Chapter 15: The Brazen: Chapter 14

“How’s the new employee working out?” Lucy asked.

We were sitting on the couch in Everly’s office at the art gallery, visiting while Lucy’s son, Theo, played on the floor.

“So far so good.” The woman I’d hired was sweet and bubbly. She worked five days a week, allowing me some flexibility in my schedule. I loved The Refinery but it was nice to have a break. Mostly, it was nice to afford an employee.

Two weeks ago, the sale on the farmhouse had closed. That property was now someone else’s joy. Someone else’s burden.

“Okay, I’d better go.” I swallowed a groan. Jacob was meeting me at the White Oak for dinner at five thirty and I was already a few minutes late.

“You don’t seem excited,” Lucy said from the couch in Everly’s office where the three of us were sitting.

“Just not really in the mood for a date.”

“So cancel,” Everly said, placing her hands on her pregnant belly. “Hang out here with us. I haven’t heard from Hux, so I’m sure he’s zoned out in his studio painting.”

“Duke is covering for one of his deputies for the evening shift so he’s still at the station,” Lucy said. “We haven’t had a girls’ night in ages.”

“I want to, but I’m sure Jacob’s already waiting for me, and I’d feel like an ass if I stood him up last minute.”

After leaving the gym at four, I’d come down to meet them both and catch up with my friends. When they’d both moved here, we used to hit Jane’s for a drink, but these days, we found ourselves either here at the gallery or at The Refinery.

It was easier with Theo to give him some space to explore. He’d just started crawling a couple of weeks ago.

He came up to my feet and I bent down to help him up, holding his hands as he swayed on his chubby legs. A drooly smile squeezed my heart.

Maybe someday.

Or maybe the chance to be a mother had passed me by.

Lucy and Everly had become good friends. Unlike most of Calamity’s residents, they didn’t even bat an eye at my business ideas. Maybe because they weren’t from here. They’d moved here from Nashville and when I had an idea, they were completely supportive.

Lucy had been the first member of the gym, joining before I’d even opened its doors. Everly bragged that she was my first follower on Instagram TikTok.

When the farmhouse had sold, they’d shown up at my house with champagne.

They were good friends and I adored them. But these past four months had been hard, for many reasons, and I found myself pulling away.

Theo squirmed and dropped to his knees, crawling over to his mom at my side.

“We should plan a movie date,” Lucy said, picking him up and kissing his cheek. “How about tomorrow night? I think that new rom-com is at the theater this week.”

We only got one or two movies at our local theater each week, and even then, oftentimes they’d already been released on a streaming platform. Thankfully, people around here usually went anyway for the popcorn, candy and atmosphere. The owners of the theater tried to plan fun events to keep the seats full. But one day, as the world changed, so would my town. Would the theater survive?

The past four months my head seemed to swim with grim thoughts. What was wrong with me? It was like a gray cloud had settled over my mind, tainting each thought with a depressing rain.

“I can’t tomorrow,” I said. “It’s my grandma’s birthday so we’re having a big family celebration at the community center.”

I did not want to go to a family event. But I didn’t want to go to a movie either.

Except how did I tell my friends that their happy lives were hard to see? That while they were in love, I had never felt more inadequate and alone?

Everly was due in a couple of months with a baby girl. How did I tell my friend that just seeing her pregnant made the hole in my chest grow?

There was no way.

So I’d been tending to my businesses. My house. Every project on my list was nearly complete and for the first time, when I came home, there weren’t paint cans and tools waiting on the dining room table.

“Then next week,” Everly said. “Even if we just meet for lunch.”

“Sounds good.” I smiled and the three of us stood, making our way through the gallery to the front door.

“Have fun on your date.” Lucy held up Theo’s hand in a wave.

“Bye.” I waved back, walking past the colorful paintings on the wall to step outside and onto the sidewalk.

Down the block, country music escaped Jane’s front door. They had the live band playing tonight. Some Fridays, Lucy would join them and sing. The bar would be packed because how many towns could say they had a legitimate country music superstar as a local?

I turned the opposite direction and headed toward the White Oak, not far from my building. The scent of spring was on the breeze, but it hadn’t warmed up yet and I was glad I’d worn a coat because there was a nip in the air.

