Gina said they were expecting their cookies. Pre-paid, no money to worry about, just a delivery. It was the granddaughter she dealt with when dropping them off, who looked confused until she saw the box with Gina’s logo, and then Bryar was off to the bakery again for her last hour.
She walked swiftly along the sidewalk, her leather jacket pulled tight around her. Maybe she should pick up a different coat while making deliveries at work. Her black slacks were better than the jeans she normally wore with it, true, and her thick black curls were tied back so she hopefully looked proper, but leather tended to intimidate people in this town unless it was on car seats or expensive boots.
A few people cut her looks as she walked. Others outright stared . What the hell? Did she look that out of place downtown? Bryar frowned and tried not to glower back. It wouldn’t do Gina any good to be associated with an employee who told town busybodies to fuck off, but it was pretty damn tempting.
When three teen girls waiting for Midsummer’s only town bus started giggling as she walked past, Bryar decided she either had something stuck to her butt or she was just paranoid.
She really hoped for paranoia.
Back in the bakery she passed a trio of customers, gave Gina a little wave, and hung her jacket in the back and replaced it with an apron before returning to the counter again. She only vaguely recognized the three women—she thought one of them, dressed in an expensive suit, might’ve been someone she dropped a resume to the day before—but they each looked at her critically. None said anything, simply accepting a box from Gina in exchange for cash and then exiting the store.
“Any issues with the Lowes?” Gina asked.
Bryar shook her head. “The granddaughter kinda wondered who the hell I was, but figured it out quick.”
“She’s run ragged trying to keep the store afloat and take care of her grandmother,” Gina said with a sigh. “It’s the same thing I see with Brennen and his grandfather, only times ten—Brennen at least hires caregivers to help out. I don’t think Raina can.”
The kitchen door in the back opened and closed, and a moment later Gina’s husband stepped into the main area of the bakery.
The shop was by no means small but felt cozy with the groupings of shelves and counters; Brennen Prescott’s presence, however, made everything seem that much more tiny. He was tall and muscular but without being too broad, always impeccably dressed with even his most casual clothes being top of the line. Dark brown hair hung in neatly trimmed waves and his blue eyes sparkled as they fell on Gina.
Bryar shifted a little awkwardly as he wrapped his arm around his wife’s shoulder and kissed her forehead in greeting, turning her gaze away. Sure, they weren’t overly smoochy and gross with the PDA, but still, it was...it was the envy that burned her a little. Pretty people with their pretty perfect life. She reminded herself that Gina’s life had been far from perfect, but it seemed pretty damn great now from where Bryar was standing.
“Hi Bryar,” Brennen greeted her warmly, moving to stand on the other side of the counter from them and leaning his elbows on the glass. “How’s your first day?”
She hadn’t entirely realized he even knew her name, but then of course his wife of all people would’ve told him about the new hire, and who else would be standing behind the counter? “So far so good, I think.”
He was staring at her, still grinning.
Something turned unpleasantly in her stomach and she looked from him to Gina; Gina was frowning at Brennen, so whatever was going on, she didn’t know either.
“Is there something on my face?” Bryar said at last.
Brennen’s lips twisted, like they were fighting an even bigger grin. He pulled out his cell phone and dragged his thumb across the screen. “Turns out you’re famous.”
He turned the phone her way.
She and Gina leaned over the counter,
She walked swiftly along the sidewalk, her leather jacket pulled tight around her. Maybe she should pick up a different coat while making deliveries at work. Her black slacks were better than the jeans she normally wore with it, true, and her thick black curls were tied back so she hopefully looked proper, but leather tended to intimidate people in this town unless it was on car seats or expensive boots.
A few people cut her looks as she walked. Others outright stared . What the hell? Did she look that out of place downtown? Bryar frowned and tried not to glower back. It wouldn’t do Gina any good to be associated with an employee who told town busybodies to fuck off, but it was pretty damn tempting.
When three teen girls waiting for Midsummer’s only town bus started giggling as she walked past, Bryar decided she either had something stuck to her butt or she was just paranoid.
She really hoped for paranoia.
Back in the bakery she passed a trio of customers, gave Gina a little wave, and hung her jacket in the back and replaced it with an apron before returning to the counter again. She only vaguely recognized the three women—she thought one of them, dressed in an expensive suit, might’ve been someone she dropped a resume to the day before—but they each looked at her critically. None said anything, simply accepting a box from Gina in exchange for cash and then exiting the store.
“Any issues with the Lowes?” Gina asked.
Bryar shook her head. “The granddaughter kinda wondered who the hell I was, but figured it out quick.”
“She’s run ragged trying to keep the store afloat and take care of her grandmother,” Gina said with a sigh. “It’s the same thing I see with Brennen and his grandfather, only times ten—Brennen at least hires caregivers to help out. I don’t think Raina can.”
The kitchen door in the back opened and closed, and a moment later Gina’s husband stepped into the main area of the bakery.
The shop was by no means small but felt cozy with the groupings of shelves and counters; Brennen Prescott’s presence, however, made everything seem that much more tiny. He was tall and muscular but without being too broad, always impeccably dressed with even his most casual clothes being top of the line. Dark brown hair hung in neatly trimmed waves and his blue eyes sparkled as they fell on Gina.
Bryar shifted a little awkwardly as he wrapped his arm around his wife’s shoulder and kissed her forehead in greeting, turning her gaze away. Sure, they weren’t overly smoochy and gross with the PDA, but still, it was...it was the envy that burned her a little. Pretty people with their pretty perfect life. She reminded herself that Gina’s life had been far from perfect, but it seemed pretty damn great now from where Bryar was standing.
“Hi Bryar,” Brennen greeted her warmly, moving to stand on the other side of the counter from them and leaning his elbows on the glass. “How’s your first day?”
She hadn’t entirely realized he even knew her name, but then of course his wife of all people would’ve told him about the new hire, and who else would be standing behind the counter? “So far so good, I think.”
He was staring at her, still grinning.
Something turned unpleasantly in her stomach and she looked from him to Gina; Gina was frowning at Brennen, so whatever was going on, she didn’t know either.
“Is there something on my face?” Bryar said at last.
Brennen’s lips twisted, like they were fighting an even bigger grin. He pulled out his cell phone and dragged his thumb across the screen. “Turns out you’re famous.”
He turned the phone her way.
She and Gina leaned over the counter,
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