Page 20 of Single-Minded
“Ethiopia.”
His brows shot up.
“They have some of the best coffee in the world,” I explained. “I’m researching suppliers.”
“You’ve been out here for hours. I’m surprised you could concentrate with the noise.”
“I was locked in on my research. I guess I missed lunch.”
He tilted his head at me. “Didn’t you just come up with this coffee idea yesterday?”
“Yes.” I picked up my extra-large Vietnamese iced coffee from Bronson’s for another sip but realized it was empty. Even the ice was gone.
“Is there a hard deadline for something?” he asked.
“No, but I have so much to learn.”
“You found good coffee?” He gestured to my empty cup.
“I drove in to the shop I used to live across from to meet with Renny Bronson, the owner. That woman’s a wealth of information, and she generously gave me two hours to pick her brain.”
“You’ve been busy.”
“I love being busy.”
He nodded, but he looked as if he was biting down on a response. “I found someone to take on your after-hours project,” he said instead.
“Yeah?” I shoved down the disappointment that it wasn’t him and reminded myself of my priorities—to get my shop built out and opened. Not to get sidetracked by this tower of man muscle.
“If we can make the schedule work,” he said, “I’m in.”
I wanted to do a fist pump, but I held on to my composure and kept it professional. “What schedule would work for you?”
I could be flexible if it meant West would do the work. Not because he looked like he did. Not because he kept popping into my head when I closed my eyes and tried to sleep. I wanted him on the project because I trusted his construction abilities.
Or maybe all three of those reasons, I thought with a private smile.
“My mom and her husband live in Nashville and will take the girls on weekends. I can get a babysitter two evenings a week, possibly three. I’ve got some conflicts this Saturday and next that we’ll have to work around.”
“I’ll make it work,” I said without hesitation. “You’re hired.”
“We haven’t talked money yet.”
“What’s your hourly charge?”
He named a dollar amount.
“I’ll pay you double that.”
His brows shot up, and he studied me, as if waiting for me to change my mind.
“You’re taking time away from your kids, plus paying for extra childcare,” I said. “This is important enough to me to make it worth your time.”
“I appreciate that.”
I clapped my hands together once, practically bouncing in my seat, eager and excited and beside myself with optimism because he’d said yes. “When can we start? Do you have any time tonight? We could go by the shop and start figuring out more specifics.”
He checked his watch and frowned. “I need to relieve Allie, get my girls dinner, spend some time with them before bed.”
