LUNA
“Georgia,I can’t tell you how much I appreciate this,” I said as I pulled the trigger on the price gun and slapped the sticker on the tube of sour cream and onion Pringles. “Thank you so much for bringing me on.”
Georgia waved me off from where she sat behind the register, one of the romance novels she kept tucked beneath the counter open in her lap, her thumb holding her place. “You kidding? It’s what we do in Whitecap. We look after our own.”
I looked across the top of the short racks that made up the aisles and caught Cheyanne smirking, her expression screaming I told you so. I stuck my tongue out at her and went back to pricing chips.
In her version of letting me handle this whole business on my own, she’d been pushing me to reach out to Georgia and Desmond Warren, the owners of Warren’s General Store, for the past couple weeks, insisting they wouldn’t hesitate to take me on. She could be so damn annoying when she was right.
Aside from Cheyanne’s smugness, it was a pretty sweet gig. Georgia and Dezzy were incredible, I got to work with my best friend from time to time, and the biggest silver lining, working here meant I got to quit my job at the bar. Sure, I didn’t make tips at the general store, but the pay was better and I didn’t have to deal with creepy drunks leering at me in ways that made me want to scrub my whole body with bleach and a steel wool pad.
“Still,” I continued, turning my attention from Cheyanne, “it means a lot.”
“Of course, sweetie. Anything we can do to help. You know, Dezzy and I were just beside ourselves with worry when you told us your situation. We only wish we could do more.”
“This is more than enough, really. But I love you both for caring so much.”
They really were two of the best people I’d ever met. There wasn’t a single person in this town who didn’t love Dezzy and Georgia Warren. That love and adoration was why, even after her pottery business had blown up, Cheyanne still worked part-time at the general store. They were the closest thing she’d had to parents since she lost her own when she was six years old. They hadn’t batted an eye at taking her on when she first showed up, out of nowhere and heavily pregnant, several years back. It was love and adoration from everyone in this town that kept the store going strong, even during those couple times a big box store tried encroaching on their territory. We were loyal here in Whitecap.
“You know, I’m not sure if I’ve told you this or not, but my son’s recently moved back home.” She had told me. Several times. As a matter of fact, she’d told everyone who passed through those doors. It was more effective than taking out a half page ad in the local paper, which I’m sure she would have done if she’d thought of it. To say she and Dezzy were excited that their only child had moved back after being gone practically half his life was an understatement if there ever was one. “He was a bigshot lawyer back in San Francisco.” Something else I was well aware of, thanks to her. “Now he’s setting up shop here in town, and he was just telling me the other day how he’s in dire need of an assistant. Someone hard-working and trustworthy.” She arched a brow at me. “Think I might know someone just like that.”
The pricing gun in my hand froze halfway to the bag of sea salt and vinegar chips I’d been about to label. “Wait—seriously?”
“Well, yeah. I mean, if you think that’s something you’d be interested in. I’d be happy to put in a good word for you.”
Hell yeah, it was something I’d be interested in. A job like that was sure to pay enough to help me climb out of this hole I’d dug myself. There was just one issue. “I appreciate that, Georgia, but I just started here. I couldn’t leave you in a lurch like that.”
She blew out a raspberry and waved me off. “Child, please. If that’s your only reason for not taking a shot at a fancy office job, go ahead and get that outta your mind this minute. Dezzy and I love having you as part of the Warren General Store, and you’re welcome to stick around for as long as you want. But if something better comes along, I’d be disappointed if you didn’t jump at the chance. You deserve wonderful things, Luna. Don’t settle just because you’re worried about us.”
“She’s right,” Cheyanne added, nodding enthusiastically over the top of the shelves. “You should totally go for it. You’d be great at it. You have the perfect personality for something like that.”
I pulled my bottom lip between my teeth and bit down. “You think so?”
“For sure. You’re obsessed with calendar apps, you collect journals and notebooks the way little boys collect baseball cards, and you’re borderline obsessive when it comes to organization.”
“I’m not obsessive,” I defended on a frown, throwing a snack-sized bag of Cheetos at her head. “I just think things should be where they belong. What’s so wrong with that?”
“Not a thing, honey,” Georgia assured me. “You don’t listen to a word she has to say. You just do you.”
“Thank you.” I pointed at Georgia and shot Cheyanne a sneer. “See? She doesn’t think there’s anything wrong with me.”
“Not at all,” my new boss confirmed. “But now that you mention it, that stock room’s really gotten away from us lately. It’s a disaster. Maybe when you’re done pricing you could tootle on back there and set things to rights.”
I narrowed my eyes, slamming my hands down on my hips. “Oh, okay. I see how it is. You actually do agree with her.” I pointed an accusing finger at a laughing Cheyanne. “You were just buttering me up so I’d do the work you hate.”
“We all have our strengths, dear,” she stated with an easy shrug. “Yours is organization. Mine’s manipulation.”
“Unbelievable,” I griped, throwing my arms up.
“That’s life,” Georgia lamented. “Now, chop, chop little onion. That stock room isn’t gonna organize itself.”
Man, she was lucky I loved her.
* * *
Nate
I let outa tired gust of air as I turned into my parents’ drive, exhaustion beating down on my body with the same strength the Hulk pounded his enemy into the ground. Evan and I had only been in Whitecap for a week and a half, but it had been the most exhausting week and a half of my life.