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I smile when I see Harper coming out of the café across the street and heading our way. “Thanks for the talk,” I tell him, even though we really didn’t discuss anything we didn’t already know.
“Anytime, Free, and I mean that. We’re here for you,” he says before he goes to the front door and holds it open for his wife. Harper presses her lips to his the moment she steps over the threshold. “What did you bring me?” he asks, looking down, longingly, at the bag in her hand.
Grinning, she heads to where I’m now standing at the counter, and I can’t help but laugh when I see his eyes following her ass the entire way. She knows it, of course, and adds a little extra swing in her steps. “Here’s a peppermint tea and some vegetable soup,” she says, taking one of the two coffee cups from the holder and setting it down beside me. She reaches into the bag and pulls out a small bowl of soup and two small packages of crackers.
Latham looks over her shoulder, presses a kiss to her cheek and asks, “What’d ya get me?”
She takes a large cookie out of the bag and hands it to him. “S’more crunch,” she tells him, as he shovels half the treat into his mouth.
Before he’s even swallowed it, he presses a kiss to her cheek and waves goodbye. “See you at four thirty,” he mumbles with food in his mouth as he disappears into the hardware store.
“I forgot you’re leaving early,” I tell her as I open the container of soup. The moment I smell the vegetables, my stomach clenches. Without drawing attention to the fact I’m about to get sick, I reach for the tea and take a tentative sip. The peppermint seems to have an instant calming sensation to my unhappy belly.
“You’re still okay to close, right? Snuggles’ appointment is at five,” Harper says. “I can’t believe the little hussy went and got herself knocked up. I mean, when she got out, she was gone for like ten minutes.”
“Most men only need about three,” I remind her, taking another drink of my tea.
“This is true. When we hunt down the dog that did this, he’s going to pay child support,” Harper insists, which makes me snort. I can count on Harper to always provide a few laughs.
The rest of the afternoon passes quickly and before I know it, Harper and Latham are heading out take Snuggles to the vet. I promise to throw them a baby shower soon and find myself actually smiling as they leave to take care of their dog. Of course, now that I’m alone and left with only my thoughts, they’re returning back to the man I’ve fallen in love with.
No doubt about it, I love Samuel Grayson. I have for a while, even if it was merely a carefully guarded secret. I knew, but I made sure no one else did. Especially Harper. Her family is so close, and the last thing I needed was to cause a rift.
Like now.
When this all comes out, and we know it will, I’d hate to think of the repercussions. Will my best friend have to choose sides between hanging out with me or doing something with her brother? Will I ever be invited to Grayson family dinners again? No, probably not. The thought of not seeing Mary Ann again, except in casual passing, makes my heart hurt almost as much as leaving Samuel. Realization sets in. I’m losing so much more than just my husband. I’m losing his family too.
I’m just a ball of fun and excitement as the clock finally approaches six. I’m grateful tonight isn’t the later night to be open. All I want to do is head back to my apartment, curl up with a blanket (on the floor, mind you), and have a good cry. Maybe when I stop and buy a new blanket and pillow, I’ll grab a tub of Rocky Road ice cream and some tequila.
My stomach rolls, letting me know that’s not the best idea.
I go through the closing process, including closing out the cash register, processing all the credit card payments, and turning off the light. There’s a small gate that extends between the main doorway to the lingerie shop. It keeps gawkers from wandering around when the shop is closed. There are a few things in the expansion between the two businesses, but those are things like lotions and other body products that the hardware store can sell if needed. The rest of the goodies are separate and only sold when Kiss Me Goodnight is open.
I head up to the front door to flip the lock and turn off the two light switches on the front wall. After securing the lock, my head starts to feel…funny. I’m definitely coming down with something. I haven’t been able to eat right all day, and the thought of eating that soup I stuck in the fridge makes me want to vomit.
My next stop is the vestibule between the two stores. Whoever is closing down the hardware store already has their lights out, so I pull the small gate closed, make sure it’s secure, and return to the desk. As I’m walking by the counter, heading for the back room, another wave of nausea hits me as the room starts to spin. I reach for the closest solid structure, but it’s no use. I go down. Hard.
The last thing I remember before the blackness consumes me is worrying for Samuel when he finds out I’m gone.