Walking had become a type of therapy, a chance to think and reflect. I’d finally bought another car, another Explorer, but those months walking around town had made an impression. So I kept on walking, one step at a time, day after day.

“Hi, Kerrigan.”

“Hi, Dan.” I smiled at the owner of the hardware store as he passed me. He was always friendly, but every time I came in, he’d give me a look and say . . .

Yes, more projects. Lots and lots of projects. Because those projects were keeping me sane. And like my new employee, for the first time in months, I could afford them.

After Pierce had returned to Denver, I’d met with my realtor, fully intending to take both the farmhouse and my home off the market. But as we’d talked, I’d realized that I didn’t want to own the farmhouse.

My two friends had nearly died there. It had been poisoned by a tragic event.

So I’d kept the listing at the market value, but decided to post photos about its remodel anyway. I’d gone through my archive and found the original pictures I’d taken after buying the place. Then I’d walked through each room, snapping new photos of the renovations I’d already done.

Somehow, a woman from Utah had stumbled across my Instagram feed. She’d been searching for listings in Montana because she and her husband had been planning a move. When she’d learned that the farmhouse was for sale, she’d called my realtor and offered the asking price. Not only had I recouped my tangible investments, but my sweat equity as well.

If all I accomplished with my blog was selling that property, I’d take it as a win.

At almost the same time, one of my renters had approached me about buying the home he and his wife had been renting from me. They loved the place and didn’t want to move. So I’d sold it too.

With that, I’d paid off a mortgage. And the first thing I’d done when the funds from the farmhouse had hit my bank account was issue a check to Grays Peak Investments, paying off my entire debt.

With Pierce’s payment plan, I wasn’t required to pay him for years. But I’d made the decision to move on.

We’d said goodbye months ago, but it was time to actually let him go.

I found Jacob’s white truck parked outside of the café as I crossed the street. My date was there, waiting for me. I slowed, hoping to feel a little blip of excitement. A tiny thrill at the thought of meeting a nice man for dinner.

But . . . nothing.

My feet carried me forward regardless. A green and white license plate caught my eye, causing me to do a double take. Parked three spaces away from Jacob’s truck was a green Mercedes G-Class SUV with Colorado license plates.

As the daughter of a car salesman, I knew expensive cars. It was rare that Dad sold a vehicle with that price tag, especially a foreign model that would require specialty parts, but we had enough tourists in the area that he’d point out the fancy cars.

My feet slowed, my eyes glued to the Mercedes. It couldn’t be him, right? Why would he come to Calamity? He wouldn’t.

In four months, I hadn’t heard a word from Pierce.

And I was a complete bitch for doing so, but I’d severed ties with Nellie too. I just . . . I couldn’t talk to her. As sweet and kind as Nellie had been, I couldn’t bring myself to call her because I knew the limitations of my self-control. If I talked to Nellie, I’d ask about Pierce. She’d tried me twice, around Christmas, but when I hadn’t answered or called back, she’d given up.

Just like her boss.

There was no way that was Pierce’s car. I shook myself out of that foolish dream, aimed my gaze and my feet to the White Oak and met my date.

“Hey.” Jacob slid out of his chair, his arms wide open.

“Hi.” I stepped into his embrace and prayed for the spark.

Again . . .

.

“Sorry I’m late,” I said, wiggling free.

“No worries. Your brother was actually in here picking up a to-go order so I was talking to him.”

“Did he leave already?” I scanned the room. Many familiar faces, but not my brother.

“Yeah, a few minutes ago. You just missed him.”

“Darn,” I lied.

Zach’s latest criticism was that the woman I’d hired to work at the gym was a former girlfriend of his. How was I supposed to know who he dated? It wasn’t like he’d ever brought her to a Sunday family dinner.

“How was work today?” I asked, taking the chair across from his.

“Good. Busy. How was your day?”

“Fine. Normal.” I met his blue eyes and wished they were a dark brown.

Jacob and I had been dating for a month. Maybe after one more, I’d stop comparing him to Pierce.

