Page 21 of Crazy In Love
The moment she’s gone, his lips curl into a cute little smirk.
“Sometimes you do that becauseyou’reuncomfortable,” I mumble under my breath. “Other times, you do it to makethemuncomfortable.”
“She doesn’t need to know about my feelings.” He makes a note on hiscomputer about the sale, since, clearly he’s into data and loves to track pastry trends amongst small-town folk. Then he taps enter and meets my eyes. “She could have said something positive, like how the baby will be an exciting addition to the family. Or how nice it’ll be when I become a big brother. Or she could have even said how the baby will be fat and cute. Instead, she chose negativity.” He shrugs. “She doesn’t care about my feelings. She only wanted to make me sad.”
“Which is as good a reason as any to ignore her.” I bring my eyes back around and find our next customer stepping forward. One book, a cup of coffee—though those are free—and a bear claw stocked by none other than a pouting Christian Watkins. “Find everything you need?”
“Yep. You got one of those New York accents, huh?” A little old lady—miraculously, littler, older, and meaner than Barbara—digs through her tiny coin purse and lays silver on the desk between us. “You staying for long, Ms. Tatum?”
“Only six weeks,” Franky answers, misinterpreting her question for kindness, when I hear, clear as day, thewe don’t like youdripping from her tongue. “She lives really far away, but she came to Plainview to help me and Tommy and my mom with the baby.”
“Will you move out here?” Another silver coin. Then another. “Real estate may be cheaper in Plainview, but I don’t imagine it’s the kind that appeals to someone from New York.”
No shit!I’d pay ten times the asking price and still consider New York superior to this place. However, I’m under strict instructions to be nice to the customers, so I paste on a saccharine smile andfake, fake, fakeit. “I’m enjoying my visit for as long as I’m here. And I’m very lucky to have a wonderful job to return to when it’s time, an amazing boss, and an apartment that overlooks Washington Square. I love living there and getting to visit here.”
“New York is nothing but overpriced real estate,” shetuts. “Have no clue how you afford it.”
Be nice, be nice, be nice!“I’m paid well.”
“She’s the chief happiness officer,” Franky declares. “Did you know that’s even a thing?”
“A…” The old lady stops counting coins and drags her wrinkle-rounded eyes up. “Happiness officer?”
“Yes, ma’am. And I get to dip my toes into the marketing world, too, which is what I went to college for. I enjoy the best of both worlds, guided by a wildly successful man who loves to teach. I’m very fortunate.”
“I-I’m not sure what a happiness officer does,” Betty—that’s probably her name—stammers. “Oddly, all I can conjure is an image of a children’s entertainer. You know, like, balloon animals and whatnot.”
Across the shop and stacking books, Chris snorts.
“It’s okay if you don’t understand it. It’s obvious Plainview isn’t looking for someone with my particular resume, so I figure I needn’t bore you with the details. Can I help you count that?” I don’t wait for her permission. I grab her coins and slide them into groupings as quickly as my fingers can move. Two dollars. Three. Four. I drop the coins into the register. “Do you need a receipt?”
“No, thank you.” Snippy and sour-faced, she grabs her things and shakes her head. Then, just like Barbara, she spins away.
“I’m not very good at making friends in Plainview, Franklin.” I close the till drawer and side-eye the little boy who hasnevermade me feel less-than because of my job or living status. But then again, he wasn’t raised in this godforsaken hellhole, nor was he raised by an asshole.
So there’s that.
“It’s hard being new in a town like this,” he agrees. “My mom’s only friends were Tommy and Chris, and even they were mean when we first got here.”
“Newcomers are like a virus they insist on studying and poking at. Alana’s the nicest human being I know, and she’s a helluva lot nicer than me. I think that means I’m shit out of luck.”
“You’re not supposed to say shit in front of me.” Smirking, he closes his spreadsheet and brings his eyes up. But not to me. He looks at Chris instead and watches the older Watkins slowly swagger this way. He’s in no rush. No fuss. He sets his hands on his hips and likes to pretend his focus doesn’t stray to my phone for the thousandth time in the span of a single second.
“Tommy call?”
“Not since the last one.”Be kind, Fox. You’re not allowed to hurt his feelings.Jesus, it takes every ounce of willpower I possess not to scream in his face that the worldisn’tkind. It’s not gentle for those who need it. It sure as shit isn’t about fluffing pillows and patting heads to save an aching soul from pain.I know that better than anyone.“She’s still cruising at two centimeters,” I explain past tight teeth. “She and Tommy are walking laps of the hospital. Like I said, I’ll let you know if I hear something. Besides, you have your own phone. You might get the news before I do, seeing as how you’re—”delicate“—his twin.”
He harrumphs, exhaling a bull-ish breath, and tilts his head toward Franky. “Did you need something?”
“Fox’s suitcases are in the car outside.” He hooks a thumb over his shoulder. “Could you bring them up to the apartment for her?”
My stomach jumps. The thought of asking that guy foranythingfeels as foolish as stepping in front of a speeding car. “That’s okay, Franky. I can take care of my own things.”
“It’s fine.” Chris stalks toward the desk and snatches up my keys. “I’ll do it.”
“Wait—” I dive forward to grab them back, but Chris is faster, turning on his heels and striding toward the door. Frustrated, I swing my gaze around to Franky. “Dude! I didn’t ask for help.”
“No.Iasked for it.” He pushes his glasses up his nose. “Chris’ll do it because he likes to be busy when he’s worried. Besides, your suitcase weighs a ton, and there are stairs. Sounds logical to me.”
