Page 10 of Wicked & Wildflower

I take a menacing step toward him, and he backs into the glass doors, reaching behind himself for the handle. We both pause as Dahlia’s voice, stronger than before, asks, “Why would you corner me here and not at the house?”

Her father’s eyebrows knit together, and a gross smile flashes across his face. “I did, but you weren’t there. I knew that bastard owned a business somewhere in this town. Figured I’d take a look around until I found you.”

I chuckle. “If by ‘that bastard’ you’re referring to my brother, I’d think twice before opening your fucking mouth again.”

His eyes go wide, face deepening to a crimson hue. Nostrils flaring, his gaze focuses on the woman behind me, just briefly.“You know what we need to discuss. If you’d picked up my phone calls, it wouldn’t have escalated to this. I don’t fly out until tomorrow afternoon. I’m going to call you later, and I suggest you answer.” He pushes the door open behind him. “I’d prefer not to return to this fucking town, but Iwillget what you owe me.” With one last look toward his daughter, he mutters, “And to think, I tried to play nice with her.”

Dahlia doesn’t respond, and I block the entrance to the store as I watch him leave. I don’t take my eyes off the front door until he makes his way down the boardwalk and turns onto Main Street. I watch until he’s completely out of sight before I turn back to face her.

Adam’s long gone. He texted me when the altercation started, and I came downstairs immediately. I had guessed the woman in the store was Darby’s sister when he mentioned she was a new staff member for the initiative, but I had no idea I’d be running into the same woman from the bar. I told Adam to head outside and lock the doors while I handled things so we wouldn’t risk any patrons witnessing it. I also didn’t want Dahlia to feel anymore embarrassed than I’m sure she already is.

I know Adam’s a hopeless gossip, so I also make a mental note to remind him later that if he utters a single word about the incident to anyone, I’ll have him jobless before the words leave his tongue.

Dahlia is leaned back against the counter, a trembling mess. Her eyes are cast down to the floor, as if she’s afraid to look at me. I slowly approach her, squatting down at her feet and picking up the brownies sprawled on the ground. I place each one back in the container before rising and setting it beside her.

“You’re Darby’s sister.” It’s not a question.

She finally lifts her head, and all I see is the color blue.

“You’re Leo’s brother,” she says quietly.

I nod.

“Well, fuck.”

I can’t help the laugh that escapes me.

There’s that string I was looking for, I guess.

6

Wicked

That Never Happened

“This is where themagic happens,” I say as I flip on the office lights.

Most of our staff only work for the initiative part-time, so they’re out and about or working from home. The space is used primarily for meetings. Leo and I put up some temporary walls to section the loft off into two offices, one meeting room, and one large room with several open work spaces. The desks can be used by anyone at any time. We’re not strict on schedules as long as people are getting their work done and picking up cashiering shifts at Heathen’s when we need them. Leo’s old kitchen works as a makeshift break room. There’s a bathroom up here too.

Today, however, the office is empty, save for me. It’s Friday in late August. Most of the staff are playing hooky and already out for the weekend, but I’m not about to be on their ass for it. If I hadn’t had to set September’s budget for Ramos Automotive, Iwould’ve been out on the waves myself. Now I’m glad I was here and Dahlia didn’t have to face her father all on her own.

Dahlia’s silent as she looks around the space. She sets the one unharmed container of brownies on the kitchen counter before following me into my office, hovering at the doorway as I step inside. “When we were kids, the entire town was run by mom-and-pop businesses. We knew all the owners. They were our neighbors, family, friends. About seven years ago, my mom’s best friend, Ruby, passed away. She owned an ice cream parlor here on the boardwalk, and it went up for lease. They tried putting in a frozen yogurt chain.” I lean against my desk. “After that, it was like investors were coming for every small business in the area. They tried buying my dad out of his property, wanted to tear down his business to build a hotel or a T.G.I Fridays, I don’t fucking know.

“Anyway, once Leo started making money, he came home and bought out the boardwalk. He was determined to keep the small businesses in place, to protect the people who dedicated their entire lives to this town, our parents included.” She doesn’t say anything, but she watches me intently as I speak. “The Mayor was in agreement with him, so they allocated funds to the Small Business Initiative, but it wasn’t enough. Leo provided the rest. We opened Heathen’s, our friend August opened the tattoo shop at the other end of the boardwalk, and we promised that we’d only put family businesses in between. The economy has made it hard for us to find anyone wanting to take the leap on signing a lease, though.” I shrug. “But we’re trying. The initiative also serves to protect other small business owners within the Pacific Shores city limits. We help them with marketing, event planning, sponsorships and advertising. We also provide free legal advice when they need it. Loans for when they’re struggling. Really, we’re just doing what we can to keep the sense of community we grew up with alive.”

I may have overshared. I mean, she’ll be working here, so she should know what we stand for, but given that the initiative and the two businesses I own are the only things I have to show for myself, I have a tendency to go overboard when I talk about them—especially to pretty girls I can’t get out of my head.

“That’s really amazing,” she says softly.

I press down the lifting sensation in my chest at her approval.

“Thank you.” I step off the desk and gesture around the room. “This’ll be your office once you start, so I thought you’d like to see what it looks like. You know, so you can start visualizing how you’ll want to decorate and whatnot.”

Her brows raise. “But… isn’t this your office?”

I shrug. “Yeah. But we’ve only got two private spaces in this building, and Leo’s office is here too. I have a second office at the auto shop, so I can start using that one full time and just come down here for meetings.”

“I hate to kick you out of your space.”

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