Sneaking Around

by St. Klaire, Stephanie

  She was a classic beauty who turned heads and left men breathless, or in Seth’s case, speechless. No matter how much he practiced what he wanted to say, or how confident he was, the moment he saw her, he became a babbling idiot. He would ask her out just as soon as this spell she had over him wore off…he hoped.

  “No!” she lowered her voice to a near whisper, bringing Seth out of his daydream and back to the conversation. “Before I came here, I worked several jobs. I saved every penny just to move to Pine Valley and open Reading Grounds. One of my jobs was at a place called Babes.”

  “You were a Babe?” he questioned in surprise. Babe is what the waitresses and hosts were referred to as. The minute Seth said it, he regretted it. The only way he’d know that was if he’d been there. And Molly would know that.

  An eyeroll and sigh later, Molly went on to tell him exactly what she was and was not. “I was not a Babe! I was a bartender. Since you’ve been there, you know, as a bartender, I was not walking around topless covered in body paint serving perverted men meals.”

  With her hands on her hips, she continued to justify her stint there. “The schedule was flexible, and the tips were amazing. It helped me reach my goals, and I’m not ashamed of that, despite Evelyn trying to make me feel otherwise.”

  “I’m sorry she’s taking out all her hostility on you. She tends to latch on to new people and put them through her own form of hazing. It’ll pass as soon as someone else does something to get her attention.”

  “She is ruthless, though. I tried talking to her, and it was like talking to a pissed-off rabid porcupine with her quills aimed at me. I must have made it worse because this mommy porn thing popped up,” she admitted with a defeated shrug.

  Seth mirrored her shrug. “Skunk.”

  “Skunk?”

  “Yep, pissed off rabid skunk… They leave a bad smell behind that’s hard to shake. Evelyn’s attitude definitely stinks and leaves a foul trail,” he said with a smile, proud of his silly analogy as it brought yet another grin to Molly’s face — even if he did sound ridiculous.

  Seth’s attempts to lighten her mood with goofy, albeit sweet, chatter seemed to be working. He may have felt like an ass every time he opened his mouth and something stupid fell out, but Molly seemed to enjoy his kind of stupid. Seth hoped Molly looked forward to his visits and awkward conversation as much as he looked forward to seeing her.

  Seth knew his demeanor was genuine and he was easy to talk to, mostly because he didn’t say much to begin with. Maybe that was enough for her, he thought. Seth convinced himself being a little quirky could be endearing, and his character was upstanding — that had to count for something. Having an honorable career couldn’t hurt either. He was the kind of guy you took home to meet the parents. At least he thought so. Girls liked that kind of stuff.

  Sometimes, Seth wished he was there for more than just books and coffee, but he would take what he could get. For now. Until he could build up the nerve to ask her out instead of carrying on this stalker-like charade. He didn’t even like coffee.

  “Thank you for listening. I feel better. You’re a good guy, Seth Spangler.” She wrapped her arms around him across the counter and gave him a sweet hug that he kindly returned. “So, can I help you find a book today?” she asked, remembering he was here for books, not to offer free counseling.

  “Tell me about those romance books…mommy porn. Think I would like one of those?” He grinned and waggled his eyebrows, not quite ready to end their chat or for her smile to fade again.

  “Oh, a funny guy. Just for that, follow me. I have just the book to start your romance collection with. Fifty Shades of…” her voice trailed off, words lost in the space, his focus completely lost in her eyes. He’d buy whatever she gave him every single time.

  CHAPTER 2

  Several days had passed, and not a single Facebook post targeting Molly had reared its vicious head. Either Evelyn was out of town, or Molly had finally fallen off her radar and hazing the town newbie was over with. She hoped the latter. She had paid her dues, survived it, and now it was time to move on and enjoy her new home without fear of scandal crossing the interwebs, assaulting her Facebook account and reputation.

  Molly had worked hard to get to Pine Valley. She grew up as an only child in a small town outside of Portland — River Creek, population blink and you miss it. Just a blip on the radar. Not even GPS technology recognized it or could lead you to it. Most drove through without realizing they had done so.

