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I kept chanting to myself that she wasn’t for me. It was the truth, but my body didn’t seem to be getting the message. I knew being with her would feel good for however long it lasted, and I was almost willing to take that chance to see her again.
I continued to send her emails, outlining Berta’s progress. It was professional and businesslike, the demeanor I should have had during all our interactions.
I hoped she wouldn’t show up here to throw me off my axis. Yet at the same time, I craved her in my space. Groaning, I grabbed a water bottle from the fridge, noting we were getting low on refreshments.
I headed toward Maisy’s desk to write a note on a Post-it for her. She was in charge of making sure the shop ran smoothly, answering phones, scheduling appointments, ordering parts, and keeping us stocked with drinks and snacks.
I’d never admit it to Ryan, but she was a necessary addition to the garage. She softened our hard edges and was the perfect go-between for the mechanics and the clients.
I scribbled a quick note and placed the yellow Post-it on Maisy’s computer screen so she’d see it in the morning.
“Are you done for the day?”
I startled, not realizing Ryan was there. “I thought you had to pick up Corey from practice?”
“I did. Dropped him off at home and came back here to talk to you.”
“Oh, what about?” I ran a hand through my hair. I had a feeling I wasn’t going to like what he had to say.
Ryan sat on the leather couch, spreading his arms along the back cushions. “You can’t keep this up.”
“What are you talking about?” My normal go-to was pretending to be stupid. It usually worked for me.
His gaze leveled on mine. “You know what I’m talking about. You’re working long hours, yet we’re behind schedule.”
He gestured toward the garage, and I knew what he was getting at. Every bay was full, the parking lot, too. We gave longer time estimates to customers, which wasn’t going over well. They wanted the same quick turnaround they’d become accustomed to, and I couldn’t blame them.
“I’ll work harder to get caught up.” I didn’t want to put Berta on the back burner. I didn’t want to be close to Lily, but at the same time, I wanted to help her. I didn’t want to take on her project and then set it aside. That didn’t sit right with me.
“You can’t.”
My stomach dropped as I came around the desk and sat on the edge. “What are you getting at?”
I had a feeling I wasn’t going to like what he had to say. Ryan tended to save the difficult conversations for after-hours when there wasn’t a chance that a client would walk through the doors and interrupt us.
“We need to hire another mechanic.”
I slowly let out a breath, and my stomach constricted. “No.”
Ryan dropped his head. “Please hear me out.”
“Fine,” I said through clenched teeth. It was hard enough to adjust to having Maisy in our space. We’d had to train her and make things easier for her to find. We even purchased new software to make scheduling easier. I didn’t want anything else to change.
“You can’t keep this up. You’re doing too much. When was the last time you slept in your bed?”
I squeezed the back of my neck, wishing I was anywhere else but here, having this conversation. “I’m doing the best I can.”
“I know you are, which is why I think it’s in everyone’s best interest to get some help around here.”
“We talked about Corey taking on more.” Corey was only fifteen. He was too young to have a meaningful impact here for years to come, but it was a stall tactic. I knew it would distract Ryan from the real issue.
Ryan leaned forward, placing his elbows on his hands. “I don’t want to make Corey feel like he has to work here. I want him to have opportunities to go to college if he wants.”
I stayed silent because I agreed with his assessment. Corey would have everything we didn’t. A loving family, a supportive uncle, and whatever he needed to carry out his dreams.
“If we want to expand, we need to be smart about this. We’re taking on too much, so either we turn down clients—”
My stomach twisted. After struggling to get started with our new business, I didn’t want to turn anyone down. “Absolutely not.”
