“Was I right?” The told-you-so expression on her face made him chuckle.
“Yeah, you were.” He glanced around, wondering if this little intimate setting was meant for him, or if she had other plans. A small plate of chocolate-chip-and-walnut cookies sat on the table. “You baked?”
“God, no. Esther did. Eat them all . . . please.”
He took two because they looked like something straight out of a cookbook. Tasted even better. “Thanks for the massage, Cat. You were right; it was awesome. Not sure how I’ll get anything done now that my arms feel like overcooked spaghetti.”
“Never fear. There’s work to do that doesn’t involve saws or sandpaper.”
“Oh?”
She poured beer into a chilled glass, handed it to him, then pointed at the sofa. “Sit, please.”
At least she tempered her high-handedness with good manners. The more he got to know her, the more he realized her bossiness grew out of enthusiasm rather than a genuine need for control.
She lifted a notebook from her bag and took a seat beside him. If he tackled her on the sofa, could he seduce her into submission?
“I’ve done a bunch of research and have some ideas of how we can give this business a try without breaking the bank or putting you at too much risk.” She smiled, unaware of his self-restraint. “Ready to listen?”
He nearly spit out his beer as her plans became more transparent. Flashing a smile of admiration, he shook his head in defeat. “Oh, you’re good. Got me all buttered up so I’m too relaxed to object, didn’t you?”
“Not at all!” She slapped his thigh. “I’ve been thinking about that massage since I first mentioned it weeks ago. One has nothing to do with the other. Besides, you’ve already promised to hear me out if I agreed to your conditions, which I have.”
He nodded in silence, although he’d wanted to revisit that second condition again. Now, even.
“After talking with David, I think forming a limited liability company would be best because it gives us the protection of a corporation with the tax advantages of a partnership. If we set it up fifty-fifty, I’ll put up the initial capital, and you contribute sweat equity. Both of our financial risk is basically limited to what we put in. Does that sound fair?”
He nodded, surprised to learn she’d sought David’s opinion. Heck, he hadn’t even given real thought to how he’d tell his family, or Jackson. It seemed premature at this point, but apparently Cat didn’t agree. “Will David talk to Jackson about this before we make a decision?”
“No. Client confidentiality and all that stuff. And he’d never stir up trouble, especially when we haven’t committed to anything.” Her gaze turned sober. “But we will soon.”
Hank scratched the back of his head, uncomfortable thinking about leaving Jackson with a lesser-trained crew than he’d really need. Plus, starting a business meant he’d be spending even less time at home, which put Jenny under more pressure. Would that affect her schoolwork?
The cookies that had tasted so good going down now settled like stones in his gut.
“Anyway, I also found a flexible, inexpensive solution to the space and equipment problems. There are co-op spaces where you rent a small work area and share a common equipment room. It’s a perfect way to get started without having to rent a big facility or invest in a bunch of equipment. There are a few in Brooklyn, but I did find one up in Connecticut, not too far from Norwalk.”
He sat forward, suddenly curious. “How much?”
“Reasonable rates, and available for short-term leasing. So, for example we could start with a three-month lease and see how it works out.”
For the first time since she’d come up with this whole idea, it didn’t seem completely impossible.
“Go on.” He chugged more of his beer, his body now strung with cautious enthusiasm and a healthy dose of admiration for the courageous, headstrong woman to his right.
She smiled and flipped the page. “There are a couple of traditional ways to get noticed, like submitting designs in competitions for awards, and attending design trade shows. There’s a big furniture expo in Chicago in a few weeks. I know it’s totally last minute, but I might be able to press a personal contact to squeeze us into a small exhibit room. I can set up a website on WordPress for practically nothing, and Vivi volunteered to shoot photos for free. Naturally, I’d use my social media platforms to drive traffic to our site.”
“I doubt the horny guys who follow you are interested in buying fine furniture.” He chuckled when her mouth fell open.