Her Boss: Braxton Brothers Series Book One

by Meyer, Anne-Marie

  “Beth?”

  “Yeah, it’s me,” Beth said as she slipped between the door and the frame to find her mom lying next to the toilet. She was pale and had her eyes shut. “What are you doing in the bathroom?”

  Her mom moaned as Beth reached down to help her stand.

  “I got sick, and I guess I fell asleep.”

  Beth slipped her mom’s arm around her shoulders and helped her from the bathroom over to her bed. Her mom collapsed on the mattress. Once she was situated, Beth grabbed the comforter and pulled it over her lap.

  “You should have called me,” Beth scolded as she brushed her mom’s hair back from her face.

  Her mom shook her head. “I’m fine. Just, having a bad day.” She opened her eyes as she studied Beth. “Call Sam?”

  “Of course.” Beth called her stepfather and, after a few minutes, hung up. “He’s on his way home.”

  Her mom pushed both hands on the mattress as she attempted to sit up. After a few grimaces, she was sitting up with her back against the headboard. “Water?”

  Beth nodded and, within a minute, returned with a glass in hand. After a few drinks, her mom started to look a bit better. “Thanks,” she said, handing the glass back to Beth.

  Beth set it on the nightstand next to her.

  “How was your first day?”

  Beth took the time to tell her mom about Josh not having groceries, about Tricia and Tanner, and about Josh inviting her over.

  Her mom gave her a weak smile as she rested her hand on Beth’s. “I’m happy things are working out for you,” she said.

  Beth hated how weak her mom sounded. Such a stark contrast from the vivacious and lively woman Beth remembered, growing up. “But I can stay. I don’t have to go to dinner.”

  Joanne shook her head. “No, of course not. You should go. I don’t want to tip anyone off. It’s best to keep up appearances.” She squeezed Beth’s hand. “You’ll do this for me, right?”

  Beth swallowed as she began to nod. Why did her mom even have to ask? She was tasked with keeping a secret, and she’d do just that. But the look in Joanne’s eyes told her there was doubt lingering there.

  “I promise,” she whispered. Except she’d already told Josh she was busy. But her mom didn’t need to know that. Besides, with the feelings that were surfacing about Josh, it was better if they spent the evening apart. Maybe Tiffany wasn’t busy.

  Joanne nodded and then sighed. “Thank you,” she whispered.

  The deep tones of her stepfather’s voice carried into the bedroom. Beth called out, “We’re in here.” And moments later, he appeared in the doorway.

  “What’s going on?” he asked.

  “Beth was just telling me about her day,” Joanne said as she pushed herself up to a sitting position.

  Beth studied her mom and parted her lips to correct her, but a desperate look told her to keep quiet.

  “Everything okay?” he asked, a worried look passing over his face.

  Joanne scoffed and nodded. “Of course. You worry too much.”

  No, her stepfather worried the perfect amount. It was her mother who thought that things were fine. Who didn’t want to face the reality of her situation.

  Sam studied Joanne before sighing. “I’ll get started on dinner.”

  “Just for two. Beth’s going over to Josh’s.”

  Beth gave her stepdad a weary smile when he glanced over at her. She hated the amount of lies she was having to tell. Some to her mom, some to the town, and a whole lot to herself.

  “Josh Braxton’s?” Sam asked.

  Beth nodded.

  “Have fun.”

  Beth chewed her lip. She wanted to tell them that if they needed her, she’d stay, but neither seemed to even notice that she was still in the room. After she slipped out into the hall, she took a deep breath and glanced back to her mom’s bedroom.

  What was going on? Why were they pretending that things weren’t as bad as they appeared? It frustrated her that she was the only one who seemed to realize the gravity of their situation.

  She shook her head as she made her way into her bedroom and shut her door. After she changed into a soft satin top and a pair of hunter-green shorts, she pulled her hair up into a loose ponytail and slipped on her sandals.

  She glanced in the mirror and winced. The day had really taken a toll on her. She looked as tired as she felt. After brushing on some foundation and lip gloss, she headed down the hall and out the front door.

