Maintenance Required: A small town romance (The Cortell Brothers Book 1)

by Giulia Lagomarsino

  Because I was late getting to work today, I knew that Anna would bitch at me as soon as I walked in the door. So, to cut her off at the head, I decided to pick up some donuts for her. I nodded to Mary Anne as I walked into the bakery. There was already a line of people, waiting on the deliciousness that Mary Anne created. I didn’t have a huge sweet tooth, but even I had to admit that her creations were out of this world.

  As I waited in line, I pulled up my messages on my phone. They were all from Anna. In every single one, she bitched at me for not being on time. There was something about RJ needing something, but I just deleted it. I would be at work soon, and then she could tell me in person what the issue was.

  It was about three minutes into my wait that I realized that people were whispering and staring at me. I glanced down at my shirt, wondering if I had something on it, but there was nothing there. I glanced behind me, thinking maybe someone else had walked in and they were really staring at that person, but nobody was there.

  That is, not until the group of ladies from church walked in. Mrs. Charles walked right up to me and smacked me with her purse. I winced when it felt like a ton of bricks was slamming into me.

  “Ow! What the hell was that for?”

  Her eyes narrowed in on me and she slammed the purse against me again. “Shame on you.” She slammed her purse against my cheek this time, and I was sure she almost cracked my cheekbone.

  “Christ, woman!”

  Her eyes got wide and she slammed me upside the head again. “That was for using the Lord’s name in vain.”

  “What the hell were the other ones for? I was just standing here!”

  “That was for the sinful act you committed last night.”

  I stared at her, completely baffled. “How the hell do you know what I did last night?”

  “Oh,” a young woman raised her hand, like I was going to call on her. “Bethany Jones said that she saw you out to dinner last night with that nurse, Katherine. She works at Tria.”

  “Katherine?” another woman asked.

  “No, Bethany. And she posted it on the Facebook page. Then pretty much everyone knew that you were out with her, but it was Alice Henderson that saw you leave her townhouse this morning. In the same clothes as last night, by the way.”

  “What, was she taking pictures?” I asked incredulously.

  “So, then Mrs. Henderson called her daughter-in-law, Suzanne, and she told Stacey’s mom, Tina, that you had spent the night over at Katherine’s house. And Stacey was super angry because she’s had a crush on you for the longest time. But you never noticed her before. Anyway, then Stacey was all pissed because you went home with another woman, so she posted on the page about you staying over at Katherine’s last night. Now, pretty much the whole town knows about you two hooking up.”

  I just stared at the woman. I didn’t even know who she was, but apparently, the whole fucking town knew all of my business now. “Don’t you people know how to mind your own goddamn business?”

  I turned for the door, but got a hard smack to the face that sent me to the floor. Twenty minutes later, I was holding an ice pack to my face while Mrs. Charles was explaining to Jack, the town sheriff, that I had used the Lord’s name in vain in front of her several times, and that she was just trying to teach me a lesson. To make matters worse, Joe stepped into the bakery at that very moment, looking around at all the people standing around, and the sheriff talking to Mrs. Charles. Then his gaze landed on me and he grinned at the ice pack in my hand.

  “What’s going on here?”

  “Hell if I know. Apparently, everyone in town knows my business.”

  “So, what’s with the ice pack?” he nodded to my face.

  “Mrs. Charles attacked me for using the Lord’s name in vain.”

  He burst out laughing, clapping his hand on his thigh. I ignored him and listened in as Jack tried to talk down the crazy church lady.

  “Mrs. Charles, you cannot go around assaulting people because you don’t like the way they speak,” Jack said calmingly.

  “It’s not just that. He brought a woman to her house last night and didn’t leave until this morning!”

  Jack snorted, but didn’t say anything as the rest of the ladies fumed behind Mrs. Charles.

  “Whoa,” Joe said, stepping over to Mrs. Charles. “It’s not what you think.”

