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“We usually customize after that’s done,” she finished. “We mix it up every day too. Yesterday’s base had fish, today it’s chicken.”
“And you deliver to your customers every day?” I appreciated their desire for freshness but wasn’t sure it was a necessity. If they had someone to deliver for them, that would free them up to grow their business.
“Some twice a day.”
My brows shot up at her revelation. “Will the food not keep a few days?”
“It will.” Lexie stirred the pot on the stove. “We do what’s best for the dogs and their owners. Some people like only a few deliveries a week and others want daily.”
“If you dictated the schedule, you could streamline your process.”
Lines creased her forehead. “We’re a niche. Customizable. That’s what makes us unique and successful.”
And they’d done well, but they could do better. Having an outside eye helped identify areas for improvement.
“What about your bottom line?” A few tweaks and they could increase profitability.
“We’re not starving,” she said crisply. “And our customers like what we’re doing, including your brother and Pepper.”
“They run a rescue. The food is free. Of course they like it.”
She turned her back on me and slumped her shoulders. She banged the spoon on the pot so hard Eric jumped.
Fire blazed at me when she wheeled back around. “We work really hard. I thought you of all people would respect that.”
She didn’t use that lethal tone I was used to. It was even, quiet, and effective.
“I do. I—” I plowed a hand through my hair, rarely at a loss for words. “Business is what I do—”
“Dictating is what you do.”
Probably. But my way was the right way. It might not be best to mention that now.
“Please don’t fight.”
Lexie paled, and I recoiled at Eric’s words. While a part of me enjoyed riling her up and arguing, the other recognized we weren’t the only ones in the room. Eric was sensitive. It hadn’t taken spending much time around him to realize that.
I didn’t want to upset him.
I frowned. When was the last time I’d cared about someone’s feelings other than Beau’s and Teague’s?
“I’m sorry, bow tie.” She side-hugged him, and he gave her a wide smile.
I remained quiet, the clam Beau had accused me of being. What was I doing here? I had no place in their lives, no time for other people. I couldn’t worry about the decisions I made or the words I used and how they would affect others.
The hug Eric had given me earlier flew into my brain.
The act had been selfless, courageous, and kind. All the attributes I wasn’t.
And it didn’t matter if I never saw either of them again. I would still consider their happiness over my own.
Because they’d done something to me. Or maybe revealed something I didn’t know was there.
I couldn’t change who I was, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to. But I could admit my faults.
“My apologies. To both of you.”
“You’re forgiven,” Eric said easily.
Lexie looked as if I’d just revealed the secret to time travel. Stunned. “Well now I can’t kick you out of the van on the way home.”
I smirked. “I notice you aren’t booting me before we’ve finished here.”
“I’m not crazy. We still have work to do, and your hands are better than no hands.”
