Never Saw it Coming
Page 1
NEVER SAW IT COMING
Bernadette Marie
This is a fictional work. The names, characters, incidents, and locations are solely the concepts and products of the author’s imagination, or are used to create a fictitious story and should not be construed as real.
5 PRINCE PUBLISHING & BOOKS, LLC
PO Box 16507
Denver, CO 80216
www.5PrinceBooks.com
ISBN-10:1-63112-192-8
ISBN-13:978-1-63112-192-0
NEVER SAW IT COMING. Bernadette Marie
Copyright BERNADETTE MARIE 2017
Published by 5 Prince Publishing
Smashwords Edition
Cover Credit: Bernadette Soehner
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations, reviews, and articles. For any other permission please contact 5 Prince Publishing and Books, LLC.
First Edition 2017
5 PRINCE PUBLISHING AND BOOKS, LLC.
Stan,
First day of college, under my dorm window…
I Never Saw It Coming!
27 years after that day, I’m glad you’re still by my side.
To my favorite 5:
I had no idea 5 was going to be my most favorite number!
I love you all. I’m so proud to be your momma!
To my mom, dad, and sissy:
Who could have known all those messes of papers would pay off. Thanks for letting me take over so often! I love you!
Clare:
Thanks for the many, many miles!
You help keep my head on straight.
Cate:
Thank you for being on top of it all. You never see the mess coming your way, yet you handle it gracefully!
To my RMFW IPAL sisters:
Without your love and support this past year, and your constant urging to do bigger and better things, I think I would have gotten a bit lost. I love you all!
To my devoted readers:
Every day that I sit down to write, I think of the love you have showered me with for the past seven years. Thank you for that! I love writing for you.
Other Titles by
Bernadette Marie
THE KELLER FAMILY SERIES THE WALKER FAMILY SERIES
The Executive’s Decision Walker Pride
A Second Chance Stargazing
Opposite Attraction Walker Bride
Center Stage Wanderlust
Lost and Found Walker Revenge
Love Songs Victory
Home Run ASPEN CREEK SERIES
The Acceptance First Kiss
The Merger Unexpected Admirer
The Escape Clause On Thin Ice
A Romance for Christmas Indomitable Spirit
THE MATCHMAKERS TRILOGY THE THREE MRS. MONROES
Matchmakers Amelia
Encore Penelope
Finding Hope Vivian
DENVER BRIDES SERIES
Cart Before the Horse
Never Saw It Coming
Candy Kisses (novella)
NEVER SAW IT COMING
Bernadette Marie
Chapter One
With a foot of fresh and falling snow on the ground, business was slow. But it was Colorado, so there were enough patrons in the restaurant to keep it busy. After all, people in Colorado weren’t afraid of a little snow. However, at the moment there were only two people at the bar.
Chandra was going crazy trying to keep busy enough to look as though she were in charge. Good thing Gabe, the owner of McGuire’s, wasn’t around. When things were this slow, he tended to get in the way.
Lucky for her, he was much too busy with his wife Holly and the pending birth of their second child. Chandra figured with the snow, and Holly’s due date, she’d be lucky to see him even once this week—or so she hoped. She’d sent him away on paternity leave a week ago. After all, why put her in charge of the entire place if he was there all the time?
She waved goodbye to a couple leaving from dinner, and another man walked in. He certainly wasn’t dressed for the weather, which meant he was from out of town or native to Colorado. Until he spoke, it was iffy.
“How are you?” she asked as she set a napkin on the bar.
“Cold.”
From out of town, she decided. He’d flown in when it was sunny, which had been that morning, and now there was a blizzard outside. It could always catch a tourist off guard.
“Can I get you something warm to drink?”
He wiped his feet and dragged his hands through his wet hair, then walked toward the bar.
“How about a beer?”
“What kind?” she asked as he sat down.
“I guess I’m in the Coors territory, huh?”
“You’re also surrounded by micro-breweries. I can hit ya up with about anything you’d like.”
“Nothing heavy.”
“I’ve got you covered.” She pulled him a micro-brew that nearly looked like water to her. It was a good place to start someone who didn’t quite know what they wanted. “Try this one. We can get darker and more stout from there.”
“Thanks,” he said looking down into the beer, but not drinking.
“Can I get ya something to eat?” She handed him the menu.
“What’s your favorite?”
She rested her arms on the bar. “Prime rib sandwich. You can’t go wrong.”
“I’ll try that.”
“Good choice.” She punched in the order on the computer screen. “It’ll be out shortly. We’re not too busy.”
“Snow keeps everyone inside, huh?”
“Not usually, but it slows things down a bit. Where are you from?”
“California.”
That explained the lack of a heavy jacket. “Hmmm, here on business?”
“Yeah. Was. Guess not.”