  Now alone on the stoop, she glanced down at her phone. It would be too telling if she got into her car just to go to the Braxton’s, so she took off down the street. After locating her phone, she called Tiffany. She picked up on the second ring.

  “Hello?”

  “What are you doing right now?” Beth asked, taking note of the loud music in the background.

  “I’m at the Tavern. Where are you?”

  “Wanna come pick me up?” Beth asked, praying that Tiffany would say yes.

  “Yes!” Tiffany said, a bit too enthusiastic.

  Beth shook her head. Tiffany was definitely an easy-going, take life by the horns kind of gal. Something that Beth lacked in spades. Maybe that’s why they were such good friends. They balanced each other out.

  Beth gave Tiffany her location, and, ten minutes later, a pink VW bug pulled up beside her. Beth glanced over to see Tiffany in the backseat.

  When she realized the ride was for her, Beth pulled open the back door and slipped onto the seat. “Who’s this?” she asked, nodding toward the particularly tanned man in the driver’s seat.

  “This is Juan, and he’s delectable,” Tiffany said, leaning over and wiggling her eyebrows.

  Beth shook her head. Ever since high school, Tiffany had been a flirt. Always ending up on a new guy’s arm every other week. Not much had changed in their adult years. It amazed Beth how easy being in a relationship was for Tiffany. If she were honest, it was something she envied about her friend. For Tiffany, love didn’t come with a lot of stress like it did for Beth.

  “Hello, Juan,” Beth said, nodding toward the driver.

  “Where to?” he asked in a spicy accent.

  “The Tavern,” Tiffany said.

  Juan took off down the road, and Beth settled into her seat.

  A few seconds later, Tiffany leaned into her and gave her a smile.

  “So, how was your first day working for Josh?”

  Beth took a deep breath as she thought back to Josh and their conversations. Of how easy it was to talk to him at the grocery store. Why did being around him feel as easy as breathing?

  “It was good.” She gave her best friend a relaxed smile. “Get this, I went to Tricia Young’s house, and guess who’s her new nanny?” Beth raised her eyebrows as she pointed to her chest.

  “No. You?” Tiffany asked as she sat a little straighter so she could meet Beth’s gaze.

  Beth nodded. “Yep. I get to watch two kids now.” She rubbed her temples as she thought about what she’d done. Was she really ready for this?

  “Wow.” Then Tiffany nodded. “You’re nicer than me. But that’s good. From what I hear, Marcus left Tricia a wreck.” Tiffany patted Beth’s hand. “You’re a good person to help out.”

  Beth thought about explaining that Tricia was paying her a ton of money to help out, but figured she should keep that to herself.

  They fell into a relaxed conversation about Tiffany and the trip that she just got back from. Beth laughed as the familiarity of hanging out with her best friend washed over her. It felt so good to be sitting here, where she didn’t have to worry about her mom, or Zander, or her complete lack of direction.

  Right now, it was about having fun, and she was ready for some fun.

  It didn’t take very long for Juan to pull into the Tavern’s parking lot and announce that they had arrived. Tiffany flung some bills at Juan and climbed out. Beth thanked him as she climbed out as well.

  When Tiffany rounded the hood, she linked arms with Be
th.

  “You know what you need?” Tiffany asked as she pulled Beth toward the front doors.

  Beth laughed as she followed. “What?”

  “We need to find you a date. How long have you been pining after Joshua Braxton?” Tiffany clicked her tongue as she raised her finger. “Don’t answer because the only answer is too long.”

  Beth’s stomach lightened at the thought of Josh and the feelings she’d harbored since she was a kid.

  Her grandmother had always talked about that once in a lifetime, mind-changing love that weasels its way into your heart and doesn’t let go. If she were honest with herself, that was how she felt about Josh. Even though she’d attempted to move on, her thoughts and feelings always came back to Josh. It was going to take some incredible guy to get her to move on.

  So she patted Tiffany’s hand hooked around her arm and just smiled. “Okay, Tiff,” she said as she reached out and pulled open the door to the Tavern.

  Loud music and the salty smell of pretzels and booze wafted out of the bar. Beth took a deep breath as she followed Tiffany inside. There were a few shouts of hello as they made their way deeper inside.

