Perfect Pairing by Rachel Spangler

rude to a woman just because she liked her. What was she, in fourth grade? Maybe she should pull her hair. No, it wasn’t like she’d treated Quinn like she had cooties. If she had, she wouldn’t admit it, not with her looking so smug again.
    Quinn leaned back with her hands against the counter. The move caused her chest to stand out, proud and alluring. Damn it, this was exactly what she wanted to avoid. Quinn wasn’t capable of hearing something genuine without spinning it into something she could use for leverage. She had to get this back under control.
    â€œFine.” Hal shrugged. “What do you want to know?”
    â€œExcuse me?” Quinn blinked at the quick redirect.
    â€œYou’re here because you want something. You want to learn something about the business.” Yeah, good, pull it back to business . “And you think I’ve been less than forthcoming.”
    Quinn rolled her eyes. “Stonewalling’s more like it.”
    â€œI won’t argue. You want to cut the bullshit. Tell me what you really need to know.”
    â€œHow did you meet Sully?”
    Nope, that wasn’t going to happen. Her past wasn’t for sale. “Don’t push, Quinn. I’m on your payroll, not in your pocket. What do you want to know about the business?”
    To her credit she didn’t pout or even hesitate. “What are the drawbacks of a truck?”
    â€œWhat do you mean?”
    â€œWhy would someone choose a restaurant over a truck?”
    It was a smart question. A legitimate business topic that would also give her the ammo she’d been searching for to try to lure Hal away. That’s what she wanted. Neither of them had pretended otherwise, but so far she hadn’t had either the angle or the opportunity to make her case. Hal knew the argument was coming, but she hadn’t expected to have to help her make it.
    Quinn edged closer, or maybe it just felt like she did. “If I am going to try to entice a food truck operator into a commercial kitchen, I need to know what I can offer them that they can’t get on their own.”
    â€œYeah, I got where you were going with that,” Hal said curtly.
    â€œIt’s a business question, Hal.”
    â€œAnd I’ll answer it in kind.” She rubbed her face and muttered, just business . “Space, for one. I’m sure you’ve noticed we don’t have a lot of it.”
    â€œThings do get . . .” Quinn seemed to search for a word. “Tight.”
    Hal’s cheeks flushed, and she thanked God Sully wasn’t within earshot of that little gem. “Right, but I’m not talking about people. I’m talking about food. I don’t have the space to prep on sight. I don’t have the space to store extra ingredients. When we’re out, we’re out.”
    â€œLike in the park. When you were going to have to turn people away.”
    Way to remind me of how you bailed me out . “Yes.”
    â€œAnd that bothers you.”
    â€œOf course it bothers me.” Hal hung her head. “I can’t stand to turn people away hungry.”

    She didn’t say she didn’t want to lose business, Quinn noted. The comment was more personal than economical. When Hal was frustrated, she revealed little things like that. Maybe Quinn needed to keep her off balance more often. “What else?”
    â€œIt also means I can’t carry all the tools I want with me.”
    â€œLike what?” Now that she had the answers flowing freely, she intended to keep them coming.
    â€œBlenders, food processors, canners. All those things have to be used ahead of time or not at all.”
    â€œIs that really a big deal?”
    â€œObviously not big enough to stop me from turning down your offer for a restaurant.”
    â€œTouché.” She’d walked right into that one, but she mentally tipped her hat and moved on. “What’s the big ticket