Sweet Heat at Bayside

by Addison Cole

“That’s good to hear, Serena. I’m calling because I’ve just been told that you were never notified about the client appreciation day tomorrow. Apparently, the email invitations went out the week before you started.”

  “Oh, that’s okay. I don’t mind. I have plans anyway. I’m going back home for the grand opening of Drake’s music store.”

  Silence stretched for a beat too long. Serena looked at her phone to make sure she hadn’t lost the call.

  “Suzanne? Are you there?”

  “Yes, I’m here. I’m sorry, Serena, but it’s imperative that you’re at the event. Your clients will be there, and as a new associate, you’re still making a name for yourself with them.”

  “Yes, I understand, but we’ve been working toward this grand opening for several weeks, planning it for more than a year. Would it be okay if I asked Laura or Spencer to go on my behalf?” Yet another valid reason to have the junior designers as close to the clients as she was.

  Suffocating silence ensued, and panic clawed its way up her chest.

  “Serena, if you still worked for Mr. Savage that would be one thing, but you work for KHB now, and you hold a very prominent and important position in the firm. Your employment contract covers these types of monthly events, which are critical to the firm’s—and your—reputation.”

  There was an icy chill to her voice that made Serena’s skin crawl. How did people reach a point where they completely lacked compassion? “Yes. I’m sorry. Of course. I’ll be there.”

  She closed her eyes against the sting of tears as they ended the call and she switched back to Drake.

  “Babe? Everything okay?”

  “Nothing is okay.” As she relayed her situation to him, her sadness turned to anger. “I feel powerless, but we both know I’m not. I’m going to talk to her when I go into the office and see if I can change her mind.”

  “Serena, don’t jeopardize your job for this. She’s right. Your loyalty has to be to KHB right now, and you are building a reputation there.”

  “No way she’s right! This is your biggest, most important opening yet, in a town that means something to you. This is the opening that matters most, the one where you have pressure to do everything right because so many of the people who will come have known you forever.” She knew how proud Drake was to finally feel comfortable enough with his business, his success and practices, to open a store near his hometown. She’d taken extra steps to make sure it was everything he hoped for.

  “I know, but it’s okay,” he said. “I understand.”

  “Well, don’t, because you should be upset, like I am. I would never make an employee miss something they’ve worked on for so long. We spent months looking for a location, negotiating with vendors, setting up distribution, talking with schools…Tomorrow is the big payoff! It’s the moment when we stand back and see it all come to fruition, when your community comes together in celebration of what you’ve accomplished. There will never be a repeat of that day. That’s our moment, Drake. Yours as the owner and mine as your friend who has watched you plan and put blood, sweat, and tears into every element, every decision.” She couldn’t slow her thoughts as she paid the driver and got out in front of her office building. She stormed inside and pushed the elevator button repeatedly. “I’m going to lose you in the elevator. I’ll call and let you know how it goes.”

  “Supergirl, wait—” he said hastily. “Please don’t mess this up because of me. Take a breath. What if she fires you?”

  “Then she does, but at least I’m not a doormat.” She ended the call and rode the elevator up to the fourteenth floor, preparing to give Suzanne a piece of her mind.

  She stalked toward Suzanne’s office, replaying Drake’s words in her mind, picking them apart until their meaning became clear. What if she fires you? She’d been replaced. She had no job waiting in the wings. Justine didn’t have the workload to hire her. If she was fired, she’d be left scrambling to find another job.

  Oh no.

  She slowed her pace as Suzanne’s office came into view.

  Thoughts of her mother barreled into her. Her mother had spent her life chasing men to take care of her instead of taking care of herself, backsliding at breakneck speed. As much as Serena loved working at the resort, and working for Justine at Shift, she didn’t want to go backward and be an employee for either company again. She’d built her life around moving forward, striving to achieve her next goal. Sure, she’d put it on hold to help Drake and the guys, but she was also growing while working with them, honing her skills, learning about business. It had been a definite move forward.

