Restoring Felix (Black Dog Inn #3)

Chapter 1

Felix

I f someone had told me five years and three months ago that I would be back in Fairville, sipping coffee and eating cupcakes on a porch, I would have called them delusional. Back then, I had everything I ever wanted. I’d gotten out of this tiny town. I’d made a name for myself as a marketing phenom and even loved working sixty-hour weeks. Best of all, I chased slutty bottoms for quick hook-ups and every adrenaline-inducing opportunity I could find. Working hard during the day, partying harder at night and on the weekends—I’d had the perfect life.

Until one bad decision ruined my life forever.

Now I was back in the town where I grew up, running Nostalgia Nook—the antique and second-hand store I’d bought from my uncle—and just trying to get through every day. It wasn’t all bad. My mother was thrilled I was back home where she could keep an eye on me. I’d reconnected with my best friend from high school, and by association, his family, both blood and not. Teague Mulligan was a golden retriever in human form, and it was impossible not to let him in when he’d come crashing back into my life. Even when I’d still been angry at the world, grumpy from the pain that constantly plagued me. I was still grumpy, but at least Teague allowed me to forget about my problems and my deformed legs on occasion.

And I loved having Ma close. After I relocated to New York City, I began an incessant campaign to get her to move too. But even though I never gave up, I knew my efforts were futile. She’d been born and raised in the North Country, and there was no way she’d give up rural living for a place like NYC. I still tried, though.

Teague’s family was great, too. And it had expanded over the past several months to include his nephew, a new boyfriend, and the boyfriend’s brother and his kids. Teague had introduced me to the ladies who bought the old motel on Route 9 as well, and somehow I’d ended up spending time at the newly christened Black Dog Inn. All in all, it was fine. I was content.

“Lex?”

The old nickname from childhood brought me out of my wanderings, and I refocused my attention on Teague, where he was sitting next to me, long legs stretched out. In deference to the heat, he was wearing cargo shorts. For a split second, I envied him and his perfect body. I’d never be able to wear shorts again.

“Felix, are you listening?”

I had been, but only with half an ear. He’d been prattling on about Charlie, his boyfriend, which was just about all Teague talked about. Well, Charlie and Charlie’s niblings, anyway. Teague loved having the kids around, because he missed out on much of his own sister’s children’s lives. Due to the fact that Erin was a raging homophobe and uber conservative.

“I was waiting for you to get to the reason you brought Gargoyle’s Wings.” I smirked, and lifted the half-eaten confection as though he wouldn’t know what I was talking about. I gave him a pointed look. “You had to get Regan to make them special, since they don’t keep these on the regular menu anymore.”

Teague’s smile was just as endearing as it was when we were teens. It’s why we became friends, and why we’d tried kissing after we both figured out we both liked boys. Me, exclusively, but Teague was equal opportunity. The kisses led nowhere, because it was like making out with my brother, and we realized we were better off as friends instead.

“It’s not like I had to twist Re-Re’s arm. All I had to do was say I was heading over and bam! Cupcakes.” Teague waggled his eyebrows, but I only stared back. All I had to do was wait. He’d break in a minute. Truth be told, it didn’t even last that long. “Okay, I wanted to bitch and brainstorm, so I needed to butter you up with your favorite cupcake.”

I’d never admit that he didn’t have to bribe me with cupcakes in order for me to act as a sounding board. It was the only time I got Gargoyle’s Wings these days. Though I was sure Regan would make them if I asked, they were far too busy running their bakery, Sugar Rush, to bother with special orders just for me.

I took another huge bite, wiped a smudge of frosting off my lip with my thumb while I chewed, and motioned for him to go on.

Teague squinted at me. “I have it all planned. A few days in Helsinki, with a concert for this band Oak introduced him to, that I can’t pronounce. Then take the overnight ferry to Stockholm, for another few days of sightseeing. After that, we fly to Copenhagen because Charlie has always wanted to go Rosenborg Castle for some reason, and we spend another few days playing tourist before we come home.”

I nodded. “Sounds amazing.” For someone else. Not me. I could never make that kind of trip. “So what’s the problem?”

“We’d be gone for two weeks, including travel time to and from northern Europe.”

