Page 8 of Sweet Cinnamon and the Mountain Man
My booth was popular but I don’t think that I’m gonna be able to do more than find my way back home and fall into bed. I’m wrung out. Completely.
On the other hand, Reginald Hawks looks fresh as a dang daisy. His dark hair is pushed back on his forehead and he’s laughing at something the woman in front of him is saying.
He’s had a steady run of women popping up at his booth, every one of them angling to talk to the talented man. I saw him chatting with one and she was leaning in like she’d like to eat him up. Her eyes were half-closed like she wanted a kiss and I had a hard time keeping myself on my side of my booth.
I wanted to snatch her up by her messy bedhead and throw her out the metaphorical door.
Someone stops in front of me and I turn wearily to the next person who wants to chat about my business.
I shriek and dance around the booth, grabbing the laughing woman by the shoulders.
“Alanis! Oh my gosh! Are you back from your trip already? I thought you weren’t going to be back for at least another two weeks.”
The pretty blond groans and hangs her head. “You know how Drake is. He started getting so surly with the people who showed up to meet him on the book tour. It got to be too much and they sent us home for a little breather.” She sucks in a breath and groans. “He’s a mess and I can’t take it anymore. He’s so overprotective about everything.”
“He loves you! Everyone loves you. You need to just let him be. He’s so perfect for you.”
Her eyes roll and she grins cheekily. “He is perfect for me, isn’t he?”
“How are the sales going?”
“So amazing! Our new series is flying off the shelves! They’re already talking about another book tour for the next one! They’re pretty sure that it’s gonna eclipse the first one in the series!”
I hug her again and she chuckles. “I can’t believe that you are doing so well too! Do you remember when we both started out with our companies? Everything just seemed so huge and hard to handle.”
I tug back from her and grin right back at her. “And look at us now! You’ve hit the big time and I’m still working on it!” I grimace and she shoves me back.
“Hey! Don’t talk about my best friend like that! You’ve got this. I saw your designs. So impressive. I’ve been thinking about having you take a look at our place. Drake’s taste is definitely a little suspect.”
Giggling, I hand her a brochure. “I’ve been handing these out all day. What do you think?”
She opens the trifold booklet and smirks. “This looks amazing! You’re gonna get a ton of business. I know it. You’regonna get the money soon to put down first and last month’s rent and get your new office all situated. I feel it.”
“From your mouth to god’s ears. I’d do almost anything to get that money together and get my new storefront going.”
Humming, she gives me a quick hug. “You’ve got this.” Then she backs away and grimaces. “What is this I heard about James being back in town? I thought he was gone for that fancy new job of his.”
I duck my head and fidget with the brochures. “Yeah, I saw him this morning. I don’t know why he’s back.”
“How was it seeing him again?”
“Awkward,” I chuckle and she laughs outright, throwing her blond curls back.
“Yeah. That’s what happens with exes. It sucks when they turn back up.”
Shrugging, I close my eyes. “It wasn’t horrible. Brought up a whole lot of feelings.”
Shaking her head, she tugs at my hand. “Hey, stay strong. You don’t need him. You’re gonna be able to take care of yourself soon. If you got back with him, you’d either have to deal with long distance dating or move to be with him. Do you want to move to some big city just to be with a guy that left you?”
“No, no. I know you’re right. It’s just weird. He was being nice.”
Alanis snorts. “If he’s being nice, watch your wallet. That man always has an ulterior motive.”
Rolling my eyes, I grin at her. “You are not wrong.”
I can see Reginald out of the corner of my eye and the woman he was talking to has left and he’s unabashedly listening in to our conversation.
Turning back to him, I smirk. “Is there a problem, Reginald?”
