Reid shoved his fingers through his hair and shook his head. “It would mean sinking a lot of her savings into the venture and I’m not sure it’s a sound idea. I’d be interested in hiring a consultant, hopefully to dissuade her from going through with it.” When she remained silent he stuck out his hand. “By the way, I’m Reid Greenfield.”
She took his hand and gave him a firm handshake. “Addison Monroe. It’s nice to meet you, Reid.”
Reid smiled, enjoying the feel of her small hand in his and hearing his name on her lips. There was something familiar about her, something that tugged at the back of his brain but he couldn’t put his finger on it. “So, am I going to be your first customer?”
“Well, we’re putting the cart before the horse. I’m heading over with Mia to look at the shop, but as much as I’m interested, I’m not one hundred percent sure that I’m actually going to do the venture without more thought and research. Although I do have to say that Mia is very persuasive.”
Reid dug his wallet out of his back pocket and fished out one of his business cards. He appreciated that Addison was taking the time to consider all aspects of a new business. Hopefully she’d be a good influence on his sister. “This has my e-mail and cell phone number on it. If you go through with the shop, I would appreciate if you’d at least give Sara real numbers as to what it would take to get involved in doing receptions and weddings. It’s not that I’m totally against the idea; I just don’t want to see her lose her hard-earned retirement. I’d be glad to show you the barn and surroundings and then get your opinion. But I want you to err on the side of caution.”
Addison took the card. “I’m hardly an expert.” She glanced at his business card. “And it appears that you have the credentials to advise your sister in business matters.”
“Are you kidding? She won’t listen to me—well, unless you count listening only to try to prove me wrong.” Reid gave her a half-lopsided grin. “Of course, that’s pretty hard to do.”
She tilted her head and chuckled. “I’ll keep you in mind. But like I said, I’m no expert. This whole thing came out of left field.”
“Well, I’m sure you’ll do your homework. After all, it’s going to be your business. I just want you to play devil’s advocate so she goes into this with her eyes wide open. I don’t want the barn on our farm to become a money pit and eat up Sara’s retirement.”
“If I go through with this venture, I’ll consider your offer.”
“That’s all I can ask. At any rate, it was nice to meet you, Addison. I wish you the best of luck,” Reid added, and he was about to ask if she’d like to have dinner and talk it over but decided it might be too pushy. She had his card. If she was interested, she’d give him a call. So he turned and walked toward his pickup truck, oddly reluctant to leave her company. His hand was on the door handle when she called out to him.
“Reid?”
He turned around, finding her grinning over at him. “Yeah?” he asked, and couldn’t believe that his pulse kicked up a notch just from seeing her smile.
“Don’t forget the cupcakes!” Addison pointed to the Grammar’s Bakery across the street.
Reid put the heel of his hand to his forehead, and she laughed. “I was going to pull across the street in front of the bakery,” he said, but she only laughed harder.
“Sure you were. Your secret is safe with me.”
“Thank you!” Reid shook his head as he headed across the street to the bakery. It really wasn’t like him to forget to run an errand, especially since he’d been reminded four—well, now, make it five times—but in his defense, Addison had been quite a distraction. He was still thinking over why he was so drawn to someone he had just met when he reached the entrance to the bakery. The bell tinkled over the door as he walked in.
Ahhh,
he took a deep whiff of the fragrant
She took his hand and gave him a firm handshake. “Addison Monroe. It’s nice to meet you, Reid.”
Reid smiled, enjoying the feel of her small hand in his and hearing his name on her lips. There was something familiar about her, something that tugged at the back of his brain but he couldn’t put his finger on it. “So, am I going to be your first customer?”
“Well, we’re putting the cart before the horse. I’m heading over with Mia to look at the shop, but as much as I’m interested, I’m not one hundred percent sure that I’m actually going to do the venture without more thought and research. Although I do have to say that Mia is very persuasive.”
Reid dug his wallet out of his back pocket and fished out one of his business cards. He appreciated that Addison was taking the time to consider all aspects of a new business. Hopefully she’d be a good influence on his sister. “This has my e-mail and cell phone number on it. If you go through with the shop, I would appreciate if you’d at least give Sara real numbers as to what it would take to get involved in doing receptions and weddings. It’s not that I’m totally against the idea; I just don’t want to see her lose her hard-earned retirement. I’d be glad to show you the barn and surroundings and then get your opinion. But I want you to err on the side of caution.”
Addison took the card. “I’m hardly an expert.” She glanced at his business card. “And it appears that you have the credentials to advise your sister in business matters.”
“Are you kidding? She won’t listen to me—well, unless you count listening only to try to prove me wrong.” Reid gave her a half-lopsided grin. “Of course, that’s pretty hard to do.”
She tilted her head and chuckled. “I’ll keep you in mind. But like I said, I’m no expert. This whole thing came out of left field.”
“Well, I’m sure you’ll do your homework. After all, it’s going to be your business. I just want you to play devil’s advocate so she goes into this with her eyes wide open. I don’t want the barn on our farm to become a money pit and eat up Sara’s retirement.”
“If I go through with this venture, I’ll consider your offer.”
“That’s all I can ask. At any rate, it was nice to meet you, Addison. I wish you the best of luck,” Reid added, and he was about to ask if she’d like to have dinner and talk it over but decided it might be too pushy. She had his card. If she was interested, she’d give him a call. So he turned and walked toward his pickup truck, oddly reluctant to leave her company. His hand was on the door handle when she called out to him.
“Reid?”
He turned around, finding her grinning over at him. “Yeah?” he asked, and couldn’t believe that his pulse kicked up a notch just from seeing her smile.
“Don’t forget the cupcakes!” Addison pointed to the Grammar’s Bakery across the street.
Reid put the heel of his hand to his forehead, and she laughed. “I was going to pull across the street in front of the bakery,” he said, but she only laughed harder.
“Sure you were. Your secret is safe with me.”
“Thank you!” Reid shook his head as he headed across the street to the bakery. It really wasn’t like him to forget to run an errand, especially since he’d been reminded four—well, now, make it five times—but in his defense, Addison had been quite a distraction. He was still thinking over why he was so drawn to someone he had just met when he reached the entrance to the bakery. The bell tinkled over the door as he walked in.
Ahhh,
he took a deep whiff of the fragrant
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