Real Men Will (16 page)

“May I ask who’s calling?”

“Ms. Cantrell, this is Yvette Page with Mr. Roland Kendall’s office. Mr. Kendall would like you to stop in for a few moments today. The address is—”

“No,” Beth interrupted, stopping on her front stairs to try to catch her breath and calm her suddenly thundering heart. There was only one thing he could be calling about. “I can’t today. I’m working.”

“Oh,” the woman said, genuine surprise obvious in that one syllable. Apparently not too many people said no to Roland Kendall. “Perhaps you could rearrange your schedule. He was quite insistent.”

“I really can’t,” Beth said. “It’s impossible. Please convey my regrets.” She hung up before her voice could start shaking. Did he really think she’d show up to his office like one of his children, ready to be browbeaten into obedience?

What could he want, anyway? She’d already told the police. There was no taking that back. So he obviously just wanted to punish Beth for what she’d done. When her phone rang again, she immediately hit the button to decline the call. It was either Kendall or his secretary, and Beth didn’t want to talk to either.

Just as she’d expected, when Beth finally made it to her car, the message indicator on her phone chimed. It was from the same number that had called the first time, but when Beth listened, it wasn’t the secretary’s voice.

“Beth,” Kendall barked. “I don’t know what you think you’re up to. After everything I’ve done for you. I brought you into my home and exposed you to a lifestyle you’d never even dreamed of. And this is how you repay me? With lies about my daughter? I don’t know if this is envy or jealousy. I don’t give a shit what it is. But you’re going to stop this immediately or there will be repercussions in your personal and professional life. In fact…” His words trailed off, and Beth wondered if he’d just remembered that his diatribe was being recorded. “Get your ass down here or you’ll regret it,” he finally muttered before the line clicked dead.

“Oh, sure,” Beth breathed. “I’ll be right there.”

He hadn’t been specific, but Beth was sure he meant to harm the store in some way. After all, how else could he hurt Beth? The White Orchid was the most important thing in her life. It was personal
and
professional. She felt sick that what she’d done could harm the store and Annabelle.

Too flustered to try to calculate the time in Egypt, Beth decided against calling and sent a text instead.
Please call when you can talk. XO Beth.

Annabelle needed to know what was happening, just in case, and the sooner the better.

As she drove toward the store, Beth tried her best to put it from her mind. It was no big deal. It would be fine. She’d told the police her story, and if Kendall really got nasty, she’d tell the police that, too.

Reassured by her temporary bravado, Beth managed to walk into the White Orchid with a smile.

“Hey, Beth!” Kelly called. “You look cute!”

“Thank you. Why does it smell like tea and ginger in here? Not that I’m complaining.”

“That tea lady stopped by this morning. She said something about gearing up for winter?”

“Linda Fallon? The one with the tea shop?”

“That’s her.”

Beth had met her at the expo that spring, and Linda had claimed that several of her teas contained ingredients to increase female libido. “I told her we’d do a display this winter, so she’s right on time. Did she leave more samples?”

Kelly pushed a box forward on the counter. “Yep. She also brewed up a cup for me. She carries an electric kettle in her car. How cute is that?”

Beth grabbed the box and headed for her office. Maybe she’d actually try some out this time. Before, she’d thought it would be wasted on her barren sex life. But now… Then again, maybe Beth didn’t need an increase in libido at the moment. She was cruising along nicely. Smiling, she took another deep breath of spiced air and hurried to her office.

She felt good again, as if the walls of the store insulated her from the outside world. It was a fantasy world, after all. And if an erotic boutique wasn’t about relaxation, what was?

Determined not to spend the day holed up in her office again, Beth decided to finish the fall cleaning. The racks were getting crowded, and people in Colorado didn’t need swimsuits in October. She marked down the swimwear and moved it to the clearance rack to make more room for Halloween items. Annabelle had always been sure not to let the shop degenerate into a costume store, but they wanted to be festive. And what could be more festive than a naughty nurse uniform?

