Page 56 of Smooth Sailing
Free time? Since taking on the Paloma Projects, there hadn’t been much of it. Not that he was complaining. He might be exhausted, but he loved his time with her.
“Besides cooking?” He took a sip of his drink, loving the way she settled against him. “I ride motorcycles. I have the Pan Am you saw, as well as an older Bonneville.”
“Not one, but two,” she said with that same warmth she’d shown when first discovering she rode.
“You still surprised I’m a nice guy with a motorcycle?” he teased.
Her lips curved into a smile. “I’m learning there’s a lot more to you than first impressions. Have you taken either on any long trips?”
“A few. Last summer, I rode with my brother in Nova Scotia. There’s something about being on the open road, just you and the machine.” He chuckled. “Though sometimes the maintenance can be a challenge. During that trip, all that salt air from the coast started messing with the electronics. We stopped at this little café in Peggy’s Cove, and my display screen went on the fritz—numbers jumping everywhere like it was possessed. We had to backtrack to the Harley in Halifax to clean out all the connections.”
“Even with the issues, it sounds like such a fun adventure,” she said wistfully. “Learning to ride’s always been on my bucket list.”
“I’ll teach you next summer.” Had that come off as too presumptuous that they’d be together next year? He wouldn’t mind, and maybe by then, she’d be convinced he wanted more than her body.
“Don’t I have to be endorsed?” She either didn’t notice the significance or was choosing to ignore it.
He rolled with it. “Yes, but they teach the basics. You’ll need more practice before hitting the busy roads. I think you’ll love riding. It’s a great stress reliever.”
“Is that your subtle way of saying I seem stressed?”
“No, that’s my not-so-subtle way of trying to spend more time with you.”
The admission slipped out before he could catch it, but her slow smile made him glad for the honesty. That smile did things to him, made him imagine possibilities he hadn’t considered in a long time.
Her phone dinged from the nightstand, the sound sharp in their quiet bubble. Her brows furrowed as she read the text.
“What’s up?” he asked. An unease he couldn’t explain filled him.
“Roy Sterling wants a few changes. He asked for me to check my email.” Her voice had shifted from warm to professional in seconds.
She slid her laptop back on her legs and opened it, the blue glow washing over her face. Her gaze scanned back and forth, and with each passing second, more of their intimate moment slipped away. “Are you kidding me?”
He scooted closer, a knot forming in his stomach. “What?”
“His‘little change’ is to change the entire color scheme for the second floor. And they’re discussing possibly expanding the project to include the guest house.”
His fingers tightened around his glass. The news settled over him like a weight, and tension crept into his shoulders. “That’s . . . a lot of changes. And it would mean completely revamping your timeline.”
She nodded, running a hand through her hair. “I know. I’ll have to start from scratch on so many elements. And finishing it by the end of next week won’t be possible.”
“We can do this.” He wrapped an arm around her. “We’re a great team.”
Their gazes met, and he could’ve melted into her soft, blue eyes. Then she looked away. “This doesn’t affect your end much. Or really at all. It’s all mine.”
“I’ll work on my stuff, then help you.” He was nearly finished with his tasks for this visit. He could leave, catch up with his other clients, and not return to Traverse City until it was time for planting and system setup. But he couldn’t. He had to wipe away the stress painting her beautiful face.
She briefly rested her head on his shoulder but straightened, putting a small but deliberate distance between them. “Thank you, Max, but even with your help, I won’t be finished by the time we’re supposed to leave.”
“Then I’ll stay and help.” But could he? The weight of his workload was almost too heavy to hold.
As if reading his worries, she said, “What about your other projects at home? They need your attention.”
“I’ll have my second, Grace, help.” If she wouldn’t kill him at the suggestion.
She shook her head. “You mentioned the other day how your business is stretched thin because you took these projects with me.”
He dug inhis heels. Not sure why, but he was certain that going home without her wouldn’t be good. “Well, that’s why Grace is my second. She can handle it.”
