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CHAPTER NINETEEN

Surprisingly, it wasn’t too difficult to avoid him.

Every time he walked past my desk at work I kept my eyes glued to my computer screen and pretended he was just a passing shadow. He was putting in long hours at Scratch and at home he devoted all his time to his brother so I didn’t need to worry about him seeking me out. We passed each other sometimes, both at work and at home, and it couldn’t be helped but at least I was gone two evenings a week at school. Anyway, the situation wouldn’t go on for too much longer. Curtis and Brecken would be moving to their new apartment next week.

Plus I broke the news to my dad that the bookstore would be back in business in six weeks and he ought to start interviewing for a full time front desk replacement. He seemed disappointed.

“When the fall semester starts I won’t be able to keep these hours anyway,” I said.

My dad nodded. “I know. It’s just been really nice having you here every day. I always thought that someday at least one of you girls might want to run the place.”

I smiled. “Are you planning your retirement already?”

He winked. “It’s never too early to plan.” Then he grew serious. “I don’t want you to feel obligated, Cassie, but if you ever want to learn more about the way things are managed here just say the word.”

I looked around my father’s office with fondness. The walls were busy with random pieces of artwork, most of it created by him. When I was little there was no bigger treat than visiting my dad at work. Scratch wasn’t just a business. It was a member of the family. Perhaps someday I’d want to become more involved in the operations here. However, at the moment I needed to be out there in the world finding my own path. I also needed to be away from Curtis Mulligan.

“Oh,” I told my dad before exiting his office, “I forgot to tell you not to expect me home later. I’m meeting my friend Debra for dinner and then we might go out to a movie or something.”

My father raised an eyebrow. “You’re twenty-two, Cassie. You know you don’t have a curfew to answer to.”

“I know. But I also know you guys worry if you’re expecting me to be at home and I’m not there.”

He grinned. “Fathers all over the world would give anything to have a daughter even half as considerate.”

As I rounded the corner after leaving my father’s office I nearly collided with Curtis.

“Sorry,” I grumbled, keeping my eyes down and stepping around him.

He sighed loudly but I just kept walking. I knew if I looked at him I was bound to notice that he was totally sweaty and sexy. All morning Curtis had been carrying in the printing equipment and getting it set up in the newly converted workshop.

I really didn’t hate Curtis, not at all. I wasn’t even angry with him for turning me down. He was right to say that we had nothing in common because we didn’t. And despite all his terrible self-revelations he really wasn’t a terrible guy. I’d watched him enough with his younger brother to see a different side of him. What I couldn’t quite get over were his assumptions.

Who the hell did he think he was, presuming to know everything about me?

Curtis Mulligan had apparently decided I was some over-privileged airhead without a care in the world. He probably thought my worst life experience involved going too many weeks between manicures. I had no intention of correcting him. He could keep his stupid judgments to himself.

Luckily I didn’t run into Curtis again for the rest of the day. Marian arrived on time for the evening shift and I was glad to turn the front desk over to her, happy to have evening plans that didn’t involve school or work. Debra Martinez and I had gone to high school together. We’d been friendly but were never very close and we lost touch after I left school. Then last summer Debra had run into Cami at a resort where Cami was working and Debra was a guest. Things weren’t going well for her. She was at the tail end of a scandalous affair with a politician and one night she took too many sleeping pills, winding up in the hospital under suicide watch. She was better now, living with her mother again and working at a boutique clothing store. We made an effort to get together at least once a month and even if we weren’t everyday best friends it was still nice having her in my life.

Debra was already seated at the restaurant when I arrived. She smiled and waved, looking stunning in an eye-catching floral print dress with her glossy black hair piled loosely atop her head.

“I feel underdressed,” I said, accepting Debra’s warm hug before sliding into the booth across from her.

She waved a hand. “This old thing? Actually I might be abusing my employee discount at the shop.”

I laughed. “Maybe I should do the same and get myself a bunch of ink at Scratch.”

“Oh, that’s right. You’re working at your dad’s tattoo place this summer. How’s that going?”

I unfolded a napkin and spread it across my lap. “Fine. Easy job, no complaints.”

“And I bet there are hordes of hot guys walking through the door.”

I considered the clientele of Scratch. “Not exactly hordes. More like the occasional good scenery.”

Debra was in a good mood. She’d started dating a guy who was employed at the electronics store in the mall where she worked. She chatted about him happily while we worked together to devour the basket of fresh bread the server had placed on our table.

“And what about you?” she asked. “You seeing anyone?”

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