  Beth waved at a few Honey Grove graduates as she made her way to the bar, where she leaned against the counter and waved down Freddy, the owner of the Tavern.

  “Well if it isn’t little Bethy Johnson,” Freddy said as he grabbed a glass from the back and flipped it over. He held a nozzle to the rim. “What’ll you be drinking?”

  Beth shook her head. “Nothing alcoholic for me. How about some Sprite?” The last thing she needed was to be wasted in case her mom needed her. It was best to keep all of her wits intact.

  Freddy chuckled as he pressed a button, and bubbly Sprite filled the glass. “Sounds good.”

  Beth thanked him as she took the glass and turned. As she scanned the crowd, her heart dropped. The front doors had just opened, and guess who came walking in?

  Josh.

  Chapter Nine

  Josh glanced around the crowd at the Tavern and sighed. What was he doing here? This wasn’t his scene anymore. He was a dad. With a kid. That he’d left at home with his mom so he could go to a bar with his buddies.

  Man, he felt like the worst dad.

  “If it isn’t Nerves of Steel,” a loud voice boomed from the center of the room.

  Just hearing his high school best friend’s voice made Josh smile. He turned to see Spencer push through the crowd with his arms extended.

  “I didn’t believe that the prodigal son returned, but now that I see it…” Spencer dropped down to one knee and pressed his fist to his chest as he leaned forward—like he was a knight bowing to his king. “I will always be a believer.”

  Josh chuckled as he waved his friend up. “I release you,” he said, mimicking Spencer’s motion and bowing slightly.

  Spencer stood and wrapped his arm around Josh’s shoulders. “Let’s get this man a drink,” he yelled as he pushed Josh through the crowd and over to the bar.

  Freddy already had two pints of beer ready for them.

  “Freddy, my man,” Spencer yelled as he grabbed a glass and held up the still-foaming liquid.

  When Josh didn’t move to take one, Spence glanced over at him. “What’s wrong? Your taste buds change since you moved to Colorado?”

  Josh shook his head. “No, man. My responsibilities.” He leaned over and motioned for Freddy. Once he’d ordered a root beer, he turned back to Spencer. “I’ve got a kid now.”

  Spencer sucked in his breath as a pained expression passed over his face. “Oh, that’s right. I heard that somewhere.”

  From the way Spencer was talking, it sounded as if Josh had just confessed he had a boil. Like having a kid was the last thing a guy his age would want.

  But, knowing that Spencer wouldn’t understand, he just gave his friend a smile and settled back as Spencer talked about all of his business plans.

  Apparently, Spencer had opened a gym in Honey Grove, and he was trying to motivate the town’s residents to join.

  Josh just smiled and nodded, enjoying the ease of spending time with his friend. And perhaps enjoying just being Josh, not Josh the dad and recent divorcé

  A blonde woman approached Spencer and linked arms with him, drawing him out onto the dance floor. Spencer looked as if he wanted to resist, but Josh just laughed and waved his friend away.

  Even if Josh wasn’t interested in picking anyone up, he shouldn’t stop his friend.

  Now alone, he turned back to the bar and glanced around. At the other end of the bar, someone caught his attention. He squinted through the dark room at the familiar blonde hair and soft smile.

  Beth.

  A smile played on his lips as he pushed off the counter and made his way over to her. She was fiddling with a straw inside of what he could only guess was Sprite. She didn’t notice him approach, so he reached out and brushed his fingers on her elbow.

  “Hey,” he said.

  Beth jumped, knocking her straw from the glass and flinging her drink everywhere.

  Feeling sheepish for startling her, Josh gave her an apologetic smile. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to freak you out.”

  Beth took a deep breath as her cheeks flushed. “Oh, no. That’s okay.” She grabbed a few napkins from the dispenser in front of her and mopped up the spill. Then she turned and gave him a smile. “Hey.”

  Taking her acknowledgment as an invitation, Josh sat down on the stool next to her. He set his root beer on the bar and grabbed a few pretzels. When she didn’t speak, he glanced over at her.

