Total pages in book: 26
Estimated words: 25245 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 126(@200wpm)___ 101(@250wpm)___ 84(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 25245 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 126(@200wpm)___ 101(@250wpm)___ 84(@300wpm)
My friend merely growls low in his chest.
“We were going to do whatever it took to get our hands on your sweet curves, baby girl. And it worked too, so forgive us the white lie.”
She giggles again.
“Well, I’ll make an appointment soon to get my oil changed, I promise.”
I nod. “Please do. We don’t want you getting stranded on the side of the road again. Or do we?”
April gets a sly smile on her face. “I’m sure you’ll come rescue me if it happens.”
“In a heartbeat,” I admit. “And be sure to be waiting for us in a bikini with a butt plug buried in that sweet behind this time,” I add in a low growl.
“Oh you can be sure I will,” April murmurs before laughing again, the merry tinkle making my heart race. Holy shit, how did we get so lucky? I exchange a look with Dylan, and I know my buddy’s thinking the same thing. We have rancid tastes, but it seems we’ve found a woman who’s sweet, caring, and just as dirty as us. What were the chances?
But then, I get serious.
“We’re busy with Lube It All, but never too busy to help you, sweetheart. Just let us know.”
She nods.
“I will. By the way, seeing that you guys are so good at what you do, have you ever had anyone famous come in?”
“Yeah, a few times. Even guys with Lambos and Jags bring their cars in because they know our service is top notch.”
April lights up. “Like who? You get to play with famous peoples’ cars? That must be so exciting!”
We rattle off a few A-list celebrities who have come through the shop over the years, and April gasps at each one, her eyes going wide. I guess it’s amazing for her because she’s not used to it, but to be honest, Dylan and I don’t care that much about the customer. We only care about our true focus, which is the vehicle.
“Wow!” April breathes. “I had no idea Charlize Theron was a collector!”
I nod.
“She’s got a slew of amazing vehicles, so the Jag is just one in her bevy.”
Then our food arrives, and April’s eyes grow to the size of saucers when she sees her deluxe burger. She picks it up and literally moans while inhaling the aroma, her eyes fluttering shut.
“This smells fantastic.”
“It’s a little messy, but worth it,” I assure her. “There’s pepperoni and mozzarella cheese literally stuffed in the patty itself, so it’ll come oozing out in a hot mess.”
April takes a big bite and moans. “Oh my God, you weren’t kidding. It’s like I’m biting into a pizza, but it’s a burger. You’ve ruined me forever.”
I laugh. “Good. I want to ruin you in all ways, sweet girl.”
She merely flashes a mischievous grin my way while chewing, and then takes another enormous bite. Meanwhile, Dylan and I dig in as well. These burgers are standard fare for us, and I can easily polish off two on a regular day.
But then, April wipes her mouth daintily with a paper napkin.
“You know what? I really admire you guys. I would love to have a small business just like yours, but I wouldn’t even know where to begin. All I know is that opening doors takes capital, and unfortunately, I don’t have much of that right now.
I share a look with Dylan and he nods slightly, giving me the go-ahead. We haven’t discussed it yet, but we’re definitely of one mind. April’s sweet and smart, and we want to support her.
“Well actually, honey, if you’re interested, we could help you out. Lube It All is making bank, and we want to support other small businesses in the area. After all, we were once a tiny shop too, so it makes sense to pay it forward.”
April gasps and her eyes go wide. “No, it’s okay. I mean, I just met you, so it’d be too much to ask.”
Dylan and I share another look before my friend speaks.
“No, it’s fine, honey. In fact, we’ve been talking about setting up an incubator for a while now, so beginning entrepreneurs have a place to share ideas and access capital. Your ice cream shop could be our first applicant.”
She stares at us.
“Are you serious?”
I nod.
“And if you want, we can help you with the basics, like drafting a budget, purchasing equipment, and negotiating rent. All the good stuff. There are a lot of things that first-time entrepreneurs don’t think about, like insurance and zoning laws. It’s boring, but necessary.”
April nods, cheeks flushed while looking down.
“I’m so incredibly grateful that you’d be willing to do this for me, but you don’t even know me. Really. We just met yesterday, so I could be a scam artist who takes your money and runs.”
I raise a black brow.
“Are you?”
She giggles.
“No, of course not.”
I grin. “Then, that’s all the assurance I need. This idea isn’t something out of the blue, sweetheart. Again, Dylan and I have been talking about setting up an incubator for a while now, and this is a great opportunity. It’ll also put a fire under our asses to get things going because who knows how long it’d be only talk without you?”