Bitter Taffy Read Online Free PDF Page B

blue eyes, an oval face, a flirty little nose, and lips that leaned when he smiled.
    The man stood, his tailored gray suit falling into neat lines around his trim form. “I’m Derek Huston,” he said as he extended his hand. “Adam sent me your way.”
    Rico narrowed his eyes, trying to wrap his head around this. “Adam knows you?”
    Derek looked affronted. “Well, not biblically —his boyfriend would kill me. But he’s done some artwork for me—in fact, I keep him on retainer. He’s an awesome artist.” Derek’s freckled nose wrinkled. “He’s a horrible businessman, but I guess that’s what Finn is for.”
    Rico took his hand and shook it briefly. “Yeah, well, I’m glad he’s got Finn. Here.” He gestured to the chair. “Sit down.” He turned to Mari. “Uhm—”
    “I’m outta here. I was only supposed to hold your spot until you got back.” She bounced away, and Rico watched her go, assailed by a pervasive sense of unreality.
    “She’s married,” Derek said mildly, and Rico shot him a look of annoyance.
    “I’m gay. I just….” He shook his head, not wanting to dump his business on a stranger. “It’s been sort of a weird week. Finn’s family is throwing me for a loop.”
    Derek was looking at him in a combination of surprise and… interest? Whatever it was, it made Rico’s face heat, and he took inordinate pains finishing his coffee and eating the last bite of his beignet.
    “So, uhm,” he asked after an uncomfortable moment, “you were here looking for something?”
    “Your cousin says you’re in advertising.”
    “Marketing—there’s a difference. But yeah. Got the degree in marketing, spent some years writing ad copy, just left an internship as a marketing director out in New York. Were you looking for someone like that?”
    Derek nodded soberly. “I’m actually looking for exactly someone like that. But not for me, per se. Do you want to hear?”
    “Yeah. Hit me with it—but whatever I do, I promised Finn’s family I’d help them with a campaign for their new franchise, so I need some time for that.”
    That adorable all-American boy face lit up, and Derek said, “Actually, that makes you the employee I’ve been looking for all my life. Now here’s what I need you for….”
    Rico leaned forward and listened, asking pertinent questions, and when he was done, he felt a reluctant admiration for this brash, compact businessman who would walk three blocks just to have a cup of coffee with someone’s cousin.
    Derek Huston had a vision .
    He ran a sort of consulting tank of various talents—from Adam, who worked as a graphic artist, to Miguel, an IT professional, to Stan, a gardener, and Maureen, an electrician, and Ted, a lawyer, and so on. His vision was to be the small business’s best friend. He paid everybody a modest retainer and provided insurance and proof of employment and other employee benefits, and in return he got a percentage when he lined them up with gigs. Derek’s talent was taking small businesses to the next level—by giving small businessmen access to high-end services that they might not normally have on a limited budget. Finn’s dad couldn’t really afford Rico—Rico had known that when he’d offered his services. He planned to work for a low fee per hour, and Rico wouldn’t short his employer for the world. So if Finn’s dad had gone to Derek’s firm, the Shopkeeper’s Friend, first, then Derek would have gotten a budget and given Rico the job—and Rico would have done it within the budget. The effect would have been the same—Finn’s dad got a top-notch professional—but through the business, Finn’s dad was protected, and because Derek was also drawing a fee from other clients who had bigger jobs and deeper pockets, Rico had a steady paycheck if Mr. Stewart decided to use another marketing exec.
    When Derek was done, Rico found he liked this idea. He’d long since folded his laptop and was leaning on it, listening intently.