our offices and Aubrey’s studio built.”
The rest of the barn was set up in vignettes: Living rooms, bedrooms, dining rooms, even outdoor rooms. Light fixtures hung from the rafters, interesting art pieces were affixed to the walls, and there were throw pillows and various other textiles everywhere.
“This is amazing.” Gina turned in circles to take it all in. It was even larger than it had looked from the outside.
Charlie led her to the back where heavy canvas curtains partitioned off a makeshift office. “It’s a mess right now. The contractors started a few days ago and now it’s chaos. We’re adding an additional two-thousand square feet. Offices, a workspace for me, and a conference room for Aubrey where she can meet with clients…choose fabric swatches, wood finishes, paint colors, all that kind of stuff.”
Aubrey, who sat at an old farm table that had been turned into a desk, motioned that she was on the phone and made the five-minute sign.
They left her to finish her call while Gina wandered the showroom.
“You make all this stuff?” She sat in a club chair done in gorgeous geometric kilim fabric with leather accents and tried not to salivate.
“I find old pieces and either repurpose them or restore them. That came from a garage sale and was originally upholstered in green pleather.”
“This? You’re kidding.” Gina swiveled in the chair. It was as comfortable as it was stunning. “Can I buy it?”
Charlie laughed. “Of course you can. Where are you going to put it?”
It didn’t match the beachy theme of her Malibu home. Maybe she’d buy a mountain retreat just for the chair. “For now, the cabin.” May as well make the place a little less Bates Motel while she was here.
Aubrey slipped out from behind her fabric wall. “Well, what do you think?”
“I’m buying this.” Gina tested the chair’s rocking capabilities. Smooth ride. Oh yeah, she was going to spend hours in this chair. But for right now there was more to see. She got to her feet and didn’t know where to look first. “Everything is so original…and lovely. How do you both know how to do this?”
“I don’t,” Aubrey said. “I’m an interior designer. Charlie’s the creative one with all the vision.”
“Don’t let Aubrey kid you. She has an eye like you wouldn’t believe. Together we make an awesome team.” Charlie’s entire face lit up and her passion for her work—for this business—was palpable.
When was the last time Gina lit up like that while doing her show? So long ago, she couldn’t even remember.
“So did the two of you know each other before you met Cash and Jace?”
“Nope. Aubrey lived here first with Cash and Ellie. I came later.” Charlie let out a nervous laugh. “I was escaping an abusive relationship. Jace and his sons took me in. But that’s old news.” She brushed it away, clearly not wanting to talk about that part of her life. Gina didn’t press. “Anyway, I used to own a successful store in San Francisco, started trolling garage sales here and refurbishing pieces. Word got out, mostly thanks to Aubrey, who had lots of clients looking to furnish second homes. And little by little customers started showing up at the barn, where I’d set up a workshop, to purchase pieces.”
“Our aesthetics…well, it’s like we were separated at birth, we’re so in sync.” Aubrey gave Charlie a squeeze. “It only made sense for us to team up. Build on what Charlie had already started at the ranch. The rest is history.”
“How does it work?” Gina asked. “People come here to shop or do you and Aubrey go to people’s homes?”
“Both,” Aubrey said. “At least, that’s how we hope it works out. We’re still in the infancy stage, but the plan is that I use Charlie’s pieces in my design work and that Charlie’s clients use me to put together entire rooms or design their remodels.”
“Wouldn’t you be better off in town?” How would anyone find them in the middle of nowhere?
“Our goal is to lure people to Dry Creek Ranch. The ranch is our inspiration and we think it can be our clients’ inspiration too,” Aubrey said.
It was actually a brilliant branding strategy, Gina thought. Consumers these days liked the backstory on their products. Charlie and Aubrey had such a sweet and genuine narrative to tell.
She could see the tagline now: Home is where the heart is and that’s Dry Creek Ranch. Or: Home on the range. Gina could think of a dozen catchy slogans off the top of her head. Maybe use the ranch’s horseshoe brand on all their labels, she mused. It was really quite innovative.
“And you think people will come this far out?” she asked.
“We do.” Charlie nodded. “Especially if we make the ranch part of the Sierra foothills experience. Of course, we’ll have to offer more than just a home furnishings