Page 29 of Beautiful Thing

She turns her attention to Layla. “Yeah. Faucets.”

Layla puts on her best customer service smile. “Any idea what style you’re interested in?”

“We’re, um…” Kathryn clears her throat and she straightens her shoulders, sizing Layla up. “We’ve been having a hard time deciding between chrome, brushed nickel and gold. And we might need some tiles for the guest bathroom, too.”

“Well, I’d be glad to help you out,” Layla says confidently. Her professional mask slips for a moment when she peeks at me. To see if I’m okay, I’m guessing.

“Thanks, Layla,” I say in a low voice.

Her eyes search my face. She offers me a tiny smile like she knows that faucet shopping with my ex and her douchebag husband is the last thing I need to be doing right now.

“No problem.” Her hand comes up, her fingertips momentarily grazing across my bicep.

It’s a slight touch that seeps through my flannel, all the way to the bone. I should walk away, but it takes me a second to pry my eyes off her pretty face.

“So, um, Archer...” Kathryn’s mouth opens but I’m not interested in what she has to say.

I ruthlessly cut her off. “Excuse me. I’ve got things to take care of.” I head back up the ladder to continue taking down the Christmas decorations.

I don’t want to hear that woman’s excuses and if she’s determined to keep taking the conversation off on a personal tangent, I’m glad to walk away. I don’t mind losing the sale if that’s what it costs me.

I reminisce about my past with Kathryn and bitterness rises up the back of my throat. My mind takes me back to a dark time that I’d like to forget. Back then, I was a clueless teenager who didn’t know how to deal with the heartache of losing my first love. It hurt so bad that I didn’t know what to do with myself.

So I enlisted in the military like a broken-hearted dumbass.I ran away from Starlight Falls because it was the only escape from my pain.

This unexpected reminder of my history with Kathryn just reaffirms my decision to steer clear of relationships. Forever. Serving up your heart on a platter is a dumb fucking idea. And I won’t ever be doing it again. Thank god I know better now.

I’m forced out of my thoughts when Layla appears at the bottom of the ladder, peering up at me. “Hey,” she says softly.

I’m already climbing down to meet her. “What’s up?”

Looking concerned, she touches my arm again. With her hand on me, that bone-deep feeling of comfort returns.

“You okay?” she asks, keeping her voice low.

“I’m fine,” I say and it comes out a bit rougher than intended.

I guess I’m trying to convince myself that I’m not at all bothered by the presence of Kathryn and Dan. Even though I’vemade peace with the crap that went down between us years ago, I still don’t like the two of them waltzing around my place of business.

“I hate to do this,” Layla is saying, “but she needs help loading the stuff into the car and all the guys are on break. Do you think you could…?”

Where’s her husband?That’s the first question on my mind. But I hold my tongue. I’m running a business here. I need to push my petty feelings aside and act like it.

I glance toward the cash register where Kathryn is standing, eyes peeled in my direction as her kids scream bloody murder in their stroller.

“No problem.” What happened with Kathryn was a long time ago and I’m eager to prove to myself that none of it affects me anymore.

I follow Layla to the front of the store and load the purchases onto a dolly. Then I wheel the whole thing out to the back exit where a shiny expensive SUV is already waiting with its trunk popped.

While I load the items, Kathryn struggles to clip her kids into their carseats. Meanwhile Mr. Great Big Douchebag sits behind the wheel, carrying on with his phone call, not a care in the world.

By the time I’m done arranging the tiles into the trunk, Kathryn is standing beside me, wearing a soft smile.

“All packed up,” I tell her, and she steps closer, brushing up against my arm as she presses the button to lower the trunk door.

I take a step backward, my skin crawling at her touch.

“Thank you,” she says, and her gaze lingers.

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