Page 10 of With Spite

Just what I wanted to be known as.

“Why you gotta look so mean all the time, brother?” Harvey teased.

“Why are you even looking at me?” Hux asked.

My lips twitched at the exchange.

I’d always had a weird relationship with Creed. More of a father-daughter relationship rather than siblings. Creed and I never fought. At least, not until recently when he hadn’t wanted me to move here to be closer to him.

That was probably our very first blow-up fight that had really been memorable.

“I am at my clit’s end with you,” Heidi muttered.

I choked on my saliva.

The three siblings looked at me.

But it was Vera’s assessing gaze that had me stiffening. “Is there anything else y’all can show me?”

Heidi grabbed my hand. “Last stop, the front register.”

I was relieved to get away from the three Hosea siblings, as well as the woman who birthed them.

They were all very intimidating, and I didn’t do well under pressure.

I wasn’t an introvert, necessarily. I mean, put me around people I know, and I was fully capable of being the life of the party. But when I didn’t know them? I was like a clam refusing to open up.

It took an act of God to get me to talk, and this job was totally against my every instinct. Which was to sit down, be quiet, and not be noticed.

Even worse, when the store opened in twenty minutes, I would be thrust right out into the world with everyone in Bear Pass, Sawtooth, and Jawbone setting out to meet me.

According to my soon-to-be sister-in-law, I was a new toy in a sea of old discarded ones. The men of the area would be curious.

I sure hoped not.

In fact, I was crossing all my toes and fingers wishing to remain invisible.

It was easy to play the part of extroverted nice person, but tonight when I got home, I’d be drained.

That was why I’d decided to go the NP route for my career.

I could establish some great patients, open my own practice, and make a difference for them in a controlled environment. No last-minute scheduling. No showing up unannounced. Not much small talk unless I wanted it—because everyone liked a health care provider that ran on time.

“Okay, so this is how you’re supposed to do it,” Heidi said, breaking me loose from my spiraling thoughts. “And this is how I do it instead.”

I watched as she rang up random purchases, then hit a button that gave the total. She then put the amount into the card machine and whispered, “Mom charges a credit card fee. I don’t charge it on the people that look like they’re struggling. Credit card fees are absolute bullshit if you ask me. How are you going to aim our people into a cashless society, then force us to pay fees on credit cards when that’s what they want us to be using?”

I agreed with her.

“Like Mrs. Simpson,” she continued. “She’s eighty-five. She’s pretty spry for that age, too. But she’s on a very fixed income. Don’t charge her the fee. You’ll know her when you see her. She usually comes in Tuesdays at eight. Right when we open. She has a standing hair appointment every week.”

“Fixed income but getting hair appointments?” a deep voice that sent shivers down my spine drawled.

I looked at Hux over my shoulder and got an up close and personal view of his tattoos.

The one that drew my eye was an upside-down spider on the side of his throat.

“I think Dorothy does them for free,” Heidi said. “What are you doing here anyway?”