Page 7 of Haunted Hearts
“Anyway, I’m sure things will be fine. I just wanted to let you know—in case she decides to show up and raise any issues. Wewillbe going ahead with the plans we agreed on, so don’t worry about that.” He pauses a moment. “And you know, Holloway, if all goes well… I’ve got that coastline property I’ve been looking to rehabilitate.”
I kill the engine and step down from the cab, slamming the truck door shut. “I may have heard something about that.”
Ethan chuckles. “I figured. It’ll be a big project, lots of historic architecture. I think you might be just the man, so long as I like your work on the library. But that’s for another day. I’ll see you in a few.”
“Sure, no problem,” I say. “See you.”
Shoving my phone down the front pocket of my jeans, I stride up the sidewalk toward the towering, historic structure that is the Hawthorne Bay public library. As I jog up the concrete steps, I glance down at my watch. I’m officially three minutes late—but hey. Ethan didn’t seem mad, and Ethan is who I care about.
Ethan Wilde could be what keeps a roof over my head and keeps Zeke’s student loans paid. His project—this coastline one—could be the thing that pays off Mom’s medical debt, which every month seems to bury me deeper and deeper. Ethan Wilde and his goddamn gorgeous project could be the thing that sets us up for life, and I will do whatever I have to do to get us there.
I’d rather die than let my siblings down. My old man already handled that one—hit the ball right out of the park—and I’m sure as shit not going to follow in his footsteps. So yeah, a beautiful woman who stands too close to me in a coffee shop and has curves like a fucking violin can get me hard, make me act a fool. But it’s only a distraction. I’ve got to focus on what matters.
I need to screw my head on straight.
I donotneed to be screwing anything else.
six
LYDIA
Lydia: OMG. Some asshole just bumped into me at Brewed Awakening and I dropped my phone and there was a text from Dylan on the screen and HE SAW IT.
Autumn: Saw what? Dylan’s dick? Surprised it wasn’t too small to see.
Lydia: Not a dick pic. But it may or may not have mentioned me choking on something…
Autumn: It’s big enough to choke on?!
Lydia: Rude.
Autumn:
I’m still seething as I enter the library office, sipping my coffee and trying to regain my sense of composure. I power walked the whole way from the coffee shop, barely even aware that Iwas on the steps until I nearly tripped over them. My heart’s still pounding, and the caffeine in this latte probably isn’t helping.
I’m trying so hard not to think about what just happened at Brewed Awakening. My focus needs to be on this stakeholder meeting—not on some jacked douchebag who couldn’t even watch where he was going.
The truth is, this meeting has been on the calendar for weeks. But, given that Nancy—my boss and the head librarian here in Hawthorne Bay—never uttered a single word about extensive modernization being included in the restoration plans, I wasn’t very fussed about it. I guess I figured if whoever the board chose as architect had planned something that would upset me, Nancy would have said something.
Now I’m not so sure, and I’m really fucking antsy. If the board reallyistalking about making extensive changes, I’ll have to get up and say my piece. Luckily, I’ve done my research. I think I can dissuade them, pull them over to my side.
At least I hope I can.
The board members are filing in now, along with the mayor and a couple of people I recognize as being on the city council. A few of them wave to me, and I nod back, flashing what I hope is a charming smile. Even Ethan Wilde, who’s known around town for being the stereotypical brusque businessman ever since he lost his wife, shoots me a crisp nod. I’ve lived in Hawthorne Bay my entire life. These people know me. I read to their kids every Monday during story time. And they knew my mom, how much she loved this place when she used to work here. They know how important this historic building is to our town. I need to relax.
I take a long sip of my coffee. It’s lukewarm by now, and the lack of sweetness is disappointing. Not only did that jerk at Brewed Awakening succeed in making my already shitty morning just a little worse, but he also ruined my latte by shaming me out of the place before I could add any sugar to it.
He reallywasa piece of work. Imagine. Picking up a total stranger’s phone, reading their text message, and then proceeding to make a snarky-ass joke about it. Honestly, I should’ve tried to get a photo of him so I could out him on the internet for being a pretentious dick. I would’ve taken great joy in deleting that photo, too. Erasing his dumb face from my memory.
Ugh. I need to quit thinking about this dude. It’s not like I’ll ever have to see him again. Right now, what I need is to get my head in the game, figure out how I’m going to sweet talk whatever architect they’ve hired and get them to scale back a little on their plans. There’s got to be a way for the library to get its glow up without compromising the?—
“Hey, Ethan. How’s it going?”
I hear the voice even before the face of the speaker registers, and it jolts me awake.
No. Fucking. Way.
Every shred of thought that might’ve been in my brain a second ago has gone straight out the window, because the guy who’s standing in the front of the room shaking hands with the director of the board? It’s Mr. Coffee Shop himself, in all his scruffy, muscled glory.
