Chapter 6

CHAPTER

SIX

Stanley

"I think it could work," I tell my fiancée. It's Friday night, and we're having dinner in our apartment, and I've just dropped a bomb on her. Okay, not a bomb per se, but definitely something I know she wasn't expecting from me.

I want to start my own business. I'd, of course, keep my full-time job, but this is something I've been thinking about for weeks now. Ever since my work decided to sell an old box truck last week. They pulled it out front and slapped a For Sale sign on it, and my mind has been racing with ideas ever since.

I've been working for the concrete company since starting college, and I've learned a lot. Especially that logistics is a growing business. I've been listening and watching, and we get calls on the daily for suggestions for trucks, freight, or even just moving tools and equipment. That's where I would come in.

It would be hard only doing it on evenings and weekends, which will be time that I'll be losing with Lena unless she comes with me, but my gut is telling me that this is the right move for me. For us. For our family and our future.

"Let me make sure I understand. We buy the box truck and spend our evenings and weekends moving things for other people?" She wrinkles her brow—something she does when she's concentrating. She's not blowing off the idea. She's giving it actual consideration, and I love her even more for it. I need her on board with this. This might be my idea, but it's our joint savings that we were hoping to use for a down payment on a house. It's not all of it, but a nice chunk.

"To start, yes. We could move equipment for businesses or deliver products for businesses as well. Whatever they need as long as it will fit in the truck safely. Logistics is a huge, growing business. I think we can make a lot of extra cash this way. We could get out of this apartment and into a house sooner than expected. We could start our family," I tell her.

Her eyes sparkle on that last part. I know Lena wants to be a mom, and I want to give her that and so much more. I want to lay the world at her feet. I truly feel this is the path I need to take to do that.

"How much is the truck?" she asks.

At least she hasn't shot down the idea yet. "It's old and doesn't look like much. The plant manager said they would sell it to me for four thousand since I'm an employee."

"Okay. What about insurance? Business insurance?" she asks. "What about gas and maintenance? Is it in decent shape? Is it going to nickel and dime us and eat up the potential profits?"

Damn, she's on top of this. I love that she's taking this wild ride with me. "I called to check on the insurance, and it's not much. We can pay it monthly and use the profits. It's in excellent condition. Barry, our mechanic, kept up with it. It doesn't look like much, but it runs like a well-oiled machine. Gas would be included in the freight charge with each load. We'd figure that in and charge the customer accordingly so it doesn't cut into our profits." I carefully answer each of her questions. It's important to look at every angle and assess the good and the bad before diving into this new business venture.

"Where are we going to park it?" she asks, scrunching up her nose again. "We only get two spots here at the apartment complex."

"I'd keep it at my parents' place until we move." That's the end goal. Get out of this apartment and get into a house where we can raise our kids. A yard for them to run and play in. It's her dream, mine too, and I'm going to work my ass off for it to come true.

"And where do you plan to find clients for this… logistics service you want to offer?" Lena stands and begins to gather our plates and carries them to the kitchen. I trail along behind her. We rinse them off together and load the dishwasher as we clean up from dinner. This has become our nightly routine, and it's my favorite because it's my time with her. It doesn't matter what we're doing. We're together. That's what matters.

"Advertising, word of mouth, and we have people call the plant all the time asking for numbers of people who can haul things. I know they would give them our information."

"Your information. I can't drive that big old box truck." She laughs.

"Our information. This is our business, Lena. It might have been my idea, and I might be the one doing the driving and heavy lifting, but this is ours, baby. I won't do it any other way."

I watch as she dries her hands before she turns to face me. "You want this? You really want to try?" She tilts her head to the side to study me. I don't know what she's looking for in my expression, but I hope she can see how determined I am for this to work for us.

"I do. I know we can do this, Lena. It's the extra income that will get us into our dream home."

She smiles. "You're my home, Stanley."

I can't take it a minute longer. I pull her into my arms and twirl her in circles in our small galley kitchen. Her laughter fills the air surrounding us, and I soak up every second of it. Our kitchen is barely big enough for this, but we make it work.

When we finally stop spinning, I wait for her to look up at me. "You're my home, too, baby, but I want more for us and for our kids."

Her eyes soften, just as they do every time I mention us starting a family. "We're not even married yet," she teases.

"We will be, and we will have a family, and I want to be able to give you all everything." I hold her gaze so she can see how much this means to me. Not just this side hustle I want to embark on, but providing for my family.

"We just need you."

I smile when she says we. I don't even know if she realizes that's what she said. It's crazy of me to get so excited about her referring to us having kids, but this is what I want. A life with her. One we build together.

Her words have my heart flopping around in my chest. We need to set a wedding date soon. "I know." I do know. That doesn't mean I don't want to give them more. I know I can make this business go. It might not make me a millionaire, but it will be a good side hustle to bring in some extra cash. We both do well. We're not hurting for money, but we're not swimming in it either. Houses and kids are expensive.

I know we can do this.

She peers up at me under long lashes. She doesn't speak for several long heartbeats and worry gnaws at me that she's going to say it's not the right time. Her hands that were holding on around my neck, move to rest against my cheeks.

"I'm with you, Stanley Riggins. Always. If you want this, we'll do it. We'll take the money out of savings and buy the truck."

"If it fails, it sets us back for a house."

Dad always says open and honest communication is everything in a relationship. While I know I can make this work, and I'll give it everything I've got, it's only right to mention that I could be wrong, and this idea will be a bust. I really don't think that will happen, but it's responsible to look at both sides of the coin when making huge life decisions.

My fiancée shrugs. "You're my home. I told you that. If this sets us back, then it does. We'll handle it together."

"I promise you I'll work my ass off to make our money back and so much more. My gut tells me this is a good move for us, baby."

"I don't know much about what you want to do, but I can run numbers and keep track of costs and invoicing that kind of thing. I'll do whatever I can to help you succeed."

"Us succeed." I kiss the corner of her mouth.

"Us." She grins.

"I love you." Those three words aren't enough to explain the depths of what I feel for her, but it's the best I've got at the moment.

She lifts up on her toes and presses her lips to mine. "I love you too. Now, let's take a drive to look at this truck." She pulls away and moves to slip into her shoes. She grabs her purse and goes to stand by the front door. "Ready?"

"Yes." I take her hand in mine and lead her out to my truck.

On the way to the plant, we talk about advertising and things we'll need, like flyers and business cards. Lena even suggested an ad in the local paper. She offered to go door to door to local businesses to pass out flyers. She's one-hundred-percent behind me, and that's got me feeling some sort of way. It has my chest so full it feels as though it might explode with gratitude and love.

I'm going to make this work. I'm going to make this a success, not for me, but for her, for us, and for our future children.

This is going to work.