Beth eyed the mannequin who was dressed in a female soldier outfit that featured hot pants and a sleeveless camo shirt. Not exactly practical for jungle wear, but the customers seemed to get a kick out of it. They’d nearly sold out. She moved some of the plus-size bustiers up to the front, too, because their buxom clients often complained about the challenges of finding sexy outfits in their size. Beth could sympathize. When she shopped for bikinis, the size of the little triangles that were supposed to cover her breasts was laughable.

She was just wiping the tops of the racks with cleaner when the door opened to admit a deep male laugh. “I know I’ve been way too busy,” the man was saying, “but I swear I’ll be home early tonight to make it up to you. In fact, maybe I’ll even have a present.”

Beth turned to greet the customer, and her smile froze on her face. The man froze, too, phone still pressed to his ear and green eyes getting wider by the second.

“Uh, Olivia,” he said. “Can I call you back?” Jamie Donovan slowly lowered the phone and stole a quick glance around the store. When he looked back to her, his eyes fell to the spray bottle and rag she clutched in her hands.

“Oh,” he said softly and blinked several times.

Beth was still frozen, but when her hand squeezed hard enough, the bottle released a mist that made her jump.

“Hello,” Jamie said.

“Hello,” she repeated. She shouldn’t be surprised to see him here. He was a past customer, after all. But somehow she hadn’t thought of this, and knowing what she’d done with Eric the night before… “Can I help you find something?” she asked automatically, because she couldn’t think past the automatic at this point.

“Oh, I…” Jamie glanced around again, and his cheeks turned faintly pink. “I was looking for a gift. I’ll just…browse.”

“Okay.”

But he didn’t move, he just rocked back on his heels a little and stuck his hands in his pockets, a gesture that reminded her of Eric. “So, you work here?”

“Yes.”

“Ah. We were never actually introduced.” He stepped closer and reached out a hand. “I’m… Well, I guess you know my name.”

“Right. I’m Beth.” She shifted the rag to the other hand and gave his hand only one good shake before moving back. “Anyway, I’d better get back to work or—”

“Beth!” Kelly stuck her head out from the back room. “There’s a woman on the phone who does henna tattoos and she asked to speak to the manager.”

Beth met Jamie’s gaze and watched his eyes widen even more. “Excuse me,” she murmured. She’d never been so happy to get a call from a vendor. Not only did it get her away from Jamie, but after a few minutes on the phone with the woman, Beth realized she was actually proposing a good idea.

“I know you have occasional gatherings at the store,” the henna artist said, a little breathless with nervousness. “I’d love it if you’d consider hiring me to give tattoos.”

Beth knew what henna tattoos were, but she let the woman explain her process and her experience with the art. “If you’d be willing to come in and maybe give a demonstration, I’d certainly consider the idea.”

They arranged a time later in the week and settled things within moments, but when Beth hung up, she stayed in her chair. She needed to give Jamie time to do his shopping and get the heck out.

Then again, what did it matter? She had no reason to be embarrassed. Eric might not be happy that another person in his life knew about her, but Jamie didn’t
really
know. He didn’t know that she and Eric had seen each other last night. And the night before.

She’d just decided to brave another awkward meeting and was pushing up from her desk when her cell phone rang. Beth dug her phone from her pocket and gratefully sank back down.

“Beth!” Annabelle cried, her voice clearer than it had been in months. “Are you okay? Is everything all right?”

“I’m fine!” Beth cut in.

“Oh, thank God. I miss you so much. When I got your text, I swear my heart melted.”

Beth smiled. Annabelle approached friendship like she approached everything else—with passion and enthusiasm. “I miss you, too. Really.”
Really.
“Are you still having fun?”

“Fun doesn’t even describe it. I can’t believe how content I feel. How whole. I feel like I’ve been reborn.”

Beth nodded, happy for her friend, but the truth was that Annabelle had said that exact thing after a Bikram Yoga class the year before. “That’s amazing. I’m so happy for you. But have you given any more thought to when you’ll come home?”

“Oh, Beth, it all feels so far away.”

Beth nodded, frowning. “Okay, but I need to tell you something, Annabelle. I’m worried that I’ve caused some trouble for the store.” She explained exactly what had happened, leaving out her affair with Eric. “I don’t think I could have handled it differently,” she ended.

Annabelle gasped. “Of course not. You did the right thing!”

