Twinkle Fiddles

Chapter Twenty-Two

For the last few weeks, Dylan had worked with the marketing team to increase the Carolina Harvest brand awareness in the stores and online. His merchandising skills were challenged with a lack of diversified product line he knew Julie was steadily developing.

Julie had spent time with the buyers and fashion designers to move beyond the basic collection of golf shirts that had launched the branding of Carolina Harvest. A high-end t-shirt was readied for summer, while heavier weight sweats and hoodies were tabled for early fall runs. A visor and trucker hat were on schedule for fall back to school, and football season. Additional colors were engineered at her request.

Jeff and his team had advanced beyond the standard four-color earth tone launch. His palette remained organic in nature, and soon complimented his initial approach of using only tobacco and chemical reactions. A rich, deep blue was created when locally grown South Carolina indigo was added to the garments. It soon became the best seller.

Bill was spending much of his time in Greensboro, North Carolina, in the athletic offices of the Atlantic Coast Conference. His vision was to expand the brand beyond the stores, into the college sports market. By April, an agreement to outfit the support personnel at all ACC championship event sites was approved, pending final signatures.

Bill was also moving the brand to more corporate sponsorship opportunities, a revenue stream previously untapped by the store division. The traditional Carolina Harvest logo was moved to the left arm cuff. This allowed business partners to place their logo more prominently on the front left chest. All embroidery remained in house at the South Carolina mill. Those orders were currently being executed through a special, corporate, general ledger code, but no one had doubts that a new division was taking shape under Bill's direction.

Dylan and Julie's plan for a boat ride museum never took hold, but schemes were being discussed for an educational piece, both at the Spartanburg mill, and Charlotte office headquarters.

Dylan continued to work from his Beaufort home, often commuting between there, the Upstate mill, and corporate offices. Julie rarely traveled as she was most often found working long hours in her third floor, windowed office. The space previously held by Walter.

Jeff had arranged a corporate social at Tobacco Road, in downtown Durham. The restaurant and bar had seating overlooking the baseball diamond. Conference officials planned to be on site. Bill confirmed times to meet with them on the patio, above left-centerfield. Since parking was going to be tough Julie and Dylan decided to meet at the hotel and ride together.

Julie logged a few hours in her Charlotte office before heading to Durham for the evening social and game. She looked forward to seeing Dylan and Jeff, but was also apprehensive, as bar drinks at a baseball game were not in her comfort zone.

He carried only a worn spiral book. He made his way down from the second floor of the Durham Homewood Suites. He looked for Julie as he exited the interior staircase, into the lounge area. She was close to arriving but stuck in Research Triangle traffic.

He took a seat beyond the lobby, at the long, curved island, during the hotel, evening, manager's reception. He considered texting her, but he didn't want to seem anxious. He poured a lemonade over ice while he waited.

Dylan heard Julie's voice before seeing her at the hotel registration desk. She glanced around looking for him. Upon spotting him, she offered a finger wave over her shoulder. The hotel attendant ran her corporate credit card, securing her room. Julie grabbed her lone, overnight, duffle bag, and she promised to return soon.

While waiting, Dylan nursed his lemonade until he felt a light pat on his back.

"You ready?" Julie asked. She was amazing and fun in the same vision. She was wearing light, cotton, capri pants and the same sandals she had worn in Charleston and on the Mystic. She was also sporting an ACC Championship jacket with the current baseball tournament logo.