Not Alone (4 page)

“Uncle Mac,” I yelled, trying to get him to deal with the drunk or to help with the other customers.

“Oh hell,” Uncle Mac said, “that’s Sheriff Johnston. Well, ex-Sherriff, since he’s retired now. Now Grady, go by the phone. You’ll see a number for
Turn the Page
bookstore. Call it and tell them that Sam is here, and they’ll know what I mean,” he added.

Okay
, I thought to myself
, I guess this is a regular occurrence for Sam to have a number plastered next to the phone so we could have him picked up
. I turned my back on Uncle Mac and Sheriff Johnston just as he fell off of the stool. At this rate, we would be scraping him up off of the floor. That man didn’t know when to cut himself off.

Locating the number, I called the bookstore. “
Turn the Page
bookstore, this is Miles, how can I help you?” a young man greeted me when he answered the phone.

“Uh, yah, this is
Finnegan’s
and Sheriff Johnston is here,” I said by way of a reply.

“Shit, again? Ok, I’ll let the boss know, thanks,” and he hung up.

Well, that was done. Hopefully it wouldn’t take them too long to get this guy outta here. I guess this shit was to be expected since it came with the territory.

Walking back over to Uncle Mac, I helped out the next customer. It was busy for a Saturday, which is a good thing, but it was just me and Uncle Mac working, so we’ve been hauling ass all night. The tips were nice and there have been some seriously hot chicks coming up to flirt with me. Of course, I’d lay on the charm, but not a single one of the big busted, desperate girls caught my attention. No, that had been taken by Emmalynne when I met her last night. Realizing I’d checked out, again, which seemed to be happening more so since yesterday, I got back to mixing drinks.

“Daddy, what are you doing here again? Didn’t they kick you out last week?” A small voice said. I knew that voice.

“They kick me out every week, but I’m Sheriff Johnston, and no one can keep me out for too long,” he replied. Dumbass.

Turning around once I heard that voice, I looked straight into the eyes of none other than the woman who has occupied my mind since last night.

“Emmalynne this is your dad?” I asked somewhat bewildered.

“Uh yeah,” she looked down as a blush crept up her cheeks. Shit, she was embarrassed.

“Come on daddy, you are coming to my house tonight.” She tried to tug him off of the stool, almost losing her balance.

“Here, let me help you get him out to your car,” I offered as I rounded the bar to drag her drunk of a father outside.

“Thanks, Grady I appreciate it. I’m not the steadiest person on my feet even when I’m sober.”

“Who would be, trying to cart around a drunk man out by themselves. He is practically dead weight,” I said, trying to make her feel better. I wanted to see that smile again. She looked so embarrassed to be having to play the role of parent to her own father.

Heading out to her vehicle, I saw her sliding open the side door of her van. “Just put him back here please, I’ll let him sleep it off some before I try to get him inside my house.” Once getting him settled into the van, she turned and said, “Thanks again for your help Grady. I’m so sorry about this. He constantly tells me that he will get help, but it seems like a lost cause.” She looked towards the ground.

“Emmalynne, it was my pleasure, and please don’t apologize for him. It didn’t turn out all bad, I got to see you again,” I told her and she turned her eyes up towards me, then she smiled.
Love that smile
.

I watched her pull out of
Finnegan’s
parking lot and take off down the street. That smile was magical. I wanted to make it my mission to get to know her and to get her to smile like that just for me, all the time. It was time to make my move.

Chapter Five

Emmalynne

I was going to kick my dad’s ass, once he awoke from his drunken stupor. Not only for making me pick him up, again, from
Finnegan’s
, but for making me feel embarrassed of him in front of Grady. Just one look at that man and he made my stomach do a backflip. My first instinct was to flirt with him, but then that just made me feel even more embarrassed, considering it had been years since I’d flirted. I think I’d forgotten how.

Shaking my dad to try to wake him from his nap, I hollered, “Come on get up dad, so we can get you in bed. You can go back to sleep once we are inside.” Talking to him while he is passed out was like talking to a brick wall but somehow, the Gods were listening to me, and I was able to get him up.

He staggered his way into my house and made it as far as the couch. Where he face-planted on it and was immediately out again.

