Page 2 of Just Between Us

“Are you sure?” she asked, her brow furrowed.

I hadn’t had time to stop by my apartment after my doctor’s appointment, and could have used a few minutes to collect myself in front of the mirror. I needed to mop up the sweat coating my face, reapply the makeup I’d wiped off, and change out of the clothes I’d been twisting with worry.

“Yeah, Gary is just…being Gary.” I waved a hand and forced a smile.

“Well, with an asshole boss like that, I bet you have a lot of long days,” Lexi murmured.

She had a point. Gary had gone through a dozen assistants before me, which in a former mill town with limited employers, meant he didn’t pay well or he was an ass. In Gary’s defense, he paid really well. He had to.

“He’s just cranky. I showed up late,” I said with a shrug.

“He’s not King of the Chamber of Commerce. He’s a board member. You don’t need to do jack for these meetings. Hell, you don’t even need to show up.” Lexi’s voice crested as she laid out the same laundry list of grievances I’d burned through dozens of times before. “Not that we don’t love having you.”

“Well, he pays my bills,” I said, lowering my voice to barely a whisper and shooting a worried look in Gary’s direction. He had the undivided attention of Bill, owner of Bob’s Cars: a convenience store, bar, and gas station bundled into one.

Lexi followed my eyes, her azure blue hair shining in the fluorescent light of the chambers. “He’s still an ass.”

“He is,” I agreed with a laugh. “I should set up the snack table.”

I pulled myself away from Lexi, relieved to find that Cal still hadn’t shown. Gary annoyed my brother more than he annoyed Lexi, which was a feat in itself.

I rummaged through the row of cabinets on the back wall of the large room, digging out a platter for the pastries and the pair of tongs I’d stashed months before. I found them easily enough and returned to the table as Gary called the meeting to order.

My eyes slid over the room. Cal hadn’t shown, but it was another empty chair that caught my attention.

Andy wasn’t here.

I frowned, shaking off the hit of disappointment at his absence.

The county Chamber of Commerce meeting swapped sites every month between the two biggest cities: Pierce and Franklin Notch. Pierce had more commerce by far—multiple restaurants, bars, and hotels soaked up all the tourists. Gary had fought for the meeting to come to Franklin Notch in the name of parity. Now, every other month, the bulk of the business owners traveled thirty minutes to Franklin Notch as punishment.

Andy had only missed one meeting since I’d taken the job as Gary’s assistant two years ago. Considering Andy Stewart ran a thriving chain of gyms, set to expand nationwide, he probably gained nothing from the meetings. He showed up, anyway.

Except for tonight.

Gary banged his gavel on the wooden tabletop and launched the meeting. I sat in the back, poised with a pen and paper to take the minutes.

I had no real reason to be disappointed in Andy’s absence. We hardly ever said more than a few words to each other. But I liked his smile, and I liked the way he always had a question for me:How’s work? Did Cal fix your car? How was your trip to Boston with Thea? Did you watch that movie we talked about last month?

Andy had a million things going on in his life, with two more gyms opening in the next few months and a boatload of investors watching his every move, but he always had a few minutes for me. His presence was one of the few bright spots on these late nights.

Of course, it made sense that Andy would attend fewer and fewer meetings as the new gyms opened. He’d probably even disappear altogether once the openings were a success and his business went nationwide. Then, he’d move far away from Franklin Notch and I’d never see him again.

I pushed away a wave of sadness, one I had no business feeling.

Lexi stood, hands on her hips, geared up to challenge Gary about something—a cue I should take notes. I couldn’t get lost in thinking about Andy, or anyone else, for that matter. I had bigger problems than a very friendly and very handsome guy I caught up with once a month.

I had surgery to pay for, an autoimmune disease that threatened to bankrupt me, and a dead-end job with a boss who hated me. All the money I’d saved to return to school would now get funneled into hospital bills.

Gary didn’t provide health insurance, let alone sick days. And I certainly couldn’t go to my brothers and ask them to bail me out. Again.

Paying for one failed attempt at nursing school had been embarrassing. Living on my brother’s land, in the cabin he’d built for our adopted mom, had been humiliating. I’d only just gained some independence; I’d finally found a job that would pay for a small apartment downtown with enough left over to build a small savings account.

A very small amount—one that had been nearly wiped out by seeing the specialist for a single appointment. I couldn’t even fathom how I’d pay for the actual surgery.

I blew out a breath and focused on the meeting. There would be plenty of time to figure out how to get myself out of this mess when I got home.

If Gary didn’t keep me here until midnight, of course.

---