Need You Now (Love in Unknown) (32 page)

"That would be her. What's she doing with old Finn, though?" Finn McBride had few friends in town. He'd come back to town when Micah was a kid after spending several decades traveling the world. Some said he'd been a spy, but most accepted the story that he worked as a foreign correspondent. The only reason people went into his bookstore was because it was the only one for an hour in any direction.

 His mom reached over to wipe a dollop of ketchup off of Jax's chin. "I don't know, sweetheart." She paused. "You know, I think I remember hearing that Finn put a sign up in the store, advertising for a housekeeper who could double as a store clerk. Maybe he convinced her to take the job. She's the only woman in town who would do it. Everyone else knows what a…curmudgeon he is."

Curmudgeon. His mother's way of saying crotchety old bastard. She always got quiet when Finn McBride came up in conversation. He knew that Finn introduced his parents years ago, but his mother didn't like to talk about him beyond that. So his mystery lady was staying in town for a little while. It made sense, in a way. Wherever she came from, the fact that she didn't take time to change out of her wedding dress was evidence enough that she didn't want to go back. He just hoped she didn't run away before he had the chance to find out more about her.

Chapter Two

Cady glanced around the bookstore. Outside, the square bustled with activity. Finn informed her that morning that she got to take the evening shift tonight because all the stores on the square had to stay open late the second Friday of every month.

"Some sort of stupid town nonsense," he grumbled. "But it's a tradition and Mother insisted I keep up with it. Now that I've got you, you can deal with all the happy, cheerful people."

Silly her, she thought that meant there would actually be a steady stream of customers in and out of the store, as opposed to the one or two people who scurried in, grabbed their books, and scurried out every other day. So far, no one had crossed the threshold. What was wrong with this town? Did no one read?

Maybe it was Finn. In the week since she came to town, she noticed that her new landlord wasn't exactly the friendliest man in the world. Most of the time he was downright surly. He didn't talk much, preferring to respond to questions with grunts or snorts of derision. And his house. She shuddered to remember the state the beautiful old house had been in when she walked into it. Dirty clothes and dishes everywhere. An inch and a half of dust on every surface not covered by the dishes and clothes.

Elizabeth Saunders would have had a fit if she saw her only daughter cleaning up after a man like Finn, but something told Cady there was more to him than met the eye. And at the moment, she didn't really care what her mother thought. When she last checked her cell phone, only one of the twenty nine voice mails was from her mother.
While I'm pleased that you have come to your senses in regards to matrimony, your father and I would have appreciated it if you did so before the actual ceremony had started. Embarrassing us and yourself in front of our colleagues? Ridiculous. I don't know where you are hiding, but it is time for you to return to your position. Don't let one bad relationship ruin your brilliant career.

Because that's what mattered to her mother. Her career and what her colleagues thought. More to the point, her mother cared about her daughter continuing the legacy of Saunders women taking the academic world by storm. The other twenty eight voicemails were pretty evenly divided between Jeremy and his mother. Recriminations and threats from her. Spineless pleading that turned into angry pouting and threats from him. None of it surprised her, which was really sad.

Being the wise man that he was, her best friend, Dr. John Tennant, only sent her one text.
Be safe. Call for back up if you need it. And for God's sake have some fun.
The brother she never had, John always knew how to take care of her without hovering. He'd mastered the art in high school when the guys on the football team would pick at her for refusing to help them cheat on homework. He'd protect her, even when it meant drawing their fire onto him. Being the only openly gay guy, even in an urban New York prep school, was enough for him to shield the nerdy, socially awkward girl from the worst of the ridicule. He'd been on her side ever since and one of the few people who kept her sane. He hadn’t even asked questions when she sent him a text message asking him to pack up all of her clothes and ship them to her in a town he’d never heard of.

The door opened, jerking her out of her thoughts. Two women came in, an older woman with silver hair, tugging a boy of about six or seven behind her, and a younger woman with dark curly hair. It was obvious to anyone with eyes that the women were mother and daughter. The boy didn't look happy to be in a bookstore, which didn't surprise her. From the look of his Rangers baseball t-shirt, he'd much rather be running around playing sports. Or maybe playing video games. Boys his age always seemed to prefer video games.

