I stomped back to Book Boyfriends Unlimited, fury and frustration trailing right behind me. I shoved the door open, wincing when it slammed against the wall. “Sorry.”
Finley, my boss and friend, rushed around the end of a rack of books. Her dark bob and piercings made her look a little rough around the edges, but the baby on her hip softened the woman I knew to be more mush than metal. “Everything okay?”
I rolled my eyes. “Hudson did not have our lunch ready. Or even close. He hadn’t even started it. Didn’t know what I was talking about. I ran over to Cracked. Blake had Earl make something for us. I’m sorry I was gone so long.”
Finley shrugged like it was no big deal, but she was the owner. And married to the man the entire town was named after. Money wasn’t an issue for her. Not like it was for me. If I took a longer break, I didn’t earn as much. If one of my boys was sick, I didn’t earn as much. It was what I agreed to when I started working for Finley, so I wasn’t upset by it, but it was my reality. One she couldn’t possibly understand.
“You’re fine. Thanks for running out to pick it up. This one is itching to move, so he’s getting tough to take out.”
I smiled at Finley and her son, George. He was a beautiful blend of both her and her new husband, Trent. His smile was all Finley, but his eyes sparkled like his father’s. My boys were the same, a blend of my ex and me. I just hoped one day Finley didn’t look at her son and feel the way I did about my ex.
“I’ll eat quick so I can be available for customers.”
“Anna, we’re good. I should have called Hudson when I didn’t get a text back. I’m sorry.”
I shrugged and tried to play it off. Really, though, I was annoyed. Not just that Hudson was the same unreliable man I thought he was, but that my boss continued to push me into his orbit. I had no interest in spending any more time around Hudson Grant than absolutely necessary. And even that was too much for me.
Finley cooed at George and waved me toward the break room in the back. I ate my lunch as quickly as possible, then relieved her from the quiet storefront. Fall had officially settled into MacKellar Cove. Our small town on the Saint Lawrence River was a popular summer destination, but as fall arrived and winter trailed behind it, the entire area got quiet. Especially places like Book Boyfriends Unlimited. Which was why I was looking at other jobs when Finley came back up front from eating her lunch and feeding George.
“What are you looking at?” she asked before I could close the tab on the computer.
“Nothing.”
“Are you looking for a new job?” She sounded hurt, and a little worried.
“I’m just being realistic. I know you only hired me to work here last spring because you were pregnant and needed someone to help during maternity leave. Things get quiet in the winter, so I just assumed it was only a matter of time before you had to fire me.”
“I am not firing you,” Finley declared. “I’m sorry I ever made you think I might be. Things will be quiet here until spring, but you’ve been invaluable to me. You have so many great ideas and you’ve really helped to increase revenue in the time you’ve been here.”
My cheeks warmed with her praise. I wasn’t used to people talking about the good things I was doing. Usually I heard about all the stuff I was doing wrong.
“Trent and I have been talking about rolling the bookstore under the MacKellar Investments umbrella. He likes the idea you had about opening up bookstores in some of the hotels and featuring local authors at each. We both think that’s an amazing idea.”
“Good,” I said, forcing a smile. Yes, I was good at coming up with ideas that made other people lots of money, never myself. And eventually, they started pitching the ideas as their own and didn’t need me anymore. It happened all the time.
“I am not letting you go, Anna. I promise. I really appreciate everything you did for me, and I want to keep working together. Unless you’re not happy here. Then I’m totally overstepping and being an ass. Is there something I can do to make you happy so you’ll stay?”
I breathed a laugh and shook my head. “I’m very happy here. I’m also very realistic about what it looks like to work in any kind of tourist-driven job here through the winter. I don’t want to be a burden or make you feel like you have no choice but to keep me and then close the store because you lost so much money.”
“Neither of those is going to happen. We’re all good.”
I forced another smile for her and nodded. I really liked Finley, but I’d only been working with her for a little over six months. I didn’t know her well. She kept inviting me to her book club, but I dodged her attempts so far. She was trying to be nice. People didn’t actually enjoy socializing with the help. That was another lesson I learned the hard way.
A customer came in and distracted Finley when she gushed over baby George. I let them talk and busied myself with inventory and online orders.
It wasn’t long before Finley left for the day. Her hours were sporadic most of the time, which I didn’t mind at all. I had a schedule because of my boys, and Finley was great about giving me time off to spend with them. Not that I took it. I needed the money more. But it was a nice thought.