But they couldn’t be more different. Where Pierce had strong lines and sharp angles, Jacob was the exact opposite. His blond hair was cut short, making his face seem rounder than it already was. He was in shape, but he didn’t have a cut, muscular frame like Pierce. I’d never seen Jacob in anything but a polo shirt. His nose turned up slightly at the end and his lips were thin.

Jacob wasn’t bad looking. He just wasn’t Pierce.

The waitress came over and took our orders, then the community came to my rescue. The great part about dating Jacob was that we both knew everyone in town, so as people left or came into the restaurant, they’d stop by our table and say hello.

It saved me from making small talk with my boyfriend.

Was he my boyfriend? I grimaced at the word.

“Are you okay?” Jacob asked as his cheeseburger and my chicken salad were delivered. “You seem off.”

“I’m great,” I lied, picking up my fork. Then I dove into my meal, making sure that my mouth was full to avoid conversation.

I was off. Off was definitely the word. Sure, I smiled. Everyone expected me to smile.

It was ironic that the only smiles that felt real these days were the ones I posted on social media. Weren’t those supposed to be the fake ones? The highlight reel?

When I was working on a project at home, my hair would be a mess and I’d have paint on my fingers. But with a hammer or screwdriver in my hand, the smiles didn’t seem so difficult.

“Then I called the guy and had to go through line by line on the invoice where they’d overcharged us.” Jacob shook his head. “Took almost an hour. You’d think a large tire supplier would have a better system for billing.”

“Yeah,” I agreed, pretending that I’d been listening.

If there was ever motivation to make sure my blog and influencer plan took off, it was Jacob talking about work at the dealership. If we worked together, this was what our life would be. Cars. Parts. Tires. Mechanics.

What was I doing here? Why was I dating him?

After so many years, I’d finally given in to Mom’s pressuring. Probably because I’d been so hurt over Pierce’s disappearance. And when I’d stopped by the dealership one afternoon last month to look at cars with Dad, Jacob had asked me out.

In a moment of weakness, I’d agreed.

The first few dates hadn’t been bad. He hadn’t talked about the dealership as much. Mostly, we’d caught up on life since high school. But these last couple of dates had been . . . irritating.

Jacob was nice. He was smart and occasionally funny. So what was it about him that bugged me so much?

“How was the little gym today?” he asked, popping a fry into his mouth.

“Good.” I studied him as he chewed. He had a normal chew. No strange sounds or weird chomps. I didn’t have the overwhelming urge to devour his lips like I’d had with Pierce, but nothing with Jacob was like it had been with Pierce.

“And the little blog? Any new followers?”

A zing of annoyance skated up my spine. There. That was it.

How had I not noticed this before? I quickly replayed each of our dates, thinking back to the conversations we’d had about my rentals, the gym and my blog.

It had taken me months to get my website set up, and I’d shelled out a few thousand dollars to have a professional design it exactly the way I wanted because the standard cookie-cutter templates were not the aesthetic I was going for. That website was the reason I’d gone without a car for a couple of months in the new year.

But the end result had been worth the investment. Working on posts and photos was the highlight of my day.

My happiness wasn’t Yes, I only had 362 Instagram followers, most of whom were residents of Calamity or friends from college. Yes, my newsletter only had 102 subscribers. Yes, the only income I’d earned was thirty-six dollars and change from my Amazon affiliate sales.

Yes, it was little.

But the way he said that word diminished everything I’d been striving for. Like this was a hobby, not the start of what might become a career.

Well, this relationship was over.

I finished my salad and drained the rest of my Diet Coke, then signaled for the waitress that we were ready for the check. “I’ll buy dinner.”

“No, I can’t let you.”

“I insist.” I pulled out my wallet. “You’ve bought all of the others. It’s only fair.”

“But I have a job.”

My body froze. Yep, we were done. So, so done. “I also have a job. I just happen to work for myself.”

He didn’t miss the sharpness in my tone and his eyes widened. “That’s not what I meant.”

“It’s fine.” I waved it off and plastered on a fake smile. “And I’m buying dinner.”

“Okay.” He wiped his mouth with a napkin and watched me hand over my credit card to the waitress.

When she brought it back over, I signed the receipt with an angry scribble, then shot out of my chair and yanked on my coat.

Jacob kept pace, hurrying with his own jacket.

