CHAPTER FOURTEEN #2
I push at his arm, but he doesn’t budge. Sometimes I don’t understand how we came from the same parents—me so small and blonde and him so hulking and dark-haired. I pinch his skin on the bottom of his forearm and he winces. That’ll count as my victory for today.
"I should head back to the shop," I say, checking the time. "Jerrica's there alone, and we've got that big order for the Hendersons."
"You still down for a night shift tonight?" Dane says.
“Of course,” I tell him.
Dane nods, pulling me into a quick hug. "I'll call if anything changes."
I bend down to kiss Mom's forehead. "I'll be back tonight," I promise her.
The shop is mercifully busy when I return, forcing me to focus on something other than my tumultuous thoughts. Jerrica has kept things running smoothly, but there's always more to do. I dive into finishing the Henderson order, grateful for the mindless rhythm of measuring, mixing, piping.
I'm so focused on my work that I nearly jump out of my skin when the bells on the door jingle sharply just before noon.
"Welcome to Cloud—" I start, then break into a grin when I see who it is. "Bella! Jackson!"
I abandon my work and come out from behind the counter to give her a big hug—and Jackson too.
He doesn’t even resist, his leather jacket crinkling as I squeeze my arms around him.
Immediately I can tell eyes are on us—well, on Jackson —but according to Bella and Jackson, the move is to ignore it and press on.
“How was the visit with Aunt Laura?” Bella asks as I return to my post behind the counter. There’s nobody in line so they stand near the front as we chat.
“A little depressing. She looks so small and weak. But her vitals are stable. They think she’ll wake up soon.” I try to offer a smile, but I can feel my cheeks twitching with the effort.
“It’s gonna happen any time now,” Jackson reassures me.
“Did you get any sleep last night?” Bella asks me. I notice she looks a little tired.
“Some,” I say. “It was hard to fall asleep thanks to my thoughts. Did you?”
“Same situation for me.” She reaches over and squeezes my wrist. “I can take a shift at the hospital while we’re here. I want to.”
“That would be great. I’m gonna head over there after work for my overnight shift. Hopefully we won’t be needing to do them for too much longer,” I say. "Now what do you guys want? On the house, of course."
I point out our specials in the display case, giving Jackson a quick rundown of the marshmallow ethos and options of Cloud Nine. Once they settle on a pumpkin caramel latte and a hot chocolate with every marshmallow combination available, a loud knock from the back room distracts me.
“Hang on guys…let me go see what that was about,” I tell Bella and Jackson as I rush toward the back of the shop. As soon as I step over the threshold to my storage room, a hand grabs my wrist. I spin toward the arm, a yelp escaping me. A moment later, I’m against Kru’s hard, warm chest.
I laugh into the front of his black chef’s coat, melting into him. “Oh, hey there.” I prop my chin on his chest, looking up at him as I slide my arms around his firm torso. This is nice. Really nice. “Was that you making a mess back here?”
“Purely fictional mess, I promise.” His lips quirk up into a smile and he tilts his head, his gaze washing over me. His thick arms encircle me, pulling me tighter against him. “How you doing? I wanted to check on you. And your mom.”
I’m touched that he’s thinking of me after our fraught conversation about us this morning.
The truth is that this doesn’t feel like bad timing to me.
It feels like perfect timing…but the wrong family.
“She’s still in a coma but stable. And I’m…okay.”
He nods, his grin widening. “That’s a win, considering the situation.”
“I think so.”
“And just so you know, I didn’t initiate this hug. That was all you, Maven.”
I open my mouth to protest, but that’s when I realize I have been contentedly settled in his embrace of my own volition. Embarrassing, after the big stink I made that morning.
“Well, you’re…comfortable,” I tell him, as I slowly begin extricating myself.
He tuts, shaking his head. “I shouldn’t have said anything.”
My head is swirling when it comes to this man. I’m desperate for more of his kisses, but it’s too complicated even think about right now. “Don’t you have a lunch rush to tend to?”
“I just cranked through a bunch of orders and got Brady set up so I could disappear for ten. But I should be getting back.”
“Everything okay back here?” Bella’s voice cuts through the convo and I gasp, spinning on my heel.
“Oh my god, you scared the crap out of me,” I hiss.
“I didn’t mean to interrupt,” she says, her words slowing as her gaze sweeps over Kru.
My cheeks heat up—I feel caught.
“You’re the chef who opened up the new place next door, right?” she asks excitedly. Bella knows I had a hot hookup with a man in Cleveland a couple months ago and that my new landlord, who kicked me out of my apartment, was on a reality TV show. She doesn’t know they’re the same person.
“Yeah, proud owner of Ray’s,” he says, extending his hand. “I’m Kru. Nice to meet you. And you are?”
“Bella,” she says with a sly smile, just as Jackson shows up in the back room. “I’m Piper’s cousin. And this is my boyfriend—”
“Holy shit,” Kru says, eyes widening. “You’re Jackson Bedd.”
Jackson grins in an affable way that I can only assume is practiced and holds out his hand. Kru shakes it, looking a little starstruck.
