Small Town Boss

by Cheryl Michaels

  “Okay, so she’s not being that tight-lipped about her past. That’s good.”

  “Yeah, and I know she still keeps in touch with her family. She was talking to her mom on the phone earlier today. But she won’t tell me where she grew up or—”

  “What happened to her husband?”

  “Right.”

  “Did she tell you what she’s doing here? I know you said she had some car trouble, but what led her to Landon in the first place?”

  “Apparently she decided to quit her job, pack up the bare necessities, and hit the road for a while.”

  “Then she’s running from something,” Chase said. “No doubt about that.”

  Brady wasn’t used to playing amateur detective, but he needed to solve this mystery. “Maybe the ex cheated on her with a local girl, and she got sick and tired of seeing them around town?”

  “That would make sense,” Chase said, shaking his head. “But I think you need to know for sure before you take this any further, don’t you?”

  “Sure, but how do you suggest I do that? She’s already asked me, in no uncertain terms, to respect her right to privacy.”

  “I have an idea,” Chase said, snapping his fingers. “You said she’s from a small town?”

  “Yeah. Why?”

  “Probably means she was pretty involved in community activities, maybe even church, right?”

  “Yeah, she’s mentioned a lot of fundraisers and stuff she was involved in back home.” Wherever that was. “Why? What are you thinking?”

  “Does she work tomorrow?”

  “No, Sunday’s her day off.”

  “Good. Why don’t you ask her if she’d like to borrow your truck so she can help Shay and my mom with this fundraiser they’re having at the church? You said she’s a teacher, so this would be perfect for her.”

  “What kind of fundraiser is it?”

  “It’s a bake sale to raise money for the new school library. You know everyone’s trying to chip in since the funds just aren’t in the budget this year.”

  Brady had already made a sizeable donation on behalf of the inn, and he knew his brother had too. “Hmm, that might be a good idea. It would be good for Claudia to meet some people in town, especially since she’s agreed to stay here for the summer.”

  “And I know Shay will do everything she can to make her feel welcome. Who knows, they might even become friends. You know it’s easier for some women to open up to each other about failed relationships.”

  “I wouldn’t want Shay to use her relationship with Claudia to feed me information,” Brady said, frowning. “That doesn’t feel right.”

  Chase rolled his eyes. “You know my fiancée better than that. She’s loyal to her friends. But you’re going to be family soon, and she’d love nothing more than to help you find a good girl. If there’s anything she can do to help you and Claudia figure this thing out, I’m sure she will.”

  Before Brady could respond, Claudia tapped on his door, looking nervous. “I’m sorry to interrupt, but Dana told me you were here, Chase.”

  “Uh, yeah.” He smiled as he stood to greet her. “Nice to see you again, Claudia.”

  “You too.” Her gaze landed on Brady before she looked at Chase. “I just wanted to apologize for being dishonest with you earlier. I can’t imagine what you must think of me.”

  Chase was obviously taken aback by her apology because it took him a minute to respond. “That’s okay. I guess I’m just a little confused about why you did it.”

  “I’m sure you are, and I wish I could tell you.” She was wringing her hands as her gaze drifted to the floor. “I’m going to have to tell you what I told your brother earlier. There are some things I’m just not ready to talk about, and this is one of those things. I just wanted you to know it’s not like me to lie, and I’m sorry I did. Please extend my apologies to Shay as well. I wouldn’t want her to think badly of me.”

  Brady was so proud of Claudia. He knew it couldn’t have been easy for her to reach out to a stranger and ask for forgiveness for screwing up.

  “If you’d like, you can tell Shay yourself.” Chase smiled. “In fact, Brady and I were just talking about that.”

  “About what?” she asked.

  “Shay is helping out at the church tomorrow, along with our mom,” he said, inclining his head toward Brady. “They’re having a fundraiser for the school, trying to raise money for a new library since the old one burned down last year. Brady tells me you’re a teacher. I thought that might be a project you could get behind?”

  When she didn’t respond, Brady said, “It’d be a good way for you to meet new people. I could even come with you if you want?”

  Chase frowned, obviously hoping his brother would give the ladies a chance to get to know each other without him there to act as a chaperone.

  “I don’t mind going by myself,” Claudia said. “If it’s likely to be more of a ladies thing—”

  “It is,” Chase said quickly. “It’s a bake sale.”

  “Oh.” She looked at Brady. “I don’t want to show up empty-handed. Do you think I could use your kitchen to make cupcakes?”

  “Of course.” Brady was thrilled that she seemed receptive to the idea, given she didn’t know anyone involved and had no reason to care about the cause.

  “And you can use Brady’s truck too. Can’t she, little brother?” Chase asked, looking far too pleased with himself.

  “Sure,” Brady said, giving him a warning glare. “But again, if you’d rather I drive you—”

  “No, it would be nice to take a little drive by myself. If you’re sure you don’t mind?”

  “Not at all.”

  “It’s all set then,” Chase said, rubbing his hands together. “I’ll tell Shay to expect you at church around ten tomorrow morning.”