  Her parents’ relationship was forbidden — dad from a prominent well-to-do family in Portland, mom from the wrong side of the tracks, aka trailer park. Like any good forbidden love story, they ran off and married, starting their own simple life far from those who balked at their relationship. Molly’s father had used as much of his trust fund as he could, before his father interceded, to buy what would become their means for a future together — a small market in River Creek that sat as the only one in town at the sole four-way stop marking town center. He had just enough for the market and the property behind it where their cozy home sat, leaving them content.

  Their love story began when they ran off to the romantic town of Pine Valley to marry and spend their honeymoon at the only place they could afford: a four-room bed and breakfast that was nothing more than a quaint colonial style manor. It ended when her father was in a terrible accident in River Creek, losing his life to a large combine driving a rural road on a drizzly day during harvest season when Molly was just fourteen. Then she lost her mom that terrible night to a depression which led to a pain-numbing habit of alcohol — something easy to come by in their town where moonshine was a popular craft.

  The family market was eventually sold, then their family home and parcels of land, one at a time. When all that was left was a single wide trailer on the last few acres of land, Molly dropped out of school, finishing online at night, and started working to support her and her mother. Not the life she dreamed of, but the life she was handed. The dream changed from college, career, and a love like her parents, to “fake it ’til you make it, and find your way to Pine Valley,” where she could feel close to the love she missed so much.

  Her mother died when Molly was twenty. The doctors said it was her liver, followed by kidneys, mixed with the alcohol that had claimed her, but Molly knew it was of a broken heart. A slow, painful death of loneliness and lost love. It didn’t hurt to lose her mother like it had her father. It was freeing. Her mother could finally be at peace, as could Molly. She spent the next several years working several jobs, living in her little trailer, saving every last penny she could.

  Pine Valley was the goal, and it was realized on her twenty-eighth birthday when a trust from her father’s family — a trust she hadn’t known existed — matured and allowed her to quit all her jobs, sell the last of her family property, and start her life in Pine Valley. Reading Grounds was born, and Molly was finally where she knew she needed to be. In Pine Valley, with her coffee and books, dreaming of her own love story.

  It was nearing the day’s end and time to start closing shop when Molly’s reminiscing mind came back to the present. Her final customer had just left, and she’d locked the door behind her when a buzz and ping from her cellphone caught her attention. Molly adored the friends she had made here. They felt more and more like family as time went on, and she was always happy to hear from them…until now. A text from Libby she wished hadn’t landed in her inbox.

  Check Facebook. Call me if you need me. I am so sorry.

  Molly’s heart sank and filled with dread. A Facebook post followed by an I’m sorry could only mean one thing: Evelyn Shirley.

  Before Molly could get to a laptop or tablet, there was a knock at the glass door. Seth. If his expression said anything, it was that he already knew what was waiting for her on Facebook, and he wasn’t happy about it either. She opened the door to let him in, and he quickly grabbed her elbow and pulled her to the back of the shop and out of sight from street traffic.
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br />   “I just saw it. I’m sorry,” he said, wrapping his arms around her.

  Shit. If he was apologizing with a hug, it must have been bad. She was torn between staying in his arms until it all went away and actually looking at the mess that had her phone pinging and Seth at her door. What could have possibly fallen from the cow’s mouth now? Though they were friends, staying in Seth’s embrace forever wasn’t an option, and not what he was offering in the grand scheme of things. This was some sort of guilt hugging her.

  “Sorry? Was it Evelyn again?” she asked, hoping he could just tell her and spare her from the inevitable damage waiting for her attention.

  “You haven’t seen it? Oh wow…uh…” Seth was at a loss for words, which wasn’t uncommon, but the irritation and angst rolling off him was. He grabbed her tablet from the nearby counter and pulled up his Facebook account, revealing just what had him so ticked.