I didn’t wait for him when I turned and marched for the door. The moment I hit the sidewalk, I aimed my feet toward the gym.

“I was thinking.” Jacob caught up, walking at my side. “Want to come over to my place tonight? We could have a drink. Watch a movie or . . . something.”

Or something? No, thanks.

I came to a stop, whirling to face him so that I could break this off now. But from the corner of my eye, I caught a tall figure on the other side of the street. Whatever words I’d had for Jacob died on my tongue.

My breath hitched.

Pierce.

He stood in front of the real estate office, his hands in his jeans pockets, staring my way.

“Kerrigan—”

“One second.” I held up a hand, already walking away. I checked both ways, then jogged across First. My heart galloped faster and faster with every step.

Pierce stood there, watching with an unreadable expression on his face.

I slowed as I approached the curb, then stopped in front of him. His towering frame pivoted so he could stare down at me as I struggled to fill my lungs.

Why was he here? Why now?

He looked as devastating as always. His camel coat showcased his broad shoulders and his jeans molded to his strong thighs. His dark eyes looked as exhausted as I felt. But otherwise, his face was granite.

Pierce’s jaw clenched and he tore his eyes away just as a hand came to the small of my back.

I jerked, surprised that I hadn’t heard Jacob approach.

His hand moved up my spine and his arm came around my shoulders, pulling me into his side. Claiming me.

In our month together, I’d kissed him twice. Each time had been awkward and unfulfilling. This touch was nothing more than his way of puffing up his chest.

“Everything okay, baby?”

Baby? Where the hell had that come from? No. Just . . . no.

I shifted away, shaking loose of his arm, and gave him a smile. Jacob had pissed me off tonight, but I wasn’t going to dump him in front of Pierce simply to be cruel. “This is Pierce Sullivan. My investor.”

Pierce’s body tensed at that designation as he held out a hand. “And you are?”

“Jacob Hanson. Kerrigan’s boyfriend.”

The men shook and when Jacob reached for me, trying to take my hand, I moved and tucked it into my coat pocket.

“I didn’t realize you were in town,” I told Pierce. Was that his Mercedes I’d seen earlier? It had to have been.

Something flashed in his eyes. Sadness. But it was gone in an instant, his expression once again unreadable. “I should have called.”

Months ago. He should have called months ago.

I’d told Pierce I understood. I’d done my best not to be angry at him. He’d been clear about not wanting a relationship. But . . .

We’d had something, hadn’t we? I hadn’t imagined our connection. And it wasn’t the sex.

Now he was standing here and damn it, I wanted an explanation.

Jacob inched my way. “We were just heading home—”

“Jacob, I’ll call you later.”

His eyes widened. “Oh, okay.”

I smiled at him, holding it through the awkward silence as he stared between Pierce and me. Finally, he clued in and retreated to his truck on the other side of the street.

Pierce and I both watched him until he’d turned off First.

Then, when we were alone, I faced Pierce. “You’re in Calamity.”

“I am.” He nodded, dragging his eyes up and down my body. They narrowed and I knew what he saw.

In the past four months, I’d lost weight. Weight I hadn’t had to lose.

I was dressed in the leggings and long-sleeved top I’d worn at the gym today while training the new employee. My coat was baggier than it had ever been. But sleepless nights and heartache had ruined my appetite.

“I got your check.” Most people wouldn’t sound so disappointed about getting paid.

The check had cleared, but I wasn’t sure if he’d known about it. When he’d left me behind, I’d assumed he’d handed my contract off to someone else. Though other than his lawyer, I hadn’t heard from anyone at Grays Peak. “I sold a couple of properties. The farmhouse and a rental.”

“You didn’t need to do that.”

“Yes, I did.”

I’d needed to unburden myself. Life was easier now. For so long, I’d dreamed about having my own empire here in Calamity. I wasn’t giving that up. Not yet. But it was time to slow down, to be methodical in my purchases and make sure I could weather any storm.

We locked eyes and my heart climbed into my throat. In a way, it was like no time at all had passed. He could kiss me right now and I’d melt into his arms. One touch and the past four months would evaporate.

I rooted my feet to the sidewalk, not trusting myself to move.

“You came back.”

“I did.”

“Why?”

He blew out a long breath. “For you.”