The older woman smiled at her, walking right up to the front counter. "Hello, dear. I am Emma Carr and I just wanted to welcome you to town."

Cady shook Emma's outstretched hand. "Nice to meet you, Mrs. Carr. I'm Cady Saunders."

"Please, call me Emma. This is my daughter, Melody Maddox. Her new husband is the mayor." Cady repeated the gesture with the daughter. "And this is my wonderful grandson, Jaxson Carr. Jax, say hello to Ms. Saunders," Emma said, tugging on the little hand.

Under his dark bangs, Cady saw chocolate eyes roll a little. She bit back a laugh. The kid had spirit. "Hello, Ms. Saunders. Grams, can we go now? I am almost to level twelve on my island adventure game."

She knew it. Video games. "You like to go on adventures?" Cady raised an eyebrow. First or second grade. A little young to read a whole chapter book by himself, but it was worth a shot.

Jaxson eyed her suspiciously. "Sure. I go on lots of adventures in my video games."

Cady walked around the counter and squatted down until she was eye level with the boy. "You know, I love adventures too. Only I don't find them in video games."

"Where do you find them? Are you an explorer like Indiana Jones?" Interest lit the boy's eyes.

Cady laughed. She loved this. Sparking a kid's desire to read, to learn. "No, I'm not. Before I came here, I taught at a college. I found my adventures in books."

"Books?" A disgusted look crossed his face.

"Sadly, our Jax isn't much of a reader. His dad's tried, but he'd rather play video games." Melody shook her head, clearly at a loss. "The only thing that will get him to unplug is baseball."

Cady just grinned at the boy. "You'd be surprised what adventures you can find in books, Jax. I bet I can find a book for you and your dad to read that will change your mind.

Dark brows furrowed as he thought about that for a second. She could almost hear the wheels turning in his head. "I don't know. It'd have to be as good an adventure as my video games."

"Oh, it will be. Cross my heart and hope to die," Cady said, as serious as the boy.

A mischievous smile twitched at his mouth. "Stick fifty needles in your eye?"

"Stick a hundred needles in my eye." Cady held out her hand. "Come on, let's go find that book."

By the time they returned to the front of the store, Jax seemed to be much happier with life than when he walked into the store. His aunt and grandmother were both browsing. The boy chattered about his video games as they searched for the book. His enthusiasm charmed her. "What's a wardrobe?" he asked.

"Well, it's like a closet except-" The door opening interrupted her. When she saw who it was, she froze. The man from the bakery stood by her armchair. He was taller than she remembered. A lot taller, actually. And not too terrible looking, come to think of it. Oh, who was she kidding? The man embodied tall, dark, and handsome. Perfectly proportioned face, lips just full enough to be sexy, slightly tousled hair the color of dark chocolate. The casual t-shirt he wore did little to detract from his toned arms and torso. Being a baker must be a better workout than she thought.

A big grin stretched across Jax's face. "Dad! Dad, guess what!"

Eyes, an identical shade to the little boy's, shifted back and forth between her and his son. "What, buddy?"

"Ms. Cady says that I can go on an adventure in this book just like I do in my video games. But it's a chapter book. Will you help me read it?" Jax gave a little bounce in place, his hand still in hers.

"Sure, champ. We can read anything you want," his dad said, a warm smile stretching those tempting lips. Tempting? Cady mentally shook her head. It was too soon for thoughts like that. She did not want to be interested in a man. Not now. Besides, for all she knew, he was married. A quick check of his left hand didn't show any signs of a ring, but a baker might not wear one. "Hi. Sorry, I didn't get a chance to introduce myself the other day. Micah Carr."

The hand that closed around hers felt like it was the size of a manhole cover. His eyes locked on hers, heat zinging between them. "Cady Saunders."

Emma cleared her throat. "Jax, sweetheart, why don't you let your father pay for your book and you, Aunt Mel, and I can go over to the bakery and see if Suzie will give you a cookie or three."

