Chapter 13
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Roxy
The signs are up, the inventory is audited, and I’m mentally prepping for a soft opening with family and friends in just a few days. After my near kiss with Gray, I just want to bury myself in work. I need a happily ever after and I don’t think Gray would want that, or at least I assume he doesn’t.
“What are you frowning about?” Jocelyn asks as she makes little party favor bags for our guests. After the whole dress thing, I had to tell her about Grayson. I’m playing it coy on our social media because the last thing I need is family and my new neighbors asking about it. Gray and I will need to talk about what to say to everyone in the building. But we’ll cross that bridge later.
“I think we almost kissed last night,” I blurt out and then slap my hand over my mouth. Shit, why did I have to TMI that?
Her eyebrows shoot up. “With Grayson?”
I nod, letting my hand fall to my side.
“Wow. I thought you said this was just a fake thing,” she muses as she looks over at me while still folding bookstore T-shirts.
“It is,” I assure her, but she gives me a pointed look and I roll my eyes. “I mean, we’re meeting Tuesday to discuss it.”
“The almost kiss?”
“No! The whole fake-dating thing,” I correct her with an air of exasperation.
“Alright, chill. I was just asking. So, what are you going to wear?”
I roll my eyes. “Clothes, Jocelyn, clothes.”
“Oh come on, you should wear—” She’s interrupted by a knock at the door. I look over where we’ve taken down the brown paper on the window and find Carly standing there waving and smiling.
Jocelyn walks over and unlocks the door.
“Hey, sorry, I just saw your window was uncovered and I know you’re having your soft opening in like a week right?” she asks.
I nod. “Yep. Everyone in the building will get invites later this week. It’ll just be friends and family and a few bloggers, authors, and readers that I know well.”
“Fun. I can’t wait.” She pauses and I know she’s not here about the soft opening because she’s nervously shifting her weight from one foot to the other.
“What’s up?” I prod.
“You mentioned you wanted to date, and I was wondering if you had found anyone yet,” she says.
“Oh, uh, sort of, why?” I ask.
“Oh, never mind, then. I was going to try to really sell you on the guys in the building,” she laughs.
Jocelyn leans on the desk and crosses her arms. “Which guys?”
Carly’s gaze looks toward her. “Are you looking to date?”
She shrugs. “Maybe.”
“Is there more to add from our last discussion about the guys in the building?” I ask, curious what she’ll say. A little more intel never hurt, right? And we’ve already talked about this, so I’m interested in what more she has to share.
Jocelyn shoots me a raised eyebrow and I glare at her, willing her to keep quiet.
“Well, there’s Hutch. Like I said before, he’s a cinnamon roll for sure. He’s just a sweetie. He’s silly and fun. But he has a serious side to him too. And obviously, he’s adorable. Then there’s Kasen. Honestly, Kasen is a bit of a mystery. I feel like I know him, but not really, if you know what I mean?”
“What’s his deal anyway? Like, why is everyone worried about who checks on the sea anemones?” I ask.
“The what?” Jocelyn asks. I realize I haven’t filled her in on this interesting tidbit.
“Oh, he loves sea creatures. He’s a master diver. He was in the Navy, special ops. And then when he got injured, they honorably discharged him. He’s totally fine, just not fit for full service anymore. He works for a contractor that sets up security software for various other government contractors and sometimes governments. He’s, like, really smart. I think everyone is worried because his cousin, Elliott, always checks on things. And he hasn’t replied to our texts this week. Honestly, I’m not that concerned yet, but if he doesn’t reply by next week, I will be,” she explains.
“Oh, OK. He sounds interesting,” I state.
“He is. You’ll see when you meet him. Grayson, who you know,” she says as she gives me a look that either is curious or knowing, but I’m not about to test which one.
“Sort of,” I say with a shrug because I want her opinion.
“Well, he’s a brilliant musician as you heard at happy hour. He’s very smart, like genius smart. His family is super rich, but he left the family business to pursue a music career. I think that didn’t go over very well. He had a girlfriend when he first moved here, but they broke up. Otherwise, he’s just a good guy. He might come off as a little…”
“Aggressive?” I ask.
“Irritating?” Jocelyn suggests.
Carly giggles. “Strong-minded,” she settles on.
“What about Brayden?” I question. I see her face flush a little.
“Yeah, he’s great. He’s a doctor. He’s been working a lot of night shifts at the ER, which is awesome for when I need help with Ava if I can’t get home after school. He’s friendly and kind,” she says.
“So, fuck, marry, kiss,” Jocelyn states deadpan.
I nudge her arm. “Jocelyn!”
“What? It’s the greatest game. So?” she asks Carly.
Carly’s upper body shakes with laughter. “OMG! One time Cam and I played that game in the jacuzzi. I think I said…hmmm… Fuck Hutch because…I mean former athlete, so…the muscles.” She pauses and laughs. “This is so ridiculous because most of them are like brothers to me now, so ewww! But uh, kiss Kasen because he has that whole mysterious thing going on. And marry either Grayson or Brayden because they seem to have their shit together for the most part, especially Brayden.”
She looks over at me and so does Jocelyn.
“What? I don’t even know Kasen yet. I’m not sure I can play appropriately,” I say quickly as I feel a blush creep up my face.
“So, just play along with who you know,” Jocelyn counters, crossing her arms.
“What about you?” I ask her. She’d met most of my neighbors between going to the coffee shop across the street and people coming and going from the door to the building next to the shop door.
