Playing with Danger (Desire Bay 2)

Jake frowned, as if replaying what he’d just said, then finally smiled. “I didn’t even realize that! I should write that down. You in marketing from the city?”

From the way Jake looked Grant over, he could tell Grant was not local. Maybe he needed to ditch his slacks and button-downs. He mostly wore suits every day and just left the jacket off. But maybe he could take it down another notch.

“I’m just visiting. I’m in business, but marketing is a big part of it.”

“That sounds cool,” Jake said. “So you just consult with businesses?”

“I own my own business, and the main goal is under that umbrella. There’s several small businesses.”

“That’s awesome,” Jake said. “I own this place with my wife, Laura. That’s her name on the sign out there. It’s great having something of your own, isn’t it?”

Grant thought of his father’s business. Thought of how it had never really felt like Grant’s. He’d inherited it, but he wanted to add to it. Wanted to contribute. Build on his own branch and make something of himself with the opportunity he was given.

“Yes, it is,” he said to Jake. Curiosity got the better of him and he zeroed in on the one word Grant wanted to use himself: wife. “So you work with your wife?” he asked. Like discussing this matter with a nice sales guy made him part of this special husband club. A thought he enjoyed.

“Yep, I do.” Grant could see the pride coming off Jake.

“How’s that work out?”

“Great for us,” Jake said. “You hear those horror stories about husbands and wives working together, and how one will end up killing the other.” Jake leaned in and lowered his voice. “Honestly, in the beginning, I thought my sweet Laura might accidentally hit me over the head with a shovel, but those days are behind us.” He straightened and smiled. “Plus, it would have been worth it just to watch her walk around in a skirt all day.”

Grant laughed. Jake was a salt-of-the-earth kind of guy who loved his wife and had no trouble talking about it. He also liked hearing that marriage wasn’t always sunshine and roses, so that added to his mental hope jar. Hope that he and Hannah would really be okay and work everything out.

“But you get me started talking about my wife, and I’ll go all day. So what can I help you with, my friend?” Jake asked.

“Any chance you have screen doors?”

“Yes, that’ll be back in the warehouse. I can show you.”

Grant thanked him and followed him to the back. “So you’re new in town?” Jake asked over his shoulder.

“I stand out that bad?” Grant asked, glancing down at his pressed navy slacks and white button-down shirt for the second time.

“Nah, I just grew up here. Locals know locals.”

Grant nodded. Guy was nice. Was liking this local idea. Being from a city, there were cold, hurried people everywhere.

“How long have you and your wife owned this place?” Grant said, glancing around at the massive inventory and thinking that a business like this must make a killing. Had the market on the home goods, it looked like, for the entire town.

“Technically, not long. But I’ve worked here since I was a teenager and took over for my father-in-law. Lot of sweat equity. But my wife is the brilliance behind everything. Especially the flowers in the shop up front.”

Grant nodded. Partly because he was starting to think he might have some investment opportunities around this place and could start to add to his father’s holdings, building his own portfolio and getting his hands in some local business.

“This is a great place,” Grant said. “All your product is local?”

“Absolutely,” Jake said with clear pride. “No big chains or mass product from overseas. It’s all done right here. My buddy is building the log cabin subdivision across town, and we supply him with the wood and landscape.”

“That’s incredible—you can all self-sustain and even thrive with this small dynamic.”

“Thank you. Sounds like you really know your end of business,” Jake said, rounding the home repair area of the warehouse and getting to what looked to be doors ahead.

Grant couldn’t help his business mind. He was always looking to invest and grow the company by taking on new ventures. Especially ones he could take credit for as his own finds. He also loved funding small businesses, especially where there was profit to be made. That was what a conglomerate was for. To oversee the success of many smaller businesses.

“I’m in the business of making other businesses thrive,” Grant said vaguely. But the way Jake spoke of his wife made Grant want to relate. “I’m also here to see my wife.”

Grant didn’t know why he’d said that. Maybe he wanted to continue this real conversation with a real person who didn’t have a secret agenda like everyone back in New York. Maybe he wanted to brag about Hannah. Talk to someone, married man to married man. Because the truth was, he’d never had the chance to do that.

“Your wife?” Jake asked, showing him to the screen doors. “She local?”