Page 87 of Off-Limits Love
Mak laughed and squeezed him tighter. “Maybe you should.”
That same day, Gage swore under his breath as he stared down at the latest weather alert on his phone.
There was still plenty of time for the late-season hurricane to shift and head back out to sea, but if the spaghetti models were correct, Carolina Cove was dead center of the path if it made landfall.
He shoved the phone in his pocket, fought back his frustration that he’d have two dozen more things to handle, and yanked open the door to the rentals building.
“You’re late,” Hudson groused from behind the checkout counter. “And you missed the grand opening. Finn’s going to murder you when he sees you.”
At Hudson’s growl, several of their customers turned from where they took a look-see at what was available before going back to their perusal.
Hud grabbed his backpack and charged toward the door with a deep scowl on his usually grinning face.
He’d missed the grand opening? Wasn’t that tomorrow? “I thought that was?—”
The door shut behind Hudson as he booked it out of there to get to his class. Gage grimaced.
Next time he’d set more alarms. He’d set three to get to the building in time for Hud’s class but had still wound up losing track of time after getting derailed by problem after problem.
Cole burst through the side door from the convenience store at a fast pace but paused as he caught site of Gage.
“You finally show up?”
Hudson had apparently called Cole to come cover the counter. On his day off.
Yeah, his day was about to get worse. He now had three brothers angry with him. “Yeah, sorry. The day got away from me.”
The customers rented a set of chairs and umbrella for the next day and left after they paid. Cole remained, and Gage figured there was more of a lecture to come.
“You know you’re going to have kiss Hud’s behind for a long while this time. You promised him you wouldn’t make him late anymore.”
Yeah, it wasn’t the first—or third—time it had happened. “I know. I’ll make it up to him.”
“Make it up to him by hiring help. You know you need it, so why are you sitting on your hands about it? And where were you this morning? You missed the grand opening of the bakery.”
Gage swiped his palm over his face and rubbed hard. Curses filled his head that he’d screwed up the date. He should’ve been there. He’d meant to be there. “I tried hiring someone, remember? It’s easier to do it myself than it is to train someone only to have them quit two days later.”
“Maybe don’t scream at them next time and they’ll stick around.”
“He deleted the entire schedule. I still have pissed-off clients coming out of my ears two weeks later, which is why I missed this morning.”
“You have pissed-off customers coming at you because you don’t know your head from your tail these days.” Cole moved toward the counter and braced his hands on top, hitting Gage with a stare he had no doubt perfected with his teenage stepson.
“I’ll hire them. I’ll train them on my days. But I’m getting someone else in here before you lose what’s left of your mind or one of us murders you. You can’t be in ten places at once or do ten things at once.”
Gage’s phone buzzed, and he looked at the name and number and cursed softly.
“Let me guess. You forgot something else?” Cole asked with a huff.
Yeah, he pretty much hated himself right now. “Can you, uh, stay and work?”
“It’s my day off.”
Gage stared at his brother. “Can you stay and work?”
Cole jerked his thumb toward the door. “Get out of here before we have a meeting on how we’re going to tag team to kick your?—”
“Yeah, this is Gage,” he said into the phone after a swipe of the screen. “Yes, sorry. I’m running late, but I’m on my way.”