  “So was going to the Tavern the thing you needed to do?” He leaned closer to her so he didn’t have to shout over the music that was blaring from the speakers.

  Beth glanced over at him, and it wasn’t until her lips tipped up that he realized just how close he really was. In an effort not to freak her out, he pulled back a smidge so she didn’t feel like he was invading her space.

  “I, um…” She glanced back at the bar.

  “It’s okay. I mean, I’m not the greatest cook. Freddy, now, he’s a cook.” He waved his hand in Freddy’s direction.

  Beth laughed as she glanced up to where Josh motioned. Then, when she dropped her eyes to meet his gaze, her expression turned sheepish. “I had to take care of a few things at home, and then Tiffany invited me out with her. I haven’t seen her in forever.” She reached out and ran her fingers along the rim of her glass.

  Josh understood the feeling exactly. “It’s different, huh?”

  She glanced over at him. “What?”

  “Being home after so long.” He glanced around the crowd of people. Some he recognized. Some he didn’t. “It’s like you move away, and, while you’re gone, you think your hometown just stops. That it will be the same when you come back.” He took a long drink of his root beer. He glanced over at Beth, who had a contemplative look.

  “But it seems as if life went on without you,” Beth said. “And you struggle to know where you fit in a place that was your past but is now your future.” Her voice was low as she stared off into the distance.

  Josh nodded. He couldn’t have said it any better himself. “Makes you wonder how to start your life again.”

  Beth laughed, but it sounded pained, like she saw the truth in what he’d said. “Yeah.”

  They sat in silence for a moment before Josh glanced over at her. “Wanna play darts?”

  Beth finished her drink and nodded. “Sure.”

  He signaled a refill for the two of them as he pushed off the stool. Beth was already down and pushing her hair behind her ear.

  “I promise, no more deep conversation,” he said.

  Beth laughed, and this time, it was much more lighthearted. She mimicked pushing up her sleeves. “Deal. But I have to warn you, I’ve gotten a lot better since the ninth-grade fundraiser.”

  Josh grabbed the full glasses and followed her over to the back of the bar, where the dart boards were set up. One was being used by a wobbl
y older gentleman, but the other was free.

  “Oh, you mean when you skewered me?” Josh asked as he set the glasses down and made his way over to the board to grab the darts.

  Beth’s mouth hung open as she stared at him. “I did not skewer you.”

  Josh held her darts hostage while he waited for her to look at him. “Um, yes you did. I have the scars to prove it.” He pulled up his sleeve to expose his shoulder. Then he searched until he found the tiny dot her dart made years ago. “Right here.”

  Beth squinted and leaned in as if she didn’t see it. “Where?”

  Josh moved his arm so he could get a better view. There was a small, pink dot on his arm. “Right there.”

  Beth brushed her fingers across his skin, and warmth rushed through his body. He swallowed from the sudden touch. He glanced over at her, and thankfully, she didn’t look as shocked as he felt.

  “I’m not seeing anything.” She glanced up at him and paused. Her sky blue eyes were wide as she held his gaze. “But I’m sorry.”

  Suddenly he felt like an idiot to harp on this. Josh just shrugged as he pulled his sleeve down and handed the darts to her. “It’s no biggie. I survived. I found a very effective support group to help me get through it.”

  Desperate to lessen the tension that had surrounded them, he winked as he turned to the dart board. “Now, who wants to go first?”

  Beth waved him forward. “After you.”

  Josh focused on the bullseye and raised the dart. He slowly released his breath as he let the dart fly. And just as he predicted, it soared through the air and hit dead center on the bullseye.

  “Score!” he shouted as he raised his arms in triumph.

  Beth scoffed. “Beginners luck.”

  Josh shrugged as he moved out of her way. She got ready to throw the dart but then paused, turning to face him.

  “What if we made this interesting?”

  Josh raised his eyebrows. “What do you have in mind?”

  Beth chewed her lip. “For every bullseye I get, you have to tell me something about you that I don’t know—and nothing about imaginary dart scars. And for every bullseye you get, I have to tell you something.”

  Josh scoffed as he studied her. “Are you sure you can handle it?”