Page 11 of The Secret Heir Next Door

Guess it wasn’t a dream.

“Some guy who.... Well wow, I don’t even know his name.”

“He’s hot and looks incredibly into you.”

“Not so much,” I laugh. “He told me I was a child and that my store was an eyesore.”

“Maybe he’s just awkward,” she giggles.

“Doubtful. More like just an ass.”

“Well, it looked like he was ready to devour you.”

I would like him to devour me. I wonder what it would feel like to have that mouth on my entire body.

“I don’t think so.”

“Your flushed face says differently,”she laughs.

“What flavors did you want?” I grin back at her, desperately needing to change the subject.

I spend the next ten minutes filling her order. I just met her on Saturday, but she’s already raving about my treats and wanting to share them with others. That’s a big deal.

So much for that jerk telling me that my shop is an eyesore.

I slide the last strip of fudge into a colorful box, stepping back to admire the vibrant colors. Tara's order is complete.

“I can’t wait to share these with everyone,” she says excitedly as she pays.

She waves and heads out the door, balancing her boxes. I wipe my hands on my apron and reach for my phone just as it starts ringing.

"Hey, Em," I answer, tucking the phone between my shoulder and ear as I tidy up the counter.

"Hey, Serena. What’s with the panicked phone calls?"

“I got a letter from the landlord stating that I have thirty days to get out of the building because I didn’t conform to some amendments that I didn’t even know about. I attached a copy of the letter to the email. Did you get it?”

"Yeah, give me a second to look through it,” she answers, and I hear her tapping a pencil on her desk. “Okay, I think I figured out how the owner is getting around the grandfather clause. He's requesting changes to the property that, once approved, allow him to evict tenants under the guise of 'improvements.' It's sneaky, but it’s all there in the fine print."

I stop wiping and lean against the counter, my stomach knotting. "Are you serious? That’s how he’s been pushing people out?"

"Yeah. We can file a motion to cease and desist as the building and everything about it is sound. The issues he’s citing have to do with your branding, and he can’t force you to change that. He’s a blowhard. If we push back, I think he’ll back down easily.”

“He says I have thirty days.”

“Did this eviction get served to you?”

“No, regular mail.”

“Then there’s no proof that you received any mail regarding it. I think it’s a power play right now. If you’re not out in thirty days, he doesn’t even have the right to remove you because there’s no proof that it was delivered to you. Most people give in because they don’t know that he’s a bully.”

“Speaking of bullies,”I sigh. “This asshole came in earlier, claimed he was on the board for community improvement or some crap. Kept talking about how my shop is an eyesore and how he’s made numerous complaints."

"What was his name?" Emily asks.

"I didn’t catch his name, but he was wearing this expensive Armani suit. Couldn't stop bragging about it, too. Absolute asshole."

“Describe him to me,” she says as I hear her tapping away at the keyboard.