Chapter 8

Eight

Lily

J ake stepped away to open Berta’s hood, rattling on about the engine and what happened when it overheated. Apparently, there was a leak in the coolant.

I noticed he stepped away from my touch. I wasn’t sure if it was to maintain a professional distance or if he didn’t trust himself so close to me.

I forced myself to focus on his words and not so much on his thick fingers, the satisfying rumble of his voice that I felt deep in my chest, or the delicious scruff that lined his strong jaw.

I appreciated the time he took to make me understand. More striking was that I enjoyed being in his presence. He smelled like grease and sweat.

I wanted that grease transferred from his hands to my white skin. I licked my lips, suddenly uncomfortable with the raspiness of my breath. Did he know he affected me?

Jake shot me a look. “Are you okay?”

Thankfully, the rumble of a vehicle caught his attention. “Must be the food. Be right back.”

I sucked in a breath as soon as he was out of sight. I lifted my heavy braid off my neck so the cooling air could work its magic on my body temperature. Unfortunately, it was a losing battle. I felt each word ricocheting around in my body, sending tingles to my nerve endings, heating me all over again.

Jake came around the hood with a carryout bag in his hands. “You ready to eat?”

“Definitely.” I hoped he wouldn’t ask if I was okay again. I was liable to tell him how much I wanted him. If he couldn’t handle my hand on his arm, there was no way he’d be down for my tongue in his mouth.

I fanned myself as I followed him back inside, this time to the waiting area. He grabbed a small folding table and set it in front of the couch.

With an amused grin, I asked, “Is this your dining room?”

“When we renovated, we only had enough room for two small offices, one for each of us. We added small refrigerators, but there was no space for a break room.”

I sat on the couch and took the carryout container he handed me. “Where do you eat during the day when the waiting room is occupied with clients?”

I grabbed the chopsticks and popped a salmon roll into my mouth. I moaned at the taste. It had been a while since I ate sushi, and I loved it.

When Jake didn’t respond, I glanced over at him, surprised to catch his gaze fixated on my lips.

Clearing his throat, he said, “I eat my sandwich standing, usually, or at my desk. What do you do?”

“I have an office and a back room where I assemble the arrangements. That’s my space away from customers. Not that there are many during the day.” I shrugged as if it didn’t matter.

Jake chewed his roll before asking, “What are your plans to increase traffic at your store?”

“I thought about a subscription service. Customers could sign up for a monthly, biweekly, or weekly bouquet. There would be three different options for sizes and add-ons, like a vase and shears. My competition is the online services.”

“How will you set yourself apart from them?”

I unscrewed a bottle of water and drank it before answering. “Remi thinks locals would prefer to buy from me than some unknown service.”

“Remi from Remi’s Juice Shop?” he asked me.

“That’s right. She started out with a subscription service, then moved to a brick-and-mortar store, but she said her service is still active.”

“That’s good you have someone to bounce ideas off. Ryan loves to discuss new ways to drum up business.”

I ate another roll before setting the box aside. “I’d love to incorporate the farm into it. Rent out the grounds for events. Remi mentioned that the barn could be used for receptions.”

“That’s a lot of work.”

I laughed. “That’s the issue. I don’t have time to get anything ready when I’m working the store.”

“You don’t have any employees to man the store or deliver the flowers?”

“Nope. It’s just me.” The muscles between my shoulder blades tightened.

Jake was quiet for a few seconds, taking a swig of the bottled water he’d grabbed from the fridge before he said, “I was resistant to hiring people too. Thought we could do everything ourselves.”

Surprised at his admission, I said, “But you’re fixing the vehicles. You need someone to answer the phone.”

“That’s what Ryan said, but I didn’t think it was necessary. I worried hiring someone would be more work than it was worth. That we wouldn’t be able to find someone reliable. I didn’t want to babysit an employee when I could be fixing cars.”

“My work isn’t so consuming. I can handle the phones and the online store.”

He tipped his head. “But you can’t leave the store when it’s open.”

I nodded. “That’s true, but I can change my hours.”

“With the search function on everyone’s phone, they go by the hours listed online. It’s not easy to change them.”

I frowned. “That’s why I don’t.”

“You don’t have any freedom.” There was sympathy in his tone.

“Everyone says it’s freeing to be your own boss—”

“But with a store, you have to be physically there or hire someone you trust to represent you and your brand.”

I thought of the beautiful boutique on Main. I loved their décor and their products, but the employees never knew about the advertised fundraisers, discounts, or anything about the store. That was part of the reason why I was reluctant to hire anyone. No one represented your business better than yourself. “Once the store is more successful, I’ll be able to hire employees.”

Yet I wasn’t sure I was being honest. Fear of someone misrepresenting the store concerned me.

“That’s the lie we tell ourselves. The fact is, we can’t grow if we don’t take a few risks by investing more into our businesses or hiring help.”

He held up a hand. “I get where you’re coming from because it took me a long time to come around to the idea. I drove Ryan crazy before I gave in and hired Maisy. But even I can admit she’s been a huge help.”

“I just can’t justify the cost. Not yet.” Especially with the cost of Berta’s repairs. Jake said it would be covered, but it seemed too good to be true. Even if it was free, I wouldn’t feel right accepting it.

“Are you starting the subscription service soon?”

“As soon as I can get the options on my website. My designer is working on that now. Then I’ll need to come up with a marketing plan.” It was as exciting as it was daunting.

“That might be the catalyst you need. Extra income to do your other project or hire someone at the store so you can focus on the farm.”

