Chapter 3
Three
I run a tight shipwreck.
—Bernice to Hux
Bernice
After the multitude of asthma attacks that I’d had over the last week, I wasn’t feeling too gung-ho as I made my way into my first day of work at The Mercantile.
Honestly, I’d almost turned the job offer down after the interview because of how rigid and intense the store’s owner, Vera Hosea, had acted during the interview.
She acted like the job was the holy grail.
That this job would be more important than anything to me, and that I had to get with the program or not accept.
But I was desperate for a job.
I hadn’t skipped a day of work since I was fifteen.
It felt weird not to have a job.
Meanwhile, I had my feelers out for a job that I could use my NP—nurse practitioner—license in the area.
The job at The Mercantile would work…for now.
“This is the pharmacy area. We have a pharmacist on staff, but no one that can help the customers to get their prescriptions but him. Sometimes, it might be necessary for you to come over here and help out until he can get himself free.”
Heidi, Vera’s daughter, was the one taking me through my job duties today.
I liked her a hell of a lot more than her mother.
Which sucked because I knew that she didn’t work here full-time. Apparently, she worked at a factory and kicked ass with the men of the world all day.
I wondered why she didn’t work here, but that wasn’t my business to ask.
“Okay, so what do I do?” I asked.
She helped me through the checkout process. Then she walked me through the food side of the store, letting me know that I would be responsible for also taking out food orders to customers.
By the time she’d outlined all my responsibilities, I wondered how the hell I was going to fit this all in.
“I know what you’re thinking,” she said. “And you should be fine. My mom works, my dad also when he’s not working. Also my brothers. You’ll always have some help here, along with the other employees.”
I nodded nervously.
“This is my brother, Harvey,” she said, pulling someone to the side and from behind a shelf. “Harvey, this is the newest hire, Bernice.”
“You should quit,” Harvey grumbled.
“If she quits, then we’re going to have to work here more,” Heidi said to him.
Harvey frowned. “Never mind. You should work your ass off.”
The way he said it made it sound like it’d be better for me to work my ass off than him.
A bad feeling started to take root, but despite that feeling, I still liked Harvey just as much as his sister.
My lips quirked. “Noted.”
“Why are you talking and not getting anything done?”
The stern, no-nonsense, dictatorial voice had me turning around to see the woman who’d interviewed me before I’d gone back home to retrieve my belongings and moved to Montana.
I shivered, having forgotten how intimidating she’d sounded.
Like a drill sergeant dressed up in a sweet older woman’s body.
“We’re giving her a tour, Mother. Like you asked,” Heidi ground out. “On my day off, might I add. I’m showing her the ropes, then I’m leaving. Remember?”
Vera’s face screwed up like she wanted to protest, but chose to hold her tongue.
I looked at Heidi who looked ready to do battle, and realized why the older woman had stopped.
I wouldn’t play with Heidi right then, either.
“And you?”
I looked over to find another man who looked eerily similar to Harvey sitting at the bar where customers could eat their deli sandwiches quickly and go.
I hadn’t realized that he was there until right then.
He could be Harvey, but adding a couple of years.
“Can’t stay long today,” he said. “Just thought I’d run by and introduce myself. One of the kids is sick,” the man replied to his mother.
“Hampton…”
“Mother,” the man named Hampton drawled. “I’m not sure why you’re so upset here. We all have jobs. And I have sick kids and a wife at home. I’m sorry that you want me here, all day every day, but that’s just not how life works.”
This sounded like an old argument.
One that I didn’t want to be a part of.
I held out my hand for the handsome Hampton and said quietly, “Nice to meet you. I’m Bernice.”
Hampton’s lips twitched.
He knew that I was trying to de-escalate the situation.
I didn’t do well with fighting.
In fact, it made me want to break out in hives.
Even worse, raised voices made me cringe.
I could tell that this conversation was well on its way to yelling.
The door behind us slammed, and we all turned to see a large, tattooed man walking from the back room toward us.
He looked similar to the other brothers, but this man didn’t have flawless tan skin like his brothers.
His skin was nicely tanned, sure. But he had so many tattoos that the tan nearly became irrelevant.
His arms. His wrists. His hands. Heck, I could even see tattoos peeking up from his shirt collar.
Just how many tattoos did this man have?
“Ahh, it’s about time,” Hampton drawled.
The tattooed brother slammed a bottle down in front of Hampton and said, “You’re welcome.”
“What is it?” Heidi asked.
“Costco-sized cough syrup,” Hampton said, fishing the big orange bottle out of the bag.
“Costco doesn’t have bags,” Heidi said.
