AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She just had to live long enough to get there.
In retrospect, she’d been fighting a losing battle from day one. Spencer Galvin didn’t know how to love. He had what appeared to be a stilted relationship—at least in public—with his sister and seemed to hold his perfectly decent little brother at arm’s length. For all his claims of the two of them being so close, she hadn’t seen it that morning in the store. Spencer hadn’t even said hello to Adam before he’d barked for him to get away from her. She’d believe he might have been jealous, but that wasn’t possible. He had no right to be jealous. If she’d been riding Adam as if he were a show pony right there on the floor of the café, he had no cause to say jack about it. By his own choice.
As for his parents, she didn’t know. But he didn’t have any friends, at least not that she’d ever heard of or seen stop by the store. His relationships clearly hadn’t been lasting love affairs. So, clearly, the fault was his. It certainly wasn’t because she was incapable of keeping anyone around long enough to get sick of her.
For once, she’d found someone more broken than she was. The only difference was he didn’t know it.
She wanted to tell him. She even bought a phone card for that express purpose, because her cell was one of those pay-by-the-minute deals. The phone card would be cheaper. And this way, she’d only have twenty minutes to say her piece. Of course he would probably hang up before she’d gotten very far. But at least she’d have said what she needed to. To make sure she covered the important parts, she intended to start with fuck you.
Which was more than she’d ever said to her freaking parents, who’d sent her yet another cactus-emblazoned shot glass and a stack of postcards for her upcoming birthday.
But she didn’t call. She wouldn’t even give him that satisfaction. No matter what she said, he’d probably see it as her attempting to grovel. Silence was her best weapon. And eventually, if the fates were kind, she simply wouldn’t care anymore.
She got through each day by rote until her birthday. Maybe not well, but she managed. Then she woke with a single-minded goal.
She needed to know who the woman was.
For some reason, she hadn’t asked when Spencer had confessed all. The idea he’d really been with someone else, had made love to the nameless, faceless woman only hours after touching her, had been all she could focus on. But with the cool objectivity of five days apart, she could see she’d erred.
She got to work on time, as always, and waited for her target to appear. The instant she spotted her immediate supervisor in the hall outside the break room, Kelly pounced.
“Who was the woman Spencer slept with here?” she asked without preamble.
The “situation” from his past may have had no bearing on the present. But the timing of Saturday’s meeting and his subsequent behavior was a little iffy, to say the least. She wasn’t a fan of Agatha Christie for nothing. The answer was right in front of her, she just knew it.
Marcia jolted but she recovered quickly. “You mean besides you?”
“Don’t start. Not today.”
“Why? Because you have your special birthday undies on?”
Kelly narrowed her eyes. “Give me her name. That’s all I want.”
Marcia hesitated. “Kelly, if something happened between you and Spencer, I really shouldn’t get involved.”
“Marcia, please. I have to know.”
Marcia’s gaze cut to the tall brunette woman posting a sign-up sheet in the break room for a company picnic. She’d arrived at the store a few days ago and introduced herself as Diana Sinclair, the daughter of the owners. And yesterday, she’d led their first staff meeting in Spencer’s absence. She’d been peppy and enthusiastic, the ultimate cheerleader in spiked heels. Yes, there would be some changes within the store, but they were for everyone’s benefit. And oh yeah, have a cookie.
Between Leigh and this new chick, Kelly was starting to intensely dislike peanut butter.
It took a minute, but Marcia’s interest in the attractive brunette finally made sense. So the snake in the grass had returned home. Quite coincidental actually, considering Spencer had supposedly met with the owners Saturday night and yet he’d come back smelling like eau de skank.
Kelly slipped her hands in the pockets of her simple patchwork dress. The look was a bit more country casual than she usually went for, but today she’d decided to pay full homage to her beatnik heritage. She wore clogs and socks to go with the dress her mother had made, completely unconcerned about her appearance. Why bother dressing up? What was the point? But now, she had new resolve.
She murmured to Marcia, “Did he meet with her the other night?”
“I don’t know.”
“Of course you don’t.” There was only way to find out if she’d misconstrued everything. She’d just have to ask her new boss exactly how friendly she got with her underlings.
Good thing she’d never been one to stand on ceremony.
“What exactly is going on with you guys?” Marcia asked.
“Spencer and me? Nothing. We’re officially dormant.” She gave Marcia her sunniest smile. “Leave Ms. Sinclair and me alone for a little chat, would you?”
“Kel, I need you on the floor.”
