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
Sheâd already left for the store by the time he got up. Since Sunny Daze didnât open until nine oâclock, and heâd been out of bed by six-thirty, sheâd definitely taken off early to avoid him.
Knowing her store would be hopping busy today, heâd 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 Addieâs busiest holidaysâChristmas, Valentineâs Day, and Easterâcoincided with his businessâ shutdown period.
Theyâd discussed when and how heâd provide Christmas backup over a month ago. He was literally scheduled to pitch in today.
Yet, when the doorâs chime had announced his entrance, sheâd appeared genuinely surprised. And not in a good way. She hadnât even given him an opportunity to reach the counter before heading him off at the pass and saying she didnât need him today.
Heâd wanted to call her on the bullshit claim. This being the last Saturday before Christmas, the shop wouldâve buzzed like a hive all day long, with everyone wanting in on a limited amount of honey. There wouldâve 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 wouldnât have been enough to handle todayâs anticipated volume of activity. Sheâd known that when she turned him down. Heâd known it when heâd changed direction and walked out.
Man, heâd hated doing that. The sense that heâd abandoned her had eaten at him for the duration of the day.
Twice, heâd enlisted spies. Heâd sent his mom into the store shortly before noon, under the guise of picking up a bouquet for friends theyâd be visiting. His mom had reported back that although the store had been busy, Addie hadnât seemed overwhelmed.
Heâd bribed Rick to go into the store midafternoon. Rick had dropped off two gingerbread lattes from Addieâs favorite coffee shop, Sugar Bean. As instructed, Rick had lied and said the shopâs ownerâone of Addieâs friendsâhad 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 Adelineâs 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 hadnât needed Kelly, just like sheâd said.
Relieved as he was that her day hadnât spiraled into chaos, he didnât like the space between them. A space that felt bigger with every hour that had passed. Bigger yet when sheâd 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 didnât need him.
He wasnât a fan of todayâs theme.
He made a conscious effort to be respectful and straight-up honest with every woman heâd dated. Because of that, heâd never felt the need to say sorry to any of them.
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