Broken & Torn (Emerald Falls #1)

4. 4

4

PARKER

“ Y ou’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” I accidentally say out loud.

I can’t believe what I’m seeing. The girl who rear-ended me the other day is currently in my family’s bookstore, mirroring my shock.

“What the hell are you doing here?” My defenses go up immediately after the shock subsides.

Her lips press into a frown. “Unluckily for both of us, I think I’m your new coworker.”

My dad comes jogging up and looks between the two of us, as if he’s trying to put the pieces together. I look at him in disbelief.

He clears his throat and gestures towards me, “Lyla, this is Parker.” He then gestures towards her. “Son, this is the new employee I was telling you about.”

“No.”

My dad’s head spins in my direction and I clench my teeth. No way, this is not happening. I won’t allow it.

“Hire someone else.”

My dad looks at me with sympathy written all over his face. I know in that moment that he had known where she was from and chose not to tell me. He knows that after Annie, I’d written off people who weren’t from small towns like I was. She had been living proof that people who lived in the city had different values and different ideas of how to live life. She had been from Calgary and all she ended up caring about was what someone could offer her—and I had fallen short.

He flinches away from me, clearly seeing the hurt written on my face in the form of a scowl.

“Lyla, could you give my son and I a moment please? You can watch the front while we have a chat.”

She finally tears her gaze away from mine and smiles at my dad.

“Of course.”

I snarl, “No way in hell is she staying up there all by herself.”

I barely get the sentence out before my dad is hauling me away. I yank out of his grasp and storm towards the back office. Once we enter, he shuts the door and I start pacing back and forth while he takes a seat behind the desk.

“Parker, I know you’re mad, but I promise she’s trustworthy.”

I laugh sarcastically. “You don’t even know her.”

He studies me for a moment before he heaves a sigh.

“I know you have a hard time trusting people with the store as it is, but I honestly think she seems like a great young woman. Her references gushed about her, she was here five minutes early this morning.” He squares his jaw, “And it’s still my store. I hired her. If she ends up being terrible, I’ll gladly take the heat for that decision.”

I brace myself for his next words.

“She stays.”

My jaw tenses and I shove my hands in my pockets. As much as I want to fight him on this, he’s right. I don’t have any ownership of the store. Not legally, anyway. As much as I hate this, I would always cave to what my dad wanted. The man has given me so much love and stability, even after my mother passed. He still showed up for my sister and I while in the midst of his own grief and I love him something fierce. I roll my neck and take a steadying breath.

“Fine. But you should know that she rear ended me on her way into town and has an attitude problem.”

My dad lets out a deep laugh and looks extremely amused.

“You sure she has an attitude problem? Seems more likely that you opened that snarky mouth of yours and she reacted to your energy.”

I put a hand to my chest dramatically.

“You wound me, father.”

His laughter continues.

“Just taking a lucky guess, is all.”

I run a hand down my face and scratch at my beard. I know I can be an asshole and I’m not everyone’s cup of tea. Maybe I overreacted a little bit, but she seems as hot headed as me. I won’t tell my dad that because I sense it would fall on deaf ears. But I saw a side of her that I already don’t like.

Lyla Thomas rubbed me the wrong way and I would not let that go anytime soon.

We make our way up to the front of the store, where Lyla stands behind the register ringing up a customer. I take a moment to study her. She’s smiling and laughing with Miss Hutchins, who seems delighted to be in her presence. My dad elbows me in the ribs and raises his brow as a smile takes over his face. It seems that everyone Lyla has met so far is smitten with her. Well, except for me. My dad approaches Miss Hutchins and shakes her hand.

“I see you two have become well acquainted. Bev, this is our new employee, Lyla.”

“Ah, yes. We were chatting about how she just moved here and she’s been telling me about how she’s an artist. I would love to have you in the studio sometime.”

Lyla beams at the older woman and looks genuinely excited at the prospect of spending time with her. Beverly runs the art studio in town. She takes in students of all ages, as well as providing the space for local artists to work on their own creations. They do pottery, painting, drawing, you name it. She’s known to be a little quirky, but she’s a sweet woman who loves connecting with other artistic souls.

