Page 21 of Harmony Island Gazette
I paused, wanting to ask her if everything was okay, but I forced those words down my throat and pushed my hand through my hair. “Call me on the intercom if you need anything.”
She nodded and settled down onto the chair. She didn’t look at me. Instead, she picked up her phone and returned to scrolling.
I spent the next few hours cursing myself for being so stupid. How had I allowed myself to become so enamored with a woman I’d only just met? Every time I tried to push her from my mind, her soft, creamy skin and full pink lips invaded my thoughts. She seemed so small and fragile that all I wanted to do was protect her—even though I was constantly telling myself she wasn’t mine to protect.
The evening sun was shining into the store when I wheeled the stock cart to the back room and emerged back into the store. I cracked my neck and fingers as I glanced around, wondering what I should do next.
I made my way to the front of the store, where I saw Juniper talking to a girl with blonde hair. She was smiling as Juniper talked. Juniper looked so at ease, and then they both broke out into a laugh. It was the sound of Juniper’s laughter that caused me to quicken my pace as I made my way toward them. It was so full of life. I’d felt dead for so long my body warmed from the sound, and I instantly needed more.
“Hey, Boone,” Juniper said when her gaze fell on me. I hadn’t expected her to acknowledge me, and I certainly didn’t expect the way my heart picked up speed as she turned her smile on me. “Have you met Shelby yet?”
The blonde woman turned to me and offered me a smile. “It’s nice to meet you, Boone,” she said as she extended her hand.
“Shelby married Miles. They run The Harmony Island Inn.”
I remembered the inn, but neither name was familiar to me. So I just shook Shelby’s hand and said, “It’s nice to meet you.”
“My parents hired Boone to help out around here,” Juniper said. “It’s been nice to have someone help me run this place while they’re gone.”
Shelby glanced over at Juniper before she settled her gaze on me. “You’re awesome for doing that.”
I didn’t like praise. As soon as the words hit my ears, a black cloud moved through my body. Not wanting to stand there under their approving gazes, I shoved my hands into my front pockets and turned my attention to Juniper.
“I was thinking about grabbing some steaks for dinner tonight.” I paused, wondering if it was too presumptuous for me to think she would actually want to eat with me. “Er…I mean if you wanted me to make you something.”
Juniper’s cheeks flushed, and I wasn’t sure what to make of that. She dropped her gaze for a moment before she brought it up to meet mine. “I actually have dinner plans,” she said, her voice low and hushed.
I glanced over at Shelby, who was shifting her gaze between me and Juniper. Realization dawned on me. She was probably eating out with Shelby. This felt awkward.
“Oh, okay,” I said quickly. Ready to get far away from this embarrassing situation, I gave them a quick nod before I turned and headed toward the back room.
Once I was through the swinging doors, I moved to the nearby corner and took in a few deep breaths. I closed my eyes and forced my feelings to the dark corners of my mind. I hated that I felt so drawn to Juniper. I was sad that she wasn’t going to be eating dinner with me and I wanted to know what she was doing. But she didn’t have any obligation to tell me, and it wasn’t my place to ask.
I was the biggest idiot.
Not wanting Juniper to find me back here slowly losing my mind, I rolled my shoulders and stilled my thoughts. Juniper wasn’t mine to worry about and I needed to stop acting like she was. I was going to head back out there and grab food to make myself some dinner. Then I was going to drive home, eat, and go to bed.
And I was going to do all of that whilenotthinking about Juniper.
Juniper was talking to Jordan, who was filling in as evening cashier and store closer, when I finally put myself together and walked out from the back room. Juniper was running over what Jordan needed to do to close up the store as she rang up the items I’d picked up for dinner. Jordan nodded after every few words. Tim would be here in a few minutes to help. With Mr. and Mrs. Godwin gone, they were calling in reinforcements, and since I was so new, I hadn’t met them yet. Which was okay. I really didn’t have a plan to make Harmony my final stop.
The fewer people I got to know the better.
I kept to the back, waiting for Juniper to finish. We’d driven to the store together, so I couldn’t leave without her. The grocery bag handles dug into my fingers as it hung near my leg. I shifted my weight as Juniper nodded along to whatever Jordan was saying.
Suddenly, Juniper’s gaze drifted over to me, and I realized that I was staring at her. I cleared my throat and dropped my gaze to the ground. What was I thinking? Why had I been watching her that hard?
What was wrong with me?
I heard Juniper’s steps before I saw her shoes appear in front of me. She cleared her throat, so I brought my gaze up to meet hers.
“Sorry that took so long,” she said, a soft smile playing on her lips. “I wanted to make sure that Jordan knew what needed to be done.”
“I understand,” I said quickly. “I was fine waiting.” I didn’t want her to think that the reason I’d been staring at her was because I wanted her to hurry along. I’d been happy to stand there watching her all evening. I gave her a quick smile, and she just studied me before she nodded.
“Let’s go.”
She headed through the swinging doors to the back room and walked into her mom’s office to grab her things. I waited in the hallway, leaning against the wall with my legs extended. I forced my mind to still, too scared of where my thoughts might go if I let them wander too far.