  Chapter Five

  Brady had offered to let Claudia use the kitchen in his cabin to make the cupcakes, so she was elbow-deep in icing by the time he strolled in just before dinner.

  “Hey, these look great,” he said, eyeing a pretty purple-and-light-blue cupcake.

  “Go ahead,” Claudia said with a laugh. “Help yourself.”

  “Thanks. I just have to wash up first.” His kitchen was a fair size, but since she was working by the sink, he jokingly booty-bumped her as he reached under the sink for soap to wash his hands. “Did you find everything you needed for these in the restaurant kitchen?”

  “Actually, Dana was kind enough to ask her husband to pick up the ingredients I needed when he went grocery shopping earlier. I picked them up and paid him when he came to get Dana from work.”

  “Why’d you do that?” Brady asked, making a face. “You could have helped yourself to anything in the kitchen.”

  “Thanks, but I wanted to do this myself.”

  She watched Brady peel the floral paper off the cupcake before he took a huge bite, leaving a trace of icing on his chin. “Oh, this is good,” he said, closing his eyes.

  You are so handsome. She was stunned by the thought. It had been so long since she’d thought of any man other than her husband as handsome. “Thanks.”

  “Have you tried them?”

  “Not yet. I was going to as soon I finished icing the last ones.”

  He extended his hand, offering her the last bite of his. Before she could object, the icing was grazing her lips. He stepped closer, crowding her against the counter. Knowing she didn’t have a choice, she opened her mouth slowly, fully aware they were venturing into hazardous territory.

  “Mmm,” she said, chewing slowly as her eyes stayed focused on his.

  He swiped at the corner of her mouth, prompting her to wipe away the icing on his chin. His hands moved to the counter behind her, his body now touching hers.

  “I really want to kiss you,” he said, lowering his head.

  “I wouldn’t object.” She knew it was a bad idea, but good judgment didn’t seem to matter when she had a chance to find out if his lips were as soft and sensuo
us as they looked.

  “I can’t kiss another man’s wife, Claudia.”

  “I’m not another man’s wife. Not anymore.” The pain of her admission made her swallow.

  “Then you’re divorced?” he asked, looking hopeful.

  Instead of responding, she wrapped her arms around his neck, heedless of the icing on her fingers as she drew him closer. “I wouldn’t even think about doing this if I wasn’t available.”

  That single kiss took her places she hadn’t been in ages. It took her to a happy place where she could get lost in the moment and forget about all of the terrible things that had happened.

  He deepened the kiss, framing her face with his hands before leaning his forehead against hers as a smile teased his lips. “That could become addictive real fast.”

  “I know what you mean.” She was breathless as she looked into his clear blue eyes.

  He swiped at her lower lip with the pad of his thumb, his eyes darkening with an emotion she was suddenly scared to identify. “I like you a lot.”

  His honesty was unnerving, but she felt a flutter in her belly nonetheless. “Um, I’m not ready for—”

  “I know.” He pressed his thumb against her lips to silence her. “I just thought you should know.”

  “Oh.” She should say something, perhaps that she felt the same way because she totally did. But before she could swallow her fear and admit as much, she was watching him back up and out of the room. “Where are you going?”

  He chuckled before flashing her a grin that made her heart beat even faster. “To take a shower. Wanna stay for dinner?”

  “Um, sure. Thanks.” She watched him jog up the stairs before she moved to wash her hands.

  A tear fell as she stared out the window above the sink. His cabin faced the lake, where two little kids were building sand castles while their parents soaked up a few rays on loungers nearby. They looked like a normal, happy family.

  She turned back to the counter, remembering their kiss, and the reminder brought her crashing back down to reality. She had no right being happy, even for a second, with another man.

  Brady’s kiss had made her think things she had no business thinking, like how wonderful it felt to have a man’s strong arms around her again and how incredible it would feel to escape her reality for a while.

  When her cell phone, which she tucked into her back pocket, rang, she took a deep breath before answering it. She’d emailed her mother to give her the new cell phone number, in case of an emergency, so she knew she had to answer it… just in case life saw fit to deliver a little more bad news.

  “Hey, Mom. What’s up?” She cleared her throat when she realized her voice was still thick with unshed tears.

  “Honey, are you okay? You sound like you’ve been crying.”

  There was a time, not so long ago, when she told her mother everything, but could she really tell her that she’d met a man who almost made her forget she was supposed to be heartbroken?

  “I’m okay.” She held the phone between her cheek and shoulder. “Guess what I’m doing?” she said, trying to change the subject.

  “What?”

  “Making cupcakes.”

  “Oh good, you’re baking again! That must mean you’re feeling better.”

  “It’s, uh, for a fundraiser at the local church tomorrow. Someone invited me to go. It’s a bake sale, so I thought I’d wow them with Gram’s vanilla cupcake recipe.” Before her mom could ask any more questions about where she was or who she was with, Claudia asked, “Speaking of Gram and Papa, how are they?”

  “Worried about you.”

  Claudia sighed. “I wish they wouldn’t worry. I explained to them before I left why I have to do this. I just couldn’t stay there anymore. It was too hard.”

