13

Brooklyn let her arms fall to her sides. Caleb would only scare her like this if he were certain. As project managers, he and Rosalie often knew what was in the pipeline for the company before word reached her.

When will the bad news stop, God? How much more do You think I can take?

“When Jake said you were having a kid, I had to know you had someone to fall back on. When I found out it was an assault, I…” His voice was heavy. “Trust me. Enough women have told me I’m terrible at communication. I wasn’t trying to blame you for anything. Even not telling me, but…I can’t tell you how I hate myself for not walking you to your room that night.”

Her mouth trembled, and her eyes welled with tears.

Caleb squeezed her shoulder. “I won’t make that mistake again, OK? I’ll look out for you. Jake and I will make sure you have everything you need. It sounds like it’ll be a couple of months yet. You can find something new before then.”

She angled away and resumed her aimless walk into the countryside.

He kept pace. “I came to North Adams yesterday to test my boss. I didn’t tell him I was coming to work from this office. It’s never been a problem before, but I figured if they were cutting ties with North Adams, he’d call and question me on it. And he did. Before I even made it into the building. If I’m right, it’ll be announced soon.”

“And your job?”

“Secure, but once they announce it, I’m putting in my notice. Someone from this office can fill my spot, and I’ll work with my aunt and uncle. They’ve been after me for years.”

“Real estate?”

Caleb nodded. “They want someone they can train to take it over, and since they want to retire in the next year or two, it’s time. Sounds like more fun than getting Terrence to accept new computer programs.”

“Will you move back here?”

He pulled his hands from his pockets, keys jingling. “We’ll see. I don’t know how far off the announcement is, so it depends on what’s available. Let me drive you home.”

When he pulled to a halt outside her apartment, he didn’t park or move to come in. “I’m sorry to add insult to injury like this.”

“At least I have warning. I’ll brush up my résumé.”

“You shouldn’t have to at a time like this.”

Though she wanted to agree, she resisted. Caleb was already worried enough. “God’s in control, right?”

Caleb’s jaw pulsed, but he didn’t argue. “You’ll be OK. I’ll make sure of it.”

~*~

An afternoon rush landed Jake on the register. When the line died down, he lingered to cover a cashier’s break. Vanessa had the day off, so he did a double take when he saw her pull open the Main Street door. Instead of giving him an order—something she took great joy in on other days off—she slid a sheet of paper toward him.

He picked it up. “This had better not be a resignation.”

She scowled. “I’m not even going to honor that with an answer.”

The page contained a message to her sent through a networking site. He glanced from the text to Vanessa. “This is from Harold.”

She motioned him to keep reading, so he skimmed Harold’s praises about her “exemplary demeanor.” At the bottom, the man offered her a job.

“He says it would involve a raise.” Jake didn’t want to lose her, but she wouldn’t have come in a huff if she’d planned to take the offer. He smiled. “I’m the one who told you to stop giving him refills. I knew he’d take it the wrong way.”

“Did you even read it? Do you know what he’s doing?”

A careful read would require more focus than Harold deserved.

“He’s putting in a shop,” Vanessa said. “That’s why he wants me.”

“A shop…” He forced himself to concentrate. Venturing into food service by way of a remodel that will enable me and my team to address the lack of good coffee that exists in the downtown area…

“He’s recruiting.”

Hillside was well-established. With the bookstore making up the majority of his business, Harold wouldn’t be able to aim his full attention at competing in coffee. Jake read a few more lines. “Prematurely. He’s talking about a remodel, which we both know he hasn’t started yet.”

Vanessa plucked the sheet from his hands. “He’s offering me the chance to come on now so I can manage it. Help with design and equipment choices, hiring the baristas. Maybe I should go.” She gave him a pointed look.

The offer involved a promotion, not just a raise. Enough messing around. He motioned her to follow him to the office. She sat at the desk, the e-mail in her hands, as he shut the door. “Would it be worth working for Harold?”

“What makes you so sure you’re going to come out of this unscathed?”

“We’ve been here four years, and in that time, we’ve seen two other shops come and go. Neither of them had much effect on our bottom line once they got past their grand opening week.”

She held up the e-mail. “Harold didn’t open those other shops.”

“What does he have that’s so special?” Even as he asked, he remembered what his mom had said. Harold had dodged trouble with the law and the city before, compliments of his family ties.

“An insane jealous streak.” She looked at the paper and then folded it into thirds and fit it into her purse. “And money.”

“You think we should stop stocking the books?”

“No. But you have to do something. He can’t get away with this. I mean, you didn’t even do anything when he sent the band to the wrong place.”

“I’m putting in cameras.” He had a company scheduled to install one on the balcony, one behind the register, and another in the office. The two on the first floor would record both audio and video. He couldn’t listen to or review it all, but if Harold pulled another stunt, he’d dig into the footage. Even the Keens would have a hard time sweeping away a crime if there was an incriminating recording.

“What if he tries to recruit someone else?” She motioned to the board that listed the names and numbers of Hillside employees.

“Let them go. It doesn’t matter what he’s selling, he’s still the same man, and his business is going to reflect that. Just like this business reflects something about the people who run it.” He read a few of the names on their list. Each represented a hire he had recruited, and he hated to think of any of them going to work for Harold. Except maybe Ronny.

“So you’re not going to do anything?”

“There’s nothing to do except to make those Easter baskets a hit. Expanding into online sales would diversify the business and give us a wider reach.”

“You could recruit his people, if working for Harold’s so bad.”

“I wouldn’t trust that. It might be just what he’s counting on.”

“You’re not worried? Not even a little?”

“No.” Annoyed and angry, yes, but Jake wasn’t worried.

She’d work herself up again if he let her stew much longer.

He opened the door. “Go enjoy your day off.”