  Was she going to put her job on the line over being unable to see Drake? Was that why she was so upset?

  No. This confrontation wasn’t about going home to see her boyfriend, or even about missing his biggest moment yet. She was standing up for herself, demanding mutual respect for human beings, their time, and their happiness.

  She straightened her spine, lifted her chin, and knocked on Suzanne’s door. Suzanne waved her in. It was after six on a Friday afternoon, and Suzanne had contracts, site plans, and proposals—hours of work—spread out in front of her. Did the woman do anything other than work?

  Suzanne lifted her gaze. Her hair was pinned up in the severe bun Serena had gotten used to. She had a pencil tucked above her ear and wore a strand of pearls around her neck, adding even more class to her black-and-white dress. “Yes, Serena?” she said with an air of dignity, clearly unconcerned about whatever Serena had come to say.

  Why wouldn’t she be? The last two senior designers had walked out without notice. It was nothing she hadn’t dealt with before. Serena was a number on an employee log. A cog in the wheel. She could walk out tonight and Suzanne would have her position filled in a matter of days.

  But Serena wasn’t the type of person to walk out without notice, and she sure wasn’t going to give Suzanne a reason to fire her—or the impression that she’d stand for being treated like her plans didn’t matter.

  “I’m going to attend the event for KHB tomorrow,” she said confidently. “But I want you to know that I don’t agree with the way you handled this situation. We have worked hard to achieve the opening of this music store, regardless of where I currently work. Years of learning from one store to the next have built to this, and opening a store in the area in which Drake lives is a huge achievement, as you can imagine, since you have several locations. If this were my company, and I were the boss, I would never expect an employee to give up something so meaningful for an event that takes place on a monthly basis.” She held her breath, trying to read Suzanne’s expression.

  Suzanne pressed her lips together in a firm line. Then they tipped up at the edges, but her eyes turned cold. “Your thoughts are duly noted, but you aren’t the boss.” She turned her attention back to the documents on her desk. “Was there something else?” she asked without looking up at Serena.

  “No.” It took everything she had to hold it together and walk out the door instead of laying into her. The trouble was, Suzanne was right.

  Serena wasn’t the boss.

  Chapter Seventeen

  DRAKE CAME OUT of the stockroom of Bayside Music and Arts Saturday morning reveling in the familiar adrenaline rush that had accompanied each of the last four grand openings. Carey and Cree were busy setting up displays featuring the instruments they expected would draw the most attention. They were holding down the fort tomorrow, too. Drake knew he’d be a mess worrying about how sales went the first week, and because he tended to stress over those types of things, he planned to stop by late afternoon for a quick check-in, rather than spending the entire day watching the clock and counting customers.

  “Hey, boss.” Carey carried an electric guitar in one hand and a display stand in the other. Tall and lean with longish brown hair, an ever-present tan, and warm green eyes that made women want to know more about him, he was a good friend always willing to pitch in with the music stores. “Evan and Maddy are outside. They’re rea
dy to go set up the road signs. Unless you need them for the exterior first?”

  “I think we can handle it. We have plenty of time before people start arriving, and they usually trickle in anyway. Given the weather forecast, I’d imagine we’ll have a light turnout.”

  “Copy that.” Cree looked up from the display she was putting together. Her bright eyes and sunny disposition contrasted with her head-to-toe black, from her raven hair to her clothing and heavy military-style boots. Her Bayside Music and Arts tank top showed off her colorful tattoos. “A day at the beach or a day of shopping? No matter how good the products are, sun, sand, and hot guys in trunks and girls in bikinis always win out. But that’s what evenings are for, knocking around music stores and hanging out with your buds.”

  “Let’s hope so.” Drake headed outside and found Evan and Maddy loading signs into the back of Evan’s Jeep. They looked so young and ready to take on the world, leaning against each other’s sides like best friends. Their easy friendship reminded Drake of him and Serena through the years.

  Evan pushed from the Jeep as Drake approached. He raked a hand through his brown hair. “Hey.”

