“Definitely,” she began. “Dad was strictly a book man.”
“Well,” Reece said, looking more than a little confused. “It’s a book store.”
She laughed softly. “Yes, but that doesn’t mean only books. I’ve stocked all genres of books, hardcover and paperback, then I’ve got journals and calendars, pens, bookmarks, e-readers, lap desks, tote bags...” She paused and went through the list in her mind. “Then I have a small corner that has scented candles and mugs and things like that. And I even included a music section.”
“Really? Don’t most people have iPods or something like that?”
“They do,” Alesha agreed. “But some people still buy CDs and along with the music ones, I have a selection of books on CD.”
“Sounds like you’ve covered all bases.”
“I hope so. I’m sure I’ve missed something and there’s going to be a customer who’s going to come in and ask for it and I’m going to kick myself for not having it, but that goes with the territory.”
Reaching over, Reece took one of Alesha’s hands in his, brought it to his lips and kissed it. “You are going to be a big hit. Everyone’s going to love it.”
“I really hope so. I would love to call Dad tomorrow night and tell him about the amazing opening day. He’s looking forward to it as much as I am. I just wish he could have felt strong enough to be here in person.”
He squeezed her hand and in that moment, it was all she needed.
Chapter Ten
Not only was her grand reopening a complete success, the people of Hope Falls had bought almost half of her inventory. Alesha was dizzy with the amount of sales she made and happily placed the calls to refresh the stock the next day.
While she was busy celebrating her success, Reece was wrapping things up with Two Scoops and doing his best to talk his parents out of the major home renovations they were suddenly hell-bent on doing.
“I thought we talked about this,” he said to them that Wednesday night. Alesha was working late hosting a high school book club at the store so he was having dinner with his parents. “You just got through one renovation. Why don’t you wait a little while?”
“For what?” Marlene asked, clearly confused that he was questioning her. “That was the business; this is our home. Two completely different things. The kitchen is outdated, the bathrooms need to be gutted and updated…and that’s just the beginning.”
Reece looked over at his father who simply shrugged.
“I really can’t commit to anything just yet, Mom. I have to get back home. I have a business to run and…”
“What about Alesha?” she asked. “Are you breaking up with her?”
“What?” he cried. “No! Why would you even ask that?”
“Well, it seems to me like you’re ready to just up and leave. I thought the two of you were serious. I guess I thought it meant you might be moving back to Hope Falls.”
His parents were the last people he wanted to talk to about this, but there was no way for him to get out of it. “It’s a little soon to be thinking of that,” he began reasonably. “Alesha has a lot going on right now—business at the bookstore is booming, she’s still wanting to travel back and forth on the weekends to check on Martin and she’s looking for a house.”
“What?” both his parents cried.
He looked at them curiously.
“And you’re letting her do that? Alone?” Marlene asked.
He rolled his eyes at her dramatic tone. “Mom, she’s a grown woman. Lauren’s going to help her find someplace and I told her I’d come along—as a professional contractor—and make sure the houses she liked were in good shape.”
“How very business-like of you,” his mother mumbled.
“What was that?” Reece asked, even though he heard her.
“Nothing,” she said. “Harry, talk to your son, will you?” Then she rose from the table and walked out of the room.
Reece turned and looked at his dad expectantly. “So? Talk to me,” he said with a grin.
Harry gently pushed his dinner plate aside and rested his elbows on the table. “You know she means well, right?”
Reece nodded.
“So? What are your plans? Are you going to see each other on weekends as Alesha drives through to see her father?”
When his father put it that way, it sounded a little depressing. He frowned.
“Can I offer my opinion?”
“Of course,” Reece replied.
“You were smitten with that girl when you were six years old and the minute she came back, it was like no time had passed. Most people don’t find that sort of thing—especially not twice and with the same person. I get that your business is in Tahoe, but it can be run just as easily from here as it can from there. Sure you may have to do some commuting, but that goes with the territory in your field.
“From the things Alesha shared with us, she’s pretty used to people she loves letting her down. Don’t let yourself be added to that list.”
It was exactly what had been playing through Reece’s mind since Friday night. “Here’s the thing, Dad,” he began quietly. “There are some things I need to confirm before I can make that commitment to her. I don’t want to make her any promises that I can’t keep. I know I can run the business from here, but I need to make sure that the guys I have working for me—particularly my two foremen—are willing to take on a little more responsibility. I’ll need to look into selling my townhouse…”
“Ask Lauren to list it. That woman’s a real estate whiz. With all the work and upgrades you did on that place, you’re not going to have any problem selling it for top dollar.”
Reece sat silently for a minute and studied his hands that were folded on the table in front of him. “What if…what if Alesha isn’t on the same page?” he asked quietly. “What if I go through all of this and make all these changes and she’s not ready to take things to the next level with me? Maybe she’s looking forward to having some control of her life and sees me as an intrusion?”
His father let out a loud sigh as he leaned back in his seat. “That’s the risk we all take, Son. Do you love her?”