  “How on earth…?” Molly was surprised by the desperation in Evelyn’s attempts. What she had caught was anything but scandalous. It was a picture of Seth and Molly hugging, inside her store, surrounded by customers, a few days prior…just before she found him the romance novel he’d asked for. The innocence of that hug being made out to be something other than just that was maddening. Especially since it was sparked from Evelyn and her antics to begin with.

  “I’m sorry, Molly. I was on my way to see her, to ask her stop this, but wanted to see you…first,” he finished.

  She found his desire to protect her endearing, and although she appreciated his chivalrous plan, she knew better. “I appreciate that, but talking to Evelyn is like poking an angry bear. She’ll just swipe back. She’s merciless, especially when challenged.”

  “I just…I wanted…” Seth ran his hands through his hair in frustration. His demeanor made it clear he understood her concern and knew she was probably right but hated being somewhat of a source of her stress or disappointment. Molly knew he didn’t want this to get in the way of their friendship — she didn’t want it to either.

  Maybe he was kicking himself for not asking her out before and felt the opportunity was missed all together. God, Molly hoped not. It may have been a bit presumptuous on her part, but she really hoped that was where the hugs and concern were heading.

  With Evelyn’s eye on them, the chances of her going anywhere with him now were slim to none. She was watching them, and each had something to lose if Evelyn continued to harass them this way. About the only thing either of them found comfort in was knowing Evelyn’s antics likely hindered the chance of anyone else pursuing them out of fear of Evelyn. At least there was that.

  “Well, since you’re here, would you like some coffee?” Molly asked, pulling away from Seth. There was an empty void that settled in, nagging her to rush back into Seth’s arms where not even Evelyn could reach her. Okay, Evelyn could reach her anywhere, cute boys embrace or not, but the thought was nice just the same.

  “Uh, sure!” Seth gladly accepted the cup of coffee with her. He had a look that said he would happily walk across a bed of coals barefoot for Molly too, which made the distance that much harder. Coffee was a good start, she thought, burning coals would have to wait.

  Molly grabbed a tray and added a couple coffee mugs and the extra carafe of coffee she’d made just before closing. It was intended for an all nightery with a couple new releases, but it was better spent on time with Seth.

  On her way to the table they favored, she grabbed what was left of the day’s pastries. This was a good excuse to binge on sweets rather than let them go to waste. As she rounded the corner from behind the counter, she grabbed one last thing — the one thing that would make this all go away for a short spell: her favorite bottles of booze.

  Raised eyebrows and a smirk met her with question. “We’re drinking tonight, huh?”

  “Yep! Coffee…and a little something to numb the sting!” she chided.

  “Well, okay then…” He picked up the bottle to see what they were indulging in and seemed surprised by the selection. “Butterscotch Schnapps and Bailey’s, huh?”

  “You bet’cha!” she said with fervor. “This is my guilty pleasure — every once in a while.”

  She poured them each a cup of coffee, stalling the bottle of alcohol above his glass, waiting for the go ahead to pour, then plated the pastries, insisting he try the strawberry cream cheese Danish without giving two shits about how it wouldn’t go well with their drinks. They were having a pity party and crossing offensive flavors was a given.

  It wasn’t lost on Molly that Seth watched her go through the motions knowing it was all just a distraction from the day’s ugliness, aka Evelyn. After a quick stir, she sipped her altered coffee. Her eyes closed, and a deep, breathy moan escaped as the warm beverage coated her throat. The sound of that moan had him twitching in places he was happy to have hidden under the table. What he wouldn’t have given to hear that sound, over and over again. Often.

  “Drink up!” she said with a nudge, pulling him from his not so pure thoughts.

  “Oh, yeah, thanks! So…” He understood the moan. This stuff was like a mug full of dessert. He had learned the hard way those are the drinks you stop consuming after the first or second. They go down way too quickly, then the thoughts you never wished to reveal flowed far too easy and made an ass of you.

  “Sooo….” she retorted, waiting for him to finish his thought.

  “So, what if there was a way to…make this stop? You know, make Evelyn go away?” he questioned.

