The Love Knot (Sweet Love & Kisses series)

by Maya Sheppard

  “You got it! Okay, up, in the car and we’re going to eat. It’s getting late and there’s bound to be a line of people.”

  Mindy was quiet as Ben drove to the restaurant. He looked at her and, seeing a familiar look on her face, his heart fell. All I can do is deflect her if she starts in on Claire about that asshole.

  Once they were seated and had cold drinks in front of them, Ben started the conversation.

  “So, my baby girl is a freshly minted college graduate about to own her own store! You know, Claire, I am very proud of what you’ve accomplished.”

  Claire grinned. “Thanks, dad. It’s been my dream, ever since grandma taught me how to crochet. Giving other girls, women and even men the chance to learn . . . it’s exciting!” As she spoke, she saw a woman who looked familiar being escorted to the next booth. Trying to place where she had met her, she drew a blank. The woman was petite with very green eyes and auburn hair. Her companion was also short, but instead of being slender, she was plump. Her hair was blonde and frizzy.

  “Sweetheart, you’re taking on so many responsibilities. It worries me,” said Mindy.

  “Mom, I can handle it. I took the courses and I have an excellent investment manager. Mr. Travers knows exactly what he’s doing. Once I hire a store manager, I’ll be able to relax,” Claire said in response.

  “But Claire . . . you should have a man beside you. Scott loved you, I’m sure of that. He just . . . well, he just made . . . a mistake. I’m sure he understands that now, and that he’ll be faithful to . . .”

  “Mindy! Claire was in love with him and he trashed her trust in him! She caught him, in bed with some strange, anonymous girl! It wasn’t the first time, either . . . now, stop harping on about that . . . asshole!” Ben ended on a low growl.

  “But Ben!”

  “No! No buts! Claire’s a very smart young woman. If she says she doesn’t want contact with him, she has her reasons and I trust her, unlike you. If you don’t stop going on about this, then I’m going to have to start reconsidering our marriage. Every time you mention Scott, it hurts her!”

  Ben’s promise to look at their marriage stopped Mindy, whose mouth opened and shut ineffectually. “Okay. I’ll stop. Claire, I’m sorry. I just have. . . “

  “Mom. Scott didn’t have my best interests at heart . . . he had only his wallet’s best interests in mind when he was dating me. That’s why I’ve decided I’m staying single. It’s my decision. I’m over 21 and capable of doing so.”

  In the next booth, Luci shushed her plump, blonde companion, Bobbie White.

  “Hush! I want to listen to this. I don’t like that little bitch. This is something I could use against her.” The two eavesdropped. Luci quietly pulled pen and paper from her bag and jotted down brief notes. She gave a toothy smile to her sidekick, who smiled back eagerly.

  Chapter 4

  At home that night, Claire thought about how she had caught Scott cheating on her. I need a guy’s perspective. She called Dylan West, her best friend.

  “Hey, Dylan, are you busy right now?”

  “Sweetheart, for you, I’m never ‘too busy.’ What’s up?”

  “Ugh, it’s my mom again! She keeps bringing Scott up to me, saying, ‘Oh, I’m sure he realizes he made a really big mistake and he’s sorry! Give him another chance!‘ She seems to forget that I caught him in flagrante delicto, fucking another girl!”

  “Your mom usually has your best interests at heart, but she’s not thinking right now. Maybe she sees those huge, black circles under your eyes? No way! Scott did you wrong. Full stop. Claire, I support you completely. Does she know that Scott was more attracted to your inheritance than he was to you? Does she know that he was fuckin‘ blind not to see your real beauty?”

  Claire’s giggle was reluctant. “I think she’s blind, Dylan. To my feelings. To the pain he caused me.”

  “Well, whatever you decide, either against a man or for a man, as long as he’s not out to hurt you, I support. Fully. How are your plans for the store coming along?”

  “Things are coming together pretty fast! Dad’s helping me with the contractor to make sure that it comes out the way I want. That leaves me time to interview people and to start ordering things for the store.” Claire felt better when she finished talking to Dylan. She was getting ready for bed when her phone tweeted. Seeing her dad’s number listed, she answered.