Nodding, Reece replied, “I do. I really do. I still can’t believe it myself. It’s so quick.”
“I met your mother on a Tuesday afternoon and asked her to marry me on Sunday,” Harry said, sounding very blasé about the whole thing.
“What? Seriously?” Reece cried.
Harry nodded. “Your grandfather was fit to be tied over the whole thing, but we just knew. I was twenty-one, she was nineteen and we weren’t going to let anyone tell us that what we felt wasn’t real. We knew. Just like you know.” He paused and studied his son. “Does Alesha love you?”
That was the million-dollar question. “I think so,” he said, but he didn’t sound too confident. “We haven’t…” He stopped and shrugged. “We haven’t said it to each other yet.”
“Well what the hell are you waiting for?”
“Reece Harrison Brooks!” Marlene cried as she walked back into the dining room. “What do you mean you haven’t told that sweet girl that you love her? What are you waiting for?”
“I just asked him that, Marlene,” Harry said and then he looked at Reece. “It’s like she never listens to me.”
“Oh, I listen to you just fine, Harry,” she snapped and then looked at her son. “But no one listens to me!”
Reece’s phone rang and he grabbed it like a lifeline. “Hello?” he said, standing to walk away from the table for some privacy. It was one of his foreman calling. For two minutes he listened and then strode back into the dining room while saying, “I’ll be on the road in ten minutes.”
Marlene and Harry looked up at him. “Everything all right?” Harry asked.
“No,” he replied, looking around for his keys. “There was a fire at a job we’re doing back in Tahoe. Two of my guys are hurt and they’re suspecting arson. I need to get back right away.”
His parents s
tood and followed him out to his truck. “Okay,” Marlene said, trying to sound calm. “Don’t worry about anything here. Do you have your tablet? Your phone charger?”
“Shit,” he murmured and turned to go back into the house. Five minutes later he had just the basic necessities and was climbing into the truck.
“Keep us posted, Son,” Harry said, his brow etched with concern.
“I will.”
As he drove through town, he thought of stopping to talk to Alesha in person, but he knew he couldn’t spare the time. Using his Bluetooth, he called her.
“Hey,” she said when she answered the phone and he could hear the smile in her voice. “How was dinner with your parents?”
“It was fine,” he replied, feeling some of the tension in his body ebb away. “Listen, I’m in the truck right now heading home. There was a fire on one of my sites and I need to be there to take care of things.”
“Oh my god, Reece!” she cried. “Is everyone okay? Did anyone get hurt?”
He gave her the brief rundown of what he knew before he let out a weary sigh. “I hate to cut this short, but I need to get back on the phone and check on my guys.”
“Of course, of course,” she said worriedly. “Call me later if you can and let me know what’s going on. I don’t care how late it is.”
That brought a small smile to his lips. “Okay,” he said softly, wishing he had stopped and at least kissed her before he left.
“Be careful.”
“Always,” he said and hung up.
****
Alesha hung up the phone and sighed. She already knew they weren’t going to see each other tonight but knowing that he was heading out of town left her feeling sad and disappointed. Luckily, she had more than enough to keep her busy.
The students from the high school book club were milling around the store and it was a sight that made her smile. Books in the hands of youth were a good thing. Twenty of them signed up and it was far more than she had imagined.
The bell over the front door rang out and Alesha looked over in time to see Amy Kellan walk in—she was the honors English teacher who had initiated the book club. She was always so friendly and Alesha was thrilled when she had presented the idea to her.
“How’d it go tonight?” Amy asked as she walked over to the counter.
“We had a great turnout! Everyone’s browsing the store and thinking about titles they’d like to read in the future. Everyone participated and we had some lively debates. Next time you’ll have to come and sit in on it.”
Amy chuckled. “I would love that. The twins were a little more rambunctious than usual tonight so I took pity on Matt and waited until they were asleep before slipping out. I think he fell asleep as soon as they did!”
Right then and there Alesha felt something she hadn’t felt in a long time—envy. Amy and Matt were happily married, had beautiful twin daughters and just seemed to have an idyllic life. For a long time Alesha hadn’t thought about what her future would be. She was content to live in the here and now because she had learned early on that the future was so uncertain. Being with Reece made her hope for the future, but they never talked about it. Maybe it was time they did. Well, as soon as he got back from Tahoe. No way was she going to bog him down with her mini-crisis while he was dealing with such a major one.
“The store looks great!” Amy said. “Normally I don’t even give décor a second look—especially in a bookstore, but you’ve done something amazing here. You could certainly compete with the big bookstores in the city!”
“Thanks. I really wanted to make this a place where people would want to come—even though online shopping is easier and all the rage.”
Amy shook her head. “Online shopping is great for some things, but it’s nice to still have brick-and-mortar stores to walk into so you can touch the books for yourself and pick out something personally.”
“That’s what I’m hoping for.”