He might be the entertainment she’d been looking for. It had been a long time since she’d had a sap at the bar crying into his beer. Who’d have thought she’d look forward to one. But the truth was this was the fun part. Bartending was only part serving up drinks. The other half was trying to get into someone’s soul. Even better, he was from out of town, so if he were too sappy, he wouldn’t always be hanging around.
He sipped his beer and held it between his hands as if maybe he were counting the bubbles in it. This one was in a dark place, Chandra thought as she took a towel to a mug to dry it.
His tie hung loosely around his neck. The top button of his shirt was undone, and the sleeves had apparently been rolled most the day.
The dark circles under his eyes said he’d been up worrying. The newly shadowed chin told her he’d been clean-shaven early that morning when the shirt looked crisp.
There was no wedding ring on his finger, though there might have been one not too long ago. That one was a hard one to judge. She knew he hadn’t taken off the ring in the past few days, though. Usually, men who did that had not only a tan line, but there was a dent there too.
Her bet was a guy who had recently lost his wife, and now it looked as though he’d lost his job too. Add to that he was stuck in Colorado.
He took a second sip of his beer and now it was time to move in and get the specifics.
“What kind of business are you in?” she asked drying another glass.
He let out a small grunt. “Software. Was,” he said as he had when he walked in.
“Your business meeting didn’t go so well?”
“That I could forgive. Oh, no. They hire me. Offer me the entire world. I sell my house, my car, gave away my dog…” He stopped and took a long sip from his beer. “Came out here ready to change the world. I’m here exactly sixty-three
hours, and the company is seized. Doors are locked, and signs are up that the government has them now.”
Chandra felt the grip on the glass in her hand become tighter. “What were they into?”
He shrugged. “I researched them. They were a thriving company which developed software for doctors’ offices. But it looks as though they’d never—ever—paid out a dollar in taxes. That crap catches up with you.”
The sense of urgency took over, and she reached her hand across the bar to rest it on his arm. “I’m really sorry.”
He looked down at her hand, and she yanked it back. It wouldn’t be the first time she’d crossed a line like that.
When she looked up at him, his eyes had gone wide. Oh, she’d broken the cardinal rule. You can talk to the patrons—even dig into their past. But you sure as hell didn’t touch them unless you wanted a stalker.
The man swallowed hard then took another drink. “How long have you worked here?”
“Forever,” she said trying to busy herself, though she’d cleaned every inch of that bar since it was so slow.
“I like your tat,” he said with a grin and blush.
Chandra knew every bit of ink on her body, but she looked down just to figure out what he was talking about.
He lifted a finger. “The one on your wrist. Does it say Jason?”
Oh, he was good. She was the one that was playing the game of uncovering the secrets and here he was working her.
“Yes.”
“He must be pretty important.”
“He is.”
“Son?”
Ouch, she winced when he mentioned it. “Yep.”
“Lovely tribute.” His eyes had softened. That said a lot too.
“You have a son?”
He nodded. “Just turned nineteen. Moved out with some friends and goes to Southern California State.”
“You must be extremely proud of him.”
It showed on his face as he nodded again. He pulled his iPhone from his pocket and scrolled. “This is him,” he said laying the phone on the bar and pushing it toward her. “He’s six-three. I think he gets it from her side of the family. None of the men in mine made it past five-ten.”
She noted the gorgeous blonde in the picture. “Is that your wife?”
His lips tightened at that. “Ex. We couldn’t make it work. Tried for years, but I think we knew years ago it was over.” He tucked the phone back into his pocket. “Now that Dane moved out it didn’t seem as important to try anymore.”
Her heart broke at that. What did she know? She’d never even tried to make it work with Jason’s dad. They weren’t compatible at all.
The server from the back brought out his plate and set it down. He thanked her, and Chandra gave her a grateful nod.
“Looks like you’re all set. Can I get you anything else?”
He lifted his eyes, and she saw the sparkle in the deep blue, which she hadn’t noticed before. Okay, so maybe she’d done her job and lifted his spirits a bit.
“I’m enjoying the conversation. I’d be okay with more of that.”
Desperate. He was desperate. What had she started?
She put down her rag and leaned against the counter. What did it matter? This man, who looked like a cross between Bill Gates and a politician, sat at her bar, broken. He was from California, where his son still lived. Even if he came back every day for dinner, he’d only be in for the next week. It wouldn’t hurt to talk to him and make him feel human. He wasn’t her type. She obviously wasn’t his, judging from the picture of his ex-wife. She could let down the bitchy exterior for one night—one cold, snowy, slow business night and be compassionate. Oh what would Gabe think of that, she chuckled to herself.
“What’s your name?” she asked.
“Mike.”
“Mike, the software developer from California.”
He bit down on a fry. “That’s me. What’s your name?”
“Chandra.”
