It wasn’t clarity, but it was industry, and Juliet welcomed that almost as much. “Move aside,” she ordered the shop owner. “I’ve got this.”
She took care of more than inserting a new role of tape. Cassandra had been snagged by a customer when Juliet took over, so she stayed behind the register. It was the Accucount 480, and she knew how to work the thing. Yes, she had to call Cassandra back for a brief lesson on her preferred procedures for credit cards, debit cards, and checks, but even that was mostly familiar.
An hour and a half later, she was tidying the countertop. Her feet hurt, and she’d made zero inches of progress on her wrap, but a sense of satisfaction filled her anyway. Cassandra was moving about, returning skeins to their bins. Oomfaa and everyone else, for the moment, was gone.
Cassandra looked over. “I owe you, big. What would you like?”
A game plan for what comes next with Noah. Instead, she said, “That was crazy busy.”
“My version of what Nikki calls the ‘lunch rush’ in restaurant speak. Everyone comes in before the kids get home from school or before the highway gets too bad with the commuter traffic. It’s worse, for unknown reasons, on midweek afternoons.” She sighed. “I suppose I should be looking for some part-time help. Strictly minimum wage plus discounts, but the location’s stellar.”
“You should hire me.” The suggestion just popped out, and Juliet blinked, surprised by the thought. “Of course, you don’t—” she started, and then swallowed the rest. She wanted the job, she decided—even at strictly minimum wage plus discounts—so why demur?
“Done.” Cassandra grinned.
Juliet grinned back. Maybe it wasn’t a career—finding that could come later—but this was a start.
My, wasn’t this turning out to be an interesting day? Job in the afternoon, sex in the morning. Oh, that’s right, there was that. Her mood dipped and she felt her smile die. Sex in the morning. Sex in the morning with Noah.
And now what?
He said he was moving out. Her stomach jittered a little at the thought, and she felt stupid at her dismay at the idea of him leaving.
It wasn’t that she expected he’d stay forever. She knew he was going to move on, she’d said that to him herself. He’d move on, start his own life, find the woman he wanted to marry.
That wasn’t her. For certain, that wasn’t her.
Not only had she had her love-of-her-life and been wedded to him, but she wasn’t sure she could satisfy a man like Noah, even for a little while. Because he’d said: I’m no officer and gentleman outside the blankets or underneath them either. I’m a guy from the streets who likes his sex sweaty and raunchy and more intimate than you can imagine.
Because he’d said that, and then, once they were in her bed he’d acted as if she were fragile. Delicate. Like a heart about to break.
“Uh-oh,” Cassandra said, coming to the register. “Don’t tell me it’s nothing. Something’s bothering you.”
“It is,” she said, nodding. “I came over here to ask your advice.” There had to be someone who would tell her what to do when it came to Noah, and she was banking on this down-to-earth, warm-hearted woman.
Cassandra grabbed her hand and drew her toward the couches in the center of the room. “Sit down and tell me all about it.”
As Juliet opened her mouth, the bells on the shop door rang out with an angry jangle. Her head turned in time to see Nikki storm through the door, her hands balled, her face and neck flushed, her blue and green eyes glittering like jewels.
Her gaze zeroed in on Cassandra as she stalked toward the center of the room. “Explain that e-mail,” she spit out.
Juliet stared. Good God, the younger woman was steaming with fury. That’s how I’d look if I ever really let go, Juliet thought to herself. In passion or in anger.
Nikki came to a stop in front of the shop owner and slammed her arms over her starched cook’s tunic. “Cassandra—”
“Wait.” She flicked a glance at Juliet. “Can’t we...”
Juliet took the hint and jumped to her feet. “I’ll just—”
“Sit right back down.” Nikki pointed to the cushions. Then she addressed Cassandra once more. “What? You didn’t e-mail big sister? You’re keeping secrets from her just like you once kept them from me?”
A cold chill rolled down Juliet’s back. “I don’t like secrets.”
“Cassandra’s an expert at them.”
“That’s not fair!” Cassandra rubbed her palms against her flowing paisley skirt. “I apologized for that, for not telling you right away we’re sisters. You know my reasons.”