“What is?”
“Cocky. Arrogant. Irritating.”
“That’s three.” I grin.
“I was feeling generous.”
Lot’s a trip. “Gonna show me the new logo?”
“You really want to see it?”
“Wouldn’t’ve asked if I didn’t.”
“Come around, then.”
I lean in beside her, catching another whiff of that brown sugar body butter. I keep my nose—and my hands—to myself this time, eyeing the screen. She’s digitized the sketch, adding color and detail. Neon blue outlines a cocktail glass and a boat wheel is perched on the rim like a slice of orange. Docks Bar is written underneath in clean white cursive. It’s slick. Modern. Damn good.
She’s got mockups on a black tank, tee, and hoodie.
“I was thinking beyond uniforms to merchandising,” she says. “We could sell them here and online. Maybe add baseball caps, bar towels, glassware.”
I nod, impressed. “Smart and hella marketable. I love the hip vibe.”
“We could come up with something for your weekend parties, too. Give me some ideas and I can mock up a few.”
“You want me as a client?”
“Client’s pay,” she says dryly. “I’ll do it because I’m bored here. This gives me a way of being… useful, I guess.”
Her admission throws me. “I could show you the ropes.”
She shakes her head. “I like my work. I don’t want to run a bar.”
“Why’d you say yes?”
“I didn’t. I just didn’t say no.” She shrugs. “For my mom, not for him. She was so stressed about the surgery. I didn’t want to argue and make it worse. I’m just here until he’s back on his feet. Hopefully soon, so I can get back to my life.”
She glances at me. “Must suck hearing me complain when the job should’ve been yours. But… you know Maurice.”
“Yeah. I know him.”
She sips. “Why do you stay?”
“He micromanages the numbers but leaves the flow and music to me. That’s where I thrive.”
“You could thrive somewhere else.”
“Could,” I say. “But I’m here.”
She looks at me like she’s questioning my response but lets it go.
Just as well. Nothing I want to dissect.
“I’ll send the logo to the printer for a short run and try it out.”
“What about Maurice?”
“He put me in charge,” she says flatly. “He’ll have to deal with my decisions.”
