AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“It’s not a bad idea.” Samara tapped her lips. “Pete, can you contact her? And I’ll see about renting the big room at the library for a meeting.”
“It’s a start. But I think we should keep brainstorming.” Steve leaned back in his chair.
“Derek and I have town council meeting tomorrow night,” Pete said.
“Well for goodness’ sake, don’t tell them what we’re planning.” Linda threw up her hands. “If Bette finds out, she’ll counter campaign and then we’re done for.”
Steve, Bob, Samara, and Linda got up to leave. Pete stayed behind a minute to go over agenda points for the council’s meeting then left. Derek thought about leaving cash on the table and sneaking out, but when he checked his wallet, he only had cards, no cash. He would have no choice but to talk to Kylie again. The idea shouldn’t be making his stomach squirm, but it did. He headed up to the counter where she was wiping down the espresso grinder.
“What do I owe you?” he asked.
Kylie dried her hands on her apron and moved to the cash register. Punching a few buttons she said, “One dollar and seventy cents.” She passed him the card reader. “You all seemed very conspiratorial over there.”
“That tends to happen when you’re conspiring,” he said. “Thanks.” He handed the card reader back to her.
“Derek,” she said. “I really am sorry. For the speeding.”
“Right, well. Remember we try to drive a bit slower around here. This isn’t Toronto. You can’t drive however you want.” It came out snide. He knew it the moment it left his lips.
Her warm expression closed off. “Clearly.”
“I’m sure pedestrians jump out of the way for you in the city.” He really needed to stop talking.
“I’ll have to slow down here anyway so I don’t lose a tire in the potholes.”
What a snob. He hoped she wasn’t like this with all the customers or Sandy would fire her in a heartbeat. Which might actually be better for everyone.
“Just drive more carefully in the future.” He lifted his chin. “Kids play on the streets here.”
She looked like she was fixing to throw one of the ceramic mugs at his head, so he spun on his heel and left the shop. Once the cool air hit his skin outside, he came to his senses. Why on earth did he just pick a fight with her? Something about her just got under his skin. Whatever. He shouldn’t even care about this stuck-up city snob who would probably be splitting town soon anyway.
~ * ~
Kylie hadn’t expected a conversation with Derek to turn sour like that. Hoping he’d changed since high school, she’d tried to be friendly. But his condescending tone had cut her more than it should’ve. Apparently, he was still rude and unkind. How she ever had a crush on him back then was a mystery. She kept working, but she was distracted by replaying the conversation with Derek in her mind.
The rest of her first day at the bookstore went by quickly. Sandy trained her for only an hour on the coffee bar and cash register and told Kylie she’d show her some more the next day. Business had been steady, but relaxed. It was nothing like any Toronto coffee shop she’d been in. She even made a few book sales as well, and the customers were very patient with her stumbling through it.
At around five o’clock a pre-school-sized boy with blond curls barged through the door and made his way to the children’s books. An elderly man sitting at one of the tables said, “Hiya Charlie!” as the boy buzzed by his table and flashed a huge grin.
A moment later, the door opened again and in walked a woman younger than Kylie who must have been the boy’s mother. The woman stopped in the doorway and stared at her, surprise on her face. Kylie realized the woman was in fact Derek’s younger sister, Cate. She’d been on the Students Helping Students committee with her.
Cate grinned and made a beeline for Kylie. “Hey Kylie. I heard you were back in town. Do you work here now?”
“Hi Cate,” she said, fidgeting with her apron. “Yeah, I started this morning.”
“I love your eyeshadow.”
Kylie touched her face. She’d put on her normal work face today, but maybe it was still too much for Camden on a Monday. “Thanks.”
“Sandy called and said a book I ordered was in,” Cate said.
“Oh sure, I can check under the counter.”
“Great.” Cate went over to the boy in the children’s section.
Kylie wondered what Derek might have told Cate about her speeding ticket. She ducked under the cash register guessing that’s where Sandy would keep a special-order book. She found a paperback on gentle parenting with a paper stuck in it. The paper readFor Cate Carson - Paid. This note told her two things: Cate was a parent now, likely to that little boy Charlie, and she might not be married as she still used her maiden name.
Derek was an uncle. He was probably a great uncle given he’d always been good with the kids at the summer camp they’d both worked at as teenagers. She imagined Derek changing diapers and playing peek-a-boo, but that didn’t exactly jive with the man who’d been rude to her earlier. He was too crusty to be cute with kids anymore.
