by Taryn Quinn
“August, it’s three.” Her whisper was strained.
“Good, that means I can sleep for another three hours.”
“No. You were supposed to go home.” She hopped off the bed and then my jeans hit my head.
“Jesus, Kin. Who cares?”
“I do. Goddess, my neighbors will see your truck out there and…”
“What? You have a boy—guy over. Big deal.” I almost said boyfriend, but that was asking for an argument this late at night.
“And what if Ivy notices you didn’t come home?” Her hair was wild around her shoulders, and she kept pushing it out of her face as she looked under the bed.
“My boots are at the foot of the bed.”
“Right. Thank you.” She scurried around and found them, setting them on the floor beside my side of the mattress.
I sighed and sat up. “Kin, just come back to bed. I’ll leave before—”
“You know Ivy is up at weird hours to feed the baby.”
I flipped the sheet back. “And she knows I fall asleep at the shop all the time.”
“August, we’ve talked about this.”
“No, you talked and I—you know what? Never mind. I’m exhausted.” I pulled on my jeans and shoved my feet into my boots. It was my own fault. I knew she wasn’t ready.
I just had to throttle back.
She was twisting my shirt into a mangled mess. I stepped in front of her. The little low watt string lights that framed her bookcase were the only light. “It’s fine, Kin.” I eased my shirt out of her hand and kissed her forehead. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Okay. August?”
“Yeah?” I stopped in the doorway, but I didn’t turn back to her.
“Thanks for the pizza and the flowers.”
“You’re welcome.” I flashed a smile over my shoulder.
At least that was something.
Sixteen
I ran to the back room. I had a special internet order for pickup, and the wind chimes on my front door jangled again.
It was a busy day. And I was grateful for it.
So very much. Even if my shirt was now sticking to my back and my Spotify playlist had run out and the app was picking music for me.
Unfortunately, it still hadn’t learned what I loved. It definitely wasn’t Justin Bieber. But I was too busy to even check my phone and choose another playlist.
My shop phone rang as I was heading back into the front of the store.
I blew out a breath as I skidded to a stop. A trio of women were holding up different pairs of jeans against them. The ones I’d spent umpteen hours on hand-embroidering—and that I loved with all my heart. Finally, someone had found them.
I’d posted pictures to my Facebook group and website, as well as my Instagram. While I had tons of social proof—and who didn’t enjoy likes and hearts on their posts—I still hadn’t sold a single pair of them.
In fact, I was ready to bring down the price for the Spring Walk in town.
Almost ready.
I was being stubborn, but for once, I wanted to see if I could get a good profit off something I was upselling. Most of the time, I didn’t mind making only a little of the proceeds on my markups. I turned over a lot of items to make up for the narrow margin of profit, but these were special.
My poor pricked fingers said so, anyway. That and my lower back pain from sitting cross-legged and hunched over to embroider for hours on end.
On the brighter side, August was good at massaging away my aches. Depending on angles, he also caused some too.
Whoosh. Not thinking about that right now. Or how amazing his strong hands were.
“These are perfect for your trip. I bet they’d make your ass look amazing.” The blond’s voice was sweet and surprisingly husky. She was wearing an armful of bracelets and had three of my most expensive crystals in one of the wicker baskets I’d found at a flea market over her arm.
Sales. Yes!
“Let me know if you ladies need anything,” I said as I ran past them to the back of the store. Another two customers came in and I felt a headache brewing.
Did I eat?
Was I pregnant?
Get a hold of yourself, Kinleigh.
It was far too soon to know if there was a baby on the horizon. And oh my goddess, there were another two people at the jeans display.
“I saw these on Instagram and had to come in,” my new customer said.
I pressed my lips together to hide a goofy smile as I climbed the few steps into the clothing-heavy zone of my shop. It was the only place I could keep clear to do photo shoots for my website. “Hey, Cathy. I found your order.”
The customer in question had her arms full of a lamp and was pointing at a chandelier hung in the corner over one of my boudoir setups. Her sweet round face was lit with excitement. “Is that for sale?”
“Everything in here is for sale—well, except for my big pink couch in the dressing area. I know a guy who could make one for you though.”
“Oh, that nice young man downstairs maybe?”
“That’s the one. August Beck’s furniture is beyond compare.”
As were some of his other attributes. Which I was not focusing on right now.
“I have been thinking about a new bedroom set for my twenty-fifth anniversary.”
“Oh, that’s wonderful. When is it?”
“November.”
“I’d definitely talk to him. I have one of his beds over here if you want to take a look.” I set her box with her online order on the settee I’d moved out of storage yesterday. I’d been stuffing the shop full of items for the last few weeks, hoping to capitalize on the town-wide sidewalk sale.
“Oh, I’d love to.”
“Let me take these.” I added her finds to the pile.
“Thank you, dear. I just love your shop.”
“I’m so glad. I love to go treasure hunting, as you can probably tell.”
“Oh, I can. Each time I come in there’s something–several somethings—new.”
I beamed at her. “One of a kind items are just waiting for the right buyer to find them in my attic.”