His tone made it seem like I should understand the issue. I did not. “So?”

Teague let out a whine. “He thinks that’s too long to be gone. Like the Inn is going to fall down if he’s away for that amount of time. He’s worried it’ll put too much on Nic and Oak, because someone has to cover the front desk and do the payroll and all other admin stuff while he’s gone. And I keep telling him they’ll handle it, and that we deserve a vacation, but he just won’t listen.”

“You sound like a whiny baby.”

Teague scowled, but it didn’t last. He let out a big sigh. “I am whining. I know. But how is it a bad thing to want to take my man on this kind of trip? Where he gets to see all the things he wants to and doesn’t have to worry about how much he’s covered up, because it’s cooler there. Not cold, not in the summer but, I just….” Now his growl was all frustration.

“Poor baby.” I patted his arm, which was all I could reach, and Teague shot me a look. I couldn’t contain my laugh, which didn’t help the situation. “I’m sure you’ve told him all of this.”

Teague nodded fast. “Of course. I am the king of communication, eh?”

I rolled my eyes, thinking that might be a stretch. But I did know Teague was good about talking, and even though he sometimes spoke before his brain-to-mouth filter engaged, he always had the best of intentions. It had taken them a while to get going, but once they’d gotten on the same page, their love had taken off. Their relationship was inspiring.

Not for me. Those days were long behind me. For someone else though? All they had to do was take one look at the way Teague looked at Charlie and they’d be able to see the love.

“So if there was someone to cover the front desk, take that burden, so that Nic and Oak didn’t have to do it all, he’d go?”

Teague closed one eye, thinking for a second. “Probably, yeah.”

I shrugged. “So hire someone temporarily to handle it.”

“Ha!” Teague pointed at me. “I suggested that, and you’d think I’d told him to dropkick Salem.”

My eyes widened. Charlie’s cat was one of the lights of his life. “That seems excessive.”

“Well, I might be exaggerating. But not by much.” Teague sat forward, resting his forearms on his knees and staring off into the middle distance. My house was set back from the road by about a quarter of an acre, so there was nothing to really see but trees. “But you know Charlie. His life…has not been easy. And now that he’s got a family, a real family who loves him unconditionally, not to mention his brother and niblings? He’s fiercely protective of it. He doesn’t want some ‘outsider’ in his office.”

The air quotes were unnecessary. Teague’s inflection said it all. And I got it. Sort of. Charlie had been through it, and it was only in the past year that he’d finally found happiness. My friend was a big part of that. But everyone else played a role too.

I opened my mouth before I thought better of it. “I can do it.”

Teague scoffed. “Yeah, right.”

I glared at him. “You’re saying I can’t? I’m not an outsider, and I’ve covered the desk before.”

Teague’s expression turned soft. Affectionate even. “You’ve sat there to answer the phone if it happened to ring, which it didn’t, and to get the right staff member if a guest needed help. For a couple of hours. It’s not exactly the same thing.”

I don’t know why, but it felt like a challenge and it got my back up. “You think I’m what? Too dumb to learn the software to check guests in and confirm reservations?”

“I think you're dumb for even thinking that would be the reason,” Teague said with an eyeroll. “What I was thinking is that you have your own store to run.”

I waved that away, only slightly appeased. “Ma would be happy to run the Nook for me. You know she loves people. Plus, she adores the shit out of you, and since I’d be helping you out, she’d jump at the chance.”

“She does love me, it’s true.” Teague winked, but then turned serious. And he glanced down at my jean-clad legs for the briefest second before he focused on my face again. “Felix, it’s just…it’s a lot of sitting.”

“There are days when I can’t get out of my wheelchair, so how do you think this is any different?” I regretted my sour tone the instant the words were out of my mouth, but I didn’t take them back or apologize.

“Shit. Fuck. I’m sorry, man. I didn’t mean it like that. You know I didn’t.”

I waved that away too, most of my ire leaving with the motion. It wasn’t fair to take my anger out on Teague. He tried his best. But I wasn’t the man I used to be. Not even close. And sometimes he forgot that.

“Don’t worry about it,” I grumbled, and then took a second to rein in my tone. “If you don’t want the help, just say so. But I’m willing. Because you were right. You and Charlie deserve this.”

