Page 39 of To Obsess

It definitely didn’t help the mood of the office today though. Everyone has been walking around on eggshells since arriving this morning, mostly trying to avoid him all together. Unfortunately, I don’t have that luxury.

“What time are the new clients arriving this afternoon?” I ask, poking my head around the corner of his office door. If he decides to hurl something at my head, I can duck out of the way quickly enough, I hope. From the huff he throws at me, I think he’s contemplating it.

When he raises his eyes to meet mine, I wish I hadn’t asked. “They will be here at three. Do you have the contract ready to go?” His voice is level, but there’s an undercurrent of hostility that makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up.

“I do, yes. All you need is a basic contract to cover both parties, correct?” It’s better to cover all my bases now than miss something. On days like today, I think he’d rather have my head on a spike than accept an apology for missing paperwork he didn’t ask for in the first place.

“Yes. Just the basics for now,” he says with a dismissive wave of his hand, as if he can’t stand the idea of me taking up one extra second of his time. The feeling is quite mutual, but I duck out of the office, quietly closing the door as I go.

Papers are scattered across my desk an hour later, signature lines highlighted, waiting to be shuffled back into a neat stack to present to the clients upon their arrival. Once everything is in order, I step out for lunch, making sure to avoid my boss like he’s contracted the plague.

The scents floating around the diner have my stomach growling in hunger before I can even place my order. This little hole in the wall has been my favorite place to grab a quick bite since I was a teenager. The owners were so kind to me when I was just a scrawny, down-on-my-luck kid who didn’t have two quarters to rub together, let alone enough to pay for a decent meal.

Last year, Harold, the guy who built the place and ran it most of his adult life, passed suddenly of a heart attack. In two months’ time, his wife had developed a horrible case of pneumonia and died shortly thereafter, leaving the place to their only daughter, Tina. Thankfully, she didn’t have a shred of desire to change it.

“Boss’s tab today?” Tina asks, topping off my water glass. I give her the best smile I can muster with the way the day is going, but I’m sure it falls more than a little flat.

“I’ve got it today, though that’s not a bad idea.” I give her a halfhearted chuckle before laying a twenty-dollar bill down on the table. With a huff, I scoot out of the booth and stand. “Food was delicious as always, Tina. See you next week.”

By the time I pull back into the parking lot at work, there are several cars waiting for the lunch hour to be over. The bell chimes as I push the door open, welcoming me back to the monotony that has become my life.

Luckily, I straightened my desk and put the papers into a folder for the afternoon signing before leaving for lunch. Moments later, I’m in the conference room, quickly briefing my boss on the papers lying in the folder on the massive wooden table.

“Mr. Stephens? Mr. and Mrs. Yates have arrived. Shall I see them in?” The secretary’s bright blond hair reflects the fluorescent lights, nearly blinding against the dark walls of the hallway outside the meeting room.

He flinches at the sound of her voice as it pulls him abruptly from our conversation, but he quickly recovers. “Of course. Thank you.” His words are clipped but not unkind.

I shake hands with Mr. and Mrs. Yates as they enter the room and take their seats. Several minutes of small talk pass, discussions of business and the future, kids and grandkids. It’s impolite to get straight to the heart of the matter, after all. Small town culture prevails here, even when you’re in a lawyer’s office to sign paperwork.

A soft knock raps on the door before the latch clicks and it opens just enough to reveal the receptionist yet again. “So sorry to interrupt, but Ms. Parker has arrived.” She opens the door wide, taking a step back to allow the newcomer room to enter.

My stomach flips and butterflies assault my chest, making it difficult to breathe. As Violet enters the room, all grace and confidence, I swear I forget to breathe. Only when the burning in my lungs clouds any other thought do I remember that oxygen just might be necessary if I want to make it through this meeting without dying in front of the woman I’ve loved for more than half of my life.

I stand and shake her hand, hoping to the gods my palms aren’t half as sweaty as they feel to me. The urge to clear my throat is nearly overwhelming, as is the urge to throw up. Fortunately for everyone in this room, I’ve learned to control myself (at least somewhat) throughout the years. Just because I had physical contact with the fucking love of my life does not warrant losing my lunch.

I only hear bits and pieces of the meeting, but I manage to glean enough to know the bookshop is being transferred over to Violet, contingent on her being able to run it successfully on her own in the next calendar year. If she can manage that, it’s all hers.

My job for these meetings typically consists of answering a few basic questions clients may have, as well as collecting signatures in all the right places as Mr. Stephens explains what each paper states in layman’s terms. Somehow, by the grace of whatever being happens to be hiding out there in the universe, I manage my task with minimal fuck-ups.

Thirty minutes come and go as the meeting draws to an end. As much as I adore getting to spend this unexpected time in her company, I’m counting down the seconds until it’s over so I might be able to breathe halfway decently again.

“Thank you again, Mr. and Mrs. Yates.” I reach for their hands in turn, shaking them firmly as I’ve done so many times over the years. “Violet.” I turn to her, catching her eyebrow quirk at hearing her first name. “Sorry. It’s on the papers. It’s such a pretty name. And my favorite color. So sorry, Ms. Parker,” I stammer, tongue suddenly feeling like it’s swollen much too big for my mouth. Which wouldn’t be such a big deal if my foot wasn’t also jammed in there.

I watch them exit together, doing my best to ignore the glance Violet throws over her shoulder at me just before the door closes and I let loose a sound that’s half sigh and half groan.

Fucking hell.

Chapter 36

Violet

The drive home passes with nothing but the sound of the tires on the road to keep me company. I hadn’t expected to gain an entire business today, let alone have to go sign papers with a lawyer to make everything legal. Technically, I don’t get the business today, but that’s the plan apparently. I just have to prove I can do it for a year, and then it’s mine.

I swipe at my cheek, not sure exactly when the tears began to fall. For years, I’ve dreamed of taking over the bookshop but always thought it was just a fantasy. I never imagined I would actually get the opportunity to have it as my own.

Even through the excitement and fear of trying to tackle the upcoming year, something else keeps sneaking into the forefront of my mind. That man. I recognized him the moment our eyes met. I’m pretty confident he comes into the bookstore fairly often on my shifts.

Or maybe I just want that to be the case, considering he’s one of the most gorgeous men I’ve ever laid eyes on. From his dark hair to those hazel eyes, I’ve never felt quite as attracted to anyone before.