“Chandra, the tattooed bartender from Denver?”
She hoped her face didn’t show the disappointment she felt when she heard it. That was her, and it sounded so dull. “That’s me.”
“There’s more,” he said, and she stared at him. “You don’t just work here.”
“I manage the restaurant now.”
He nodded. “I could tell you have authority.” He ate another fry. “Not involved with the boss either.”
She shook her head. “He’s married with the second kid on the way.”
That caused him to smile. “You adore him, though, and you’d take care of him and what is his.”
“Sure.”
“Polar opposite of his wife.”
Okay, now he was playing her game, and she was spewing out answers. “Complete. She’s a prodigy. Graduated college at twelve, or something like that. I have a GED.”
“I have a masters. You have a job of authority. I have a hotel room for two more days. I don’t think education matters when it comes to success.”
“Don’t tell my son that. It’s hard enough to convince him to turn in his homework.”
“Sixth grade?” he asked with a grin.
She pursed her lips. “Fifth, but that was close. How’d you know?”
That caused him to laughed when he lifted his sandwich to his mouth. “That’s when it starts. Boys have a rebellious streak when it comes to homework.”
“He’s making me a maniac about it.”
“It’s not too bad—that is, if he’s a good kid.”
She felt her body soften. “He’s the best.” And that was the truest statement she’d ever spoken.
Her mother had helped her raise him, and he’d turned out okay. Sure, what boy didn’t meet the principal once or twice? He’d honor rolled a few times. He loved soccer. But he was usually in his bed when he was supposed to be, and he spoke to her with a kind tongue. She’d done okay alone.
“I can see it in your eyes. He’s your world. No man has ever stacked up to him.”
“Never tried. It wasn’t worth it. He’s mine.”
“He’ll be okay then.”
Her heart was melting. That wasn’t supposed to happen. He was supposed to order a beer and spill his story so she could entertain herself. Now here she was, wanting to hug him and that had disaster written all over it.
“How’s your dinner?” she asked, picking up a rag and mindlessly wiping down the already clean bar.
“You were right. I couldn’t go wrong with it.”
From the corner of her eye, she noticed one of the bussers running toward the bar. She set down the rag and moved toward him.
“There’s water,” he said gasping for breath. “From the apartment, I think.”
This wasn’t what she needed, but it was what she’d signed on for.
She went back behind the bar and grabbed her set of keys.
“Trouble?” Mike looked up at her with his beer in his hand.
“I think I have a broken pipe in the apartment upstairs. Know anything about that?”
“I do.”
He was already rising from his stood when she stopped to look at him. “You do?”
“Parents owned a B and B when I was growing up. I’m one handy dude. It might not look like it,” he said looking down at his rumpled tie. “But I am.”
Nothing seemed off about this guy, and that worried her more than if he’d walked in looking as though he were there to start trouble.
But she knew nothing about busted pipes, so if he could help her for the moment, she was going to let him.
“C’mon,” she said giving him a nod toward the stairs.
Chandra hurried to the hallway that led to the inner staircase. Mike followed as she ran up the steps as water already began to trickle from under the door.
“Oh, shit. This isn’t good,” she said as she put the key in the door and pushed it open.
They all three stepped in, and Mike laughed. “Not as big a catastrophe as you thought.”
There was water on the floor, but not the massive puddle she’d imagined.
Mike moved quickly to the sink and pulled open the cabinet. He knelt down in the water and reached in to turn it off.
“Yep, cracked pipe. If you can get the materials to fix it, I can do it,” he said standing back up. “I don’t know what’s open or around here, but…”
“Nothing,” Chandra said crossing her arms in frustration. “You’re not headed back on a plane tonight are you?”
He chuckled. “No, I’m stuck here.”
“Good,” she said then thought better of it. “I don’t mean good as in good that you’re stranded.”
“I get it. Do you have some rags and a bucket? I’ll help get this cleaned up. You have a bar to manage.”
“You’d do that?”
“You know I’d feel better being useful this week.”
“Let me get some. You could use some dry pants too. I have some uniform pants for the bussers downstairs. I’ll get you a pair. I’ll be right back.”
Mike watched as she flew back down the steps and he smiled. That felt good too. He certainly hadn’t had much to smile about lately.
Without moving from his position, he looked around the quaint apartment. It had obviously been empty for a while, but the furniture remained and even a few pictures on the mantel.
He could hear her running back up the stairs, and he watched her hurry through the door with a mop bucket in one hand and a mop in the other.
“There is a smaller bucket in here,” she said as she set down the mop bucket. “You should be able to sop it up with the mop and use the other bucket…”
“Under the leak. I got it. I’ll get busy on it.”
She nodded. “I’ll have dry pants for you when you get downstairs, and I’ll have the kitchen make you a new sandwich.”