Page 11

Like clockwork, the store opened and the first of several customers began to line up, dropping off prescriptions or picking up those early morning entries. Bryce set aside his work to help his customers, greeting familiar faces as well as new ones. He never saw Kate slip into the store or sidle up to the counter until she placed a Starbucks cup beside his register, earning a shuttered glance from the customer he was serving.

“Busy morning?” she greeted with a sunshine-bright smile. Her dark eyes watched him meticulously, noting every motion, leaving his skin prickly beneath his lab coat.

“Yep,” he answered, then said to his customer, “That’ll be thirty dollars, Ms. Duboski.”

“Here you go,” the woman said, handing him cash. “Have a nice day.”

“You, too.”

Bryce handed over her prescription, finished with the last two customers in line, and finally turned his attention to Kate. Despite her prim and proper composure, impatience flashed in her eyes and tightened her smile. She tucked a wave of her dark, asymmetrically-cut hair from her cheek and behind her ear. The two diamond-studded clips holding the hair from one side of her head out of her eyes caught the incandescent lighting and twinkled vibrantly.

Bryce stole a sip of the coffee she’d delivered, letting the strong brew slip down his throat. God, he needed all thecaffeine he could get. His own irritation was treading dangerously close to the surface after Mae’s ridiculous accusation and his continued lack of sleep. He gave Kate a quick glance, noting her professional skirt suit and simple yet expensive choice of jewelry. Her pixie-like heart-shaped face was carefully made up with natural tones, enhancing the appearance of a woman he once considered beautiful, but who could no longer hold a flame to the one in his mind.

That very thought twisted his gut. He lowered his coffee cup and busied himself with cleaning off the counter.

“Thanks for the coffee. Shouldn’t you be at the office?” he asked.

Kate shrugged, pursing lightly painted lips. “Ten o’clock. I’ll be helping our mothers on their latest case. The D.A. is stopping by with evidence requested by your mother at ten-thirty.” Kate rapped her acrylic nails on the countertop, a sound that flicked each raw nerve. He rubbed a hand over his face and sighed. She said, “Our parents are having dinner at my house tonight. Daddy hopes you can arrive by six for cocktails and hors d’oeuvres.”

“I’ll be here. Pharmacy closes at nine and the other pharmacist is off today.”

Kate twisted, her petite frame resting back on the counter as she scanned the area. “Where’s that witch of a manager? I’ll have a word with her.”

“Absolutely not, Katherine. This is my job, my profession. You can’t come here and interfere, threatening to have words with my manager when my schedule doesn’t appeal to you or your family’s plans. That’s not how the real world works,” Bryce scolded quietly. “You might have it a little easier working at our mothers’ law firm, but my profession runs on another’s schedule and I can’t do anything to changethat. Next time, give me advance warning and I can request time off.”

Kate glowered at him over her shoulder, her lips pulled tight as she tried to stare him down. Bryce shrugged, palm turned to the ceiling, and opened a new set of prescription orders on the computer.

“What time are you taking lunch?” she asked, her voice no longer sweet and coaxing. Frustration and anger at not getting her way was making a show. “I can stop by.”

“I don’t know. It’ll depend on how the day goes. It’s me and Mindy. No other pharm techs.” He motioned to the computer screen, though she couldn’t see it. “I’ve already got thirty new scripts to fill in the last twenty minutes. I should get on these.” He saluted her with the coffee cup, hoping Kate would take the hint without him having to come right out and tell her to leave. That would be opening a can of worms he didn’t care to deal with when his patience was questionable at best. “Thanks again for the java.”

“I’ll call you later to see if you have a better idea of when you’ll take lunch. And I’ll speak with Mother about delaying dinner so you can join us.” She pushed off the counter, smoothed down her skirt, and flicked the flip of her chin-length hair away from her cheek as she turned her nose up. “Tomorrow, you’re off. I need you to be at my house by two to discuss color schemes and floral arrangements for the wedding, so don’t stay out until dawn drinking with Jesse. That has to stop, Bryce.”

Bryce gritted his teeth behind a tight-lipped grin, his gaze cutting to an elderly woman approaching the counter. “I’ll speak with you later, Kate. Good luck today.”

He watched Kate leave the store, bumping into Mindy on the way out. His tech reeled around and scowled, but hisfiancée kept walking without offering an apology, dusting her arm off as if nothing had happened.

Mindy slipped behind the counter as their new customer dropped her purse on the surface and dug out prescriptions to be filled. Bryce accepted the scripts, gave the woman an estimated time when they’d be prepared, and the woman left.

Mindy snorted. “Man, your woman needs to watch where she’s going, no offense.” She tied up her black hair, the bright purple ends spread out over the top of her head. “One day she’s gonna walk into her worst enemy and her ass will find the ground faster than she can blink.”

Bryce chuckled under his breath, hiding his disgruntled grin behind a sip of coffee.I don’t doubt it.

Unfortunately, Kate had a way of skating embarrassment and being put in her place. It didn’t help when her parents catered to her every whim, spoiled her to the point of ridiculousness, and refused to listen to anyone whose opinion differed from hers. She kept her circle small, her clique tight-leashed, and her village beneath a stern thumb.

If he could reset time, he’d have avoided that first date six years ago. Avoided the pressure from his parents, the hope in his mother’s voice when she spoke about how a union between them would hold so much promise.

Yeah, promise for a stronger law firm and political gain.

Mindy sidled up beside him, her arm pressed against his. A pretty girl with eclectic taste and a talent for makeup and tattoos, he saw her as his crazy little sister. They had an understanding, and a great working relationship.

“You know, Bryce, you’re such a nice guy. Handsome as the Devil and smart as sin. Why the hell do you put up with a beast like her? You can do so much better.” She leaned her head closer. “Probably get rid of this stick up your ass, too.”

He managed to keep his coffee in his mouth, but chokedon a bigger sip than he’d intended, scalding his tongue. Mindy snickered, smacking him on the back.

“What the hell are you talking about?” he wheezed.

“Oh, don’t play coy, buddy. Ever since you proposed to her, you haven’t been your chipper self. Like you’re staring at the Apocalypse when you look at her. Men who love their women don’t look at them like the world is going to end at the altar.” She gave him a final pat on the back. “I don’t know why you put up with her, unless you enjoy the torture. In that case, I’ll be looking at you in a new light.”