I rarely overestimate my projects, but straightening the club's finances and member register has taken me longer than I expected. When Cooper asked me about it during the last practice, I told him I'm getting on with it and I'll be done soon. If I don't finish this soon, I'll have to head straight to the changing room during each practice or game to avoid the conversation.
"You'll go blind," Lachlan kisses the top of my head and sets a cup of coffee on my desk, then opens the curtain next to me to let the light in.
Lachlan has been staying at my apartment for the past three days. I believe we needed a change of environment from spending time at his tiny studio, and both our jobs are closer to this place. He's been so kind and supportive of this shitty task.
"How's the admin going? Do you want something sweet to go with your coffee?" He sits in front of me and arranges the stack of papers I've been putting aside in a neat pile.
"You know me well. A cookie, maybe? I know I must have said this for the thousandth time, but this is a mess," I turn around the faded paper I've been trying to read for the last 15 minutes to show him. He brings it closer to his eyes and shakes his head. "So far I haven't even found my membership. Besides the emails Cooper and I exchanged, I filled nothing."
"That's not a good sign. Members pay fees and you can't charge money if they don't exist."
"Exactly," I say and pick the next paper as Lachlan goes to the kitchen for the cookie tin.
"You said Rose came up with a new menu, right?" He asks as he goes through the cabinets.
"Yeah, she did. Copper wasn't exactly thrilled with it, but I think it will be a great improvement. There's even a breakfast menu to service the people who come to use the gym early in the morning and sharing options for whoever stays after the evening games to accompany their beer."
"Sounds like a good plan. And how are you going to get the word out about the food and everything else your team is doing for the club?"
"Sage is in charge of planning an open house. But first, we need to make the club presentable. My teammates formed a cleaning crew and scrubbed the whole lounge and dining floor and the furniture, but the walls need a fresh coat of paint and there's the kitchen issue. In order to make the menu Rose prepared, he'll need to get a new inventory and bring the cooking area to code. I've avoided going there, but Rose says she's on the brink of torching the whole thing down."
"And to think I've eaten there," he shudders. "Sanne... I don't know if this is the right time to bring this up. The other day, you said 'I love you' on the phone."
I put away the next coffee stained paper and stare outside. "I've been trying to tell myself that it was an automatic response, but I would be lying."
Lachlan holds my hand in his and gives it a kiss. "I know I put you through hell when I was at my worst. I realized you feared I would do something stupid, and then I left without giving you a reason. I'll be forever sorry that I did that. You are the best thing that has happened to me, and being here with you makes me so happy. I've received the help I needed and my sole goal is to turn my life around. I'm committed to make this relationship, or whatever it is we have, work."
"I'm glad you got professional help. To be honest with you, right now, what I'm most fearful of is that this blissful feeling might be only temporary. So far you've kept you friendships to your colleagues, Myrtle and me. What if you meet other people, the wrong kind, and the temptation returns?"
"You are right. If presented with the chance, I don't know if my willpower will be strong enough. I'm a recovering addict and only time will help me build a new life, meet the right people and avoid temptation. So far I've managed and I hope to keep it that way."
"I'm proud of you, Lachlan, and I love you."
Lachlan cups my face and brings me closer for a kiss. When we separate, I conclude it feels right. I never stopped loving him, but I like this new Lachlan a lot more.
My phone buzzes on the table and I read the message I just received. "Shit, I offered help to paint the club and I'm still here."
"Need extra hands?" Lachlan asks, and I nod.
We head to the club and find all the furniture outside. It's a hot day, perfect for painting. When we walk inside, I find Cooper leaning back on the bar and sporting a frown.
"Is everything okay?" I ask him.
"Mint green. They want to paint the fucking club in mint green and add plants and all kinds of shit. It's a sports club, not a restaurant."
"Would you rather keep these poop brown walls and the stains, the cigarette marks and the sweat stench?"
Cooper doesn't answer and only shrugs. As he walks towards his office, I hear him mumble something about the kitchen. We get organized and in no time, the club has gotten fresh mint green walls. As they dry, Lachlan helps to polish the floor with the machine one of the ladies rented.
"Holy shit! Look at this place!" Rose says as she walks in. She places the two large shopping bags in her hands on the floor and takes the place in. "It's clean and beautiful."
"Say that to Cooper," I chuckle.
"Leave Cooper to me," she gives me a knowing smile. "Let me get started in that horrible kitchen. I won't let him leave this place until I can see my face reflected on those appliances."
If Cooper wasn't in the best of moods before, he'll be pissed now.
"As long as we don't touch the walls, I guess we can bring the furniture inside," Lachlan says.
We all get to work to bring the wooden furniture, which looks lighter thanks to the recent cleaning they got. Sage arrives carrying a cardboard box with small plants. "Wow! It's a dreamy place now. I bet tons of people will want to come here for a bite now after the games. I can use some help as I got more plants in my car, new brass lamps and the framed photos. Sanne, here's the plan for the open house."
Sage hands me a thin binder with her plan that looks great. Basically, it will be a relaunch of the club for women as the place to be around the clock. She even thought of hiring a lounge music DJ to match the mood. I look around, trying to visualize the event from the moment that people walk inside to the placement of the DJ booth and get an idea.
"How many of you know other members of the club? It can be anyone. Like the morning gym users, fans who come to cheer at the games, anyone else who is not in the team that comes here."
All the ladies lift their hands and Sage comes forward. "I've been playing here since I was in my teens and know most people. Maybe not all by name, but I know who comes around. What do you have in mind?"
"Many of the membership documents I got from Cooper are unreadable. If most of the people you know come to the open house and invite other people who might join, I can complete the admin and the database. Plus, getting new membership money coming in wouldn't hurt us."
"Especially if we make the use of this area member-exclusive," Sage says. "I've heard some people say they are not coming anymore in here because this has become an internet café for strangers and the food sucks."
"Then that's about to change," I say. "Like you said, Sage, this should only be available for members. Let me speak to Rose for a moment."
When I walk into the kitchen, I find Rose and Cooper having an intimate conversation. He looks surprised at whatever she's told him. She spots me and takes a step aside, grabbing a trash bag and seemingly continuing what she was doing.
"Rose, you use customer cards in your café, right?"
"I do. My system tracks their purchases and gives them discounts or free coffee."
"Is that something we can arrange for the club members as proof of membership?"
"Sure, it isn't a big investment to have cards printed with serialized numbers. The database connected to my till is a different story. I'm willing to foot the bill for printing the cards with my supplier."
"Thank you! Do you think it can be arranged before the open house?"
"You are giving me three days to arrange that?" She lifts an eyebrow, but I won't accept no for an answer, so I lift my chin in defiance. "Okay, I assume we can use the artwork from our kits for that. It won't be fancy, but will do the trick."
"I intend to get the people coming for the open house to confirm their membership and possibly get new members. I can hand out the cards straight away."
"I'll work on it as soon as we are done here."
Cooper hasn't said a word and cleans the cooking plate in front of him, almost in a trance. I head back to the group, who has placed all the furniture where it looks best. Plants now decorate the tables and other surfaces and Lachlan is on a ladder mounting a lamp. Only the photos need to be hung on the wall again, but we need to make sure the paint is completely dry.
Not a moment later, Cooper comes out of the kitchen, grabs his keys and leaves. Rose comes out of the kitchen and watches him from the entrance door, then shakes her head and returns inside.