“Marry Hutch, I love me some cinnamon roll. Fuck Kasen, because he sounds like a wild time. And kiss Brayden, because he seems nice,” she says, giving me a look like this should be easy.
Sighing, I lean back against a bookshelf. This isn’t exactly going as planned. It’s cute that Carly wants so badly to set me up with one of our neighbors, but I was hoping she would give me more insights on Gray. But now I just have more questions. “OK, fine. Fuck Hutch for the same reasons. I mean, he’d be a giver, right?” They both laugh. “Kiss Brayden because he’s got some great lips. And marry Grayson because he might actually be a decent human and I don’t know Kasen, so at least that’s like a known option.”
“See, easy,” Jocelyn states but then her mouth falls open. I follow her gaze and find Gray standing at the door. It’s then that the stupid bell on the door decides to work.
“Hey, I uh, was going to get coffee and decided to see if you wanted any,” he offers.
Fuck me! Did he hear that? Please God do not have let him! He needs to not have heard that!
“Oh, uh, yeah, sure. I’ll take a small latte with vanilla syrup,” I say.
“Vanilla, huh?” he asks with a smirk. God damn it. He totally heard that.
“Yep,” I state as I press my lips together.
“A mocha latte for me,” Jocelyn says.
He turns to Carly. “I’m good. If I drink any more coffee, I’ll be up all night. I’ve had like four cups already.”
“Damn, lay off the caffeine, Maxwell,” Gray teases her.
“I’ll try, but until Ava is capable of cooking her own meals, I sort of have to be wired for my evenings,” she says with a shrug.
“Valid. OK, I’ll be right back,” he says, closing the door and walking across the street.
The latches close and Carly starts laughing. “Fuck. I think he heard that,” she says.
I bury my head in my hands as my face and neck heat with embarrassment. “That is mortifying.”
“Oh, come on. It’s fine. Gray is cool. I’m sure he’ll just tease you about it at some point,” she offers. “I mean, you all seemed cozy at happy hour the other night.”
I wave her off with my hand. “No. I think we just have a truce over the shop’s noise. Which is great and all. Gray and I are just…very different,” I try to explain.
Carly shrugs. “Opposites attract sometimes.”
“I guess. Anyhow, I hope you’ll be able to come to the soft opening.” I change the subject because I think I just reached my quota for embarrassment for the day.
“Wouldn’t miss it!” She looks down at her watch. “OK, off to get Ava. See you all later.”
“Bye,” we say in unison.
“What’s her deal? She’s not married?” Jocelyn asks, nodding toward Carly who is walking down the street.
“No. I think she’s divorced. She mentioned she’s a middle school teacher the other day, but I don’t know much else about her yet. She seems super sweet though,” I say as I go back to my task.
Another knock at the door draws my eyes up to meet Gray’s intense stare.
“I got it,” Jocelyn says, opening the door.
“Latte and a mocha,” he says as he reaches into the drink tray and pulls out each coffee, setting them down.
“Thanks,” I reply as I take the latte.
“Sooo, how are things?” he asks, sipping his drink and looking around the store.
“Good. The soft opening is a week from Monday if you’d like to attend,” I say as Jocelyn mumbles a “thank you” and then makes herself scarce.
“Of course,” he says. I swear he’s smirking at me.
“What?” I ask. I know my cheeks are pinker than normal and I hate my stupid pale-ass skin right now.
“Nothing. I should get going. I have some music to practice,” he says as he starts toward the door.
“Oh?”
“Yeah, I’m filling in for a friend as a guest spot in the local orchestra. Should be fun. I haven’t done that for a bit,” he explains.
“Wow. That’s cool. Let me know when. I’d love to see you play,” I reply, because that’s the neighborly thing to do, or at least that’s what I’m telling myself.
He opens the door and pauses, looking back at me with a wide smirk on his face. “Marry, huh?”
“Oh, God. You heard that?” I say as my face goes from warm to fire-hot.
“I’ll let Bray know he has great lips. He’ll love that. And Hutch is a giver, is he?” he teases. I don’t want to admit his lips are also kissable. I’m staring at them right now and I quickly look away because I know he saw me do it.
When I look back, I glare at him. “It was just a dumb game,” I explain.
“Was it now?” He pauses and keeps the smirk on his face, and it makes my blood boil. Damn, this man can really get under my skin.
“Yes,” I mutter, my jaw clenching.
“Oh, uh, Pierce is having a dinner party on Tuesday.” He pauses and looks toward the back of the store where Jocelyn is pretending to be busy. “Is that OK?”
“Oh, uh, OK,” I stammer.
“Just wanted to give you a heads-up since that wasn’t in the plans,” he explains.
I nod. “That’s fine. We can talk on the way there or whatever.”
“Great. I’ll pick you up at five. See you later, wifey,” he adds as he gives me a wink and walks out of my store.
“Wifey!” Jocelyn squeals.
“Chill, Joc. He’s being a prick. Anyhow, who cares? Things can’t get any more embarrassing around him, right?”
“I guess not. Thank God you didn’t say fuck him because that would be hella funnier,” she says as she goes back to folding things.
“Right, yeah,” I mumble under my breath. Why does my fake boyfriend have to be so hot? And why does he have a knack for getting under my skin? I don’t really want to answer either of those questions, I decide as I get back to work, trying my best to not think about Grayson Porter and his kissable lips.