“Why are you going to Costco?” Vera sounded confused. “I have cough syrup on aisle five.”
“You have cough syrup that costs an arm and a leg,” the tattooed hottie grumbled. “I got that for half the price and four times as much product.”
Vera’s eyes were dangerous as she said, “Are you telling me I’m overpriced?”
“If the shoe fits.” The tattooed man turned to survey me, but didn’t say a word.
I’m sure that he took in the heavy sweater and thick leggings and instantly made his decision about me.
Most people did.
But I also did a little looking of my own.
Tall with tattoos as far as the eye could see. Worn-out jeans that looked like they were soft as butter. A white long-sleeved tee that was pushed up to his elbows. A plain black ball cap covered what looked to be black hair.
No beard, though.
What he had was arguably better.
Dimples.
My god.
Did the dimples really do it for me.
His eyes were the most ordinary thing about him. A simple light brown, but still very beautiful.
“Who’s this?” he asked.
I’d seen him before, of course.
I’d even met him before, too.
Which had me slinking into myself slightly.
“I’m Bernice. Creed’s sister.” I held out my hand to him.
He shook it, barely holding on to it for a second before dropping it. “Oh, yeah.”
Oh, yeah.
Like I wasn’t important enough to be remembered.
Great.
Just what I wanted to be known as.
“Why you gotta look so mean all the time, brother?” Harvey teased.
“Why are you even looking at me?” Hux asked.
My lips twitched at the exchange.
I’d always had a weird relationship with Creed. More of a father-daughter relationship rather than siblings. Creed and I never fought. At least, not until recently when he hadn’t wanted me to move here to be closer to him.
That was probably our very first blow-up fight that had really been memorable.
“I am at my clit’s end with you,” Heidi muttered.
I choked on my saliva.
The three siblings looked at me.
But it was Vera’s assessing gaze that had me stiffening. “Is there anything else y’all can show me?”
Heidi grabbed my hand. “Last stop, the front register.”
I was relieved to get away from the three Hosea siblings, as well as the woman who birthed them.
They were all very intimidating, and I didn’t do well under pressure.
I wasn’t an introvert, necessarily. I mean, put me around people I know, and I was fully capable of being the life of the party. But when I didn’t know them? I was like a clam refusing to open up.
It took an act of God to get me to talk, and this job was totally against my every instinct. Which was to sit down, be quiet, and not be noticed.
Even worse, when the store opened in twenty minutes, I would be thrust right out into the world with everyone in Bear Pass, Sawtooth, and Jawbone setting out to meet me.
According to my soon-to-be sister-in-law, I was a new toy in a sea of old discarded ones. The men of the area would be curious.
I sure hoped not.
In fact, I was crossing all my toes and fingers wishing to remain invisible.
It was easy to play the part of extroverted nice person, but tonight when I got home, I’d be drained.
That was why I’d decided to go the NP route for my career.
I could establish some great patients, open my own practice, and make a difference for them in a controlled environment. No last-minute scheduling. No showing up unannounced. Not much small talk unless I wanted it—because everyone liked a health care provider that ran on time.
“Okay, so this is how you’re supposed to do it,” Heidi said, breaking me loose from my spiraling thoughts. “And this is how I do it instead.”
I watched as she rang up random purchases, then hit a button that gave the total.
She then put the amount into the card machine and whispered, “Mom charges a credit card fee. I don’t charge it on the people that look like they’re struggling.
Credit card fees are absolute bullshit if you ask me.
How are you going to aim our people into a cashless society, then force us to pay fees on credit cards when that’s what they want us to be using? ”
I agreed with her.
“Like Mrs. Simpson,” she continued. “She’s eighty-five. She’s pretty spry for that age, too. But she’s on a very fixed income. Don’t charge her the fee. You’ll know her when you see her. She usually comes in Tuesdays at eight. Right when we open. She has a standing hair appointment every week.”
“Fixed income but getting hair appointments?” a deep voice that sent shivers down my spine drawled.
I looked at Hux over my shoulder and got an up close and personal view of his tattoos.
The one that drew my eye was an upside-down spider on the side of his throat.
“I think Dorothy does them for free,” Heidi said. “What are you doing here anyway?”
“Was going to stay in Bozeman, but my favorite niece was sick,” he answered. “Guess I’ll go get some work done early. Maybe I’ll get out at a decent hour tonight.”
Before Heidi could say goodbye, Hux was gone.
I watched him go, then felt my cheeks flush when I turned around and saw Heidi watching me.
“Whatever you do, don’t sleep with my brother. He’s the love ’em and leave ’em type.”
I nodded. “Duly noted.”