“You don’t think it’s too much?” I respected Jake’s opinion. He’d said he was slow and methodical about making decisions, which meant he carefully thought through each one.

“What? Tying the farm to your business?”

I nodded.

“Not if it’s what you want to do. The thing about business is that we need to do what excites us, or we’ll get bored. I enjoy restoring antique vehicles, but as a garage, we need to do the oil changes and tire rotations to fund those pet projects.”

I nibbled on my bottom lip. “That makes sense.”

“You’ll get there.” Jake popped another roll into his mouth, chewing, then swallowing before adding, “Besides, you don’t have any competition in town.”

“I consider my competitors the online flower delivery services. A new one pops up on my feed all the time.” When he raised a brow, I quickly added, “And yes, I’m essentially stalking those businesses to see what they’re offering so I can adjust accordingly.”

“There’s nothing wrong with that. We do the same with other garages in the area. Remember, your business is unique because you’re running it. Whatever you’re passionate about or what makes you original will entice people to buy from you.”

His support encouraged me to be honest about my dreams. “I envision a flower farm where people come to take pictures or hold their special events, whether it’s a yoga class, a baby shower, or a wedding. I keep getting this image of Berta with my old bike propped next to her, with flowers everywhere. It’s something I could use as an advertisement.”

Jake’s lips tugged upward. “I can picture that. It’s you.”

Warmth flooded me as if I were sitting in the sun. “Not only does Berta represent my past, but she’s tied to the future of the store and the farm.”

Jake nodded thoughtfully. “I think you’re on to something with this.”

“Thank you for helping me with Berta. I wouldn’t be able to do this without you.”

Jake shifted on the couch, the leather creaking underneath the weight of his body. Finally, he said, “We’re happy to help.”

I noticed that he’d said we’re not I’m . It was an important distinction he thought was necessary to make. I already knew Ryan and Jake thought restoring Berta would be good for our businesses. That Jake wasn’t doing this out of any sort of affection toward me. We barely knew each other. This dinner wasn’t special. I shouldn’t mistake it for something more than it was. Yet, the entire conversation felt intimate, like this was a first date and we were getting to know each other.

His choice of words served as an important reminder and created necessary distance between us.

Jake went into a recitation of how things were when they first opened the garage. How they offered free classes on oil and tire changes to draw in more women. It was inspiring to hear that they struggled when they first opened and went through different marketing methods before they found a few that worked.

We finished eating and cleaned up the trash and leftovers. Jake stood in front of me, his hands in his pockets. “If you’re okay with it, I’ll get started on phase one this week. Feel free to stop by anytime to check on her progress.”

“I might do that.” I wasn’t sure I’d be able to offer any advice on the progress, but I’d like to see Berta and ensure she was okay. “You said you had a vehicle I could drive in the meantime?”

I was eager to escape this garage and Jake. I liked being around him too much. I had no business being attracted to him. We needed to work together.

“Let me grab the keys.” Jake turned on his heel and headed inside, presumably toward the office.

I took the few seconds to draw in some breaths, but his scent lingered. Everything in this garage reminded me of him. Needing fresh air, I walked outside.

He returned a minute later with a key ring. “It’s not Berta, but it’ll get you from point A to point B without an issue.”

Jake led me to a small, white SUV, opening the back so I could check out the storage area for my deliveries. It was small, but it would work. It was a newer model, so I wouldn’t need to worry about it breaking down. “Are you sure it’s not too much?”

Jake closed the hatch. “You’re doing us a favor. This is the least we could do.”

Again with the reference to we as if Jake wasn’t orchestrating this. I appreciated the reminder because that first date feeling returned, and I wondered if he’d kiss me when he stopped at the driver’s side door.

Instead of leaning toward him like I wanted to, I smiled woodenly. “You have it wrong. You’re the one helping me out.”

Jake gave me a look. “I can’t work on Berta unless I know you have a reliable way to deliver your flowers.”

I flushed at his teasing. “I hope that doesn’t happen again.”

Jake leaned in close, and my brain short-circuited. “Take the keys, Lily. I’ll feel better knowing you’re safe.”

There was no mistaking that this time he’d said I . The low rumble of his voice vibrated through my body as his scent washed over me. Grease, sweat, and something primal. I wanted to step into his space and kiss the underside of his jaw and lips.

Instead, he took a tiny step back and held the keys in the space between us. When my fingers closed around the metal, he dropped his hand. I missed his proximity. I’d hoped he’d make a move, but he hadn’t because this was a business deal, not the beginning of a relationship, or even the start of a fling.

I was an idiot when it came to guys, reading into things that weren’t there, wishing for something that would never work out. Jake and I were too different. “I can’t thank you enough for everything you’re doing.”

“It’s nothing.” Jake stuffed his hands into his pockets as he stood several feet away, his feet shoulder-width apart. He was all man, but he had this boyish look to his face when he was doing something out of his comfort zone.

I rolled my eyes at his characterization because it was everything. His good deed might allow me to offer more deliveries, the subscription service I’d been planning, and maybe even add revenue for the farm. It was everything.

I opened the door and climbed inside, hyperaware that he was watching me.

“Call if you have any questions.”

“I’m sure it will be fine.” I’d have an excuse to stop by and see him. That was the only thing that kept me in the cool leather seat when he moved closer to shut the door.

I wasn’t even sure he was interested in me. It was probably my overactive imagination always hoping to find the guy who might be my happily ever after, but those were only in fairy tales.

He seemed like a bad boy. A guy with a checkered history who needed someone to love him. He was essentially my catnip. Unfortunately, that same radar had left a string of failed relationships in my past. I wasn’t going down that path again.