“No! I mean.” He cleared his throat. “If you’re serious…are you serious?”

I narrowed my gaze. “When have you ever known me not to be?”

“Okay, okay. Put away the grump. Sheesh.” But Teague’s eye twinkled, so I knew he was playing. “I think you might be the only person Charlie would give up that control for. At least partially. I’ll run it by him and then have him call you, eh?”

I nodded. And then, because I had to say something, even if the thought of needing accommodations still rankled, I added quietly, “I would really need a different chair, though. I can’t sit in that thing Charlie uses all day.”

“Not a problem. Really. Thanks, man. This just might be the tipping point.” Excitement gleamed in his eyes and I could practically see his mind spinning, making plans.

“When’s this jaunt to Europe supposed to take place?”

“Last two weeks of July.” Teague pursed his lips. “Yeah, because the concert is the twenty-third.”

I did some mental calculations. That would give me about five weeks, and I was sure Ma would be glad to take over the Nook. She already worked for me part time, and she had no problem handling things when it got busy. Which it usually did in the summer. Fairville wasn’t a huge tourist town, but we weren’t far from several popular vacation destinations. There were always people passing through, or weekenders on day trips. Though with the Black Dog Inn making a name for itself in certain circles, and the cabins set to open, I was sure the tourist count would tick up.

Part of me already regretted offering. It was hard enough putting on my “people face” at the store. But if I pissed customers off with my gruff attitude, it was only my reputation that suffered. I’d have to be more conscious of it at the Black Dog Inn, where Nic and Dana’s would be riding on guests’ perception of me. It would make for some very long days.

But for Charlie, who deserved the world, I could handle two weeks.

T wo days later, before I headed to the Nook to relieve Ma, I made my way out to the Inn. Charlie had jumped at the chance to have me fill in. Or at least talk about it. I got the impression from his tone, and when he insisted I show up to discuss it, that he didn’t really believe me.

Or maybe he was unsure if he wanted to hand over the reins.

Either way, I knew I would have to convince him it was all going to be okay. With that in my mind, I parked in the handicap spot closest to the door and took a few deep breaths before I hauled myself out of the car. Some days, it was a chore to drive. When the pain decided to flare up because I’d overdone it, or the weather changed, or I slept weird, or for no reason at all—which were the times it angered me the most—I could only manage short drives before my reaction time slowed too much. Nothing in Fairville was very far, though, which I supposed was to my benefit.

Today the pain was pretty manageable. It was always a little worse in my left leg than my right. I grabbed my cane from the passenger side as I eased myself out of my hybrid SUV. Then once I was stable, I headed inside.

Charlie wasn’t at the desk, and when I peered through the window, I realized he wasn’t in the office at all. It was lunchtime though, and I could hear noises coming from the dining room, so I steered myself in that direction. It was empty at this time of day. The Inn served continental breakfast for guests, and Dana had dinner service for anyone who wanted to show up most nights. But lunch was reserved only for employees. I spotted Oak at a table near the kitchen door and beelined for him.

He didn’t hear me approach, his gaze fixed on the tablet in front of him. “You look constipated.”

Oak whipped his head up and his face broke out in a wide grin. “Hey there. Fancy seeing you here in the middle of the day. What are you doing here?”

“He’s here to see me,” Charlie said as he breezed through the door from the kitchen, plate in hand.

“I’m here to see him,” I repeated, deadpan.

Oak cracked up, and Charlie smiled as he said, “Sit. Join us for lunch.”

“Oh, no. That’s not necessary. I’ll just—” I stopped as soon as Dana poked her head through the door, a severe look of disapproval on her face. I glared right back. “I already ate; thank you.”

She harrumphed and disappeared. She could intimidate a lot of people with that look, and she was definitely used to being in charge. But I wasn’t so easily swayed. Oak was still snickering, even as he turned his attention back to the tablet. Charlie motioned to a chair.

“Take a load off. I am going to get you a coffee. And possibly a couple of cookies. I’ll be right back.”

He was gone before I could answer.