That sounded a little woo woo, but so what? I truly believed it.
She patted my arm. “I just love that. I could spend all day looking around.”
I tucked my arm through hers. “Wait until you see the bed. Maitland Enterprises was tearing down one of the old mansions on the lake. I dragged August over there to gather some reclaimed wood off the beach and what they left behind in the demolition. We ended up with three truckbeds full of prime pieces.”
Cathy breathed out a happy sigh as we stopped at the foot of the bed. “Oh, it looks like it belongs on that Joanna Gaines program.”
“Doesn’t it?”
“Shiplap!” We both said together.
She immediately went to the oversized pillows and linen duvet I’d repurposed.
The four poster bed had been entirely built with the reclaimed wood. The headboard was a simple design of slatted pieces August and I had painstakingly picked out to match. I swallowed at the memory of how long it had taken for us to get the warped wood to straighten out. We’d put it together last fall—before the kiss.
He’d grumbled the entire time about using imperfect wood until the final project came together. The mix of old, weathered ash and August’s modern style made for a perfect piece. The posts were simple, but I’d prettied it up with gray muslin and fairy lights to make it even more magical.
Cathy traced her fingers along the little bench I’d convinced August to make out of the last of the scrap wood. “I will definitely talk to your young man.”
I opened my mouth to say he wasn’t mine, but she was on a roll.
“But I think I need this today.” She tapped the bench.
“I can wrap it up no problem. Would you like the vase too?”
She nodded and drew a light touch over the pussywillows and eucalyptus I’d arranged inside the blue glass. “The green
ery too.”
“You got it.”
“You’re quite the saleswoman.”
That I was. “If you like farmhouse style, I have a lot of wonderful Americana items too.”
“My husband is going to hate you.”
I grinned. “Might as well make it worth it.”
“I like how you think.”
I led her over to where I kept most of spring-themed pieces near the front of the store. By the time I got back to the women picking through my pile of jeans, the five of them were chatting like old friends. The closer I got to them, the more I wished I’d called Luna back about that position. Especially with the sale going on.
But no one could know the store like I did. And training someone seemed like more work than I’d get back in time and sales.
“Do you see a size eight?” a stunning redhead asked as she flipped over a huge pile of denim.
“I made piles by size to find my own. I think—yep, here you go.” The blond with the jangling bracelets plucked two pairs out from the neat piles she’d made.
“Perfect.”
“Do you need to try any—oh.” Recognition finally dented my fried brain. We’d never actually met in person, only online. “Luna?”
“Hey, girl.” She set down her basket, now overflowing with jeans as well as more crystals. “Your place is amazing.” Luna rushed toward me, her exuberant personality the same with or without a video chat window. She threw her arms around me, knocking me back a step. She smelled like wildflowers and happiness. “I can’t believe it took us so long to take the trip out.”
“Mostly because tying her down in the car for forty minutes takes a lot of bungee cords and threats.”
I peered around Luna’s voluminous curls. “Ryan, you too?”
She waved. “And we brought our friend April.”
Another sunny blond, this one with a yard of wavy curls, smiled at me with a little wave. She also had an armful of clothes. “I can’t believe how many cool things you have.”
Ryan tucked a glossy lock of long dark hair behind her ear. “April’s shopping for her vacation, even though it’s not for months.”
“I happen to like to think ahead, unlike some people.”
Ryan shrugged. “I like to go where the wind blows.” She stepped forward and gave me a hug—nothing like Luna’s bone-crusher, but it was lovely to know they were both as friendly in person. “Luna wanted to see if she could convince you to give her that interview.”
“Way to be chill, Ry.”
Ryan laughed and flipped a pair of jeans over her shoulder since she couldn’t fit any more in her arms. “The only way to get her moving is to push sometimes.”
Somehow I didn’t think that only pertained to Luna.
Luna sighed. “Being a cardslinger doesn’t steadily pay the bills. Though I am pretty flush at the moment,” she lifted the packed basket, “hence the shopping.”
“You could make a steady income if you marketed like I told you to,” April piped up.
“I’m choosy who I read for. You’d know that if you let me do your damn cards.”
April’s eyebrows snapped down and she folded her arms over a sizable pile of clothes including my jeans. She’d chosen all of the ones with the crochet patchwork instead of cloth. “Hell no. There are certain things I just don’t want to know.”
The two other women were obviously listening as they dug through the pile of jeans.
“Sorry, Kin. Not like you want us to shout to the rooftops that we read tarot cards.” Luna’s wide smile said she was less than repentant about it.
“Actually, would you guys be into doing a tarot night here at the shop? Maybe we can do a little class on crystals and incense. Then maybe you can do some readings?”
Before Luna could open her mouth, the two women on the other side of the table practically shouted, “Yes.”
I laughed. “Looks like we might have a little bit of interest.”
The redhead held up a finger. “I, for one, have a whole book club who would be into it.”
“Oh?” Luna turned toward her with a tilt to her head. “What do you read?”
“Sexy romance novels and drink lots of wine.”