Wednesday had become my least favorite day of the week. It was the day I worked until close at Book Boyfriends Unlimited, and my oldest worked at O’Kelley’s. Joey got a job there a year ago, when he saw an overdue bill on the counter. I hadn’t meant for him to find it, but he did. And he took matters into his own hands.
My kids were amazing. Both of them. That wasn’t the first time Joey decided to help out at home, but it was the first time he did it in a way that wouldn’t land him in jail. Thankfully, that didn’t happen, but he was lucky and he knew it.
I locked up the bookstore and pulled my coat tighter around me. It was a few sizes too small and more than a few years out of style, but I couldn’t afford to buy myself a new coat. Not when I had two growing boys who needed stuff constantly.
The walk next door to O’Kelley’s was short, but I resisted every single step. I knew Hudson would be there. And I knew he’d have something to say about the way I spoke to him the day before about lunch. Not that I owed him an apology. If anything, he owed me one.
The warmth and the smells hit me as soon as I opened the door. It made me want to go inside and settle in for a while. O’Kelley’s was the kind of place I probably would have loved to go to, if it weren’t for the obnoxious owner and the fact that I wasn’t and never would be a part of his crowd.
I scanned the bar for Joey, spotting him on the far side, clearing a table. The work was good for him, even though I was not happy when I found out he went and got a job without talking to me about it first. In the last year, his grades had improved, and he was more helpful at home. He was growing up.
Once I knew where Joey was, I headed toward the bar to find Matty. He always sat on the same stool at the very end of the bar closest to the kitchen. He told me he did his homework in Hudson’s office when he first got there after school, then Hudson would let him help out at the bar. Matty thought it was fun to do things like fill salt and pepper shakers and stack napkins in dispensers.
As I walked over to Matty, Hudson approached him with a smile, the kind of smile he never showed me. Hudson said something to my son that had him looking up at Hudson like he was Matty’s hero. Matty nodded, and Hudson lifted his hand for a high-five. Matty happily obliged. The two of them laughed, then Hudson started to move away.
He glanced toward me, and the smile on his face melted into a scowl. That was more like it.
I was comfortable there. With him hating me. It was good to see he was nice to my kid, but I didn’t need him to be nice to me.
“Hey, Matty,” I said, ignoring the man on the other side of the counter.
“Mom! Hudson said I can draw him a new logo for the bar. Isn’t that awesome?”
My brows shot up. “That is awesome. You’ll have fun with that.”
“I know. It’s so cool. And then everyone will see my art. Ms. Trinity keeps telling me it’s good, but I know she’s only saying that because she’s my teacher.”
“I’m sure—” I started, only to be cut off immediately.
“No, she’s not,” Hudson said firmly. “Trinity loves what you do. She showed me some of your art. That’s why I asked if you would design me something. She was in here for lunch today and was bragging about how hard you’re working and how creative you are.”
Matty’s cheeks pinked, and he smiled shyly at Hudson. “Really?”
Hudson nodded. “Absolutely. You’re amazing, dude. Never doubt that. Never let anyone make you doubt that.”
“Are you saying you think I’m making him doubt his talents?” I barked. He could not be serious.
Hudson lifted his cool gaze to mine slowly, standing up even slower. Inch by inch, the man towered over me, crossing his arms that made every woman in a mile radius drool, and pausing just long enough for it to be uncomfortable. “I didn’t say a thing about you. If you think I might be, that’s something you need to deal with yourself. Not blame me for.”
I narrowed my eyes at him. God, the man made me crazy. And not in a good way. Well, not only in a good way. I wasn’t an idiot. Hudson Grant was the biggest catch in town, maybe the county. He was strong and stable and stunning. But he was not the man for me. No one was. Been there, tried that, had the sons to prove it. I was not interested in rinsing and repeating any of it. Which was why my vagina was as dusty as an abandoned textile factory. But I wasn’t complaining. I’d rather have a dried up vagina and an intact heart than risk my heart getting shattered again just for a few months or years of good sex. No sex was worth that.
“Is Joey done with his shift?” I asked, instead of addressing his insulting comment.
“Yeah, I’m done, Mom. I just clocked out, Hudson. I handed over things to Danielle.”
“Thanks, Joey. Good work today. I’ll see you Saturday to set up for the party. You can stay if you’d like, but you can’t work past nine.”
“Can we stay, Mom?” Matty begged.
“I’m not sure that’s a good idea,” I said immediately.
“That’s not fair. Why does Joey get to do everything?”
