Page 17

Elizabeth Damn Draper

Grocery stores seem unacceptably mundane after really great beach house sex. How was I supposed to concentrate on cauliflower ripeness and plentiful orders of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos when I’d just come off a hot and steamy sexcapade weekend I’d not soon forget? As in, twisted-in-the-bedsheets good, laughing quietly in the early morning hours good, and making love until we couldn’t hold our eyes open another minute. That good. I needed to process it all. First of all, I had to start with her breasts, because God in Heaven. Kyle’s should win awards.

“Hi, Mr. Anderson. We just got some of those cherry tomatoes you love.”

I flashed on the way she’d flipped me over like a pancake and done decadent things with her mouth while I’d gripped the sheets, totally at her mercy.

“Laura, your daughter looks more and more like you every day.”

The way I’d orgasmed more in a twenty-four-hour period than any other time in my life.

“Ms. Dolly Lee, do you want me to grab an extra cart for you? We can swap this full one for an empty until you’re ready to check out.”

The way Kyle took her time with each little touch, paying thorough attention to every inch of my body.

“Hey Buster, there’s a spill on twelve. Do you mind handling it?”

My skin was hot and extra sensitive. My brain moved too fast for its own good, always reverting back to the sexiest of thoughts, the kind no one should have in public. I needed a distraction in the form of an outlet. Finally, I spotted exactly what I needed to get myself through this afternoon. Elizabeth Damn Draper, who fell squarely in the confidante column these days. She was perusing the cake mixes, which was entirely on brand, when I hurried up on her. “Ma’am, I don’t mean to interrupt your shopping, but could you come with me a moment?”

Elizabeth paused mid-marble-cake-box-inspection. “Savanna, am I in trouble at the grocery store? Did I break a covenant rule and someone sent the manager?”

“We can discuss that privately. Follow me to my office.”

She frowned, placed the box back on the shelf, and followed dutifully behind me until we were in my office with the door closed. “Okay, what’s going on? I’ve never been pulled into the principal’s office before, but this is giving those vibes.”

“I had a sexy weekend at KC’s beach house.”

“The bungalow? Stop it. Even I’ve never had a sexy weekend at the bungalow.” She sat in the chair next to my desk as if preparing for story time. “So, it’s on? You’re a thing?”

I didn’t exactly know. “We haven’t defined the details of our relationship.”

“Oh,” she said, nodding supportively. “You totally have time for that down the road. I remember Devyn and me before we were official.” She fanned herself. “That level of heat took some getting used to. I’m still not sure I’m fully there even now.”

I took a seat across from her. We were bonding now. I loved Jonathan, but Elizabeth spoke my lesbian language. “Right? It’s like I can’t wrap my mind around the fact that our first weekend in Charleston wasn’t a fluke. We matched it at the very least.” I placed my hand on her forearm. “And Elizabeth, I’m pretty sure we surpassed it.”

“Tell me more immediately.”

“I most certainly will.” The lid was off now. “Our Friday night together had to be the sexiest night of my life. Did you hear that? My life.”

“Damn it.” She said it in a good way.

“I know. I don’t even know which detail to share.”

She slammed her hand down on the desk. “All. You should always share all. Was there tension first? The pent-up kind that twists around you like a lusty vine you could cut with a knife? I love winding tension.”

“There most certainly was that kind.” I looked her dead in the eye and told her all about the cooking class foreplay. The street kissing. The arrival at the bungalow I hadn’t even known was a bungalow until today. “It was amazing. The couch make-out session, the thunder, the flashes of lighting that lit up the room intermittently. Lizzie.” I squeezed her wrist.

She nodded, her eyes wide as if she was hanging on every detail I offered.

“I couldn’t imagine a night like that actually living in my memory bank, but it does now.” I sat back in my chair and sighed with the smallest bit of regret.

“I hear a but coming on,” Elizabeth said.

“There is one,” I said. “In the midst of the downright sexy, there was also the sense that we were holding ourselves back from anything too serious. Is that bad?” I was pretty confident fear had been responsible. At least on my end. The mood had been light, fun, and memorable, and I certainly couldn’t complain about that. But should I be reaching for more?

“I think I understand. The sex was good, but it wasn’t necessarily charged with emotion,” Elizabeth stated matter-of-factly.

“Yes.” I was impressed. “You put that really well.”

She raised a shoulder. “I was on the speech team. Ask Devyn which one of us most often wins our arguments.” She made a gesture as if wiping the board clean. “But back to your life. I don’t know Kyle’s history, but it makes a lot of sense when I think about yours. You’re in self-protection mode, and I think that’s okay for now. Go at your own pace. Get your sexy on and don’t feel bad about it.”

“Yeah?” I rolled my shoulders. “Okay, I can get behind that. There’s no reason to have everything all figured out.”

“Yes. That’s what dating is for.”

“Valid point. We’re dating . Easy breezy.” I felt the muscles in my body already start to unbunch.

