Blaire comes storming into the shop, glaring. "The fucking nerve!"
"What…" I begin, then see two men on their way into the store. I lean around Blaire, and smile at them. "Good afternoon. How may I?—"
Blaire spins toward them and snaps, "We're closed for five minutes. Come back later."
They stop in their tracks, blink sharply, then leave.
"Aunt Blaire," I whisper. "What is so wrong that you're turning away customers?" I think that's the closest I've ever come to talking back to her.
"Don’t tell me how to run my own store." Her hand flinches as if she’s a hair’s breadth from slapping me. "I just heard about your disgusting display at Sandcastles last night," she hisses. "How dare you."
I don't know what details she may have heard, so I keep my mouth shut.
"You were kissing that man in public." Her tone suggests I'd committed murder. “What do you think that does to our family’s reputation?"
Nothing,I think to myself, but keep my face completely neutral. No matter how angry she is, I would not trade last night's experience for anything.
"Anything to say, young lady?"
I shake my head. Anything I say will just be twisted. I wish Mom had warned me about this side of her sister. Do I really deserve to deal with this level of crazy?
“I can't trust you to run around unsupervised anymore." Blaire sets her purse on the counter, retrieves her phone, then flops down in her chair. "Davis and I are going away this weekend, and I will not have you prancing around town withthat man. I don’t care if he’s a Wolfe. He's a deranged backwoods creep. Probably lives in a shack. You are not to associate with him, ever again." It's extra difficult to hold a bland expression due to her use of the wordprancing.
I want to tell her that she has no say in who I associate with. Then I'll be getting another job and escaping this mess as soon as I can. That I don't owe her anything. But I can't find the words.
"Davis and I are leaving in an hour." Her eyebrows raise, challenging me. "We won't be back until noon on Monday. Until then, you're grounded. You can be here at the store, or at home. That's it."
Is she serious? I can barely hold back my smirk.
"Don't you dare laugh at me, Hanna! I have security cameras all over the place. I’ll be checking them while we're away. I will know if you go anywhere else."
This from the woman whose phone password is 123456. There’s no security system at the store. If there were cameras, I would have seen them.
She's staring at me as if she expects some sort of acknowledgement that she has power over me. I can't tell her off. Her anger makes me too uncomfortable. It's like a sudden rash all over my body, eating at my skin until I need to run away and hide. It’s childish, but I've always been this way when faced with confrontation.
At the same time, I have to say something. "Plus the coffee shop," I murmur quietly. “Monday mornings I always get a hazelnut latte."
Her lips twist as she glares. "Fine. Keep everything under control here until I get back." She sends a couple of texts, then grabs her bag and leaves without another word.
I wait until I see her car drive away. Then I lean out the door and wave to the two men who were trying to come in earlier. “She's gone now. I'm so sorry about that."
They breathe deep sighs of relief before coming in and purchasing a pair of work boots and dress shoes each. At least sales will be up for the day.
There’s no question I’m going to ignore her stupid grounding. But if she finds out, is Aunt Blaire going to kick me out?
Then again… Do I even care anymore?
7
KNOX
The windows are open and the music is cranked on the drive to West Stoneburg. I’ve always loved driving, but it’s even more enjoyable since I’m on my way to pick up my…
Girlfriend. You want to say girlfriend.
“The lovely young woman I’m dating” doesn’t feel serious enough for all the gigantic things I’m feeling. Sure, it’s far too early, but I don’t care if it’s fast. It’s real and it’s true and I’m reveling in the sensation of falling for this sexy woman. I can’t wait to take each step of this relationship as quickly as Hanna wants.
Making dinner together at my house will be much cozier than eating at a restaurant. I’m looking forward to having Hanna over. Not just to be intimate, even though the thought of caressing every curvy inch of her luscious body is driving me mental. I’ve never, ever, been this fucking horny, as wildly aroused as I am whenever I hold her against me.
