Page 40 of Archer

“You should’ve stopped and joined us.”

“I could have, but the two of you looked like you were having a lot of fun together.”

He smiled and nodded. “We did. I really like him. He’s an interesting guy.”

“I don’t know him very well, but I’ve seen him around the hotel.” I chuckled. “He drives Hitch crazy.”

“Does Hitch not like him?” Crispin asked, sounding concerned.

“Oh, I don’t think that’s the case at all. I think Hitch likes Elton plenty—though I’m not sure Hitch realizes it yet. Mostly, I think he worries because Elton gets lost in his imagination and isn’t always aware of his surroundings.”

“I can see that,” Crispin replied. “He does have a vivid imagination. He has to in order to write such great books.”

“I’d think so, but I want you to know I’m proud of you for taking time for lunch.”

“I told you I’d try to be better about stopping for food.” We carried all the ingredients for our salad to the table and sat down to eat.

“You did but telling me you would try and actually doing it aren’t the same thing. You actually did it, so good job.”

He ducked his head, and his cheeks reddened. I swear, he was so damned adorable. I was going to have to develop some kind of immunity to it, or he was going to have me wrapped around his finger. Well, even more than he already did.

“Anything else interesting happen today?” I asked, just because I loved listening to him talk.

“I mean, I guess one thing did, but it probably doesn’t mean anything to anyone but me.”

“Sweet boy, if it matters to you, it matters to me,” I assured him.

“It’s just…my whole reason for wanting to open the studio—like, not just any studio, but this studio, Harmony and Joy—was because Aziza meant so much to me. At a time when I was doing all the right things according to my family”—he rolled his eyes—“she saw me. Her energy was so enveloping and welcoming. And today, one of my students told me that my energy made her feel the same way. It probably sounds silly, but that was really special to me.”

I reached across the table and took his hand. “Sweet boy, there’s nothing silly about that.”

He lifted his eyes to meet mine and smiled. “Thank you, Daddy.”

“So, I was thinking that after dinner, maybe we could watch a movie?”

He pulled his hand back and rolled his lower lip over his teeth, and I had a feeling I wasn’t going to like what came next.

“I will tonight. I love spending evenings here with you.”

“I hear a but in there,” I said, concerned.

“Well, especially after what I just told you, I’m more determined than ever to make Harmony and Joy mine. I really feel like I need to be doing something in the evenings to make money to make that dream a reality. I know you don’t really want me toDoorDash, but I was thinking maybe you could talk to Hitch and see if I could get some hours at the bar.”

“Do you know how to tend bar?” He’d told me a lot about his life, but he’d never mentioned bartending.

“Well, no, but I’m a fast learner.”

“Do you think you’d make enough money bartending to meet your goal?” I wasn’t crazy about the idea of him working himself to death, but at least I knew Hitch would be around to keep an eye on him and make sure he wasn’t overdoing it. If he had to work, that wouldn’t be the worst option.

“I don’t know.” He shrugged. “Maybe.”

“Okay, let’s think about this. How much do you have saved up so far? And how much do you need?”

“I don’t know. I have a decent amount saved up, but I don’t really know how much Aziza wants. We’ve talked about it, but she never actually said an amount. She just said she’d like me to have the business.”

“Hold on a minute. You’ve been working yourself to death, saving up to buy the Harmony and Joy brand, and you don’t even know how much money you need?”

“No, but I know Aziza, and she’s not going to cheat me or anything. She wouldn’t have told me she wanted me to take over if it wasn’t attainable.”

---