“Joey’s not coming to a party at a bar,” I said, looking between my sons.
Joey blanched. “What? Why not, Mom? All of my friends are going to be here. It’s a community thing. The whole town is going to be decked out for it, and this is only one stop on the way. Tierney and I… Why can’t I come?”
“Ooh, Tierney,” Matty teased.
“Shut up, snot-nose,” Joey countered.
“Stop,” I barked. “Both of you. Matty, leave your brother alone about his girlfriend. Joey, don’t call your brother names.”
“But he’s—” Joey started.
“No. Enough. We’ll talk about this party later. If you have to work, I have no choice, but that doesn’t mean I have to let you wander the entire town on a Saturday night.”
“But, Mom,” Joey whined.
“Go. Now. We’re done.” I pointed to the door, ignoring Hudson, who was still watching our argument.
Joey’s shoulders slumped. He waved to Hudson, then dragged his feet toward the exit. Matty high-fived Hudson, then followed his brother.
I caught Hudson’s gaze before I turned away. I didn’t mean to. I didn’t want to. The ass was smirking at me, like he brought up the party on purpose because he knew it would make my night hell. Jackass.
“Do you know anything about this Halloween party on Saturday?” I asked Finley the next day at work.
“Yeah, it’s amazing. The whole town comes. How do you not know about it?”
I shrugged, embarrassed to admit I never got involved in anything the town did. Between not having the money and not feeling like I was really a part of the town, I avoided most things.
“Yeah, so it’s awesome. There’s a hay bale maze through Catherine Park, and a lot of the shops will set up Halloween decorations and have special events. I’ve participated on and off, but since my shop isn’t family friendly, I usually close for the night and go to the party. Hudson decorates the bar. He loves Halloween. Cracked participates. And Cove Bakery. So many places. Are you going to go?”
“I’m not sure. Hudson mentioned it yesterday. Joey’s working to help set up, and he wants to go with Tierney. But Hudson said something in front of Matty, so now he wants to go, too.”
“It’s super fun. And low-key and great for kids. We’re taking George. I mean, he won’t remember it, but we’re dressing up as a family and going.”
“What are you dressing up as?”
“The Flintstones. It was Trent’s favorite show as a kid.”
“That’s cute.”
Finley chuckled. “I think so. What would you normally do on Halloween?”
I shrugged and shook my head. “Nothing, really. Our neighborhood doesn’t trick-or-treat, and it never made sense to go somewhere else. If Hudson hadn’t said something in front of Matty, I wouldn’t have had to worry about this at all. He did it on purpose.”
Finley snorted. “Maybe. But it’s fun. Of all the things for Hudson to do, this is not bad.”
“I guess,” I argued.
“Did you ever sign up for Book Boyfriends Wanted?”
The sudden subject change was like having whiplash. “Um, no. Why?”
Finley shrugged. “I was just curious. I really think you should.”
“I’m not sure dating is in my future. I don’t really want to get involved with anyone again. After Nick, I have no interest in men.”
“At all?”
“No.”
“Not even for one night?”
“I thought it was a dating app.”
Finley shrugged. “It’s how I met Trent. We were matched on there and met at O’Kelley’s and left together. We both knew it was for one night. I didn’t even know his name.”
“You’re kidding, right?”
Finley laughed. “Nope. We didn’t know each other at all. But I got pregnant and had to track him down. If it wasn’t for George, I probably never would have seen Trent again.”
I forced a smile for her because I knew she expected it. Her story was a bit like mine, except my story didn’t have the happily ever after hers hopefully would. My story involved a lying, cheating asshole who made promises he never kept and got me to marry him. My boys would forever have a worthless ass of a father, and I’d forever be divorced and single with no hope of ever getting the happily ever after I once believed in.
“Anyway, you should totally sign up. All my friends who are attached found their guy on the app. It’s like magic.”
“That definitely sounds like something I should not do.”
Finley laughed. “Oh, come on. It’s quiet here. Let’s do it now.”
“Um…”
Finley waggled her fingers at me until I surrendered and handed over my phone. “Unlock it.”
Damn. She was smart. I unlocked it and handed it back to her.
A few taps later, and she was downloading the app. “What do you want your screen name to be?”
Finley snorted. “My friends made me do this. Perfect. Okay, let’s find you a man.”
My stomach churned. I’d rather go to the Halloween party naked. But Finley Jameson-MacKellar was not the kind of woman you argued with. Especially when she was your boss.
