On the Rocks (Mixology #2)(48)
Author: Alyssa Rose Ivy

“Just use your phone.”

“Oh yeah.” He grabbed his phone off the dresser and walked into the kitchen. He returned with a container of rocky road ice cream and two spoons.

Outside the storm still raged, but that just made the cabin feel cozier.

He settled in next to me, pulling the sheets and blankets up over us. I took the spoon he offered. “I’m not sure how I got so lucky, but I’m not going to complain.”

“You and me both, babe.”

“What kind of mood are you in?”

“The happy as a lark kind.”

“Okay. Then it’s a good time to discuss my plan.”

He took a bit of ice cream. “Ok, let’s hear this plan.”

“Why do you want to run your family’s business? What is it about the job that made you want it?”

He set aside the container of ice cream. “This is your plan?”

“Just answer me.”

He put an arm around me, and I rested my head on his chest. “I knew I could do more for the company. I could make it bigger, help it grow. I also like the idea of being my own boss.”

“But you really aren’t into risk management?”

“No. But it doesn’t matter what the industry is.”

“But wouldn’t it be better if the product or service was something you loved?”

“What are you getting at?”

“You said your boss at the scuba shop is handing over the business to his son at the end of the summer, right?”

My mood soured at the mention of Caleb. “Yes. There better be a reason you’re bringing up that asshat while we’re in bed.”

“There is.” I put a hand on his arm. “Just bear with me. What if you made an offer?”

“An offer?”

I sat up, wrapping the sheet around my chest. “Or rather, what if we made an offer.”

“An offer? Like to buy him out?”

“Yes. Really all you need to buy is the building and dock since it’s such a great location. And I guess the boats would help.”

“Carly, I love you babe, but do you realize how much all of that would cost?”

“I assume a lot. We’d need capital.”

“You keep saying we.”

“I want to go in on this with you. I’m great at marketing. That’s what I majored in, and I know with your expertise we can make this work.”

“Says the girl who’s only been scuba diving once.”

“You have enough passion about it for the both of us.”

“You’re ready to go into business with me?”

“I’m already sleeping with you. Don’t you think that was a bigger step?”

“The fact that you’d say that makes me very happy.” He pulled me back against him. “But where are we going to get this money? There’s no way I’m asking my parents.”

“Colin.”

“Colin?” He appeared to mull it over. “I know he’s got some cash, but not that much and he’s not going to hand it over easily.”

“We have to get him in on it. He has some capital and he’d be able to get a much bigger loan than us.”

“Where’s all this coming from?” He turned me so I could look at him.

“I just like to find opportunities where they don’t seem to exist.”

“Do you really think we can convince Colin to join us? It would be a huge risk and with the new baby and all.”

“I think he would if we made it worth his while. He’s the only one in my family who’s ever believed in me, and I feel good about this. I know we can make it huge.”

“All right, but we need to set up one thing before we go any further with this idea.”

“What?”

“You need to try to dive again. You can’t tie your future to something you don’t know anything about.”

“I didn’t mind the shore dive. Can we do that again?”

“Sure, and then maybe after that you’d want to get certified.”

“If I did a boat dive, would you be with me the whole time?”

He brushed hair away from my face. “Would you ever doubt that?”

“No. I wouldn’t.”

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Macon

The days were ticking down. As August dragged on, I knew the summer was ending, and I was about to get booted from the only job I’d ever really enjoyed. Carly seemed convinced she could come up with a way for us to buy the shop, but I wasn’t sure if her enthusiasm would be enough. I gave her the space and time she needed to develop her business plan, but I wasn’t giving her space of the personal kind. With the end of summer came the possibility of the end of our nights together, and I was going to enjoy every last one of them.

I didn’t even mind the grunt work around the shop as much as I used to. Part of me would even miss that. I was filling some tanks when Ralph walked into the back.

“Get ready. We have a last minute dive.”

“Get ready? Aren’t you going to do it?”

“Nope. She requested you specifically.”

“She?” I groaned. Having a female customer request me specifically probably wouldn’t be a good thing in Carly’s eyes.

“Yes. She’s doing a certification.”

“Do you mind doing it?” The last thing I needed was to get in trouble with Carly. I wasn’t wasting a second of our time together fighting.

“I really think you’re going to want to handle this one.”

“Fine.” I sighed. There was no reason to put it off. I walked back into the front of the shop and did a double take.

“Carly? What are you doing here?”

She grinned. “I’m here for my first dive or dives or whatever. I already did all of those video thingies Ralph said I had to do first. I passed all the tests.”

“You’re the client?”

“I heard you’re really good at what you do.”

I laughed. “So you’re really in? You’re letting me take you on a boat dive?”

“Can’t we do another shore dive?” She gave me her most charming smile.

“Nope. Boat dive.” I picked up her hand. “If you suffered through the videos you might as well get to do the real thing.”

“Okay, but we have to wait a few minutes.”

“Why?” I looked at Ralph. Was there something up with the boat I didn’t know about?

“Because Brody’s running late.”