I pulled out the chair and lowered myself into it, gritting my teeth as my left leg protested but making sure to keep my face impassive. No one wanted to see how much I hurt some days. How the simplest actions caused tension and discomfort. It made them uncomfortable. I’d learned to keep it inside. It took a second to adjust to my new position and find a comfortable spot for my legs. When I was sure I could talk without the pain coming through in my voice, I addressed Oak.

“What’s got your panties in a bunch?”

Oak’s lips twitched, but he pushed the tablet to the side and picked up his fork. “I’m trying to decide if I want to go back to school. Part time anyway. I definitely don’t want to do full time, and I love working here. But I’m just not sure if a degree is worth it. It’s a fuckton of money for crapall return these days.”

“I hear ya.” I didn’t offer any advice. I was of the age where all we’d heard was that college was the be all and end all, and that if you didn’t get a college degree, you’d never make it in this world. Now there were hundreds of thousands of people with degrees, and it didn’t mean as much as it used to. I was sure as hell not using mine anymore.

Charlie returned a second later, set a mug and a small plate with two chocolate chip cookies in front of me, and then sat beside me. I took a sip and sighed at the delicious brew, then decided just to jump in.

“So, tell me. Am I convincing you that I really want to help out? Or am I convincing you that you should go on the trip? Which is it?”

For a heartbeat, Charlie froze, then his face broke into a huge grin and he laughed from his toes. Oak chuckled and shook his head and really tucked into his lunch. I just started munching on a cookie, waiting for Charlie to answer.

“A little of both?” Charlie said when he could breathe again, mirth seeping into his tone. “Are you sure?”

“I wouldn’t have offered if I wasn’t.” Okay, that was a tiny lie, but it was harmless. I wasn’t exactly looking forward to it, but I really did want to help him, help Teague, because they were my friends. “I’ll just put on my ‘Oak face’ and it’ll be fine.”

The man in question cocked his head to the side. “What’s that mean?”

“You know. I’ll just pretend I’m interacting with you. Forget I’m a grumpy ass and give the happy performance.”

To my surprise, Oak’s face fell and he clenched his fists. “You pretend with me? I thought we were—”

“No,” I cut him off quickly. “Dammit, I worded it wrong. I don’t pretend. You just….You don’t deserve my grouchiness so I let you, I dunno, bring out the side of me that doesn’t really exist anymore. The one that’s more smiles and jokes, and less bitch.”

For a second, he didn’t move as he processed that. Then relief washed over his face and he relaxed. “Okay. That’s acceptable. But maybe don’t give them your very best side. Save that for me.”

And the little fucker winked.

I laughed, because hell, I wasn’t lying. He did bring out that side of me. I didn’t feel those emotions much anymore, that carefree person I used to be. But with Oak, it was easy to let that out. He was fun to play with, and I hadn’t had that in a long time.

“Felix,” Charlie began tentatively, and I turned my attention to him. “If it’s going to be hard on you—”

“It’s two weeks, Charlie. Go enjoy the hell out of Scandinavia and don’t worry about things here. I swear on my mother’s favorite knitting needles, I’m happy to help out.”

Oak let out a low whistle. “That’s serious, Charlie. You better believe him.”

Charlie let out a peal of laughter as he threw up his hands. “Fine. All right! Everybody wins. I’ll listen to you and Oak and Nic and my beloved Teague. I’ll go on the damn vacation. And it’s not Scandinavia; it’s the Nordics, if Finland is included, just so you know.”

I was about to make snarky remark when my attention was caught by Nic entering the room, followed closely by none other than Kellan fucking Huntley. What were the odds? First he showed up in town a few years ago, when he shouldn’t have been anywhere near Fairville. Now twice in a week, I’d been in the dining room at the same time as he was. Just the sight of him made my blood boil.

“What’s he doing here?” I bit out.

Charlie’s eyes went wide. “Marlie’s teacher? He’s working some details out with Nic about the summer camp we’re hosting.” He let out a little noise. “Honestly, I’m sorry I’m going to miss it.”

It took a second for the words to penetrate my skull. If Charlie was missing the camp, then that had to mean it was going to be one of the weeks he was gone. One of the weeks where I’d be filling in. And I’d have to see Kellan’s stupid, smug, perfect, beautiful face on a daily basis.

Fuck.

Was it too late to back out?