Page 32 of Mountain Bean Dream
“No, but it’s dusty and dirty. On second thought, how about you stay here and watch this busy office? Have them make themselves a coffee while they wait for me to return.”
I glanced around the empty front office. Was he seeing ghosts? There was no one here. Ah, maybe that was the joke. I needed to sharpen my skills apparently.
“This won’t take more than fifteen, twenty minutes tops.”
“Think staying here is more within my capabilities. You didn’t sell me with the whole dusty and dirty part.”
“I wouldn’t have asked you to stay if I didn’t think it was.” He grabbed the three motors and something that looked like a scrub brush and dashed out of the office. “Be right back.”
Once the door closed and the overhead bells stopped jingling, my nose started twitching with the possibilities of doing some snooping—to follow the stairs at the back of the office and see how nice his place was. Rather than give in to temptation, I sat in the comfy chair and spun myself around, singingYou Spin Me Round (Like a Record),laughing with each spin.
Suddenly feeling nauseous, I stopped the chair and held tight to the counter. Perhaps that wasn’t my finest moment.
The bells rang, and Jeremy sauntered in with empty arms.
“Hey,” I said, forcing myself to stop from leaning to the left.
He tipped his head sideways and stared.
“Your chair spins nicely, so it’s best if I don’t immediately stand up. I need to let the feeling pass.”
His sweet, throaty laugh made me smile. “Glad you enjoyed yourself.”
“Yep.” It was weird that I felt like I was drunk, and I was answering like that too. I cleared my throat and briefly closed my eyes. Nope, that was a bad mistake. Inhaling sharply, I stared upat him. “Everything hooked up?”
“And working properly.”
“That’s great.” I rested my forearm on the counter. It was weird being on this side of the desk with Jeremy on the other. “You’re like a fixologist.”
“A what?”
“Like a handyman but cooler.”
He bobbed his head and came behind the counter, closing the toolbox and the case with all the sockets in it. “I like that, a fixologist.”
“A Jack of trades. No! AJeremyof all trades.”
“I prefer the fixologist.” He puffed out his chest slightly. “So, what’s on your agenda for today, since clearly resting isn’t on your to-do list?” He moved the toolbox into one of the closets behind the desk.
Everything was so neat and tidy. Banker’s boxes with dates and—from the quick view I was afforded—a highly detailed inventory of what was in each box.
“I hadn’t given it much thought. Watch a movie. Read a book. Get my car home at some point.”
“Oh, yeah. That’s still parked there.” His butt rested against the desk as he crossed his arms over his chest.
“Not that it’s a big rush. It’s not like I can drive it home or anything.” However, I knew I couldn’t leave it there until I could drive again. It would likely be towed in the next twenty-four hours from a lack of movement—the bylaws were tight.
“So then how do you plan on getting it back here?”
“Details, details, details.” I shook my head but allowed a small, teasing smile to play on my lips as I spun in the chair. “Things I’ll figure out in the moment.”
“You’re not much of a planner, are you?” He stopped the movement and held onto the armrests, staring straight into my soul.
Unable to look, I cast my gaze down to my lap. “Not anymore. Before moving here, my whole life was planned out, down to the minute detail.” I picked at a loose string on the edge of my hoodie pocket. “What I took in school, what I did for extracurricular activities, who I hung out with. What I ate at each meal, what I wore, how I even styled my hair. The whole shebang. Once I left…” I paused, picking the right word. “Home… I tossed the notion of living so rigidly.” Which was probably reason number one why I was constantly late to work, although I actually enjoyed dressing up and being presentable. “And by anyone’s rules.”
“Sounds mostly ideal.”
“The mostly part is correct, not sure if it’s ideal though.” Daring, I chanced a glance upwards. He hadn’t turned away and was still looking at me with sincerity.