  “How’s it going?” Drake asked, though from the blush on Madison’s cheeks, he wondered if he’d actually interrupted more than a couple of friends.

  Madison tucked her long, honey-colored hair behind her ear and said, “Since it’s so early, Carey thought we should put more flyers out before setting up road signs. Is that okay?”

  “Yeah. Sounds good.” With his first store, he and Serena had done that job themselves. With his second, they’d had volunteers. Now they had volunteers, paid staff, and caterers. More importantly, they had each other in a much bigger way. If Serena couldn’t be there, at least he could feel a little closer to her by having her traditional grand-opening breakfast. He handed Evan a twenty-dollar bill and said, “Can you grab a few snickerdoodles for me?”

  “Sure.” Evan pocketed the cash. “Sudden sweet tooth?”

  “Something like that.”

  A few minutes after they pulled out, Drake was busy wrapping streamers around the posts out front when Desiree’s and Mira’s cars pulled into the lot. Their trunks popped open, and then Rick, Desiree, and Emery climbed out of Desiree’s car and Chloe and Mira stepped out of Mira’s. They grabbed bags from the trunks and headed for the store like the cavalry, each wearing a Bayside Music and Arts shirt.

  “Where do you want us, bro?” Rick asked.

  “Where’d you get those shirts?”

  Rick flashed a cocky grin. “We have our ways.”

  “The opening doesn’t start for another hour and a half,” Drake reminded them as they all said hello at once.

  “We know,” Mira said. “Serena told us what happened. I’m sorry she couldn’t be here. She was so bummed. But don’t worry. She gave us strict instructions on what to put where, and she said you’d put the black streamers out front. Too depressing.” She bumped Drake with her hip, and he stumbled back. “Let us do this part, big brother. You’re supposed to set up the sound stage.”

  The sound stage was a new addition to their grand openings, one Serena had insisted upon. She’d even spoken to the local police and arranged for a traffic cop so the event wouldn’t cause road issues. They’d argued about that. Drake didn’t think they’d have enough customers to warrant a traffic cop, but Serena had been in a stubborn mood, and she hadn’t given in.

  “You’re all here to help?” Drake turned as Violet’s motorcycle roared into the lot. “Who’s watching the inn?”

  “We forwarded the phones to the service and put up signs for the opening,” Desiree said. “Customers can track us down here if they need us.”

  Violet climbed off her bike and whipped off her helmet. “’Sup, dude? I’m ready for a major party, so where do you need me?”

  “Uh…” Overwhelmed with their support, he stammered.

  “Serena said Drake shouldn’t do the decorating,” Emery said as their friend Leanna’s old Volkswagen van pulled into the parking lot. “The balloons are here! Vi, why don’t you help Drake since you know more about sound stuff than we do.”

  “You got Leanna to help?” Although Drake was good friends with Leanna and her husband, Kurt, he hadn’t seen them in weeks. “I could have picked up the balloons.”

  Chloe set her hand on her hip with a get real expression and said, “In your truck? Please. Leanna actually wasn’t able to help. She’s picking up her sister, Bailey, at the airport. She just lent us her van.”

  Harper and Daphne climbed out of the van as Dean’s truck pulled in and parked beside it.

  “Balloon girls, ready to help!” Harper announced.

  “I’m babyless for a few hours. This is going to be so fun!” Daphne waved to Dean and Rick. “Hey, guys.”

  Drake turned to Rick and asked, “Did you know they were all coming?”

  Rick smirked and shrugged in response.

  “Who’s watching the resort?” Drake asked. He didn’t know if he should be thankful or feel like an idiot for pulling everyone away for the grand opening. He thought they’d all stop by at some point, but he’d never expected them to put their lives on hold.

  “We took a page from Des and Vi’s innkeeper’s book, turned the phones over to the service and hung up signs for the opening.” Rick patted Drake’s shoulder and said, “Relax, bro. The grand opening of your Cape store doesn’t happen every day. It’s reason to celebrate.”

