Playing With Trouble (Desire Bay 1)

Jake nodded. “You’re right. Honesty is best.” He took a deep breath. “Laura . . . there’s a lumber contract.”

“There’s also a bark dust one,” she said. “At least, there could be, if I didn’t mess it up.”

Jake frowned. “What are you talking about?”

“A guy named Wade called from Bronco Burger. He wants you to call him by tomorrow morning for bark. Cubic yards of it. I didn’t know what to say.”

“You mean Bucky Burger?” he asked.

“Yes,” she said. Great, she didn’t even have the name right. “I tried to find a price sheet, and then I looked at the schedule you showed me, but I have no idea how long a cubic yard takes to load or unload, and so I had no context and just sounded like an idiot.”

“I’m sure that’s not true. And I’ll call him tomorrow and straighten it out.”

“That’s the thing, Jacob. You always coming in to straighten things out is bad business. You said so yourself.”

He glanced down, but Laura knew the truth without him having to agree with her.

Again, she reminded herself to keep her feelings aside and have a business discussion.

“Oh! And as I was leaving, I heard a voice mail come through. Something about Green Gables?”

“That’s a golf course,” Jake said. “It’s one of our major clients. They don’t order often, but when they do, it can be big. Do you know what the message said?”

She shook her head. She’d been too scared to pick up the phone again, and so she’d just run out the door and let the machine handle it.

Some owner she was turning out to be.

“I’ll take care of all of this in the morning,” Jake said. “Thank you for letting me know.”

Jake’s calm voice only made her feel more like a loser. She was messing up and he was being understanding? She was on the brink of losing it, because she didn’t know what she was doing. And she had to be honest with Jake.

“Look,” she said. “I’m worried I’m hurting the company. Maybe . . . maybe you’re right and we need to figure out how to make this work, because I don’t want to lose business.”

“You did a great job with the shipment last week.”

“It’s more than that. You know how to run things smoothly. People trust you.”

“They’ll trust you, too; just give it time.”

“We don’t have time, and you know it. I just . . .” She glanced at the flowers on the table again. “I don’t want to give this up. But maybe it’s what’s best.”

Jake shook his head and looked like he was in physical pain. “Just hold out. You haven’t heard from Cal yet.”

“He’s not going to hire me. I’m not as qualified, and Hannah told me Lincoln City’s prices are better.”

“You don’t know that. You’re good at this, Laura.” He was silent for a long moment, and it looked like he was waging a battle with himself. Finally, he said, “Just wait to hear from Cal.”

“If I don’t get that contract, the flower shop can’t sustain itself. The month will be in the red. You’re right. The warehouse and shop are separate.”

Something in her chest felt like it was breaking. But why? She was trying, but failing. And she felt like a loser. She would have to take the job in California and leave.

“You’re Walt’s and your mother’s daughter,” Jacob said, stepping closer until she could feel the heat radiating from his skin. His mere presence was warm and comforting. “You’re a real Baughman. No one can take that from you.”

The truth hit her just then.

“I thought this whole thing would make me feel closer to her. Help me find my place, my home.”

“Your mom would have wanted you to be happy. If you’re happy running the flower shop and not the warehouse, there’s nothing wrong with that.”