  “Joe,” I said in warning, but he just held his hand up as he continued toward Mrs. Charles. “It’s not like she’s just some random woman off the streets. You know my brother. He’s a good guy. All of you know that. He doesn’t just take women home and screw them.”

  Okay, well, at least he was trying to help.

  “I mean, it takes him forever to close the deal with a woman. I was beginning to think his dick didn’t work right.”

  I closed my eyes and groaned, shaking my head slightly. “Joe-“

  “No, I’m not finished. You can judge all you want, but he really likes this woman. In fact, he got her pregnant after a one night stand and he’s trying to make this work.”

  The whole room gasped and I dropped my head in my hands, wishing I could just disappear.

  “You got that young woman pregnant?” Mrs. Charles screeched.

  “Yeah, but he’s totally all about her. I mean, at first he was so out of there, but when she came and tossed a box of condoms at him, that was the really funny part. Or so I hear. I wasn’t there for it, but Andrew said it was hilarious.”

  “I can’t believe you would sleep with a woman after just meeting her,” Mrs. Charles said.

  “Hey, it’s called a one night stand for a reason,” Joe argued.

  “Jack,” I pleaded. “Can we move this along?”

  Jack was chuckling behind his hand, not at all concerned that all my secrets were being outed in front of half the town.

  “So, are you together?” Mary Anne asked.

  “Yeah, should I tell Stacey that she doesn’t stand a chance?” the mystery woman asked.

  “I don’t even know who Stacey is!” I shouted.

  “Well, as enlightening as this has all been,” Jack grinned at me, “perhaps we should move this along. Mrs. Charles, please don’t attack any more residents with your purse.”

  Mrs. Charles shoved her purse back on her shoulder and huffed in irritation. “Come on, ladies.”

  She turned on her heel and marched out the door, her crew of church-going thugs trailing along behind her.

  Joe walked over and slapped me on the back. “See? All better. Everything’s out in the open now and you don’t have to worry about hiding it.”

  “I wasn’t hiding it. I just didn’t need the whole town knowing my business.”

  “But, they were all going to find out anyway. This way, it gives them time to adjust to the situation.”

  I stood and got in his face. “I don’t need them to adjust to my life, Joe. It was none of their business.”

  He grinned wide and put his finger on his nose, pointing at me with the other. “Right, man. I totally gotcha.”

  I smacked his hand away from me, not even sure what the fuck that was supposed to mean.

  “So, are you getting those donuts?” Mary Anne asked.

  “Yes, and one of your lattes too.”

  “Oh,” she exclaimed excitedly. “So, was the last latte really for Katherine?”

  “No, it was for Anna.”

  “I can’t believe you’re two timing Katherine with Anna,” the mystery woman said, stomping out of the bakery. I sighed and scratched at my forehead. Apparently, there was something that could ruin my good mood for the day.

  Jack walked over and gripped my shoulder, still chuckling to himself. “Looks like you’ve got yourself in one hell of a situation.”

  “You know, it was actually working out pretty well until the whole town decided to stick their nose in my business.”

  Jack was a good guy. He was a few years older than me and had a wife and baby at home. I couldn’t recall anyone getting this ob
sessive about his dating life when he met his wife.

  “Can I give you some advice?”

  “Sure.”

  “I would get over to the hospital and have a talk with Katherine. You don’t want her to be blindsided by all this.”

  I groaned. I hadn’t even thought about this getting to Kat. “Shit.” I checked my watch. I still had to go to the office and there was bound to be a mess waiting for me there. “What are the chances that this new story will hold until the end of the day?”

  “Well, considering that someone was filming the whole thing, I’d say it’s already been uploaded on Facebook.”

  I opened the office door and was almost run over by Anna.

  “You knocked up Katherine Beck?”

  I shoved the donuts and latte into her hands and stormed past her. “What are my messages for the day?”

  “You have like twenty, but honestly, most of them are questions about you and Katherine. So, she’s really pregnant?”

