Page 37 of Here & There

Cal eyes Mac. “Call Chris.”

Mac frowns. “Doesn’t she have her other job today?”

“She doesn’t work there on Mondays.”

“Since when do you know my staff’s schedule?”

Cal shrugs. “I know everything in this town.”

“For a guy who swears he doesn’t actually live here.”

I’m lost. “You don’t live here? And who’s Chris?”

“She’s a deeply annoying local,” Cal says. “But she likes clothes.”

“My other server,” Mac corrects. “And as much as I never like to admit it, Cal’s right.”

Chapter 9

Shelby

“Where is she?” Chris calls.

I’m not sure quite what to make of the woman who skips straight through the front door of Mac’s place. She’s in her mid twenties; a beautiful but also kind of badass looking blonde who looks like she moonlights as a rock star, or maybe a mechanic. She wears a black T-shirt rolled up at the sleeves. It’s got a jumble of letters across the chest that don’t make any sense to me. Her jeans are expertly tattered and fit her athletic frame like a glove. The chunky motorcycle boots, hoop earrings, and about a thousand silver rings and bracelets top off her ensemble.

I feel dowdy as hell next to her in my plain white button-down and boring rip-free jeans.

But she ignores the men completely and makes a beeline for me, throwing her arms around me like we’re best friends.

When she pulls back, she keeps her hands on my shoulders. “So this is the famous Shelby.”

“Famous?” I laugh.

She nods. “Yup. I’m Chris. And you are a fucking inspiration, girl.”

Bewildered, I look to Mac.

“News travels fast in a small town,” he says apologetically.

“When life hands you lemons,” Chris says, “you say fuck it and jump off a dock.” She smiles at me, but it’s not mocking. I think she really is impressed by my lunacy.

She winks. “Don’t worry. I don’t have any details. Mac never tells me anything. But Fred may or may not have been coerced to let slip the part about you swimming here from Business Island.”

“So everyone knows, huh?” I ask.

“Can’t keep anything a secret in Redbeard,” Cal says.

Chris snaps her gaze toward Cal, giving him a scathing look. “Somepeople can’t.”

But when she turns to me, she’s all smiles again. “I say own it, Shelby. Don’t like your job? Fuck it. Jump into the ocean.”

“That’s not exactly?—”

“Just go with it. So, I hear you need some clothes.”

“I do. I’ll be here for a bit.”

She waggles her brows. “Excellent. I know all the best places. Not like there are too many.”

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