  “Hey, dad! Thanks for supporting me tonight. I don’t want to yell at mom, but . . .”

  “Let’s have lunch tomorrow. We can talk some more about this – we do need to find a way of getting your mother to understand that that . . . man . . . did some real harm to you.”

  “I’ll go, but I need to start calling job applicants.”

  “We’ll keep it short, I promise. I just wanted to let you know . . . I’ll make damn sure that your mom doesn’t bring . . . him . . . up again. Ever.”

  “Thanks, dad. Let’s decide where to go tonight. I’m likely to be buried tomorrow and I’d like to have that one detail worked out,” said Claire.

  “Okay, how about Dion’s for pizza or salad?”

  “Oooooh, that sounds good! Yes! About noon?”

  “I’ll pick you up.”

  ***

  Ben was already at the store when it was time for him to take Claire for lunch. He stopped by to help her, working with the contractor so Claire could focus on hiring store employees and ordering items she needed.

  At the store, they sat and talked about Mindy’s persistence while they waited for their orders to be called. “Claire, there’s nothing I’d like more than to see you involved with a good man. But if you can’t, I’ll support you in your decision.”

  Jeff walked in and ordered his lunch. He heard Claire and Ben discussing her situation as soon as he saw them. Not wanting to eavesdrop, he strode quickly to their table and shook Claire’s hand. Again, he felt that funny, heart-jolting tingle of awareness. Looking into her eyes, he saw that she did, too.

  “Dad, this is Mr. Travers, my investment manager. Mr. Travers, my father, Ben Simms.”

  “Jeff, please. No ‘Mr.,‘ please.”

  “Jeff, why don’t you join us?” asked Ben.

  “Thank you. I think I will.” With that, he sat down on Claire’s side of the booth, forcing Claire to scoot over quickly.

  The trio discussed the progress of The Love Knot.

  “I’ll be opening within a month – six weeks at the latest,” said Claire. “I’m working on advertising the opening – radio, papers, web. I should be seeing the ads starting next week!” Claire said.

  As Claire spoke, Jeff noted the dark circles under her eyes.

  “Question, Claire. Are you getting much rest?” he asked.

  Claire, not knowing how to respond, fiddled with her straw. “Um. Well, I get to bed at a reasonable hour, but getting to sleep is hard. I’m excited and I get up and start making notes.”

  “Ahh. Let Dr. Jeff prescribe something. Hot herbal tea. And I’ll stop by tonight to make sure you’re away from work at a reasonable hour.”

  Ben sat back, taking in the exchange. His gaze bounced back and forth from his daughter to the investments manager and back. He saw Claire blush as she tried to wiggle out of the suggested get-together with Jeff. Looking at Jeff, he saw genuine concern on his face.

  “Claire, that sounds like a good idea. Once you’re ready for bed, Jeff can take off – right?”

  “That’s right. I just want to make sure that Las Cruces‘ newest store owner doesn’t run herself into the ground – I do want to buy supplies from you, you know.”

  Claire, unable to find a way out of the proposed get-together, looked down and smiled weakly.

  “Just this one time. I value my privacy.” After she ate her pizza, she visited the ladies room, giving Ben a chance to talk to Jeff.

  “I see your concern for Claire and I have that same concern. She’s running herself into the ground. She . . . had a bad experience, so she’s bound and determine
d to remain single. Before she gets back, I have one piece of advice for you – Take your time, get to know her and let her get to know you,” said Ben.

  “I will. I . . . overheard her talking with her mother several weeks ago. I have an . . . she’s coming back. So, what kind of progress have you made with the store’s interior?” Jeff asked, sitting back.

  “Quite a bit, actually. Claire has an eye for design and she picked out some paint colors that complement each other well. She’s hired a muralist from the university, who’s painting several crafting scenes on two walls inside. We’ve ordered shelves, lined baskets – which I think were a stroke of genius – and the stock of supplies. Claire, there’s light at the end of the tunnel!”