Walking through my living room into the kitchen, I glanced at my old-fashioned kitty cat clock on the wall, the one where the eyes and tail moves.
Man, I loved that clock.
I decided to get to work baking for tomorrow. I was planning on making gooey butter cake. Butter and powdered sugar, no one could resist.

Two years ago, I decided to remodel my kitchen, and it was a nightmare. I really went overboard by putting in two stainless steel ovens and a new stainless steel refrigerator. Complete with granite counter tops, it was a bakers dream. My kitchen definitely served its purpose. I baked in it every day, sometimes more, and I cooked dinner just about every night. Toby, Tessa, Mikey, Brock, and my dad were often in attendance.

Grabbing the ingredients I needed from the fridge, I heard the cutesy text message chime from my phone. Setting all the ingredients on the counter, I grabbed my purse and got about trying to locate my phone.

I loved purses.

I especially loved
big
purses.

I seemed to have everything but the kitchen-sink in my purse. Although, with how huge my purse was, it could easily be arranged. You never knew when you may need something and I have a ninety percent chance of having that item in my purse. That being said, it usually took me ten minutes plus to find anything in the darn thing.

Removing my wallet, checkbook, a first-aid kit, too many of Tucker’s matchbox cars to count, I finally uncovered my phone.

Sliding my finger across the screen, I unlock it to find a text from an unknown number.

Unknown: Did you and your dad make it home ok?

Me: Umm…Do I know you?

Unknown: This is Grady

Oh. My. God!

How?

Who?

TESSA!!!!!

Me: Grady? Yes, we made it to my house safely. Thanks for asking. How did you get my number?

Programming his number into my phone, I knew exactly who passed my number along to Grady. And believe me, when I get my hands on Tessa, my so called friend
IT. WAS. ON.

Grady: I have my ways so don’t you worry your pretty little head about it. ;) So, what are you up to?

Did he just call me pretty? My head pretty? And a winky face?
My tummy was doing major backflips.
Oh, snap out of it Em! It’s a freaking text message and an expression, nothing more!

Me: I am getting ready to make Gooey Butter Cake to bring to the store tomorrow. How about you?

Grady: Gooey Butter Cake you say? That is my favorite. Perhaps I’ll come in for some. Where is this store of yours?

Oh. My. God! He wants to come to my store! EEK!

Me: Turn the Page is on Franklin St., only a few blocks from the bar.

Grady: Perhaps I will see you tomorrow. Sweet dreams, Emmalynne.

Me: I certainly hope to see you. I will save some for you just in case ;) Goodnight, Grady.

Oh my, I think I just flirted with Grady. No, I know I did.

What am I doing? Seriously.

Now, I had to call my dearest best friend… Scrolling through my contacts list I landed upon Tessa, the traitor. After three rings Tessa answered, “Hey girlie, what’s up?”

“You know darn good and well what’s up! How could you give Grady my number?” I screamed through the phone, not caring one bit if it woke up my dad. He deserved my wrath as well.

“Well, I knew you wouldn’t give it to him if given the opportunity. So, I helped out a little, what’s the big deal?”

“The big deal is he just texted me and now he is saying that he is coming into the store tomorrow!” My tone was escalating.

“EEK!!” Tessa screeched. “He likes you! I knew it! Oh Emmy, this is great news.”

“No, Tessa he doesn’t like me, he was just concerned because I had to pick up my dad drunk from the bar. Again. And he likes Gooey Butter Cake, which is what I’m making for the store tomorrow. And even if he did like me, which he does not, I’m not interested,” I lied while twirling my necklace. At least she couldn’t see me.

“Girl, you may need to get your eyes checked ‘cause that boy is FINE! Even I’m interested, and I’m a happily married woman.” Ugh, she really needed to stop talking. I’m done, over it- this whole day!

“Tessa Renee Monroe, mark my words, I will get you for this. You had better watch your back!” I threatened her, but in all honestly I was all talk.

