Page 34 of Long Shot

“Reese.”

I look up as Marco calls to me. “Yes?”

“Settle this for us. What should we do with the tequila? Drink it ourselves? Share it with the staff? Or sell it and make some money off it?”

I bite my lip, my gaze roving from Beck to Marco to Cade. His eyes blaze as I meet them, the intensity of his gaze making goosebumps rise up on my skin. “Why are you asking me?”

Marco shrugs. “You have a good head on your shoulders. What do you think? Would everyone appreciate it?”

“I think they’d love it,” I say quietly. “But maybe I’m biased because I really want to try it.”

They all chuckle. “At least you’re honest.”

I try not to wince. “Um, yeah. But seriously, recognizing your staff for their hard work is always a good thing to do.”

Cade rubs his chin. “Okay, that’s what we’ll do. We’ll have a staff party. Close the restaurant early one night and get everyone together.”

Well, that’s more than I anticipated, but it’s a nice idea.

“Tonight,” Beck says.

“That’s too short notice,” Cade protests.

“But Mondays are our slowest night,” Beck says. “That way it won’t interfere with business that much.”

“Sundays are slower,” I say. “And we close at ten on Sundays, anyway. It would give everyone more time to plan around it.”

“Fuck.” Beck scrunches up his face. “Okay, okay, I can wait that long. I’m going to put this in the safe, though.”

“Good idea.” Cade gives him a thumbs-up.

Marco and Beck pick up the bottle and head back to the office. I look at Cade and again meet his eyes. “That was a nice suggestion.”

“Thanks.” One corner of his mouth lifts. “You sound surprised.”

“I am a little, to be honest.” I smile.

“Well, thanks.”

“I expected you to be the one to push for making money off it.”

“Nothing wrong with making money.”

“If you’re in the world of business, you’re in the business of making money.”

He cocks an eyebrow.

I shrug. “One of my bosses told me that. But . . . I think you don’t make money without the people who work for you.”

“That is absolutely correct.”

We eye each other for a few seconds, and heat flickers over my skin. “I can’t wait to try it,” I confess.

“I sort of got that feeling earlier.”

I cock my head. He didn’t get the idea of sharing it with the staff so I could have some, did he?

No, I’m not that important. That’s crazy.

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