“I’m not claiming to be a highly regarded romantic expert, but here’s my advice: Enjoy this for what it is and don’t get ahead of yourself. Time will answer all questions, and you and Kyle will navigate your own course.” She leaned forward, determined. “Love is tricky, unique, and there’s no such thing as one size fits all.”

I regarded Elizabeth very seriously, grateful for this friendship in my life, that it only seemed to grow stronger each day. “You are a lifesaver, and I’m thrilled I ran into you. However, I fear your ice cream might be melting, and we should get you a replacement.”

She brightened. “I’m just so excited not to be in grocery store trouble. This was the best trip to Festive Foods ever.”

Before I could answer, the door to my office was flung open.

No knock. No warning. Nothing.

There stood Faber in a navy and orange Adidas track suit. His style was nothing if not predictable. “I don’t know if you’ve heard, but I’m selling this place.”

I froze in shock and played the words back, unsure I’d heard him correctly. He’d said many surprising things to me over the years, but this one toppled the rest. “You are? You’re selling?” My voice was an octave higher than normal.

“Yes. I’m pivoting. Plan to focus on water sports and make a killing. Harlowe thinks that’s where everything is heading.”

I blinked. Harlowe again. This woman wiggled her pinkie finger and Faber leapt.

“Surfboards. Jet Skis. Banana rafts. Groceries are out these days.” He said it like the store left a bad taste in his mouth, as though people would no longer need to purchase food because Harlowe said so. I was instantly concerned about what this would mean for the store, for my employees who depended on this place for their livelihoods. What about them?

It was all starting to make sense. “That’s why you took the financials.”

“Yep. Buyers needed to see the books.” He surveyed my small office. “I’ll be moving most of this stuff out, too. I don’t plan to hand over anything not included in the nuts and bolts of the deal.”

“What about us? The employees?” I asked, afraid of what he might say.

“Not my problem. Once the ink is dry, the new guys can decide who they keep. I need that,” he said, pointing at the very chair Elizabeth sat in. “Now.”

“Oh. Okay,” she said, eyebrows raising. She looked just as amazed as I felt.

Faber didn’t hesitate. As soon as she stood, he grabbed the chair and dragged it straight out of the office. “I’ll be back later for more.”

“What in the world is happening?” I said to the ether. I turned around in a daze.

“I think you just lost your awful boss, and maybe that’s not such a bad thing?”

“Unless we also just lost our jobs.” I tried to decide what to do next. “I better figure out what’s going on. Will you be able to—”

“Replace my own ice cream? Absolutely.” She clapped me hard on the shoulder like a football coach. “You got this, okay? Go get ’em.” That was a growl if I’d ever heard one.

I stared at her in surprise.

She straightened. “I was trying out a new technique.”

“I see. Keep workshopping, though.”

“Yep.” Elizabeth flashed a killer smile. “You got it.”

* * *

The week had been one to write home about if I didn’t already live there. I’d fallen back into the hot and steamy with Dr. Kyle Remington of all people, spoken to my newly discovered father, and likely lost my job. I wasn’t sure I’d be able to top the drama. I also didn’t want to.

To find a way to decompress and find my bearings, I’d invited Kyle to eat-and-walk, one of my favorite pastimes in all of life. We needed time together to just…be. And what could be better than introducing her to the eat-and-walk Aunt Lindy and I had perfected?

“An eat-and walk? So how does this work?” she’d asked over the phone while on break at the ER. I could hear the hospital announcements through the call, reminding me how important her work world truly was. “I imagine there’s eating. There’s probably walking, too.”

“Yes. Very astute. You grab a guilt-inducing snack, one you can’t possibly indulge in without feeling at least a little bit bad, and hit the sidewalk for a scenic stroll. When paired together, those two things are a magical combination capable of making everything better.”

“Even the headache from the drunk man hollering in exam room three?”

“Especially him. This exercise was designed for ridding the brain of angry drunk folks.”

“Okay, if you’re going to be there, sign me up.”

“You’re in such luck.”

Tonight, we’d chosen strawberry ice cream cones from Jimbo’s amazing homemade cart and paired them with a stroll through the center of town as the sun set. I looked out at the sky as we started our walk, humbled by the soft pinks and purples swirling on the horizon—as if the universe had paused to paint us a moment of calm. “Dusk is my favorite time of day. I’m not sure I’ve ever told you that.”

“You definitely haven’t.”

“Not daytime anymore. Not yet night. Almost like we take a little break in between regularly scheduled programming.” I took a minute just to soak in the quiet. Most people were home from work or getting ready to start dinner. It came much earlier in autumn, but it was the same old wonder. “It’s this unique little stretch of time where everything is relaxed and beautiful.”

“Is that why you chose this time for us to meet?”