“I don’t know what he’s thinking, but he’s a powerful guy with political connections. I’m worried about that state representative who was making noise last year.”

“The one who proposed the bill that would’ve made it illegal to sell sexual paraphernalia within a mile of a public school.”

“Yeah.”

“It didn’t get out of committee. Don’t worry about it.”

“But if Kendall decides to put money behind this guy… I just can’t figure out what else he might be thinking. God, I’m so sorry, Annabelle. If he—”

“Whatever that bastard tries to do, he won’t have any more effect than every other campaign against the store. We are a Boulder institution. Everyone knows the White Orchid isn’t some seedy sex shop. It’ll be fine.”

“I hope you’re right.”

“Beth, you couldn’t do something to hurt the store if you wanted to. It’s as much your baby as it is mine. Actually, I’ve been wanting to talk to you about that.”

“Babies?” Beth asked in confusion, wondering if Annabelle had met a nice Egyptian man and decided to settle down.

“No, not babies! The store! I’m thinking it might be time for a change.”

“What kind of change?” Beth asked warily. If Annabelle added anything else to Beth’s plate, she was going to have a breakdown.

“I’ve become involved with a women’s organization here. Naeemah—I mentioned Naeemah, right? She runs a women’s group that works with poor women to help manage microloans and start their own businesses.”

“Right.”

“Well, I’m kind of…I’m kind of in love with it, Beth. I don’t want to leave.”

“You don’t?” Beth asked, though the words barely got past the sudden tightness in her throat.

“No, I don’t. It’s not that I want to keep traveling. It’s not that I feel like I’m on vacation. I feel like I’m home.”

Beth nodded because she couldn’t speak.

“What I’m trying to say is that…I’d like to offer you the opportunity to buy the White Orchid.”

“What?” she managed to rasp.

“We talked about it a few years ago, remember? The idea that you might like to buy the store someday, that I could pass it on to you. And you certainly work as hard as any business owner right now. You’re doing my job, plus your own. You’re amazing, and you’re the only person I would trust the White Orchid to.”

“But…but what are you going to do?”

“I thought I would buy a little house here near the women’s center. And I could just…work. Help people.”

Beth realized that she was nodding over and over. “I don’t know what to say.”

“Don’t say anything yet. It’s a huge decision, Beth. One of the biggest you’ll ever make. But I know you’re made for bigger things than just being my manager. The store already belongs to you. You can do this. It’s everything you’ve wanted.”

She was still nodding.

“Think about it. I’ll call next week, and we’ll talk details.”

“Okay.”

“And please be careful about Roland Kendall. I’m not worried about the store, Beth. I’m worried about you.”

Beth smiled automatically, but her stomach felt like a boulder as she hung up the phone.

To own the White Orchid. It was her dream. Or it had been her dream, years ago. But she’d spent the last few months just wishing Annabelle would come home and take her place as the rightful head of the store. The face of the White Orchid. The one who knew exactly what she was doing. Without her, Beth just felt…scared.

But if the White Orchid was hers, she’d be a business owner. Her dad would be so proud.

“Oh, sure.” She sighed. He’d be proud until he found out what the business really was. Ladies’ foundation garments, indeed.

She had money saved, though she’d bit into her savings account with the new car this year. Still, her credit was great, the store had a steady, predictable income; there was no reason to think she couldn’t manage a small business loan. She could likely buy the business itself from Annabelle, while only leasing the building.

Looking around the crowded office, Beth made herself take a deep breath. She loved this place and the people who worked here. She loved helping the customers and putting them at ease. And she’d been planning for this moment for a long time. But she’d never expected it to come so soon.

And she’d never expected it to feel so terrifying, if terror was the emotion making her feel sick to her stomach.

“Beth?” Kelly called. “Are you off the phone?”

“Yes,” she whispered, then cleared her throat and spoke more forcefully. “Yes!”

“Do you know when we’re expecting more glass-work? This twelve-inch guy is scaring people off!”

Beth made herself set aside her thoughts and get back to work.

Jamie was gone, and Kelly was waving around the black glass dildo as she talked to a middle-aged woman in a business suit. Just another day in the office.