Page 26

Maybe just a consult.

“This doesn’t mean I’m hiring you.”

He spread his arms wide and smiled. “You don’t have to. I’ve already been hired to listen, follow directions, work, be your muscle.”

“My muscle?” she echoed. “Who said that? Not Grandma Millie.”

He mimed zipping his lips.

“Like that will last,” she said. “I’m still not hiring you, but I do want to see the drone footage and maybe get your opinion on a few data points,” she said, using his language. “But I am and will remain the boss.”

“Yes, boss.”

Chapter Six

It was overan hour later when Jessica and Storm headed back outside. She was both buzzing with ideas and also feeling daunted.

“It’s a lot to take in,” Storm said.

She’d been braced for him to say something snarky, which really wasn’t fair, since he’d spent not only a lot of time filming the acreage, but also uploading the images, explaining them. And running the pictures through his software to make a grid that she could use as a blueprint. He even had a printer that could enlarge everything so she could mount it on the wall to get a better perspective and make notes, even though he preferred to use the tablet as he could continuously make changes.

She nodded and then handed him the thermal mug of a dirty chai latte she’d made him since the temperature had dropped again. She stepped back from him, still feeling a little unsettled by sitting so closely with him at the nook table. She’d tried to keep her distance, but then she’d see something that caught her attention, and she’d lean forward, bump his leg with hers or their arms or hands would brush together.

“Poison anyone lately, Jessica?” He noted her movement. “Should I be worried?”

“If I were going to do that—and I’m not—I’d do it after I got some work out of you, and you handed me the bill.”

“Thinking two steps ahead as always, Jay.”

The way his voice dropped on her nickname did something funny to her tummy, and she sipped her chai to settle herself. Maybe they really could start fresh. Make rules that would work.

He brought the mug to his lips, and she watched, expectantly. She didn’t expect it to be so sexy when he inhaled.

“Chai?”

“A dirty chai.”

“I’m not sure I should ask what that is.”

“Chai with espresso. I have a lot of work ahead of me today.”

“We do,” he reminded her.

“How much are my sisters and Grandma Millie paying you?”

“That’s something I negotiated with them.” His tone didn’t invite a follow-up question, but too bad.

“They can’t go around me, and if I do employ you, then I should make the terms between me and you. We should have a contract.”

She sipped and considered. She’d need to find some money in her budget to supplement if she did contract with him. Grandma Millie was well off. Both Sarah and Meghan made good money, but Chloe was a teacher and vocal coach—wildly educated and skilled but hopelessly underpaid. And Rustin was just starting out with his new restaurant. They didn’t need any additional expenses, but after being fired, neither really did she.

Jessica had never had to worry about money before. She’d had everything she needed. She’d worked in college in a coffee shop, not because she’d needed to, but to have more independence. But she’d always had the reassurance that if she did get in a financial jam, she knew she could get help from her parents in an emergency. Most people never had that luxury. The garden was not an emergency, and she wasn’t ready to share her new status or plans with her parents, not until she had a business plan, budget, and more than four greenhouses filled with starts, a collection of tea plants, and other trees, shrubs and flowering plants that caught her fancy.

“So how much?”

“Let’s just leave it at deeply discounted.”

“Why?” Her suspicion had a hard, chalky taste.