  Claire smiled with excitement as she sat back in the booth. “Thanks, dad. The store is really starting to shape up. I’ll be starting to interview a manager and assistant manager tomorrow and I’d like to have them hired next week, so they can help me interview cashiers and stockers. I want to start small and hire, maybe, four of each – I don’t want to run out of funds.”

  “About that, Claire – you’re doing very well on money. Hire as many staff as you need. I get the feeling The Love Knot is going to take hold quickly,” Jeff said with an encouraging smile.

  One month later

  Claire moved through the crowded store, giving quiet directions to her new staff. She smiled, no longer feeling the exhaustion as she saw her new customers filling baskets and carts with patterns, yarn, knitting needles, notions and crochet hooks.

  “Excuse me, miss? Will you be having any promotions soon? I’d love to buy, but I’m on a real budget,” said one woman.

  “Have you seen our grand opening flier? It lists all the promotions we’re running to celebrate the opening of our store.”

  “Oh, no! I hadn’t1 Thank you!” said the woman with a smile.

  Claire and her managers answered these and other questions, guiding customers to patterns, yarns and supplies. “If you look at this pattern, you’ll see that you can change up or down in needle size, depending on your swatch gauge,” recommended the manager.

  At the end of the day, Claire locked the door once the final customer had left.

  “Let’s count the day’s sales. Becky, you, Renee and Ann can leave. We’ll see you tomorrow at 9 a.m. Thank you for working so hard!” Claire said.

  After the day’s receipts were counted, Claire wrote up a deposit slip and slipped it into the deposit bag, then put the money and bag into the store’s safe.

  That weekend, she was busy working with customers when she saw Jeff Travers walk in. Remembering what he had said about being a crocheter, she sent a professional smile to him. “Ma’am, if you’ll excuse me, I have another customer . . . Ann, would you please help Mrs. Lujan?”

  Claire walked over to Jeff, who was looking through the stock of crochet hooks. As she neared him, she felt a tingling in her arms and legs. Stop it! He’s only your investment manager!

  “Good morning! Are you looking for anything in particular?” she asked Jeff.

  “I need several skeins of blue, red and yellow yarns and size H crochet hooks. I can’t find my stitch markers, so I’ll need them as well,” said Jeff with a wide smile.

  “I can help you with all of that – here’s a basket. Are you looking for wool or cotton yarn?”

  “Wool-blend. They’re going to be gifts. I’m making scarves – whoa, these colors are perfect!” Jeff grabbed two yarn skeins of each color, dropped them into his basket and added a crochet hook and the stitch markers.

  Claire showed him pattern booklets, giving scarf instructions. Jeff read through several, then chose two booklets.

  “Claire, it looks like you’re doing really well with this. You had a fantastic idea – it seems that crafters can never have too many stores that stock their needs.”

  “True. What one store doesn’t have, another store’s likely to stock. That’s my aim, anyway. I want to provide what other stores don’t.”

  After assisting Jeff and chatting with him for several minutes, she returned to walking around the store to ensure that her customers were satisfied with their experiences. As she walked, she thought. That wasn’t too hard, talking to . . . Jeff. Maybe all he intended the other night was to make sure that I’m getting enough rest. She jumped when she felt Jeff’s hand on her shoulder.

  “Claire, I’d like to sit down with you this evening – to discuss your store’s first week, that’s all. Would you meet me at, oh, International Delights after you close?”

  “That’s not until 9 tonight,” she said, gulping and hoping he would give up on his idea.

  With his next words, he dashed her one hope. “That’s fine. We can order tea and dessert while we talk. I am your investment manager and I’d like to see how your first week’s receipts are providing a return on your investment.”

  Claire looked at him, desperately casting about for a reasonable excuse she could use to get out of his proposed meeting. “Uh.”

  “Please. If I see an area where you might be losing money, I can pinpoint that early.”

  “Business? Only?” That was all Claire could manage to say.

  “Only business. Promise. So, about 9:45 or thereabouts?”

  “I guess so,” Claire said with a gusty sigh.

  “Claire. I’m not a bad guy. I’ll see you tonight.”

