I allow Mom to carry on while I continue to be nosy. “I can fix this for you. Or you can come home and your father…”
A picture slides out of the journal and I catch it before it falls to the floor. It’s the same picture my mom showed me when she told me they adopted me—a typical newborn picture taken in the hospital and it’s of me. There’s no name on the back, but I know it’s me just the same. I scour the pages of the journal, hoping it was hers from when she gave me up and she anguished about whether she was making the right decision. Sadly, it’s just business plans.
The bell chimes and I stand, rounding the partition to the front of the store. My mom continues telling me all the options that involve me leaving this town and returning back to her.
“I gotta go, Mom,” I say.
“Presley.”
I click to end the call and look at the woman standing across the room, wondering what she wants to yell at me about now.
“Can we talk?” Clara asks like a scorned puppy with her tail between her legs.
Let’s hope this goes better than the first time.
After I drop Rylan at soccer, I head over to the brewery because this is my life. I’m either working or doing things with my family. Plus, the twenty-four-hour deadline I have from Nikki is on my mind.
Speaking of which, I’m listening to her now to make sure she’s abiding by her word.
“The buzz around Sunrise Bay is which two companies will be named this month to collaborate on duo night. After last month’s collaboration between Mary from Bakey Cakey and Chuck from Meatmarket, the next two participants will have their work cut out for them in planning a fun night for the community. Mary outdid herself with those tasty cakes that looked like beef.”
Thankfully, my family are people of their words. I breathe a sigh of relief and turn off the station as I drive through downtown. It’s quiet for a Saturday, and as I round the back of the brewery and park, I look at Mrs. Harrison’s space. Guilt weighs on me over Jed putting in that offer for the building, but when he woke me in the middle of the night with his crazy idea, it sounded like a good option. Clara doesn’t want it, and I doubt Presley does either. Who would want to stick around a town where you’re the spotlight of the gossip mill? And she would be if she stayed.
Walking into the brewery, I don’t bother going to the front of the building, but stay in the office to get some paperwork done.
My phone rings in my pocket and I pull it out, seeing Jed’s name on the screen. “What’s up?”
“Xavier just called. I guess the offer for us to buy the building wasn’t met well by your girl. Things went downhill between her and Clara from there.”
I run my hand down my face and around my neck and pull to release all the stress. “So it’s a no.”
“I have a few tricks up my sleeve. Maybe we could figure out a way to make her want to leave.”
“Jesus, Jed.”
“Then the only other option is for us to go over there. Talk to her. Let her know it’s us. That we’re up-front, honest guys and the offer is a solid one.”
“Or we just don’t expand.”
He laughs. “You don’t know me at all, do you? I get it if you don’t feel comfortable, since you want to bang her, but I’m going to head over there now.”
“I think we should just let them—”
“I’ll let you know how it goes.”
Click.
Damn Jed. The guy doesn’t have an off switch. Clara and Presley are dealing with a lot right now. We should give them time to sort it out.
I grab my coat and walk out of the front entrance of the brewery. Sure enough, Jed is already parked and rounding Meatmarket, heading toward the old sewing store. He smacks on his charismatic smile. He probably practiced his speech on the way over.
“Let’s do this.” He smacks his hands together and rubs them.
“You’re going to get your ass kicked.” I open the door, allowing him to go into the sewing store first.
Clara and Presley are in there, looking as if they’re in a standoff. Clara’s at the front of the store and Presley’s near the back. They both turn their attention our way.
“You need to give us a minute,” Clara says, holding up her hand.
“Just let us plead our case,” Jed says and walks by Clara, sliding up on a table between them as though he’s going to play mediator.
“Case?” Presley asks.
“These are the buyers,” Clara fills her in.
Presley’s gaze shoots to mine and she huffs. “Convenient.”
“I did an honest comparison, and the fair value is more like a hundred thirty thousand, so if you want us to go up that high, we’ll do it, but I think the as-is clause has to be enticing, no?” Jed looks around. “We can get rid of all this junk.”
“It’s not junk,” Clara says.
“Of course not, but what are you going to do with six sewing machines?” Jed’s quick to change his approach. Seriously, I know he hates his father, but sometimes he’s so much like him and he thinks he can sell anything to anybody.
“Maybe we’re going to open the store back up.” Presley shoots me a glare.
Shit. She’s angry with me.
Jed laughs.
Bad move.
“Do you have something to say, Jed?” Clara asks.
He holds up his hands. “Well, if you two could actually thread a needle and sew two pieces of fabric together, then I wouldn’t laugh, but clearly…” His eyes zero in on Presley’s heels and roam up her outfit. She looks gorgeous. “Neither of you are into sewing your own clothes.”
“You know nothing about me.” Presley crosses her arms and juts out her hip. Her jeans are tight, showcasing the curve of her hips and calves, and I can’t help but wonder what her legs would look like if I peeled those jeans down to the floor.
“I know you’re wearing high heels with no socks and it’s spring in Alaska. I know the jeans you’re wearing are designer.”
Strike that whole thing about him being like his father. Jed is not selling this.
“Let me intervene,” I say, taking a seat at the table across from Jed.
“Oh please, what? Are you going to try to seduce me to get the space?” Presley asks.
This is what I was afraid of. “That’s not what I was doing.”
She nods as if she’s got my number. “Really? Do you always ask out girls you just met?” She looks at Clara. “Is Cade here the Casanova of Sunrise Bay?”
Clara bites her lip. She knows I’m not like that, and telling the truth will only hurt my case. “No. He doesn’t date a lot.”
Fucking hell.
“You were different,” I say, but Presley raises her hand.
“It doesn’t matter. Obviously that whole situation is over now. You tried to go behind my back and get the building from me.”
My forehead wrinkles. “What?”
“I think you have it wrong,” Jed says.
Presley waves her hands, reminding me of a child who puts her fingers in her ears and says no, no, no. She points at Jed and me. “Listen, I know you want the building. And I know you want to sell it,” she says to Clara. “I don’t know what I want yet, so just give me some space.”