Chapter 3
CHAPTER THREE
Roxy
“You’re hired,” I say to the fifth person I’ve interviewed today. She’s the first one I’ve felt a vibe with and she’s also smart, funny, and has a great résumé.
“Seriously?” Jocelyn Martinez asks, her eyes going wide.
“Yeah. I mean, I can only put you on part-time for the first three months, but I’m hoping by month four I can increase your hours,” I explain for the second time since the interview began.
She studies me with her big brown eyes for a long beat and then holds out a hand. “I accept,” she says, her rosy lips tipping up into a big, toothy smile.
I shake her hand. “Welcome aboard,” I reply.
Jocelyn is a graduate student at a nearby university. She’s studying literature and wants to be a teacher or a professor. Her favorite genre is romance. We spent most of the interview discussing our favorite books. And by her third favorite, I knew she would make the perfect employee for my bookstore.
She looks around us. I started ordering books and merchandise last week and the boxes have begun arriving. I haven’t even started organizing anything yet.
“You really don’t want me to start until you open in a few weeks, because it looks like you could use the help,” she says as she stands and walks over to a table of boxes.
I look around us. I have all the furniture set up. The paint is dry on the walls. All my financial stuff is set up and I’m moved into the small studio apartment in the back. It’s essentially ready to go other than getting everything out and doing inventory.
“Maybe you can come in on Friday?” I suggest as I realize that I probably do need her to work a day or two before we open. “I won’t be able to pay you at the rate we discussed until we’re open,” I explain. I have already opened our online store, but that is just part of the income for my small business and not nearly enough to pay my bills, the store’s bills, and an employee.
She waves me off as she looks inside a box sitting near her. She squeals. “I’ve been dying to read this book. I didn’t think it came out for another week.”
“Yeah. I know someone at the publisher and they got me a box of them. I can’t sell them until after next week, which works out since we won’t open until after the release date.”
“That’s awesome. I definitely want to buy one…with my employee discount,” she adds with a smirk.
I shake my head and laugh. “I’ll set one aside for each of us.”
“Sweet. OK, well, I’m going to head out to class. I’ll see you Friday. I guess let me know what time,” she says as she makes her way to the door.
“Will do. I’ll get all the paperwork together and we can fill that out, then,” I say. She nods as she leaves and I sit back down. Holy shitballs! I just hired my first employee. I can’t believe I’m actually doing this.
I pull out my phone and text my one and only true friend, Taylor Perkins.
Me: I just hired an employee!
Tay: Holy crap! You’re like a real businesswoman! I’m so proud of you!
Me: IRK (big eyes emoji)
Tay: I wish I could be there for your opening day. (Sad face emoji)
Me: Me too (crying emoji)
Tay: I promise I’ll come see the store as soon as I’m stateside.
Me: You better!
Tay: Pinky promise.
I smile and set my phone down. Taylor just took a job in Spain as an English teacher. I’m thrilled for her, but I’m also sad that I won’t see her for at least six months. I really need to make some more friends.
I text my sibling chat next. I’m the second oldest of four kids. My older sister, Cybil, lives in New York City and teaches economics at NYU. My brother, Jasper, works for a big software company and does analytics or something. I never really understand his job when he tries to explain it. And my little sister, Isla, goes to the same grad school as Jocelyn where she’s studying marketing. They are all super successful and smart. Meanwhile, I barely graduated college with a degree in communications. I have had a string of jobs, almost as long as my list of guys I’ve gone on one date with aside from Richard, my jerk ex. I can’t seem to get either of those things right. So when our grandmother died and left us each some money, I decided to do something totally crazy. My family thinks I’m making a big mistake by sinking my inheritance into a bookstore, but I felt stifled living with my parents and I knew if I didn’t try making my passion a reality, I’d always regret it. So here I am, trying to make one of my dreams come true. I just hope I don’t fail.
* * *
A knock on my door has me pulling my head out of a box of books. I walk over and open the door to find Carly standing there.
“Hey, I’m not sure if Al told you, but we have a weekly happy hour up on the roof if you want to stop by. It starts at five,” she says.
“Oh, I…” I trail off as I look down at my watch and then over at my boxes. It’s quarter till five. I should keep going but a drink and social interaction sounds like a better plan. Al had mentioned something about Thursday happy hours, but I’d forgotten. I’ve been so busy that I haven’t met most of the people in the building yet. I don’t want anyone else mad at me over noises, so it’d probably be best to get to know them in a friendly setting just in case other people end up with concerns like Mr. Porter. “Uh, sure, yeah, I’ll come up.”
“Cool. I just need to go get Ava and then I’ll meet you up there,” she says with a wave.
I wave back and then finish going through a box of romantasy books before I head up to the roof. I’m embarrassed to admit that I don’t know how to get up there. I start up the stairs and nearly run into someone as I turn the corner to walk up the next flight.
I start to flail backward and strong hands grab my shoulders.
“Whoa!” a voice says as my eyes trail up to meet…Grayson Porter. Fuck.
“Uh, sorry, I…uh…” I trail off unsure of what to say.
“Where’s the fire?” he asks, looking around.
I frown. “I’m running up the stairs, not down.”
“Right.” He smirks.
I fight every instinct to roll my eyes. Why does this man have the uncanny ability to get under my skin? First, he starts his introduction to me with a complaint and now he has the audacity to tease me. What the hell?