  I sighed in irritation. “Yes, she’s really pregnant. Yes, the baby is mine. Yes, it was from a one night stand. Yes, we are working on our relationship. No, this is not up for further discussion.”

  “Well, at least someone in your family takes their responsibilities seriously,” she grumbled.

  “What does that mean?”

  “Nothing.”

  “It’s not nothing. Is this about Robert?”

  She ignored me and continued with her interrogation. “So, when is she due? Is she going to move in with you? I mean, I assume that you have some sort of relationship with her since you were seen leaving her house this morning.”

  “Did you not hear the part where I said this was not up for discussion?”

  “I mean, I think I should know. As your office manager, what if she calls and needs something like your schedule? What am I supposed to do? If she’s your girlfriend, then I should give it to her, but if she’s just the woman you knocked up, then maybe you don’t want her knowing your every move.”

  “If she calls, tell her what she wants to know,” I snapped. “Now, can we move on?”

  “Geez, fine. I was just thinking about what’s best for your business.”

  “Focus on the business part and not my personal life.”

  She glared at me and moved to the table with the donuts. The office door swung open and RJ walked in, a shitty grin on his face.

  “So, heard you’re gonna be a papa.”

  “Does anyone in this town know how to mind their own business?”

  “Mrs. Cranston called to offer her French Silk Pie as a condolence,” Anna piped up.

  “I don’t need a condolence pie!”

  “I heard the church ladies assaulted you at the bakery,” RJ grinned.

  “What? You didn’t see the video?”

  “Oh, I saw the video. It just didn’t pick up recording until after she pummeled you.”

  “There’s a video?” Anna asked.

  “On the town Facebook page.”

  I threw my head back and prayed for this day to end.

  “I don’t suppose any of you thought to find the person that posted it and have it taken down?”

  “It’s on YouTube also,” Anna exclaimed. “Wow, you already have one hundred and fifty shares. This thing could go viral.”

  “You know what? Fuck it. I’m done for the day.”

  “But you have jobs to go out on,” Anna finally said, standing up from her desk.

  “Obviously they’re not that important if you can sit here and go over my relationship status on Facebook,” I said to Anna, then turned to RJ, “and you are here instead of on a job.”

  “Should I do that?” Anna asked.

  “Do what?”

  “Update your relationship status on Facebook. It might help ward off the questions.”

  I stared at her, my anger reaching a boiling point. “No!”

  I stormed for the door, only stopping when Anna called out to me. “Where are you going? What am I supposed to tell your clients?”

  “Tell them I’m taking a sick day. I’m going home to drink.”

  “Just don’t go to a bar,” RJ said, tilting his head to the side. “That’s sort of how this mess all started.”

  My phone rang in my pocket and I pulled it out, apprehension rushing through me when I saw Kat’s number. “Kat-“

  “Are you okay? I saw the post on Facebook.”

  I sighed, rubbing my hand across my face. “I’m sorry about that. I don’t know what happened. Are you holding up okay? Anyone harassing you?”

  “Uh…well, it’s a mixture of dirty looks from women that I assume want you, and others wanting me to spill about how good you are in bed.”

  “I’m hoping you gave me a glowing review. I don’t think I can take another hit right now,” I grumbled.

  “I didn’t actually talk about it. Do you want me to?”

  “Do you think it would help?”

  “Eh, it’s hard to say. I think the jealous ones might try to take me down, but the gossips will fall hard for all the details. And it might make up for the fact that Joe said he was worried about your dick.”

  I shook my head. I just wanted this day to be over. “As nice as it is of you to try and talk up my dick, I think it’s best that we just let that ship sink.”

  “So, maybe we should take a few days to let the hysteria die down,” she suggested.

  “Not a chance. Just come out to my house tonight. You probably don’t want to go home anyway. There are probably news trucks camped outside your townhouse.”

  “Funny.”