  ***

  Claire eventually got used to having weekly meetings with Jeff to discuss her store’s revenues. Her mother and father occasionally came in to help with customers. On one busy Saturday, Mindy came in and started looking for items to buy. Unaware that Ben was in the back, working on the stock, she looked around at Claire, running from customer to customer.

  “Claire, you need a man’s help in here. I’m calling Scott. You need to talk to him.”

  Claire’s face went white as she heard her mother’s words. Ben also heard what Mindy said. Raising one finger to let the stocker know he’d be back, he walked out to the sales floor.

  “Mindy, go home with me now. Claire, I’ll be back later on.” At home, Ben sat Mindy down. “Melinda, are you aware of exactly why Claire broke up with Scott? Do you know what she found and what it did to her?”

  “She said he was messing around on her, Ben. But . . .”

  “No, Mindy, no ‘buts.‘ That low-life cheated on her. They were supposed to go to a movie and he was supposed to pick her up at her dorm. He didn’t show, so she went to his dorm. Where she found him in bed with, what did she say, ‘one of the university skanks.‘ She realized that the warnings her friends had been giving her were true – that he was in love with her inheritance, not her. It destroyed her. Now, if you decide you STILL want to bring that loser back into her life, tell me right now. Because if you do, I’m history.”

  “My God! I didn’t know it was that bad, Ben! I thought they had just had some kind of bad argument and that she decided to keep him out of her life. No wonder. You don’t have to worry – I won’t meddle any more. He’s history. I won’t bring him back here.”

  “Good,” Ben said, breathing heavily. “You stay here. I’m going back to help with stocking. The employees are still getting used to their new jobs.”

  Chapter 5

  At Bluestone Travers, Luci called Bobbie.

  “Hey, that yarn store is open. I’ve been Googling that woman’s ex-boyfriend and I think I’ve found him. I’m going to call her and bring him back to Las Cruces. He needs to know just what she’s accomplished – you know – for old times‘ sake.”

  Bobbie grinned sycophantically. “So, what do you think she’ll do?”

  “Heh! She’ll fall apart . . . and so will her lame store! So, that’s what I’ll do. I think I’ve found the right Scott. I’ll call him and let him know that his ‘beloved ex-girlfriend‘ has made a real coup for herself.”

  ***

  Two weeks later, Claire was in the store, feeling good because the employees had found their groove. They were comfortable us
ing the register, working with customers and stocking the store the way Claire wanted it done. Ben and Mindy were there as well. Mindy was stocking up on supplies so she could make gifts for the coming holidays and other celebrations. Claire had just walked with a customer to the cash register when she turned around . . . and saw Scott looking around.

  Everything slowed down and all sound ceased. Her breath froze in her lungs and her heart crashed to the floor.

  “Well, Claire, it looks like you have made a real success of your store. Would you . . . like to go get some drinks so we could talk . . . about it?” Scott asked.

  Claire struggled to find a response. Any response, even if it consisted of one profanity, screamed at top volume. Her body seemed to have lost its skeleton – her parents bumped into her as they raced to place themselves between their daughter and her faithless betrayer. She was unable to move.

  “You! You’d better get out of here, you slimy bastard, before I throw you out!” growled Ben. He and Mindy grabbed Scott’s arms, one on each side and propelled him quickly out of the store. The three of them were nearly to the exit when Jeff strolled in. He was intent on asking Claire for her bookkeeping paperwork, so when he saw a tall, thin man being pulled backwards out of the store, he was confused. He followed Ben out of the store.

  “Ben, what’s going on?”

  “Jeff, meet Scott, the ‘man’ who cheated on my daughter while they were both still university students. I don’t know how he found out that Claire’s got a store – but you can damn sure bet I’d like to find out! Now you! Get the hell out of here and don’t you ever come back!” As Ben finished speaking, he and Mindy both gave him a hearty shove, sending him flying down the walkway.

  “Ben, I’ll be right back. I’m going to need the bookkeeping paperwork. I want to take care of this goof first,” Jeff said, following an angry and confused Scott down the walkway just outside the stores in the plaza.