wasn’t sure what to make of Ben’s stillness.
“I don’t want an answer now. You keep looking for a place. If you find one you like, then you’ll have more than one option. It’ll be your choice. No pressure. But know that once you leave here, you’ll have a place to go.”
“Thank you.” Ben leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to his cheek.
Bull nodded. He pointed to the different newspapers scattered on the table. “Do you want help going through the listings or do you prefer doing that on your own?”
The smile spread wide on Ben’s face. He gathered two of the thick newsprint tabloids, the ones Bull often found stacked at the local coffee shop and gas stations. “You can help me look through these.”
Bull thumbed through the pages until he reached the rental section. He grabbed one of the pens on the table and quieted the roar of protest echoing in his head. He wanted Ben to move in with him. But he had promised to help, and he would. He kept chanting that in his head as he tried focusing on each classified ad.
It wasn’t his fault every listing was total and absolute shit.
Especially since one of them could be the place Ben might call home.
Natalie glanced up from her sheet of paper and met Ben’s gaze as she signed, “I’ve spent the better part of the weekend crunching numbers. And this is the best I can do right now.”
“The best I can do” made it sound as if she were shortchanging him. In truth, it was far more than he had anticipated. With the bump up, he could raise his rental budget if he found a place nearby and could take the bus or a ride share to work.
“After a little more time, I’ll know if I can give you more.”
He shook his head. “This is good. Thank you.”
Now she was the one shaking her head. “You’re not understanding. Those cake slices you made sold out within the hour. For the first time, I have people asking if they can add a cake to their catering order. I don’t want you working for me, I want you working with me.”
Ben did what he did best…he stared.
And blinked.
These del Toros were going to kill him with kindness.
“Don’t look so shocked. You eat more desserts than any human should ever consume in their entire life. So you know how good your cake was. And the fact that they sold out so quickly is a big deal. Especially since people know I don’t usually have cake at the shop.”
He flicked the edge of the sheet of paper. His vision blurred as he stared at Natalie’s offer. The work program was a requirement, but temporary. While he had hoped, he definitely hadn’t expected it would become something more.
A soft hand on his forearm drew his attention. “You do know I’m not the patient one in the family. Right?”
He nodded.
“Yes, you know I’m not the patient one, or yes, you accept?”
He smiled. “Both.”
“Good. Now how about you start experimenting. Play with the flavors and colors. Anything you want. You’ve already seen what sells well here. Whatever you make, we can test them with the lunch crowd and then decide what goes on the menu.”
Natalie excused herself and headed to the storefront to tend to customers. Ben folded the offer letter and stuffed it into his back pocket for safekeeping. Finally alone, he took a few deep breaths to settle the jitters fluttering in his stomach. She had mentioned wanting him to stay on, but he hadn’t anticipated more than just a minor bump in pay. With the pay raise, benefits, and the chance for commissions with each catering agreement, it was far more than he had expected or could have hoped to receive.
He blew out a shaky breath, quelling the emotions bubbling to the surface. He itched to text Gabriel the news, but he didn’t want to risk waking him without knowing how late his business meeting had run. He could wait.
Sort of.
Right now, he had an entire book of recipes he wanted to test. Later, Julian would drive him to a few appointments to look at potential rentals he had marked.
For the first time, he felt grounded, steady. As if he were an active participant in his life and had some control over his destiny.
It was a heady feeling. One he would never take for granted.
= ♥ =
Bull visually swept the scene.
Pandemonium.
It was the only description that fit the chaos.
A