I scrunched my shoulders, making sure I absorbed every beautiful nuance of our surroundings. To not be left out, Kyle’s aqua eyes shone extra bright, caught by one of the last slanted rays of sunshine. “That’s exactly why. It brings me peace, this thirty-minute window. Did you know that’s how long it lasts? Much shorter than most people think.”

“I did not know the metrics”—she studied the sky—“but I think you’ve just made me appreciate each of the thirty.”

“Just like you’ve made me appreciate people with blue eyes.” I gave my head an appreciative shake as I watched her.

“Thank you, Potter. You’re good for my ego.” She took a beautiful lick around the side of her cone. An ice cream endorsement or foreplay? Definitely both.

“Oh, and guess what happened today at the hospital? This one threw me for a loop.”

I took a lick of my own and closed my eyes to savor. Jimbo had not skimped on the fresh strawberries. “Tell me.”

“Well, I can’t now. I’m too busy watching the show.” When I opened my eyes, her gaze was fixed on my mouth, just as mine had been on her moments before. We were a pair, and I reveled in the flirtatious energy that pinged back and forth.

I offered her a smile. “Show’s on pause. What happened?”

“I had a blast from the past in the form of the very guy my parents wanted me to settle down and marry one day.”

I quirked my head. “Here in town? Get out.”

“Yes. Small world. We were teenagers. His family was rich. My family was rich adjacent.”

“Ooh la la.”

“Don’t get excited. I don’t have my parents’ money.”

“Easy come, easy go.” I pushed her back on track. “Tell me more of the young Kyle story.”

“Well, our parents were just positive we’d be engaged by the time we were twenty-two.” She shrugged. “I came out at eighteen and ruined everything.”

“You bitch.”

“I know.”

“Anyway, Brent went on, got engaged, left at the altar.”

“Ouch.”

“It was horrible.” Kyle winced. “I was there to see the whole thing. But he’s good now. Found an amazing girlfriend, and they’re still together.”

“Good for him.”

“Well, not today. He’d just finished up a business lunch, came outside to a flat tire, and smashed his hand changing it on an incline. Never smart.”

I paused my ice cream enjoyment. “That gives me chills just thinking about. Gotta be careful around a jack. He’s so lucky. Brent’s his name?”

“Yes. Brent Carmichael.”

I frowned and stopped walking. This was hitting too close to home. “This is a long shot, but he’s not related to the Carmichael family who own BeLeaf Foods?”

“Yes, his dad does own a chain of stores, now that you mention it. That’s something you two would have in common. Brent went into the family business.”

“Which brings me to my big news. Faber, my boss, is selling my store.”

“Oh, wow.”

“He’s selling a grocery store, and Brent, who works for a grocery store chain, is in town for business.”

She turned to me, wide eyed.

“We’re going to become a BeLeaf Foods.” I blinked.

“I think you just might be.”

I was absolutely floored. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine we’d be acquired and turned into a national brand. The Bay was populated by mom-and-pop businesses. Recognizable corporations didn’t like the conditions the city leveled on them and generally stayed away.

“They’re going to come in here and install their own people.” I suddenly didn’t want the rest of my cone and tossed it in the nearby bin.

“We don’t know that. But whatever does happen? You’re going to be just fine.”

“How do you know that?” I asked, but my brain was only halfway engaged in the conversation, having downshifted to despair.

“No. Look at me. I mean really look at me.” She stopped us in front of the Miriam’s Antiques and Fun Finds. I loved the fun finds, but it was hard to find joy in this moment. “You’re smart and innovative and a go-getter. That conference you went to in Charleston was the perfect example. You now operate an amazing Airbnb, and I speak from experience.”

“Maybe I need to open five more. Do you think your rich parents would finance my venture?” That earned a laugh that I sorely needed. I loved Kyle’s laugh. The sound even helped lighten my spirits.

“I’ll give them a call. See what I can do.” She offered a playful wink and I was overcome with gratitude for the way she made a shitty situation feel manageable simply by proximity. She gave my chin a soft shake. “Do you want me to see what I can find out from Brent?”

Somehow that felt like cheating, and I didn’t want to insert myself in the middle of a deal I wasn’t supposed to know about or be factored into. Faber would have to tell all sooner or later, and now I had a good idea of what was coming. “No.” I took her hand in mine and started walking. “Let the chips fall where they may. We’ll know soon enough.”

I had a little money put away from the Airbnb business, so I knew I’d be okay. But maybe it wouldn’t be an awful idea to start looking for a job. Maybe Elizabeth Draper could use another dog walker. Maybe Sean could put me behind the bar at Ronnie Roo’s. The shape of my life was definitely changing, and it was time to find a way to accept it.

I turned to Kyle, trying to do a better job of asking for what I needed rather than shying away from what scared me. “Want to come over tonight?”

She turned, arched brow signaling her intrigue. “I’d love to. I get to see your place?”

I smiled and held her gaze, shoving trepidation to the side. Baby steps. “I think it’s time.”