“I would love to see your space,” Lyla responds.

I throw my hands in the air and make an exasperated sound. All three of them turn towards me. My dad shakes his head in disapproval. Bev looks at me with amusement. Lyla stares daggers at me. Her expression slowly morphs from hostility, into mischief.

The next words out her mouth have me grinding my teeth.

“You know, lots of people find me very charming. You will too one day.”

I scoff, “I wouldn’t hold your breath.”

“I’m up for the challenge. We’ll be best pals before you know it.”

She gives me a shit-eating grin and her green eyes sparkle with amusement. She’s trying to get under my skin and make me react. I can see the delight written all over her face.

I square my shoulders. “Sorry, sweetheart, but you’ll have to find someone else to go shopping and get manicures with.”

My dad turns to Bev and apologizes for my behavior while escorting her out of the store. The door chimes and Lyla and I stand silently, glaring at one another.

I break the silence first.

“You know, it might be a good idea to keep that temper at bay around me. While we’re on shift together, I’m your boss. My dad may be the owner, but I have seniority over you. So watch the attitude and stay out of my way.”

She tenses at my words and crosses her arms over her chest .

“And as someone who plans to take over this business, maybe you should have a little respect for your employees instead of being a jackass every chance you get.”

I mirror her and cross my arms over my own chest at that. I’m not used to women fighting with me and calling me out on my shit. This is uncharted territory, but I won’t back down that easily.

“Respect is earned.” I state simply.

“Respect is something you should give to everyone freely, unless they prove they don’t deserve it.” She rolls her eyes. “I’m a human being, just like you. I have feelings, and I have every right to be given respect when I’ve done nothing to you. This,” she gestures between us, “needs to change. Otherwise I will continue to treat you the way you’ve treated me. It’s pretty simple, really. Be kind and respectful, and I will be those things in return. Treat me like the dirt on your shoe? You’ll get it served right back to you.”

I clench my fists and take a deep breath to calm my anger.

Is she right? Yes .

Do I like it? No.

“Fine, I won’t bite your head off every time we work together. But don’t think for a second that means we’re friends, and I still don’t trust you with this store. Because in a few months, you’ll be gone, ready to run back to the city where you can get a pumpkin spice latte.”

“Hey, don’t diss pumpkin spice lattes. They’re like fall in a cup.”

I groan. Of course she likes those stupid fucking drinks.

“Whatever. It’s still true and I will be waiting to tell my dad I told you so.”

Her expression abruptly turns fierce at that and she storms over and jabs a finger into my chest.

“You know what? You’re lucky to have someone like Dennis. A dad who loves you and would do anything in the world to make you happy,” she snarls up towards my face. “I will still be here because your dad trusts me, and I don’t take that lightly. He’s an amazing man and he deserves better from you.”

I startle at that. I’m not sure what I said to trigger her reaction, but her eyes are blazing and her face has a red tint. Suddenly, her eyes convey shock, as if she can’t believe she said that to me. She takes a few steps back and clears her throat.

“I just meant that you should cut him some slack. He trusts me and I know you don’t trust me yet, but you will. I know how important this store is to your family and I promise that it’s safe with me.”

She sighs.

“I’m sorry that we got off on the wrong foot. Just give me a chance to prove to you that I’m a good person.”

Her eyes widen.

“I mean employee. A good employee.”

She flinches away, as if she just revealed a weak spot to her enemy. Which she did.

Lyla Thomas deeply cares about what people think of her.

Interesting.

I run a hand through my hair and take a defeated breath. I don’t have to like her, but I have to be somewhat civil with her at work until I can prove to my dad that she isn’t a good fit. I can do that.

“Fine. You get one chance and if you do anything to betray my trust or lead me to believe you’re not serious about this job, you’re gone.”

Would my dad listen to me? Maybe not. But she doesn’t need to know that.