I have to stop for a few more people coming to our table. I hook them up with breakfast and try not to faint in the meantime.
Once they抮e gone, Wayne sighs and says, 揙kay, E. I gotta be honest. He chatted me up after you left and I promised him you抎 get in touch. I hate putting you on the spot, but he offered me a bonus棓
I stare at him.
He holds his hands up.
揕ike I said. I don抰 want to twist your arm. I know you don抰 do corporate. It抯 just梬ell, mom, you know梙er insurance wouldn抰 even cover the last round of diabetic stuff. We抮e strapped for cash and I need the money, so I抦 asking梑egging梚f there抯 any chance you抎 just hear him out? I抎 be grateful as hell if you did.?
My heart plunges into my belly.
I抦 stunned and annoyed at myself for feeling frustrated when Wayne抯 giving me those big puppy dog eyes. How can I be pissed at a man who抯 just trying to do right by his sick mother?
揥ayne, it抯 cool, but I have to be honest…I抦 not keen on doing anything for that jackass.?
揧eah, I knew you抎 say that, but I had to mention it anyway. After yesterday, I didn抰 think there was a snowball抯 chance in hell you抎 ever work for Wired Cup. But I figured you might be willing to talk to him, see what he wants.?
My mind races in the silence between us.
揧ou thought right. I wouldn抰 work for that dude if he was offering a whole coffee farm.?
揑 think he owns one in Hawaii somewhere. So they say.?Wayne shrugs, wearing a strained smile. 揧ou抮e better off on your own for sure. Any of the local shops in this city would be happy to have you, and they抎 probably pay more. Wired Cup is about as corporate as it gets after the national chains.?
揧ou know my problem with taking odd jobs…remember the backup shifts I picked up for you? Too much of that cuts into my brew time. That抯 why I抳e settled for the VA work. It抯 flexible and different enough from what I like to do at home. It doesn抰 wear my creativity down to a nub. Then again, I抣l have to find something else soon. This was a mediocre month for freelancing and Seattle isn抰 getting any cheaper.?
He smiles knowingly.
揓ust stay true to your dream. You抳e got a thousand people here who want to open their own shops, but most of 抏m give up and leave the industry for good. I only know one lady who actually opened a successful caf? She was fifty before she could do it. Scalding yourself day in and day out for tips and dealing with rude assholes is the best way to get burned out.?
I laugh. 揥ell, I抦 scalding myself for free right now. A little cash would be an upgrade.?
揃ut you抮e actually roasting and brewing. Making real joe. I grind beans and toss them in a machine. It抯 not the same. Hell, you know I won抰 sneeze at that bonus, but it抯 not the only reason I brought it up. I thought you might be interested.?
I sigh. 揌ow big is the carrot he抯 holding??
揟en thousand bucks. Paid after you start, from what I understand,?he says.
Damn. That抯 months of income for Wayne and a lot less stress from medical bills. I feel my conscience twitch, stabbing my heart with a little pitchfork.
揝o it抯 a job? I do have to work for him??I抦 almost afraid to ask.
He shrugs roughly.
揥hat if I just start and quit the next day??
Wayne scratches his beard. 揌e didn抰 go too deep in the weeds. But it抯 Lancaster. I抎 check the fine print for sure. It抯 really not a big deal, though. You don抰 have to do this for me if it抯 too much. I抳e always managed.?
He has, but his uneven smile tells me he抯 also approaching his wit抯 end.
This. Sucks.
I want to help Wayne, and I need the money too. It抯 the kind of no-brainer that just has to come with a horrible catch.
I sigh so hard it rattles my bones. 揑 came to Seattle to follow my dreams. Not have them dashed by corporate America棓
揑 know.?
揃ut if he likes my brew that much…do you think it could open some doors??I swallow. Freelancing as a VA is feast or famine and not reliable, even if it saves me from creative brain drain.
揑t could. I抦 sure having whatever he wants on your resume can抰 hurt. My dealings with Cole Lancaster have pretty much been limited to two or three odd inspections like you saw yesterday. He doesn抰 do small talk. Still, working for him means skills and money. No question.?
He definitely isn抰 making this easier.
I feel like I抦 being morally ripped in half.
揥hat would you do??I ask quietly.
揗e? Shit, I don抰 know.?He laughs loudly. 揑抦 not the most unbiased person to be asking for advice, either. I抳e got ten thousand smackers on the line.?
I laugh. 揟rue.?
揃ut,?he says, 摀It can抰 be worse than your freelancing, right? It抯 a steady check or maybe a massive buyout. If you try it out and don抰 like it, you can walk away.?