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Noah stands, grabbing his jacket. “I’ll stop by tomorrow after I run through it.”
“Leaving already, Noah?” Bethany calls from behind the bar. Then gasps dramatically when she sees Charlie. “Charlie.” She rushes over from around the counter.
I groan internally. This is not going to be good.
“Oh my goodness. It is so good to see you showin’ your face around here again.”
Pepper frowns as Charlie’s face flushes. “Hey, Beth.”
“Well, I’m glad you two are over your little thing.” She points between Noah and Charlie. “I mean it’s not like we have a sign up here that says, ‘No Cheaters Allowed.’”
My jaw hardens.
“Bethany,” Dad’s hard voice calls from behind the bar.
She turns innocently. “Yeah, Boss?”
“Get back to work.”
Bethany jerks, then turns back to the table. “Let me know if you boys need anything.”
Pepper’s gaze shifts uncomfortably to her new friend and then at Noah. “Sorry, Charlie. We can go now.”
She nods and dashes out. Pepper tosses me a quick thank you with the keys between her fingers on the way out.
“Dad!” Levi snaps as the rude waitress disappears behind the kitchen door.
He pushes a hand down. “I know, I’ll talk to her.”
Noah rounds the booth and approaches our father. His voice is low but definite. “I want her fired. No one should ever feel unwelcome or chastised here.”
Dad nods solemnly. “I’ll give her one week.”
7
“Anyway, I hadn’t been back there since it happened,” Charlie says, finishing off her glass of wine after an evening of scrubbing, polishing, laundering, and dusting. We chose to divide and conquer the moment we stepped into the cottage with bags full of cleaning supplies—and wine. It didn’t feel like hard labor. Every so often, we’d yelp at the sight of a spider or water bug. We lit some cedarwood candles, which Elliot had in his bathroom cabinets and jammed to Taylor Swift then switched it up to Billy Joel for Charlie.
“I’m sorry,” I offer for the fifth time.
“Oh stop. It was overdue.” She waves a carefree hand in the air. “Besides, it’d been a while since I’d been called that.” She sucks her teeth, staring at the drop in her glass. “Kinda missed it.”
I consider telling Charlie where I come from—and by which, I mean New York City—kissing isn’t considered cheating. But I wouldn’t want to add fuel to the fire. Better to let her move on.
Besides, Charlie’s so innocent, and clearly still a virgin, so that may have just been enough for Noah to call it quits.
“Anyway, if we can avoid that place, I’d appreciate it,” she says.
“Promise.” I hold out my pinky.
“Wow a pinky promise with Pepper Woods. Life made.”
I burst out laughing and she offers me a sweet smile. One that I can’t believe someone couldn’t forgive.
“But honestly, if there is a way out of that contract, Noah will find it. He’s great at what he does.”
“I don’t see how. I know Troy. He wouldn’t risk loopholes with his reputation. He’s got that thing airtight.”
“He’s got this thing airtight,” Noah says in the kitchen the next morning.
