That’s when her eyes slid up and down my body. “With Beckett?”
I flushed and looked away because April had no idea Beckett was dead. The only person who would have reported him missing was his boss, but I had serious doubts he’d bother since they didn’t get along. Beckett’s only family was a drunk father serving time in the state pen. It simplified my holidays, which were always spent with my mom.
“No,” I replied, unwrapping one of the colored candy canes and nibbling on the end. “I went out with an old friend.”
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you wear your hair up,” she noted. “Knocks five years off your age, but I guess you already know that.”
No, I sure didn’t realize a simple ponytail made me look younger, but a girl could always use a boost to her ego, so I spun around with a wide grin. “Think so?”
April wasn’t paying attention as she thumbed through the ledger. “If you don’t mind, could I close up the shop for the day to do some work? I’d also like to see the papers he gave you. Don’t worry about the store—I’ll work out shifts with the girls until you come back. Say, when are you coming back?”
Good question. As the owner, would it be appropriate for me to be stocking candy? “Umm, as soon as I can. You call me if you need anything. I’m serious, April. I’ll give you the number where I’m staying and I’m going to get a cell phone.”
“Holy smokes!” she exclaimed. “You? A phone?”
“All right, that’s enough, Miss Sassypants. I’m having some family issues I need to resolve and you know I’m not someone who takes off work unless it’s important. I have a lot of time built up and—”
She lifted a hand. “You don’t have to explain it to me, boss.”
We both smiled at each other. There we were, running our own place, and that was probably the first moment it really sank in. Thanks, Charlie. Not just for dumping one hell of a responsibility on me, but for trusting and believing in me.
“I’ll drive you home and that way I can go over some of the books and look up a few things. Do you know where the money is all going now?”
“I’ll have access to the business account, and he provided a list of all the companies he receives bills from or does business with so I can contact them with the changes. His savings is going into the account and I’ll receive half of his life insurance.”
“I can help you with some of that if you need me,” she offered. “Where are you staying? You said you would give me the number but didn’t say where that was.”
“Um, that friend’s house.”
“Serious, huh? You always luck out with guys.”
I frowned as she grabbed her oversized brown purse from beneath the shelf and wrapped the ridiculously long strap across her shoulders.
“I wouldn’t say some of the losers I ended up with were a lucky streak, April. Just because I’ve had a few boyfriends doesn’t mean I’m fortunate by any means. I know you don’t talk about your personal life that much with me, but you could get any guy you wanted to. You’re smart, beautiful, and know how to handle some of these kids like a pro. What’s not to love?”
Her jeweled flip-flops clicked on the floor as she jingled the keys between her fingers. “I got that shy-girl problem. I don’t know how to talk to guys. You’ve seen me in action whenever a hot guy comes into our shop. I totally clam up and either can’t think of a thing to say, or I end up putting my foot in my mouth.” She locked the doors and a kid on a skateboard whirred by.
“You just need to relax and be yourself like you are with me. You’re over-thinking it too much, April. Just pretend the next hot guy you see is me.”
“No offense, Alexia, but I’d never have sex with him if my imagination worked that well.” She gave me a look and I shrugged. “I had a boyfriend once.”
Once? I thought. April wasn’t exactly a teenager; she was just out of college.
“And?”
“He cheated on me. With three other girls. I forgave him for the first two, but the third one was my best friend. All guys cheat; I guess I just didn’t know how to keep him from going through them like potato chips. One is never enough.”
“You are kidding me, right?”
Her VW felt like an oven and I cracked the window after she started up the engine.
April glared at the colored candy cane in my hand. “I don’t want to talk about it anymore. Can you throw your candy out? This is my sister’s car. Mine’s not running right now, so she let me borrow it.”
“Is this going to be a problem with you coming to work? I can lend you mine.”
“The cootiemobile?”
“Stop calling it that,” I grumbled. Yes, I wanted the car to burn, but I hated to be reminded of the events that earned it its new nickname. “If you need the car, it’s yours. I don’t want to worry about you taking the bus, walking, or hitchhiking.”
“Sure,” she said with a laugh. “Like I’d hitchhike wearing an apron and skintight shirt with Sweet Treats written on it.”