Page 73 of Give Me Love

“It’s no problem.”

She sets her bags down on the desk in the office we just walked into. “I’m a friend of Kat’s,” I say, holding out my hand after I put the bags down. “Bryce.”

“Oh, really?” She smiles. “It’s great to meet you. I’m Karen. I own this place.” She looks around after shaking my hand. “For a little while longer anyway.”

“I noticed the sign,” I say. “You selling?”

“Yes. Sadly, I am.”

I watch her take things out of the bags, thinking about how Kat said she wanted to own this place and about that day when I picked her up from the bank.

“Kat buying?”

She looks up at me. “Oh, no. I wish she could, and so does she.” She sighs. “But sometimes things don’t work out the way we want, right?”

I lift my brow as my wheels begin to turn with an idea. “Right,” I agree.

Looking behind me to see if Kat’s anywhere near, I reach over and close the door. Karen looks puzzled.

“Can we talk business?” I ask.

She gives a curious smirk, but then says, “Have a seat.”

_____________

Kathrine

Music from the soundbar plays throughout our apartment as I scrub the bathtub. Becca is at the shop, so I had the day off and it’s now late in the evening. My fingers are raw from bleach, and my upper arms are killing me from reaching over.

My mind has been in circles since yesterday, trying to figure out what my next step is, thinking about Bryce and Mark.

When Karen sells the place, I’m not sure I’ll even have a job. The new owner may want to turn Mugs & Books into something else.

Vance Joy’s “Riptide” starts up, and I toss the sponge down. Taking a seat on the edge of the tub, I stare down at the fuzzy purple rug Claire had to have, thinking about Mark and the truth in his words yesterday.

He was right. My past was always in our relationship. Hell, my past is always in everything. But how can something so evil not have a big impact on your life?

My mind jumps to Bryce like always. The way his temper shifted so quickly, it’s clear he has anger problems, but how nice it was to have someone be upset for me. I mean, I’ve got Claire to do that, but this was so different. I don’t have a clue to what’s going on between us, but I do know one thing—this isn’t as easy as friends. I have feelings for this man, and they’re only growing deeper every time I’m around him. I just hope we don’t hurt each other because of our pasts.

“Kat,” I hear from the living room.

“In here.” I stand and rinse my hands off before walking out to my phone to stop the song.

Claire wears her work clothes—black pants and a white chef shirt. Her long locks are twisted up, and she has little makeup on.

“What’s wrong?” she asks, putting groceries on the counter. I grab a bag and help put them away.

“Nothing. Why?”

“Because the whole place smells like bleach and lemon-scented cleaner. You only do this when something’s bothering you… well, this and drink.” She smirks as she places the cereal on top of the fridge, which had a good bit of dust on it by the way.

I sigh. “You know how I planned to buy Mugs & Books?”

She tosses a grocery bag into the pantry for bathroom trash bag use later. “Yeah? And?”

I jump up onto the countertop. “And it’s a no-go.”

“Why?”

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