Page 85 of Kylo
Was this another of those cold-call sales pitches? Someone who wanted to replace the windows or pave the parking lot?
Those stupidNo Solicitationsigns really did nothing.
“Okay,” I said, racking my brain for one of the phrases that had worked in the past to make someone leave. Most of them involved pretending I wasn’t the owner but that I could pass their card along.
“My name is Teddy,” he said. There was a dramatic pause there, like that was meant to mean something to me.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Rue,” I said.
A little smile tugged at his lips at that.
“No, sweetheart. I’m Teddy. I believe you’ve met my driver,” he said, waving out toward the front door where a man stood in his suit in the sweltering heat, his profile familiar.
Oh.
Oh.
“You’re Teddy?TheTeddy? With the mansion, boat, and fancy hotel?”
“That’s me,” he said, his charm going full-on charming in a blink.
“Wow. Well, both places are gorgeous,” I said.
Wait.
Was this the big deal Traeger was talking about? Had Teddy reached out about his pottery?
My heart swelled for him even as the memories swam to the surface, making that stabbing sensation in my heart intensify.
“Thank you,” he said.
“Are you looking for Traeger?” I asked. “He just ran out to grab lunch, but he won’t be too much longer if you want to wait for him.”
“Well, I do need to speak to him, yes. But I’m here to see you.”
“Me?” The word rasped out of me.
Had he not heard what happened? That things were weird with me and his friends?
“Yes.”
“About the plants?” I asked, waving toward the shop.
His gaze followed, taking in the shop.
“Well, we will get there,” he said.
I tried not to let hope swell. Because maybe he had no idea that things had turned sour between me and Kylo. Once he heard, I was sure he would back out. I just hoped things wereofficial between him and Traeger, so he didn’t miss out on this opportunity.
That said, if he did know and he still wanted to do business with me, that could be really life-changing. I didn’t need more money, per se. But more was always welcome. Business always came with some ebb and flow. Having more sitting in savings would help me not panic when the lean weeks or months came around.
“Well, no pressure. I mean, I know it was mentioned to you, but I don’t want you to think I’m pinning all my business plans on that.”
“Smart girl,” he said, giving me a nod. “Actually, this isn’t about business at all.”
My stomach clenched hard.
I was regretting that coffee as it tried to inch back up my throat.