“Well you have my business!” Amy said with a grin. “And I plan on doing a lot with the book club—I mean the student one—and I’ll place all my orders with you.”
Alesha looked at her quizzically. “You said student one. Is there an adult one?” And then she laughed at her wording. “Oh my…that sounded a little on the dirty side, didn’t it?”
Amy laughed with her. “Actually, you wouldn’t be too far off the mark there. We do have an ‘adult’ one, but we never talk about books. It’s just an excuse for the girls to get together, drink wine and talk about our lives. And yes, sometimes the conversation can get a little…shall we say…risqué!”
“Really? That sounds like a lot of fun!”
“It is. Trust me.” She paused for a minute. “Do you have plans Friday night?”
“Um…”
“I know you and Reece Brooks are dating. I just thought maybe you would want to join us. We’re all meeting at Lauren’s on Friday night.”
Alesha told her what was going on with Reece and how he was heading out of town. “I’m hoping he’ll be back for the weekend, but I think a night out with the girls could be a blast too.”
“Excellent! Don’t worry about bringing anything. Just bring yourself—we’ll provide the wine!”
“Thank you, Amy,” Alesha said, thrilled that she was finally starting to make friends here in Hope Falls and finding her own place.
It was a great feeling.
Chapter Eleven
Reece lay in bed staring at the ceiling Sunday night.
He was still in Tahoe and it was going to be at least another couple of days before he could even consider heading back to Hope Falls. Actually, he should probably just plan on staying the week and see if Alesha would drive here on Friday and then they could go on to San Francisco to see her father together. He made a mental note to talk to her about it tomorrow.
They’d just gotten off the phone a few minutes ago and he already missed the sound of her voice. He sighed and scrubbed a weary hand over his face.
It had been a hellish week. The two guys who had been injured were both home and out of the hospital and had luckily only suffered minor injuries and smoke inhalation. He was dealing with worker’s compensation claims and doing his best to make sure they were going to be all right during their recovery time.
The cause of the fire was what pissed him off the most.
Arson.
Set by the homeowner who was looking for a way to get rich quick by suing Reece and collecting an insurance claim. Thankfully, the arson squad had figured out the cause of the fire before things had gotten too far along.
What was wrong with people? What could possibly be going on in your life to make you feel like it’s all right to destroy someone’s life and their business for your own personal gain? Now Reece was stuck in Tahoe dealing with legal shit and doing his best to get things back to business when all he wanted to do was get in his truck, drive back to Hope Falls and wrap himself around Alesha.
She’d been the only thing keeping him sane. Their daily phone calls went a long way in taking the edge off of a crappy situation but he missed seeing her face. He had come to know her so well that he could hear the smile in her voice when she was excited about something.
Like the book club.
Both book clubs.
It had been a good thing for her to become friends with Amy and now she was part of the book club that wasn’t a book club where she met a bunch of new people. If anything, she sounded happier than he had ever heard her. It made him happy too—happy that there were people around her who cared about her when he couldn’t be there.
And damn did he want to be there.
“One more week,” he mumbled. It might as well be a month. It was going to feel like forever.
Sleeping alone sucked.
Hell, living alone sucked.
He hadn’t realized how much he had gotten used to them being together until he came back to his place and found that the quiet, which he used to enjoy, now made him want to scream.
“One more week,” he repeated, rolling over and punching his pillow. Maybe tonight he’d be able to get some sleep.
****
“So he won’t be back this week either?”
Alesha shook her head. “There’s a lot of paperwork to get through,” she replied to Lauren Harrison. Currently they were walking through a home for sale that Alesha was interested in. It was a Craftsman with a wide front porch and beautiful stone work on the outside. Inside was a fairly updated space—refinished hardwood floors, new kitchen cabinets with granite countertops and best of all, a wood-burning fireplace.
With every room they walked through, Alesha fell more and more in love with the place. “I know we’ve only looked at a few houses,” she began, “but I really think this is the one. As soon as we walked in the door I felt it. This is my house.” She paused. “Is it too soon? Am I not supposed to pick one this quickly?”
Lauren smiled brightly. Alesha was a little intimidated by her the first time they met—after all, Lauren was like some glamorous supermodel and a TV show host so how could she be anything but intimidated? Now that she had gotten to know her better, she knew her to be a very sincere person. And the smile on her face right now was genuine.
“It’s not too soon,” Lauren replied. “When you know, you know.”
“Really?” Alesha asked excitedly. “So…does this mean I can make an offer and get started? How long will that take? Can I move in soon? Do you think they’d mind if I started measuring for my furniture?”
Lauren’s laughter echoed in the empty space. “Okay, first of all, deep breaths. Let’s go back to my office and we can start the paperwork.” Then she paused and looked at Alesha for a moment. “I thought you wanted Reece to go through the space for you before you made a decision.”
Shrugging, she replied, “He’s not going to be back any time soon and I’m afraid if I wait too long, someone will swoop in and grab this place. I really don’t want to lose it.”
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