“It smells good in here,” he tells her, starting to pick up one of the scones, and she smacks his hand.
“Those are for guests,” she tells him, and he looks at the plate sitting in front of me.
“You gave one to Everly.”
“That’s because she was my tester. Now that I know they’re good enough for the clients, they’re for the clients,” she tells him, and he pouts his bottom lip.
If any other man did that, I would find it ridiculously immature, but him doing it is somehow adorable.
“You can have the rest of this one,” I say, pushing the plate in front of me across the island, and he looks down at it before meeting my gaze. One look shouldn’t have the ability to make my pulse skitter and a few places on my body tingle, but unfortunately, it’s exactly what happens when he looks at me. That’s when I know I need to go and that I need to continue avoiding him as much as possible. The last thing I need is to develop a crush on a guy who’s as approachable as a grizzly and as prickly as a cactus.
“Thanks for letting me hang with you,” I tell Janet as I stand with my coffee, and her gaze pings between Blake and me before she focuses on me.
“You’re welcome in my kitchen anytime, and don’t forget to come back at lunch to get your sandwich. If I’m not here, it will be in the fridge.”
“I definitely won’t forget, and thank you again,” I say before I hustle out of the kitchen, trying to look like I’m not running away. When I get back to the office, I step inside and smile when I see Maverick sitting at what is now my desk. Where Blake is unapproachable and prickly, Maverick is open and friendly. That being said, I don’t think we’re friends yet, and I have the feeling it takes a lot for him to trust people and let them in.
“Hey,” he says as I set my cup of coffee on the desk, and he drops his eyes to my mug. “Did you meet Janet?”
“I did. She’s sweet,” I say as he rolls back from the desk and stands.
“She is,” he agrees, motioning for me to go sit in the chair he just vacated, so I scoot around him and take a seat. “How are you feeling after the last couple of days?”
“Good. I mean, I’ve got the booking process down, and answering emails and phone calls is easy. The rest is going to take me a while to learn.”
“You have time, and you know you can call any one of us if you ever have questions.”
“I know. Tanner helped me yesterday when I was stuck trying to figure out some of the verbiage you guys use for ordering supplies, then told me that the only way to get the copy machine to work is to kick it in just the right spot.” He laughs. As he does, I enjoy the show. He might not make my pulse race, but that doesn’t mean he’s not attractive. Like Tanner and Blake, he’s a really good-looking man, and even more so with his dark, almost black hair, regal features, and tan skin.
“It’s probably time we replace it.”
“Replace what?” Blake asks, coming into the room, and once again, my stupid body reacts to his presence, making me annoyed with myself.
“The copy machine,” Maverick tells him as he takes a seat across from me, settling in like he owns the place, which I guess he kinda does. It’s also weird that he’s in here, because he hasn’t been in here since I started working.
“Yeah, we should get a new one. We bought it used from a mailing place in town that was going out of business. It’s great when it works like it should but a pain in the ass when it doesn’t.”
“It’s also a waste to spend money on paper and ink when most people nowadays can download an app on their cell phone,” I say, and all of his attention comes to me as he frowns.
“That won’t work if we’re out in the middle of nowhere without electricity.”
“An app might not work all the time, but I noticed the safety information, schedules, maps, and stuff are recycled for each group. So I could laminate the sheets that go out with the guests, then take them back when the week is over to save on having to print them for each group that comes in.”
“That’s smart. If you have time today, check out how much a laminating machine is, and let us know,” Maverick says.
“Or I could just take the printouts to town and have someone laminate them. It probably won’t cost much.”
“How about we test out your idea with the bachelor/bachelorette party that’s coming in the week after next and see if it’s worth the cost,” Blake says, and I blink at him.