“I am. Nice to meet you…”
“Kru. Short for Krueger. It’s my last name.”
“You can also call him Uncle Lobster,” I point out cheekily, but as soon as the words leave my mouth, I realize I made a critical error.
Bella’s gaze swings my way and hardens into a point. I can practically feel the pieces clicking into place for her. Shit.
“But you need to get back to lunch service,” I say, shooing him away. “And I need to get Bella and Jackson their marshmallows.”
“Does he always come in through the backdoor?” Bella asks before Kru is fully out of earshot.
Kru calls over his shoulder, “Shared storage space. Fire code shit.”
“That sounded really inappropriate,” I inform her. “But yes, he enters through the rear. Of the building. Through the door in a building which is not my butt. We don’t have butt sex. Or any sex for that matter.”
Bella and Jackson are shaking with silent laughter.
“Whatever! You know what I mean.”
I stomp behind the counter, intent on leaving the almost-discovery behind me. It’s not like I was doing anything wrong. I simply…hugged a gorgeous man when he was in my storage room. Is that a crime?
Bella leans over the display case as I return to the half-finished drinks. “So when were you going to tell me that Cleveland Hookup is also Jerk Landlord?”
I sigh testily. “Never, because if I ignore it, it’s not real.”
“Do your brothers know?”
“ No . And that’s how it’s going to stay.”
She dips her chin. “They’re going to find out.”
“No they aren’t. Because there’s nothing to find out about. There’s nothing going on between me and Kru.”
Bella starts laughing, low and staccato. “Sure. That looked like nothing back there.”
I finish decorating their drinks with a variety of marshmallows and push them their way on the countertop. “Order’s up.”
But Bella isn’t fazed. “When you're ready to confess that Jerk Landlord is actually Hot Hookup Landlord, I'm all ears."
"Thanks, I'll put that on my calendar," I say dryly. "Right after 'recover from family emergency' and 'win food competition against said Hot Landlord.'” When I see Bella’s smile grow sly, I hurry to add, “I mean Jerk Landlord. I mean—ugh. Nevermind."
“What’s his first name?” Jackson asks.
“I have no idea,” I tell him, then turn to Bella. “See? That’s how much this isn’t a thing. If it were a thing, I’d know his first name, and I don’t.”
Bella doesn’t look convinced. She and Jackson mingle in the shop for a while as Jerrica and I tend to a new wave of customers. I’m not fully able to stop thinking about the hug in the back room nor the fact that Bella now knows my dirty secret.
At least I know it’s safe with her. For now.
They eventually leave and head to Bayshore Memorial to visit Mom for a bit. The rest of the workday flows uneventfully, and I’m sad that Kru doesn’t come inventing another spill for me to investigate.
Once the shop is closed up, I quickly bike back to Griff’s house to get ready for my overnight shift at the hospital.
I take a quick shower, then I pack up a little overnight bag—my tablet, a notebook, a book, and a variety of highlighters just in case.
Once I’m mostly ready in the living room, trying to think of anything I might have forgotten, I begin to drift to the back door.
I wonder if Kru is home.
Maybe he could meet me for just a few minutes by the fence.
The handle of the sliding glass door is in my hand. Just as I’m pushing it open, the front door opens and Griff comes in.
“Hey, Pipes.”
I turn quickly, popping on a bright smile. “Hey, Griff! You just come from the hospital?”
He shakes his head. “Nah, I had to head into Cleveland for a bit today. What are you up to? Were you about to head out back?”
The cool night air pouring into the house reminds me the door is still open. I hurry to shut it. “No, no, I…” Nothing comes to me. And the longer I fumble around for a response, the higher Griff’s brow raises.
“You’re not going to spy on your landlord again, are you?”
The incredulity in his voice is a warning. I step away from the glass sliding door while I laugh off his suggestion.
“That is ridiculous. I’ve spied on him enough, thank you. I like the fresh air before I head to the hospital.”
“Be real with me. Does he bother you during the day? Does he come over to your shop ever?”
My heart starts beating a little faster as I recall today in the storage room. “He keeps to himself.”
“Good. I can’t stand guys like him. He needs to stay the fuck away. In fact, he should go back to Cleveland.” He rakes a hand through his hair and sighs testily.
“I think he’s going to be in Bayshore for a while,” I offer.
“Then you need to be extra careful around him. He’s got his hooks in you big time. First the building, now this dumb reality TV show. You see it, right? I have an idea of what he’s going for next.”
My heart , is the first thing that comes to mind. But I clamp my mouth shut.
“Your business,” Griff finishes, as though I had any interest in him continuing his tirade against Kru. “Your future.”
“I promise you,” I say firmly, “you don’t have to worry about him wanting my business.”
“I’m not worried about him ,” Griff corrects me sharply. “I’m worried about you . Look how much he’s gotten already. Who’s to say he’s not angling for even more?”
“I’d never warm up to someone like him,” I reassure Griff.
The words echo painfully inside me.
Because they’re a lie…and I’m not sure I’ll ever convince my brother of it.