Chapter 5

I stayed at the hostel for three days, and my business just kept getting better.

My clothes were fresh and well-made, and my reputation quickly took off in this small town.

Customers were lining up every day, and I was booked solid for the next two weeks.

I scored my first big payday since coming back to life, over one hundred bucks.

The first thing I did with the money was buy back my mom's diamond earrings.

When I finally held those tiny diamond earrings in my hand again, it felt like a huge weight had been lifted off my chest.

With what was left of my money, I rented a small shop in town.

It wasn't much, but it was right on the street, a prime spot.

I gave it a quick makeover and hung up a sign that read "Linwood's Tailoring."

My little tailor shop was officially open for business.

On opening day, Patricia from the department store sent over a flower basket and even brought me a bunch of her regular customers.

I was really grateful to her.

I knew she helped me partly because my skills could bring her business, but also because she knew I was just a young girl trying to get by.

Either way, I'd remember her kindness.

With my own shop, everything was so much easier, and I was more motivated than ever.

I wasn't satisfied with just making basic shirts and pants anymore. I started trying out fancier designs.

Back in my previous life, I'd flipped through tons of fashion magazines, and my head was loaded with all the hottest trends from the next few decades.

I put my own spin on those styles, mixing them with the local taste and fabrics of this era.

Flared pants, dresses, blazers, I made it all.

Every time I hung up a new outfit, it got everyone talking and turned heads all over town.

My reputation spread like wildfire. Even folks from the next city hopped on a train just to get something custom-made by me.

My life was busy, but I was loving every minute of it.

Every morning, I'd wake up, grab my measuring tape, get behind the sewing machine, and watch each gorgeous outfit take shape in my hands.

I didn't have time to think about Andrew or all those old heartaches anymore.

Sometimes, late at night, I would lie in the attic of my little shop, listening to the wind outside, and it felt like I had been transported to another lifetime.

In my last life, at this hour, I'd be crying my eyes out in that cold, empty house, hopelessly waiting for someone who would never come back.

But now, I had my own business, and for the first time, I finally got to steer my own destiny.

It just felt so good.

One day, while I was busy at the shop, someone I never expected showed up at my door.

It was Andrew.

He'd ditched his military uniform for a crisp white shirt and blue polyester pants, his hair slicked back to perfection.

He stood at the entrance, taking in the lively scene inside, watching me handle the crowd with ease. His eyes were full of complicated emotions.

I just shot him a quick glance, then went right back to serving my customers without a second thought.

He was nothing to me now, just another face in the crowd.

A woman stood there, clutching a piece of royal blue velvet, looking a little hesitant. "Grace, I want to make a dress for a wedding. What style do you think would look good with this fabric?"

"How about a modern dress?" I suggested, grabbing a pencil and quickly sketching out my idea. "Picture this: a sleek stand-up collar, butterfly-shaped buttons, a cinched waist, and a mermaid hem that sways beautifully when you walk."

She stared at the sketch, eyes going wide. "Wow, this is stunning! Grace, you're incredible!

"Let's do it! I don't care how much it costs. I need this dress!"

I smiled and wrote down her measurements and what she wanted.

When I finally finished up, I looked up and saw Andrew still standing there.

Everyone in the shop was checking him out, giving him curious looks.

*After all, a man as tall, handsome, and distinguished as him was not common in a small town.

I frowned, set down my work, and walked over to him.

"So, what brings you here?" I said, keeping my tone polite but distant.

Andrew looked at me, his Adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed hard.

He looked like he had a lot to say, but in the end, he just pulled a small paper-wrapped bundle out of his pocket and handed it to me.

"You, you left in such a hurry last time. You forgot this," he said.