  Violet grabbed Drake and Rick by the arms and dragged them away from the girls. “If I were you, I’d lie low and keep my mouth shut. Serena gave an hour-long how-to session over FaceTime this morning with all sorts of pictures of the layout and stuff.” She looked at Dean and said, “C’mon, muscles, you’re with us.”

  Drake pulled out his phone. “I need to call her. We usually set up with just us and a few employees. We don’t need this many people.”

  Violet shoved his hand down. “Of course you don’t, but Serena called Desiree and Mira, and they rallied the troops. Take it like a man. Your woman wants to help from afar. If you make her feel bad for watching out for you, I’ll break your arm.”

  “Darn, girl,” Dean said. “You’re vicious.”

  “What? I’ve got newfound respect for the woman. It takes guts to move away from everyone you know and start over.” Violet waved toward the girls hustling around the front of the store, setting up signs by the road, tying balloons to every railing they could find. “Look at them and tell me it didn’t take guts. I spent my whole life moving from one place to the next as fast as I could, and I’m not sure I could leave these neurotic, noisy, naive hen partiers for anything.” She headed for the trailer with the stage equipment. “Enough sappy stuff. Let’s get this show on the road. We’re setting up the sound stage beside the building.”

  Hours later, a local band was playing on the stage, the parking lot was packed, and there was standing room only inside and outside the music store. Drake, Rick, and Dean had kicked off the celebration by playing the first song on the stage. It had sent Drake’s mind back to their early days as a band, when they’d had dreams of going off and cutting record deals and living the high life. Those dreams had been short-lived. Losing their father had changed everything.

  The police had set up barricades around the area behind the stage and blocked the rear entrance from the back road to keep the flow of traffic moving in only one direction. Brandy had set up the food in a tent on the grass, which was also overflowing with people. She’d shown up with two catering vans, and a second shift had brought more food and supplies about twenty minutes ago. Drake had never seen so many people turn out for a music store opening. Serena must have anticipated the inordinate number of sales they’d experience, because she’d given Mira instructions on how to handle incoming stock, and a truckload of deliveries had shown up right before the opening. Drake thought it had been a mistake, but Mira assured him that it was on Serena’s list.

  Brandy sidled up to him with a
plate of food. She was a vibrant, big-boned redhead with a mass of corkscrew curls that were currently trying to escape from their tether at the base of her neck. “Hey, handsome. Serena said I was supposed to make sure you ate and didn’t spend all day taking care of everyone else and stressing out.”

  “I can’t eat. Look at this turnout, Brandy. Have you ever seen anything like it?”

  “Not for a retail opening. You know, Serena should be an event planner. I might have to pick her brain.” She nudged the plate into his hands and said, “Eat the sandwich. You need to stockpile energy for the next time you see her.”

  He smiled, imagining Serena telling her to say that. “She knows how to get me to eat.”

  “Actually, she didn’t say that,” Brandy said with a mischievous grin. “But you’re male and, you know, that makes you pretty easy to figure out.”

  He sighed and bit into the sandwich. “Mm. This is fantastic.”

  “Roast beef with horseradish, tomato, watercress, arugula—all the things you love.”

  “Thank you. I appreciate all that you’re doing today. Do we have enough food?”

  She peered in the direction of the catering tent. “We do. It’s two now and you’re closing down at six thirty, right?”

  “That’s the plan, but I honestly can’t see us kicking people out. I don’t mind paying more to keep from running out of food.”

  “We won’t run out,” she said as Rick joined them. “Serena expected this big of a crowd. I’ve got to get back to the tent. Rick, make sure he finishes that sandwich, will you?”

  “Killer turnout, bro,” Rick said as she walked away. “How are you holding up?”

  “I have no idea,” Drake said honestly. “I think I’m in a state of shock. I wish Serena were here to see it all. She must not have told me everything she did for advertising, because we’ve never had a turnout like this.”

  “She loves you, Drake. You know that, right? She said as much in the card she left me when she moved.”

  “She left you a card, too?”