Page 25 of The Overtime Persuasive

Scratch Owen. Something about helping the new guy.

And finally, sent twelve minutes ago:

Lucy

I HAVE SOMEONE.

They’ll be there at five.

I check the time at the top of my screen. One minute. Four fifty-nine. I tap my reply quickly.

Who is it?

The familiar strangled sound comes from the front door, and I look up.

One disheveled Liam Snyder fills my doorway. “Hi.”

Of all the people Lucy could have called, she found the one person I don’t want here tonight.

The mansplainer.

Okay, fine. He didn’t technically mansplain everything, but he saw the assessment and wow, did he have opinions on my business. He knows why the money I saved to hire someone is gone, and yet he still sat across from me and made paying twelve thousand dollars sound like something I could fix by moving a few numbers around and being more practical. As if I don’t understand the meaning of practical.

Liam has the NHL career, the house, the life that appears to be completely under control. He gets to make decisions based on what he wants instead of what he can afford. I’m the opposite, or at least I am in this season of my life. My business is trying to get liftoff, I’ve got a place to live, but I need to do some work on it, and nothing in my world is under control.

Yet, for reasons I cannot begin to understand, the universe keeps bringing him to me as the answer to my problems.

His gaze slides past me to the assembly line in the back. Then he notices the sticker lying on the floor, and one corner of his mouth lifts.

Oh, uh-uh, buddy. Nobody laughs at me in my own store.

“Nope, not today, Satan.” I point toward the sidewalk. “Turn around. You can show yourself to the door, and pardon me if I tap you on the butt with my foot to boot ya out.”

“Boot me out?” His eyebrows rise as he fights back a laugh. “Well, partner, I’m here to help.”

“Help is helpful. This is not a ‘teaching’ night, okay? I’m not here for Business 101: Tips and Tricks with Liam Snyder.”

“Give me ten minutes.” He reaches past me and turns the sign to CLOSED. “If I’m useless, you can throw me out.”

CHAPTER 7

LIAM

Ten minutes. These two words are said with the heightened confidence of a man who knows exactly what he’s doing.

Which is unfortunate because I have never packed a subscription box in my life.

Eva lowers her hand but doesn’t move away from the door. “Clock’s running.”

“Okay, then let’s get started.” I shrug out of my sweatshirt and drop it over the back of a chair. Before she can answer, I hold out the freshly washed and folded shirt she loaned me.

“This is yours.”

For one stupid second, I don’t let go. The shirt is clean and ready to return, exactly as it should be. Still, some selfish part of me liked having one small thing of hers mixed in with mine. Which is precisely why I release it.

Except Eva has already noticed my hesitation. “Are you giving it back or challenging me to win it?”

“No, it’s yours.” I fake-laugh, hiding my embarrassment. Change the subject, Liam. “So, what’s the first problem?”