Page 6 of Single-Minded
By working my fool ass off, plus having spot-on gut instincts and general good luck, I’d accomplished a bigger net worth than I’d thought possible. When most people would think, I’ve made my nest egg; I’m good, I became determined to do it again. Build it into more. Climb higher.
“I’m gonna take a closer look at the kitchen,” West said, closing his portfolio and leaving the bedroom, dragging me out of my musing.
I followed him. “I was under the impression there’d be a whole crew here. I bought a dozen donuts for you guys,” I said, gesturing to the box on the counter as I reentered the kitchen.
West was eyeing the windows in the sunroom, then turned his attention to me.
“Paul, Nathan, and Fritz will be here shortly to get started with demo. Some days it’ll be the four of us. Some days it’ll be more. Just depends on the day and the tasks. You didn’t have to get us anything, but thank you.”
“I would’ve gotten coffee too, but I don’t love the bakery’s one-size-fits-all pot of java. I haven’t figured out the best place to get coffee in town. What’s your favorite?”
He paused as if he hadn’t thought about it before. “I just make some at home. I don’t know of a good coffee source in town.”
“You’re kidding me.” This town might be small, but its people still needed good coffee.
“No, ma’am.”
Ma’am again.
“Can I ask you a personal question?”
“You can ask,” he said.
“How old are you?”
“Thirty-one.”
I filed that away. “I’m only four years older. You don’t need to call me ma’am.”
With a tilt of his head, he said, “Are you not from the South? It’s a way to be polite.”
“Be less polite. Pretty please? Just call me Presley.”
“Yes, ma—” He stopped himself, laughed. “Presley. I’ll do my best.
“And please eat some donuts.” I opened the box and held it out. “Save me from myself.”
He grinned, and my God, my heart… I swear it fluttered again. It didn’t make sense how much this guy’s smile affected me.
“You got a sweet tooth?” he asked as he took a single glazed donut from me.
“If it’s bad for me, I crave it. Sugar, wine, coffee, you name it.”
“The guys’ll take some of these off your hands when they get here. I’m going to poke around a little deeper, see what we’re up against.”
“Anything I can do to help?”
“No, ma— Dammit,” he said quietly. “Presley. I’ll just do my thing, and you can do yours.”
“Okay,” I said, as if I had any idea what my thing was. “I’m going to eat a donut out on the patio, then maybe plant flowers.”
After that, I had no clue, but I needed to figure it out. It was that or lose my mind.
Chapter Three
Presley
Sunrise on the lake was a thing of beauty, and I had a front-row seat to it. Every day for the rest of my life, if I wanted it.
