She clears her throat. “Sorry. Go on.”
It takes me a few breaths to admit the words aloud. “We slept together.”
“Oh, Jade.”
I can almost see Ruby clutching her brow. “I know. But I feel like we had to get it out of our system. You know he’s been living next door, and there’s an attraction there.”
She sighs. “Does Hayley know?”
My breath stutters. “No.”God,Dylan had brought Hayley up last night and given me an open invitation to shut things down between us before they escalated. I didn’t want to do anything behind Hayley’s back, but Dylan had been pressed up against me, all sexy smirk and ignited eyes, and I’d caved like a house of cards. I’d wanted him so badly that I lost all self-control.
“You haven’t done anything wrong,” Ruby says. “Hayley might not like it, but she’ll come round.” She inhales deeply. “I can’t say I’m not a bit worried about some of the stuff I’ve heard about Dylan. But Flynn came with some pretty big red flags, and you always supported my feelings for him. So, if Dylan makes you happy, that’s good enough for me.”
I smile sadly. “Thanks, sis. But even without the Hayley stuff, he’s going back to Austin soon, so this has to be a one-time thing.”
“Okay. I just don’t want you to get hurt.”
A jab of pain pierces my chest.Too late. I’ve given Dylan a part of myself that I can never take back.
“So, how’s Dad?” I ask, keen on a change of subject. Ruby had the day off work today, so she met Dad and my aunt in DC, where he’s seeing one of the country’s top spine specialists.
“That’s actually why I’m calling. The clinic had a cancellation, so he’s already seen the doctor.”
My lips fall open. “And you let me ramble on about my stupid love life? What happened?”
The shift in Ruby’s tone makes my stomach tense. “So much for hoping the doc would say it’s not as bad as we thought. It’s actually worse. Dad definitely needs the surgery, and it’ll be a more complicated and longer recovery than we thought.”
My palm flies to my chest. “Oh no. Where is he now?”
“He just went in for some more tests. He asked me to call and update you, but he’ll ring you later. He’s in good spirits, but I think we have to face facts that he’s probably not going to be able to come back to work. So, we have to decide what to do about the store because you can’t do it all on your own.”
“Yes, I can.”
“Jade.”
My gaze rakes over the orders I still need to package up and deliver today, the unpacked boxes stacked beside the storeroom door, the Sunday inventory sheet I haven’t filled out yet, and the specials pricing tags that still need to be arranged.Three breaths in, four breaths out.“I’ll figure it out. Just give me a bit of time.”
We both turn silent before saying a reluctant goodbye, the conversation clearly left unfinished.
I wouldn’t dream of asking Ruby to give up her new life to move back here and work at the store again, which leaves only one option: We catch up on our overdue loan payments and begin making enough profit to hire a casual staff member. Until then, I need to knuckle down and get everything done on my own. While the online ordering system has added to the massive workload, it’ll boost our revenue, so it’s got to be a step in the right direction.
After Latisha comes in to buy a single loaf of bread and a carton of milk, I print out the four online orders and begin packing the groceries into empty boxes.
Just after eleven, Rosie Perandez calls, complaining that she hasn’t received her order yet. I assure her it’ll be there soon, estimating that I’ll need to close the store for thirty minutes and hurriedly make the deliveries.
At twelve-thirty, the furnace that was fixed last week conks out again, and I spend twenty-five minutes on hold with the repair company while shoving the specials prices into their slots.
Ten minutes before one, Mrs. Horne wanders in with her Pomeranian circling her clicking cane.Perfect.
“Jade, I have wonderful news.” Mrs. Horne’s smile reveals a stripe of peach lipstick across her teeth. “I bid in something called an ‘online auction’ last night on an early nineteenth-century Danish clock. My young neighbor helped me with the computer part, but I managed it, and I made the winning bid! The longcase clock is mine and is being shipped to me as we speak.”
“Wow, that’s great.” I offer her a genuinely proud smile, but on the inside, my brain is screaming.
I don’t have time for this, Mrs. Horne.
I don’t have time to get these orders packed and delivered on schedule.
I don’t have time to put out the rest of the special tags and unpack the new stock.