  “I know, baby. And we do understand. We just wish we could be with you. At a time like this, you need your family more than ever.”

  “No,” Claudia said, stirring the pale blue icing furiously. “What I need is to be with people who don’t treat me like a fragile piece of glass that might shatter at any moment.” When she realized how harsh that must have sounded, she added, “I know everyone wants to help me, but believe me, the best thing they can do for me is let me go. I need to put some distance between myself and all of those memories, good and bad.”

  “The people you’re working with, are they nice?”

  She immediately thought of Brady before Mandy and Dana popped into her head. “They’re great. Being here makes me feel like I’m home, just without all of the… familiarity. I feel like I can finally breathe again, being here.”

  “I’m glad.”

  “And my new boss is great. He’s really helped me to feel better.”

  “Is that so?” She hesitated before asking, “He wouldn’t happen to be single, would he?”

  “Mom!”

  “I’m sorry, but it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world if you thought about dating again. It has been almost a year, Claudia.”

  Three hundred forty-nine days to be exact. She’d likely celebrate the one-year anniversary of the worst day of her life with Brady, even though he’d have no idea how much his presence helped her through it.

  “I’m not ready to date. It’s too soon. I feel too raw.”

  “I know it hurts, sweetheart. But you have to find a way to go on with your own life.”

  “I’m trying to do that by being here.” She closed her eyes, trying to draw strength from her sweet memories. “I know you’re trying to help, but I need to figure this out by myself.”

  I’m not ready to date. It’s too soon. I feel too raw.

  Claudia’s words echoed through Brady’s head throughout dinner. He hadn’t intended to eavesdrop on her conversation, but when he realized it was that or interrupt, he decided to stay put at the stop of the stairs and delay breathing so she wouldn’t sense his presence.

  If she didn’t want to date him, what had that kiss been about? He’d thought it was her way of telling him she was free and ready to pursue her attraction to him. But after hearing her admit to her mother that it was too soon and she still felt too raw, he felt as though he was right back where he started with her.

  “Are you okay?” she asked, reaching for her water. “You’ve been kind of quiet since your shower.”

  He’d never been the type to hold back, so he blurted out the truth. “I heard you talking to your mom. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to eavesdrop, I just—”

  “It’s okay.” She pushed her plate aside, folding her arms on the surface of the teak table. “You heard me tell her that I wasn’t ready to date. That’s what’s got you upset?”

  “I don’t know that I’d call it upset,” he said, trying to make sense of his feelings. “I guess I’m just confused. I’ll be honest, I’m really attracted to you, Claudia. I thought that kiss meant you felt the same way about me. Am I wrong?”

  “No, I am attracted to you. I just…” She pushed her thick veil of blond hair off her face, holding it back with her hand as she rested her elbow on the table. “The last thing I expected when I came here was to become interested in someone. To be honest, I didn’t think it was even possible.”

  “Because of what happened with your ex?”

  “Yes.”

  “He broke your heart?”

  She hesitated before nodding slightly. “What happened broke my heart, yes.”

  He wanted to demand answers, but he didn’t have the right. His instincts told him she wouldn’t lie to him, but he couldn’t help but feel as though she was the master of half-truths and carefully calculated evasions.

  “Trust is really important to me.” He watched her expression transform from a mask of trepidation to guilt. “I’m not accusing you of lying to me, but I feel like you’re not telling me the truth either. Why?” He reached for her hand when she looked as though she was going to start crying. If there was one thing he could not handle, it was a woman’s tears, especially when it was someone he cared abou
t. “Please, talk to me.”

  “I thought we’d be together forever,” she whispered, staring at something just over his shoulder. “That’s the way it was supposed to be. He promised me that he’d never leave me. He said I could count on him.” She withdrew her hand from his when a sob escaped. Pressing her hand against her mouth as her eyes filled with tears, she said, “I begged him not to leave me. But he did. He left me.”

  Brady wanted to tell her the guy clearly wasn’t worth crying over if he was stupid enough to leave her, but he knew it was his job to listen, not to talk.

  But when he expected her to continue, she stood abruptly, nearly upending her chair. “I’m sorry, I have to go.”

  As she left, he wondered if there was the slightest chance he’d ever get close enough to chase away the ghost of the only man she’d ever loved.

  Chapter Six

  After her first fitful night’s sleep since arriving in Landon, Claudia rolled over in bed with a nagging headache as she replayed her conversation with Brady. She’d been so close to spilling her story, but she knew if she told him about her loss, he’d react the same way everyone else did. He’d take pity on her.

  Dealing with her past would be much easier if he saw her as a woman trying to get over a broken marriage instead of one who’d lost the life she loved in one fell swoop.

  A knock on the door forced her out of bed with a frustrated moan as she ran her fingers through her matted hair, knowing it was pointless to try to fix it.

  “Oh, hey,” she said, stepping back to hide behind the door when she saw Brady standing on the other side. She wasn’t indecent in a pair of thin cotton capris and a black tank top, but something about him made her feel exposed.