He glances upward. “Oh. Yeah. I tried to tighten the pipe, but the water had other plans.”
I smile despite myself. “You don’t have to do this, you know.”
“I don’t want you dealing with a leak for another week,” he says. “Especially since I noticed rust on these. I bet the guy invoiced for brand new and installed used.”
“That’s the least of my worries,” I admit, rubbing my forehead.
He twists one more time and slides out from under the sink with the wrench in his hand. “What do you mean?”
“I’ve just got a lot going on.”
“Anything I can help with?”
I let out a small laugh. “You’re already helping with my leaking sink.”
He shrugs. “Maybe I can help with something else too.”
“Aren’t you supposed to be working on your own stuff? Or relaxing by the beach?” I ask.
He gestures vaguely. “I don’t even know what that looks like anymore. Sitting still isn’t really my thing.”
I study him for a moment. He cares about this, which is unexpected. Maybe I’m used to Curt who only had an agenda that benefitted himself. He was supposed to help me with a flat on my car, but he “couldn’t get away from a business dinner with the law firm owners,” which turned out to be how he stabbed me in the back and took my position.
I slide down to sit on the floor across from him, leaning my back against the island cabinet.
This feels more intimate than when he gave me his phone number, with our legs touching in the small area.
“I’m struggling with the coffee shop,” I say before I can stop myself. It’s both relieving to admit and tightens a knot in my chest.
“What kind of struggling?” Max looks at me with that piercing gaze, and my breaths become shallow, trying to keep the emotions down.
“If we don’t start bringing in more business, I won’t be able to keep it open long-term. I’ve got a small cushion, but not much beyond that.”
“Aren’t there a lot of people in town?”
Nodding, I say, “There are. But most of them go to the diner.”
“Why?”
“I’m still figuring that out.”
He leans back against the cabinet. “What have you tried? Marketing? Advertising?”
“Honestly? I’ve been focused on just keeping thingsrunning and making sure Lila has stability. The business strategy part kind of fell behind.”
He taps his chin with his forefinger. “That makes sense.” Then he adds, “Let me know if there’s something I can do. I won’t wear a chicken costume, but I can help in other ways. Like with a marketing plan.”
I laugh out loud. “Are you sure? You did say you can’t sit still. I bet you know a chicken boogie that could start a trend.”
He grins, wide and genuine, and it changes his whole face. As if he isn’t already ringing every internal bell I have, he’s now taking it to another level.
“I know a bit about business and marketing,” he says. “I just rarely handle that side directly.”
“Thank you,” I say. “For caring.”
He glances back at the sink. “It should hold for now. If not…bowl underneath again?”
“Classic solution,” I say with a smile.