Jax, the little traitor, was easily bought off. He thrust the book into his dad's hand. "Bye, Ms. Cady. Thanks for finding a book for me."

"Bye, Jax. I hope you'll enjoy it. It's been one of my favorites since I was your age." Cady waved as the little boy dashed out of the store ahead of his grandmother.

Micah glanced down at the paperback book in his hand. "
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.
I think I remember this one. Something about a forest and winter and talking animals, right?"

Cady made her way back behind the counter. It was safer for her libido to have something solid between her and this man. He was even more enticing than the treats she'd seen in his shop the other day. She couldn't remember feeling this attraction to anyone, especially not her former fiancé. "Yes. I thought it would be a safe one for someone his age. Not too scary, but still adventurous enough for a little boy."

"How are you settling in?" He pulled out his wallet as she rang up the book.

Cady shrugged. "I'm still finding my feet. Finn is…a challenge. But I think I'm going to like working in the store. I just wish more people came in. I know Finn can be unfriendly, but I didn't think that would be enough to drive people away."

Micah chuckled, a deep rumbling sound that sent a little shiver of delight down Cady's back. A dimple creased the olive-toned skin near his mouth. "You'd be surprised. No one really knows what to do about Finn. Everyone loved his mother, but when he took over the store after I graduated from high school, he started scaring away customers and hasn't stopped. Most people get in and get out as quick as they can or just order on-line if the library doesn't have the book."

"That's what I suspected." A frown crinkled her brow. She braced her hands on the counter in front of her. "It just doesn't seem right. A bookstore is a place to feel welcome and comfortable. It should be a place you want to prowl around in for hours."

"Well, maybe having a pretty lady behind the counter instead of a crotchety old man will get people to come in more often." Micah winked at her.

Was he flirting with her? Except for some overly ambitious students, she couldn't think of anyone who had ever flirted with her. Jeremy certainly hadn't. Neither of her two boyfriends in the undergrad put forth much effort in the flirtation department either. "We'll see. I think I might have to do a bit more than stand around smiling at people to get them in the door."

Small towns were tricky. Learning how to navigate the dynamics had been the hardest part of moving from college town to college town when she was a kid. Some were easier than others.

"Get to know the people in town, especially the business owners," Micah suggested. "Most of them stop by the bakery every morning for breakfast. Come by one morning and I'll introduce you."

"Thanks," Cady said. "Any other words of wisdom?"

She wanted him to stay a little longer, to keep her company. His presence comforted her for some odd reason.

He shook his head. "Just be yourself and relax. Everyone around here is pretty friendly except Finn. You need anything, just let me or Mom or Mel know. Between us, we know everyone in town."

"I'll keep that in mind." Cady watched him leave, enjoying the back view as much as she did the front. She couldn't stay in Unknown forever, but she certainly intended to enjoy it while she could.

#

Micah couldn't keep down the little jump of happiness his heart did when Cady Saunders breezed into the bakery Monday morning. The light blue sundress she wore made her look sweet and fresh as the morning. Perfect for meeting the Old Guard as he liked to think of the regular crowd of storeowners that gathered in Carr's Cakes. "Good morning." A cheerful smile danced in eyes the color of the blue M&Ms he'd baked into cookies that morning.

"Morning." He felt his own lips curve up to answer her smile. He shouldn't feel this energized after waking up at five this morning, but there was something about this woman. "What can I get you?"

"Hmm." She pursed her lips, studying the chalkboard menu behind him. Her lips distracted him for a moment, free of gloss and perfectly shaped for a man to kiss. No, he told himself. Focus. He couldn't afford to be distracted by the pretty woman. He didn't have time to worry about a relationship. With a six-year-old to raise and a business to run, he barely had the chance to hang out with his friends every once in a while, let alone the energy to devote to a relationship. Besides, his sister could come in any minute and she could call him out for having the hots for the new girl, just like she had in high school. "I'll take a cup of coffee and…what do you recommend for breakfast?"

He moved over to the display that he kept overflowing with different baked goods. There weren't many things he was proud of in his past, but he was a damned good baker. "What are you in the mood for? Sweet or savory?"