  “I want you with me,” I said seriously. “I don’t want to spend the night away from you just because people can’t mind their own business.”

  “What about my stuff?”

  “I’ll send Joe to grab a bag for you. He owes me after he outed your pregnancy to the town.”

  “Fine, but tell him he’s not allowed in my underwear drawer.”

  I glanced back at Anna and RJ, who were listening intently to my conversation. I moved further away and whispered into the phone so only she could hear. “Does that mean you’re not going to be wearing any underwear to bed?”

  “It seems counterproductive to put a barrier between us,” she said, her voice low and seductive. That was all it took to swing my mood back in the right direction.

  “I’ll see you tonight.”

  “Tell that pervert to stay out of my underwear drawer,” she said, right before she hung up. I chuckled to myself as I typed out a quick message for Joe to swing by and get the keys to her place. When I glanced up, both Anna and RJ were staring at me with gaping mouths.

  “What?”

  RJ shook his head slightly, leaning over to whisper to Anna. “It’s like Eric has been kidnapped by aliens and replaced with this loose, almost fun version of Eric.”

  I glared at him. “Fuck off.”

  Katherine

  I ignored all the looks I was getting. I had worried a little in the beginning about how people would treat me when they found out I was pregnant, but honestly, I didn’t care that much anymore. People were so judgemental, and the fact was that I was an adult and I could take care of myself and a child, whether or not a man was in my life. But I did have him in my life, so they could all go jump off a bridge.

  “Incoming,” Chrissy hissed as she walked up with a chart. I finished making my notes on the chart I was closing out, and then I put it in a file holder.

  “I heard that you’re pregnant,” Charlene said. “I suppose you’re going to want reduced hours now.”

  “I’ve been working just fine so far,” I said cheerily, not willing to give in to her petty tone.

  “Well, just so you know, the hospital is making cutbacks. If you can’t handle the work load, you’ll be the first out the door.”

  She couldn’t actually do that. You couldn’t let go of a pregnant person just because they were pregnant. She had to have just cause, and I was one of her hardest working
nurses.

  “I’ll be sure to keep that in mind,” I said with a smile. Irritated that she didn’t get a rise out of me, she walked away. Chrissy chuckled and grabbed her water from the other side of the counter.

  “So, I heard you were outed on Facebook.”

  “Nobody can keep a secret anymore. You know, we should go back to the mafia days where you got your tongue cut out if you talked.”

  I pulled my buzzing phone from my pocket and grimaced. “My mom is calling.”

  “What’s wrong with that?”

  “She never calls in the middle of my shift.” I chewed my lip as I considered answering or not. In the end, I decided to answer. “Hey, Mom. I’m working. What’s up?”

  “You’re pregnant?” she screeched. “And I’m finding out from Facebook?”

  I winced, pulling the phone away from my ear. “In my defense, I didn’t know that was going to happen.”

  “Were you planning on telling me?”

  “Of course. I was just waiting for the right time.”

  “And this is just some man you picked up in a bar?”

  I glanced around, hoping Charlene didn’t suddenly reappear. “Can we talk about this later? I’m not supposed to be on my phone at work. I really can’t afford to get fired right now.”

  “Not with a baby on the way,” she snorted. “I want to meet this young man. Before your father,” she added.

  “Uh…”

  I could practically see her throwing her hands up in the air. “Of course, your father beat me to the punch on that one.”

  “It’s not a contest, Mom.”

  Charlene rounded the corner, so I hid my phone behind my hair, turning away from her. “My boss is here. I gotta go. Love you.”

  I slipped my phone in my pocket just as Charlene walked up to me. “This isn’t break time, ladies.”

  I glared at her retreating form. Chrissy shouldered up to me. “Well, look on the bright side, you’ll have a break from Charlene after the baby is born. And then you can really piss her off by taking all those breaks to pump. She’s gonna be so pissed,” she chuckled.

  “Yeah, that’s just what I want. To piss off my boss who already doesn’t like me.”