12 Days (Hope Harbor) by Karla Doyle

Author:Karla Doyle [Doyle, Karla]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781777156831
Publisher: Karla Doyle
Published: 2020-11-17T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 7

December 19

KELLY

She’d already left for the store by the time he got up. Since Sunny Daze didn’t open until nine o’clock, and he’d been out of bed by six-thirty, she’d definitely taken off early to avoid him.

Knowing her store would be hopping busy today, he’d made sure to be there shortly after she opened. He always helped out during her busy times. Had since she bought the store five years ago. Fortunately, three of Addie’s busiest holidays—Christmas, Valentine’s Day, and Easter—coincided with his business’ shutdown period.

They’d discussed when and how he’d provide Christmas backup over a month ago. He was literally scheduled to pitch in today.

Yet, when the door’s chime had announced his entrance, she’d appeared genuinely surprised. And not in a good way. She hadn’t even given him an opportunity to reach the counter before heading him off at the pass and saying she didn’t need him today.

He’d wanted to call her on the bullshit claim. This being the last Saturday before Christmas, the shop would’ve buzzed like a hive all day long, with everyone wanting in on a limited amount of honey. There would’ve been constant transactions to ring in, phone calls to answer, planters to wrap, flowers to deliver.

Yes, she had an employee on hand, but two people wouldn’t have been enough to handle today’s anticipated volume of activity. She’d known that when she turned him down. He’d known it when he’d changed direction and walked out.

Man, he’d hated doing that. The sense that he’d abandoned her had eaten at him for the duration of the day.

Twice, he’d enlisted spies. He’d sent his mom into the store shortly before noon, under the guise of picking up a bouquet for friends they’d be visiting. His mom had reported back that although the store had been busy, Addie hadn’t seemed overwhelmed.

He’d bribed Rick to go into the store midafternoon. Rick had dropped off two gingerbread lattes from Addie’s favorite coffee shop, Sugar Bean. As instructed, Rick had lied and said the shop’s owner—one of Addie’s friends—had asked him to deliver the fancy coffees.

The second mission had set Kelly back close to fifteen bucks for the drinks and another twenty to keep Rick on script. Worth every penny when Rick had reported back that Adeline’s sales counter was lined up three deep, and her Uncle Gord was on his way out to do deliveries as Rick arrived. She was busy, but seemed to have everything under control.

She hadn’t needed Kelly, just like she’d said.

Relieved as he was that her day hadn’t spiraled into chaos, he didn’t like the space between them. A space that felt bigger with every hour that had passed. Bigger yet when she’d texted him half an hour before closing, instructing him not to come by for her bank deposit run. She had someone else to follow her. She didn’t need him.

He wasn’t a fan of today’s theme.

He made a conscious effort to be respectful and straight-up honest with every woman he’d dated. Because of that, he’d never felt the need to say sorry to any of them.

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