I heard her bust out laughing as I hung up on her. Why couldn’t my friends let me live my life in peace? I didn’t need a man, not even the serious piece of hunk that was Grady Finnegan. I was supremely agitated and I didn’t even think baking would soothe my nerves. Nope, baking could wait until the morning. This called for drastic measures. I needed my kindle and a new book boyfriend, PRONTO! Now I just had to dig through my purse to find it.

UGH!

Chapter Six

Emmalynne

“Rose will you please cover the front desk while I straighten some of these books?” I said to Rose, my full-time employee. She was a true sweetheart. She had been with me since the beginning, when I first opened  
Turn the Page
four years ago. Rose was a glamorous woman who was like a second grandmother to me. She was in her late seventies and was a dainty thing, not only in height but in build. Her eyes always had a magical twinkle in them. She had been married to her husband Gus for sixty years and they had the kind of love that you read about in fairytales. It was nice to know that there were still good men out there; Toby, Brock, and Gus- and I was glad Tucker was able to see that.

“Sure, deary,” she replied. Rose wasn’t much for talking but when she did it was usually with wisdom to live by.

Trying to appear busy I thought back to my morning. I knew I had to talk to my father again, about trying to get help with his drinking. This was becoming a nuisance. He reassured me, yet again, that he would go seek counseling or at least attend an AA meeting. My next step wouldn’t be something I was proud of, but I wouldn’t be left with much of a choice. An ultimatum: either getting help or stay away from Tucker. I knew in my heart that he would choose Tuck, but there was a niggling suspicion in the back of my mind that said he’d choose the alcohol.

After dropping my father off at the bar, I came back home to bake for the store and to shower. I had to take extra precautions with my appearance today because Grady might be coming in. I didn’t know what it was about him that had me so tripped up, it was not like I knew him or anything. He had awakened something in me that I thought was buried deep, so deep you’d need a backhoe to excavate.

So, after wrapping up the Gooey Butter Cake, I started getting ready for the day. After my shower I took extra care cleaning my face, brushing my teeth, twice, and then blow-drying and straightening my hair so it would look semi decent. Usually I was all for throwing my hair up into a bun on the top of my head. I did sort of have the whole librarian image going on: hair in a bun and glasses on my face. But absolutely no skirts, I drew the line at skirts. I normally wasn’t a makeup person, just a swipe with the mascara wand and some lip gloss and I was done.

Lip gloss was a weakness of mine, I was sure you’d find about ten different types of lip gloss in my suitcase of a purse at any given time. I picked out my best jeans, as they made me look slimmer and any help in that department was a definite plus. I put on my new emerald green swiss-dot chiffon top and topped it off with a great pair of chunky wedges. Being a jeans and a t-shirt girl, with either Chucks or Toms, and I was set, so this was definitely dressed up for me. I just hoped no one said anything.

My nerves were getting the better of me. Walking to the bathroom and straight to the sink, I splashed some cold water on my face. Staring at the reflection of myself in the mirror, I saw nothing special. So many thoughts were scrambling through my mind. Why did I try so hard this morning? Grady probably wouldn’t even stop by, he was just being nice. I really shouldn’t have worn these shoes, they were making my leg hurt. I could see them coming off in my near future. Hearing Rose holler for me, I pulled myself out of my rambling pity party. It was time to get back to work.

I walked straight out of the bathroom and straight into Grady.

CRAP.

Looking up into his eyes, he really was the most beautiful man I’d ever seen.

“Grady, what a surprise!” was the first thing out of my mouth.
Really, that was the best I could come up with?
“I mean, I’m so sorry for running into you.”
Yeah Em, that wasn’t much better.

“Hey Emmalynne, how are you today?” he asked with genuine concern lurking in his eyes.

“I’m good, thanks. Busy. Are you here for your slice of buttery perfection?”
UGH! Buttery perfection? Just shut up now.

Chuckling he said, “That among other things,” as he took in my appearance, a spark of something appearing in his eye.
He must mean he wants to browse the books, right?

“Oh, of course, you want to look for a book because, well, this is a bookstore, right?”
Good just keep rambling
. “Ok, I’m going to shut up now. Just come up to the counter whenever you are ready or if you have any questions.” I turned and walked up past the sitting couches and to the counter, all while slowly trying not to limp. It was a tough feat seeing as how these shoes were killing me.