Page 108 of Here With Me

“We've got some catchin' up to do.” I smile and lean against the kitchen counter.

“What do ya wanna know first?”

“How about your first time drivin'?”

The corner of his lips tilts up, and he laughs. “Goin' right for the good stuff, eh?”

By the time I leave four hours later, my face hurts from smiling so hard. Jase and I needed this more than I wanted to admit, but it finally feels like we're making progress.

ChapterTwenty-Three

Noah

“Rise ’n’ shine!” Magnolia bursts through my door with two coffees.

I stand shell-shocked with a towel wrapped around me as she smiles wide.

“Latte?” She holds it out, and I hesitantly take it.

“Who are you and what have ya done with my best friend?” I pop the lid and smell the inside before sipping it.

It's only seven in the morning, and Magnolia Sutherland is wide-eyed and bushy-tailed like she's ready to take on the world.

“Your best friend who doesn't have to work and put up with Mrs. Blanche all day.”

“Mmm. This is good.” I swirl it around before taking a bigger gulp. “Somethin' nutty.”

“Toffee White Mocha with caramel drizzle and an extra shot.”

“You made this at home?”

“If you'd ever come to my apartment, you'd see my new coffee bar setup. I bought new syrups and an expensive frother.” She follows as I walk to the bathroom.

“I'm tellin' ya, you need to ditch your job and start your own business. Mrs. Blanche has nothin' on this.” I smile wide at her through the mirror.

“No bank in Tennessee will give me a small business loan with my credit. I'd need a co-signer, and my parents already told me no,” she says, sitting on the toilet as I grab what I need to get ready.

They're upset she didn't go to college and won't help her financially. She moved out and got a job, but she's miserable working for someone else. Magnolia would be an awesome small business owner if she could just get the chance to prove herself.

“Any idea how much you'd need?” I grab my makeup bag, then dig for my moisturizer and concealer.

“Well, no, not yet. But I was browsin’ online and saw the cutest mobile café ideas. Kinda like food trucks but for coffee. Buyin’ a trailer would be my biggest upfront cost, but after that, it'd be cheap overhead. I could rotate spots every few months, grow my customer base, and then who knows? Find a permanent spot and meet my future husband.”

I laugh at that. “One goal at a time, Mags.”

She opens her photos app and flips through the pictures she saved.

“Those western-themed ones are adorable! Oh my gosh, I love this idea!”

“Right? I'd paint the outside like a pretty rose or teal color, then have a cool sign with Magnolia's Morning Mocha or somethin’ like that. Anyway, I'd need a loan to buy the trailer or truck, hire a contractor to help me gut it—unless I manage to find a used one already done, then I’d need to just fix it up. I’d have to pay for the permits and licenses, then order all my supplies and equipment. So probably upward of forty to fifty grand? Give or take.”

“Okay, that's not too bad for a start-up. I bet a bank would approve you for that.”

“Know of any bankers who wouldn't expect me to start payin' it back for like a year?”

“We could do a Kickstarter? They buy coffee for a year upfront, and you get your money now.” I shrug, not quite sure if that'd work, but if I know Magnolia, she won't stop until she gets what she wants.

“We can brainstorm later. Today is all about you! Are you excited?”