I step back and his hands release me. “Well, uh, I guess I’ll see you later,” I say as I continue walking up the next flight of stairs as fast as I can to get away from Mr. Grumpypants Porter.
I get to the top landing and look around. I see a door that I think goes to Al’s apartment and then another door. I push it open and find a narrow set of stairs with a door up at the top of them. I walk up them, hoping I found the right way to the roof. How have I not explored the building yet? I’ve been here for almost two weeks.
I slowly turn the doorknob and push. A sigh of relief leaves me as I hear people chatting. The warm summer air circles around me, enveloping me like a hug. I step onto what appears to be a patio made of wood as I look around me. There’s a raised platform with a hot tub. It’s gated off and the hot tub has a cover on it. There’s a greenhouse that looks brimming with plants. There’s a covered deck area that has…an outdoor kitchen and bar. Damn, this place is great.
Al is behind the bar, with a martini shaker in one hand and a frosted glass in the other. A man sits on a barstool in front of him, and he is enormous like he could take on two or three men in a fight and win, hands down. He has blondish hair, but aside from that, all I can see is his huge-ass body.
There’s a tall man sitting next to him with dark hair. At a table near the bar, two little old ladies sit chatting with Jessa and Troy Fletcher who I already know. I’m happy to see Troy. He’s helped a lot with little things in the store that needed fixing.
I start to walk over when the door flies open, nearly sending me across the roof. I turn to find Grayson staring at me. Of course, it’s fucking Grayson Porter again. Can I not start running into another neighbor?
“Maybe try standing not in front of doors,” he suggests as he walks past me to join the other two men at the bar.
I try not to narrow my eyes at him as I begin walking over to say hi to Al O’Brien.
The door opens again and a woman with curly red hair and a short, thin man with perfectly sculpted brown hair walk through the doorway.
“Oh, you must be Roxy,” the woman says as her eyes lock with mine.
“Uh, guilty,” I answer.
She holds out her hand. “I’m Cam and this is my roommate, Drew. We live on the fifth floor in number eight. It’s nice to meet you.”
I shake her hand and then Drew’s.
“Nice to meet you both,” I reply as Carly and Ava come out the door.
“Oh good, you met Cam and Drew. Ava, go have Mr. Al make you a Shirley Temple,” she says as she pats her daughter’s butt, shoving her in the direction of the bar. I watch Ava run over and the large man scoops her up in his arms. She sits on his lap and begins speaking with the other man.
“Come on. We’ll introduce you to everyone,” Carly says as she links arms with me. “Well, everyone but Kasen. He’s away for work again. But you’ll probably see his cousin, Elliott. He feeds Kasen’s sea anemones every week.”
I stop walking. “Sea anemones?”
She nods. “Don’t ask. Kasen is…unique.” I nod and we continue walking. She takes me over to the bar.
“Hutch, Bray, this is Roxy, our newest resident and owner of what is going to be a romance bookstore.”
“Nice to meet you,” the large man says. “I’m Hutch Cromwell.”
Hutch Cromwell. Why does that sound familiar? I give him a big smile. “Nice to meet you, Hutch.”
“And I’m Brayden Murphy,” says the man next to him. I reach over Ava to shake his hand.
“Grayson,” I acknowledge my neighbor and apparent mortal enemy.
Grayson nods toward me but busies himself with his phone. Whatever.
“What’ll it be?” Al asks as he tosses a dish towel on his shoulder.
“I didn’t know you were a bartender,” I tease.
He laughs. “My wife, Edith, and I always loved any excuse to host friends.”
Cam leans toward me. “Try his apple martini.”
“OK, I’ll have an apple martini,” I state as I lean on the countertop of the bar.
“Coming right up,” Al replies as he gets to work making my drink. He sets two martini glasses down and splits the drink between them.
“Thanks, Al,” Cam says as she takes the one closest to her.
He nods and hands me mine. “Enjoy. I’m glad Carly grabbed you. I completely forgot to remind you about happy hour.”
“No worries,” I assure him as Cam motions for me to follow her. We walk over to the table with what I assume are more neighbors.
“Everyone, this is Roxy,” she says as she motions to me like I’m a letter on the board of Wheel of Fortune .
“This is Margie and Cornelia. They live on the fourth floor in number seven. And this is Jessa and Troy Fletcher. They help Al run the building,” she says with a wave of her hand.
“Hi, Troy and Jessa.” I turn to Carly. “We’ve met. Troy has helped get the store fixed up.” Turning back to the older women, I add, “Nice to meet you all.”
“Lovely to meet you, dear,” Cornelia says.
“Everything OK in the apartment?” Troy asks.
“Oh, uh, yes. Everything is great.” I smile before taking a sip of the martini. “Damn, that is good,” I add.
“Told you,” Cam says.
Drew pulls over a chair and pats it. “Have a seat and tell us all about you. We love gossip.”
I nearly choke on my drink. “I—I’m sorry, what?”
Cam laughs. “What Drew means is that we don’t get new tenants very often, so he’s excited to meet you. Right, Drew?” She glares at him.
Drew shrugs and fingers the rim of his glass. “Something like that. A romance bookstore, huh?” His eyes meet mine.
“Do you like romance novels?” I ask him.
“Oh, honey, Drew reads books that make Fifty Shades of Grey look tame,” Margie says with a giggle.
“Fuck off, Marge, you practically devoured the last series I gave you,” he teases.
And just like that, I start to fall in love with my new neighbors.