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Austin pulled my hand away. “Don’t cover up your laugh,” he scolded. “Now finish up your coffee and we’ll head out. I’m anxious to start moving in and the boys have a lot of work to do before that can happen.”
“What kind of work?”
He stood up and locked his fingers behind his head, stretching in the morning light. “Marking territory. One hundred acres. We’re going to have to stop off and buy a few cases of Gatorade. Denver’s going to hate my ass.”
* * *
I calledApril and she confirmed that thanks to Austin, things were running smoothly again. I was a little too embarrassed to go straight to Austin’s house and face the music (and the stares), so Austin dropped me off at Sweet Treats. Now that I was out of heat, he was okay with taking off, which I was thankful for. I didn’t need someone in my life that was so possessive I couldn’t walk five yards without feeling a tug at my leash.
April didn’t take the news about Charlie’s death very well. She might have a nose for business, but her sensitive side still ran deep. After fifteen minutes of crying in the bathroom, she emerged with a puffy nose and smudged eyeliner. She had also changed out of her work clothes, so I guessed she needed the rest of the day off to grieve. Girls like April looked even prettier at their worst; she just exuded a natural beauty I envied. I heard guys whispering about how she looked like a younger Keira Knightley, only blond with a punk-rock hairstyle like Pink. April had a unique look that made me wonder why she’d never tried modeling. Beckett once told me I looked like Megan Fox, but that’s when he was going through hisTransformersmovie phase. Plus, boyfriends were supposed to say stuff like that. I had lied myself and told him once he looked like Matt Damon on steroids.
“You okay?” I asked as she sat in the chair behind the counter and blew her nose. “I’m serious about you taking over as manager. I don’t know what I’ll be able to pay you until I figure out the finances, but nobody knows how to run a business like you do. April Frost, you were born for this.”
A little spark glittered in her eyes and I glanced at the streak of black dye in her platinum-blond hair. Her long bangs swooped over her face stylishly, and the streak ran diagonal. Last month, she tried a light blue color.
“Let me think about it.Of courseI will,” she said, as if there was never a doubt.
I walked around and hugged April so tight she let out a small fart. The both of us cracked up and I fell on the floor in hysterics. I needed that laugh; sometimes unexpected moments of childish humor made you realize how simplistically wonderful life was.
“Did you read over the information he left you?” she asked, twisting her bracelets around her wrist.
“Not yet,” I said, pulling myself up. “I was busy last night and didn’t get around to it.”
That’s when her eyes slid up and down my body. “With Beckett?”
I flushed and looked away because April had no idea Beckett was dead. The only person who would have reported him missing was his boss, but I had serious doubts he’d bother since they didn’t get along. Beckett’s only family was a drunk father serving time in the state pen. It simplified my holidays, which were always spent with my mom.
“No,” I replied, unwrapping one of the colored candy canes and nibbling on the end. “I went out with an old friend.”
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you wear your hair up,” she noted. “Knocks five years off your age, but I guess you already know that.”
No, I sure didn’t realize a simple ponytail made me look younger, but a girl could always use a boost to her ego, so I spun around with a wide grin. “Think so?”
April wasn’t paying attention as she thumbed through the ledger. “If you don’t mind, could I close up the shop for the day to do some work? I’d also like to see the papers he gave you. Don’t worry about the store—I’ll work out shifts with the girls until you come back. Say, whenareyou coming back?”
Good question. As the owner, would it be appropriate for me to be stocking candy? “Umm, as soon as I can. You call me if you need anything. I’m serious, April. I’ll give you the number where I’m staying and I’m going to get a cell phone.”
“Holy smokes!” she exclaimed. “You? A phone?”
“All right, that’s enough, Miss Sassypants. I’m having some family issues I need to resolve and you know I’m not someone who takes off work unless it’s important. I have a lot of time built up and—”
She lifted a hand. “You don’t have to explain it to me, boss.”
We both smiled at each other. There we were, running our own place, and that was probably the first moment it really sank in.Thanks, Charlie. Not just for dumping one hell of a responsibility on me, but for trusting and believing in me.
“I’ll drive you home and that way I can go over some of the books and look up a few things. Do you know where the money is all going now?”
“I’ll have access to the business account, and he provided a list of all the companies he receives bills from or does business with so I can contact them with the changes. His savings is going into the account and I’ll receive half of his life insurance.”
“I can help you with some of that if you need me,” she offered. “Where are you staying? You said you would give me the number but didn’t say where that was.”
“Um, that friend’s house.”
“Serious, huh? You always luck out with guys.”
I frowned as she grabbed her oversized brown purse from beneath the shelf and wrapped the ridiculously long strap across her shoulders.
“I wouldn’t say some of the losers I ended up with were a lucky streak, April. Just because I’ve had a few boyfriends doesn’t mean I’m fortunate by any means. I know you don’t talk about your personal life that much with me, but you could get any guy you wanted to. You’re smart, beautiful, and know how to handle some of these kids like a pro. What’s not to love?”
