Page 31 of Best Kind of Trouble
“Did you really lose your job?”
One corner of my mouth lifts up, as if it’s decided to cut ties with the other. “Yeah, Princess, I really did. I lost it for you, if you want to know the truth. I want to do this with you. You have me convinced.”
“But I haven’t even told you about the percentages yet!” she says, looking worried.
“Percentages?”
“I’m going to meet your old salary,” she says. “Our benefits plan sucks almost as much as the whiskey in this place—sorry, Sharon.” Sharon’s nowhere near us. “But Icanoffer you a percentage of the business. Ten percent.”
“Ten percent,” I repeat in disbelief.
This woman is nothing if not surprising.
“And, look, I totally realize it might be ten percent of nothing,” she says quickly, as if she thinks I’m objecting to the concept. “My dad says you should never accept an offer like that, and he’d know. He has that foolproof recipe for success, remember? It’s engraved in maple, so it can’t be changed.”
“That’s stupid. Recipes can always be improved.”
She grins at me, and I’m soaking in her smile as Sharon comes around with our bill.
“What do you say?” Briar asks, leaning forward. A lock of her long golden hair tumbles onto my arm, and it’s soft as silk. Smells like the hair band on my wrist too.
Speaking of…
I pluck the elastic on my wrist like it’s a guitar string, hesitating even though I’ve already decided. I decided the second Hannah asked for a favor.
“Honey, don’t keep us in suspense,” Sharon says to me, her hand on her hip. She doesn’t have the slightest idea what we’re talking about, but it’s obvious she’s been swept up in Briar’s tide.
Truth is, I feel swept away too. For the first time in a long while, I have no idea what next week is going to look like. Or next year. The future is a blank canvas.
Maybe it’ll end up looking like a drunk person decided they’re Picasso and attacked it with a brush. Or maybe it’ll end up looking rosy.
Either way, I’m more than ready to risk it all.
Even if I’m a lot more attracted to Briar Sterling than I’m willing to admit to anyone. Myself included.
“Like I said,” I tell Briar with a grin. “I got fired this morning. I’m all yours.”
Sharon looks a little put out by this big reveal. Like maybe she’s thinking Briar deserves better than an unemployed pirate look-alike.
But Briar squeals and jumps unsteadily to her feet before running around the table and hugging me again.
Dammit, I wish she’d stop doing that.
CHAPTER EIGHT
BRIAR
Great-Aunt Sky always says that positive thinking can create ripples in the real world.
So maybe I can think myself sober.
You’re sober, I tell myself silently as Liam and I walk toward Silver Star, his arm hovering just behind mine as if he’s ready to catch my potential fall again.Sober. So-ber.
My yoga teachers would have been ashamed of me for falling out of tree pose, which is one of the easiest balance poses. So easy a toddler could probably do it.
I can still feel Liam murmuringtimberin my ear. He must have been smiling too—that smug, manly,Iknow better than you doLiam smile. Why, I’ll bet he’s doing it right now…
I turn abruptly to face him, nearly slipping on a slick patch of sidewalk.
