“Partner?” Her? A partner? At Pony Expresso? It was almost too much.
“But…”
But? There was nothing further to add because Nataliewouldbe a good partner to her uncle. She loved the business, and she was good at it. What else mattered?
“I’m afraid to invest in someone who’s a gambler. You know this is our livelihood. It’s what supports me and your tía.”
Natalie watched her dream slip away in real time. “Oh, but I’m not—” she started to say in her defense before realizing she couldn’t finish the sentence. If she blurted out she wasn’t a gambler, she’d have to follow it up with another lie. Or tell him the truth, which would make her look like a worse option for a business partner. It would definitely change how her family saw her. Her heart sank.
Enrique’s eyebrows rose. “You’re not what?”
“I-I’m not the type of person who would gamble recklessly with the business. You know me. I love this shop and you and Tía. I’m not like that.” Even in her mind, her defense sounded weak, but she was stuck and, even worse, it was a hole she had put herself in.Surprise! That hilarious white lie had just bit her in the damn ass.
He nodded his head slowly. “That’s what I think but, still, I want to see it. Instead of going gambling, take a hundred percent control of the truck at Poinsettia Paradise. This will be your project to run on your own and set up how you want. If it goes well, then we start the new year talking about your role and future at Pony Expresso. Does this sound okay to you?”
What could she say? He was giving her the opportunity and she had to snatch it. “Yes. Okay. I can do that.” Giving up her vacation wasn’t a huge sacrifice when so much was on the line. She could go through her dry spell a little longer for the greater good. Sure, she still wasn’t looking forward to being surrounded by festivities and Christmas and all that, but she could definitely manage.
“Great,” Enrique said. “It’ll be good for you.”
“Okay.”
She could do this.
With the discussion over, she returned to the front of the shop, only to discover Mason was still there. He stood as soon as their eyes connected. Her heart did a small flutter but she did her best to tamp down this reaction because heart flutters were a waste of time.
He approached, his head ducking and his hands stuffed into the pockets of his coat. “Hi again. Sorry. We never figured out when you were going to come get the tree. We can also exchange numbers and set something up later if you’re too busy to do it now.”
Her suspicions rose. This was all her fault. She did one nice thing, like giving a guy a Nutella latte, and now he thought she was a friend or open to receiving unsolicited dick pics. “That’s okay. I’ll just stop by sometime after work or something. Thanks anyway.”
He blushed, which was kind of cute. She wished she hadn’t noticed that. It made her want to be nice instead of smart.
“Oh, i-it’s not…” Stumbling with his words he tried again. “I just mean we’re not officially open to the public yet. I want to make sure someone will be there to help you. Unless, of course, you’re a certified lumberjack. In that case, I apologize. I shouldn’t have presumed. But I’ll need to see your certification. It’s a tree farm liability thing.”
He said this with complete seriousness. She had to work hard to school her features, hiding her amusement, which would only encourage him. “Is getting lumberjack certified something I can do online?” she asked while also playing it straight.
“Probably not in time to get a tree this year.”
“Darn. I’m sure that’s something that really comes in handy too.”
“It might be easier if I just help you.” Mason pulled his phone from a pocket, waiting expectantly.
She became nervous, feeling trapped. Taking control, she retrieved her own phone. “How about I text you when I know my schedule better? What’s your number?”
Natalie was about to inform him that this was about getting a tree and nothing else, to set expectations exactly where they should be, when he continued after rattling off his number.
“I don’t want to make things weird but I just want to say that even if you ask, no, I am not willing to send you any dick pics. Don’t even ask because it’s not going to happen.”
This took her by complete surprise. She wasn’t about to beg for one… But her curiosity had become piqued, because who was this guy? “You get asked for a lot of dick pics?”
A smile slipped from his lips, warming his whole face, as his eyes crinkled in the corners. “No, but I figured it’s probably because I’ve stated up-front that I’m not going to do it. It’s just better if I cut the request off from the start. This way there are no expectations, and neither one of us is disappointed.”
This time a small laugh did pop out, the back of her hand pressing against her mouth to hold some of it inside, but it didn’t escape Mason’s notice, his smile lines becoming deeper. “Okay then. Natalie.” Her name reverberated in his husky voice as though he was trying the syllables on his tongue, testing them, getting used to the feel of them. “Well, I better head out. I’ll see you again soon.”
“’Kay.” Her own brain felt somewhat scrambled at this point. A lot had already happened today, and it seemed she’d used up all her words because she couldn’t think of anything better at this point. But she did her best to push him from her mind after he departed and return to her day. Natalie had to get her focus because she had a partnership to earn.
And the last thing she needed was a distraction in the shape of a local nice guy.