Luna reached out and touched her arm. “Tell me more.”
The two of them started chatting animatedly about a half dozen books and authors I’d never heard of. Then again, I didn’t have a lot of time to read between the store and my own projects—and August.
I shook myself out of my stupor. “Can I unlock a dressing room for you?” I asked the reading club girl’s friend.
“That would be great.”
“Ry, I’ll be right back.”
Ryan waved me off. “I have plenty to keep me entertained.”
It was even more obvious I needed to get some assistance in the store. Even if they just ran the register while I took care of the floor, it would be a huge help. Foot traffic would only be increasing with the nicer weather and the monthly farmer’s market that cycled into the park this summer. I just hated to spend money on the business that didn’t include merchandise for the floor.
But then there was Luna right there. As if I’d asked the universe for her.
I made small talk with the short-haired woman and set her up with a glass of lime water. Then it was a mad rush to check out people and I had to SOS August to help me take down the chandelier Cathy wanted. There was no way I could monkey my way up there with the now ten customers in the store.
I was ringing out the book club girls—who were holding business cards from both my counter and Ryan’s stealthy pass—when I heard the chimes of my door again.
Instead of a customer, August’s wide shoulders blocked the streaming rays of late afternoon sun. I stood up straighter and the exhaustion and overwhelm dissipated when he smiled at me.
Ryan gave me a narrow-eyed glance then followed my eyeline. Her eyes widened and a slow smile spread across her face. “Huh.”
I looked back down at what I was doing and refolded the table runner that I’d turned inside out. Goddess, he was a distraction.
He stopped at the desk and flipped his baseball cap around backwards. August in work mode. That shouldn’t be as hot as it was.
He nodded to the line of people with a slow smile. “Ladies.”
The immediate response of at least half of them made my toes curl in my shoes. Dammit, what were they looking at?
“Which chandelier did you need help with?”
Cathy raised her hand. “I can show you.”
“Can I have a store helper like that?” Came a voice from the back of the line.
I cleared my throat and kept ringing people out. Ryan moved out of line with Luna and April. I tried to ignore the fact that they were obviously conferring. They could only guess what was between me and August. Okay, maybe more than guess since my stupid skin was flushed.
I just focused on one customer at a time.
He came around the back of the desk a few minutes later and muscled the heavy fixture into the back room. He’d helped me before when it came to some of the larger things in my shop, so I knew he was capable. Even if the control freak in me wanted to go check on him.
Suddenly, the customer in front of me glanced up over my shoulder.
“Need anything else?” August’s voice was low in my ear.
A full body shiver was my first response. Then I lost words. His calloused finger skimmed under my shirt to stroke along my lower back. There was no way anyone could see him, but my nipples were freaking beacons to anyone who was paying attention.
“Kin?”
I swallowed. “I’m okay.” I looked up and his cheek was right by mine. The sharp tang of eucalyptus washed over me, and I barely controlled the urge to take a deep breath. It must’ve been a sealing day down in the workshop.
His lashes lowered as his gaze drifted to my mouth and then to my very annoyingly perky nipples. “I’ll see you tonight?” His voice was barely a whisper.
I
nodded.
He straightened and his touch was gone. “Mrs. Brown, I’ll bring that chandelier down for you.” He lifted the bubble-wrapped light fixture and tucked it into one of the oversized boxes I kept next to the desk.
“Thank you, August.” Cathy smiled his way before returning her attention to me.
He gave her a quick and friendly smile before he headed to the door.
Cathy handed me her credit card. “I really like your young man.”
“He’s not—”
“Even an independent woman needs a little help. He’s got a very sweet way about him.”
Until he flips me on my stomach and fucks me within an inch of my life. But sure, yeah, he’s a sweetheart.
I simply smiled. What else could I do?
Especially since the total I punched in for her order would put me well over my sales goals for the week—heck, the month. And I’d figured higher with the Spring Walk.
Ryan, Luna, and April had disappeared. Once I finally rang everyone up, I searched them out. They were in the dressing room area with a pile of shirts, jeans, and a few of the crochet dresses I’d bought from a local crafter.
April had layered the crochet dress on over a flirty black slip that made it seem more like sexy date wear than I’d considered. Maybe I should whip up a few simple tank dresses to sell near the others.
“I knew it.” Luna clapped from the floor. She was sitting on one of the bamboo beach mats. A package of trail mix stuck out of the top of her bucket bag and four cans of wine spritzers were sweating on the tray I used for my lime water pitcher.
“Are one of those for me?”
“Yes!” Luna popped up and brought me the green can. “You deserve it.”
“I don’t know about that.”
April was swishing the skirt of the dress in one of the three mirrors I had set up along the side as she munched on a pretzel. “Are you sure it’s me though?”
“It’s vacation you, which is totally separate.” Luna flitted over to her friend. “I mean, look at those miles of legs. And we know you can tan, you bitch.”
April grinned at her through the mirror. “I sure can.”
Luna gave a lusty sigh. “Takes me three weeks of daily beach time for a hint of beige and then it’s gone in three days.”