  “Can’t kill her. Already checked into it,” Molly deadpanned, not intending to make him choke on her words.

  “Oh, I wasn’t… I mean — wait, you looked into it?” His initial surprise quickly shifted to intrigue.

  “No, not really. The ladies talked about it the other day. Shayna said she’d ask Jasper, but it was all a joke! That old bird would probably Facebook it from the grave, sending us all to prison anyway…not worth it,” she joked.

  “I have a plan. It’s a little less…sinister, but it could work. The whole join ’em if you can’t beat ’em. You trust me?” He raised an eyebrow in question and didn’t realize he was holding his breath until she answered. His question was a loaded one that went far beyond the town busy body and her bullshit.

  She matched his raised eyebrow and gave a crooked grin while looking at Seth, trying to decide how much worse this really could get should his plan fail. General consensus was not much worse. “Sure, Spangler, I trust you. What you got?”

  “Facebook.” He winked, taking another long pull from his mug.

  They spent the next few hours searching Facebook and the Pine Valley Chamber of Commerce site for all things Evelyn Shirley. Pictures, articles — you name it, they found it. Seth’s plan was clever really. Fight fire with fire. Or, in this case, post for post. They would fire back at every direct hit with Facebook posts of their own, only…not as themselves.

  The menacing duo set up a fake Facebook account, like any good asshole would, and called it Rumor ALSO Has It. Not the cleverest of names, only a slight play on words and the situation. Alcohol added to the mix of mischief made things a little fuzzy, and the name was less important than the content.

  The key was to make the account public for all to see, then invite the whole damn town to the page — everyone they could think of. It would spread like wildfire on its own. It was a small town after all, and small towns spread gossip like sugar to ants.

  Seth had switched to straight coffee by his second cup. Molly switched to straight liquor by her third, and its effects were becoming painfully obvious. In between her bad jokes, giggles, and exaggerated gestures, she was pouring her heart out to Seth. She shared her past in all its dark glory, leaving him even more enamored by her.

  She trusted him all right, and it was obvious he felt deeply for all she’d gone through. He’d placed his hand over hers and would occasionally squeeze it in support before jumping back on the laptop they were working on.

  “Do you
think she’ll know it’s us?” she whispered.

  “I don’t think so,” he whispered back with a smile. “Why are we whispering?”

  She let out a deep, bellowing laugh — the kind that made your belly shake, your sides hurt, and your eyes water. He didn’t seem to think whispering was quite as funny as she did. They were just whispering in an empty store — her store, no less — and the only thing funny was she thought it was funny. But he found her humor contagious and laughed along with her because doing anything at all with her felt right.

  Disappointment filled her expression when Molly lifted her mug for another sip just to find it empty. She set it on the table and looked around before her eyes widened and sparkled with enthusiasm. It was as if the light bulb above her head lit up and an idea was born — a brilliant one if her expression was a decent gauge.

  “Do you want a blow job?” she asked, wide-eyed, serious as could be.

  “A-A-A-A what?!” Seth stuttered, choking on her words.

  “A blow job! Ya want one? I love blow jobs!” She stood, hands on her hips, and hell if she didn’t bite her full bottom lip waiting for an answer. “You’ve had a blow job before, haven’t you?”

  “Uh, yeah…yeah…I, uh…yeah…” It was common for Seth to find himself speechless in Molly’s presence — this was a different kind of silence, however. How was he supposed to respond? And how did he avoid kicking himself for it later? And why couldn’t he just say sure, I’d love one when that was the honest to God truth? “I’ve, uh…yep…done that, yep.”

  “Yes!” she hollered, a celebratory fist charging through the air. “This is my favorite! Hang on. Let me grab the whipped cream! If we are going to do this, let’s do it right!” She got up from the table and rushed behind the counter, stumbling and giggling as she went. In that moment, Seth’s conscience decided to emerge, waving the white flag that roused his moral compass. She was shit faced drunk. There wouldn’t be a blow job, or even as much as a kiss. He was a gentleman, and they always finished last, and usually by themselves…