I take a sip of my salted caramel latte and try to calm the hornets’ nest in my stomach. I asked Rob and Devin to meet me at the coffee house down the street from the shop. The three of us weren’t going to fit in that tiny office without me sitting in Devin’s lap. On second thought, that might not have been so bad. I look down at the papers I have spread out on the table and push aside the rogue thought. This is business. As much as I want to steal more time with Devin, this plan is about more than that. I think it can make a difference.

The door to the coffee house opens and I look up. The sight of Rob striding towards me with a warm smile under that bushy mustache eases my nerves. We don’t know each other that well, but he wraps me in a warm hug regardless. Over the past few weeks, I’ve come to care about his little shop and everyone in it.

My gaze shifts to Devin and my breath catches. He reaches out his hand, trailing his fingers along the inside of my palm before encasing it in a firm shake. His soft touch shocks me. How can a handshake be erotic? Heat surges up my arm and across my body as I stare into his dark eyes. I’ve never wanted to put my lips on someone so bad in my life.

“I’m ready to hear all these brilliant ideas of yours.” Rob clears his throat next to us, reminding me we’re in public and I shouldn’t mount Devin like a wild animal in heat.

I drop his hand like it’s a live wire and take a deep breath. Here we go. I launch into my professional business proposal.

“First of all, Rob, let me commend you”—I slide my gaze to Devin—“both of you, on creating a phenomenal team. Spending time in your shop made it clear that it’s more than a business. It’s a family.” Rob nods. Devin grunts. I’ve spent enough time with him to know this one is his approval grunt. It’s shorter than his annoyed sigh and higher pitched than his pissed-off groan.

“I don’t want to change that. But there are a few ways we could improve. My plan focuses on two primary areas. First, transitioning to computerized booking and invoicing. Then, building a social media platform to increase your customer base.” This time Devin gives me both his sigh and his groan. Great. Rob puts on his glasses and examines the charts I’ve laid out.

Devin doesn’t bother looking over the numbers I’ve spent hours creating. “Business is good. Shop’s busy,” he declares.

“You have a solid customer base right now, but you’re not growing. And, to be honest, your current customers are getting to the age where they aren’t going to be driving much longer.” In the dozen or so hours I’ve spent in the shop over the past two weeks, I haven’t seen a single customer who doesn’t qualify for the early-bird special.