“Your mom and her phases . . .” I trailed off and laughed. “Yeah, definitely not going in that direction either.”
“So then what’s wrong with here?”
I looked around The Brew, pretending to look at it like I was seeing it for the first time. Until I was six or so, the coffee shop and bookstore had been two separate businesses. We didn’t have a Starbucks in Thatch; if you wanted amazing coffee, you went to The Brew. The bookstore had been owned and run by an old woman who really only carried books that she liked to read. When she got to a point in her life where she knew she needed to stop working, she’d just been planning to shut down the bookstore. And considering we didn’t have a library or actual bookstore anywhere within an hour from here, that meant bye bye books.
The owners of The Brew had bought out her store, knocked out the wall separating them, and updated the books and the look of the store so it was now inviting and there was something for everyone. On Thursday nights there was live music, and it really was one of the best places in Thatch to just sit and relax—especially during the winter. Jerry and Anne were the owners, and you never found the store without both of them in it. They loved their shop and all the people in it, and would easily be the best bosses around.
“I guess nothing is wrong with working here. I love this place, I’d just never thought of working here. I’ll talk to Anne before I leave.”
“There you go. Job search over,” Charlie said confidently, and I snorted.
“Uh, one, I never actually started searching. Two, no one said they would hire me.”
“Well, considering I talked to Anne while I was looking for books, and she told me she was going to have to put up a sign soon since one of the employees quit because she was having twins, and two of the others put in two-week notices since they were leaving for college . . . I’d say she’d be happy if you told her you wanted a job.”
“I would be happy.”
I turned around to see Anne standing at the end of the couch, bent over so she could rest her elbows on the arm.
“Good morning, Anne,” I said with a smile.
It didn’t surprise me that she’d chimed in on our conversation. That’s how she was, always flitting around the shop, talking with everyone. If it weren’t for Jerry, she’d probably stay out talking the entire day.
“Morning, girls. So, Grey, you gonna come work for me?”
“Would you like me to?”
“Let me think . . .” She clucked her tongue and gave me a look. “Um, of course! Why don’t you come in next Monday around two-ish, I’ll have you do all the paperwork, and then we’ll start training you for the registers and the coffee.”
I looked at Charlie and she gave me an I-told-you-so smile before I could look back at Anne. “That sounds perfect, I’ll be here.”
“Great! Now I better get back to looking like I actually do something around here before that husband of mine starts complaining. Have a good day, ladies!”
Charlie and I called out our good-byes, and I turned to glare at Charlie. “You told her I was looking for a job,” I accused.
“Of course I did. She’d just finished telling me about all the employees who were leaving and being short staffed, and I told her you’d been looking into getting a job. She was going to call you to ask you to come in, but I told her I was meeting you here anyway. So . . . done! You now have a job.”
“Well then, thank you?” I laughed awkwardly. “Good to know I have people who will set up jobs for me.”
Charlie smirked. “Whatever. You know you would’ve applied as soon as you saw that sign. You’re in here enough as it is, you might as well work here.”
“Clearly.” I gestured in the direction Anne had walked off. “Anyway, on to other things. Is there anyone you’ve been interested in or seeing while we were at school . . . ?” I let the question trail off.
“No.”
“No? Come on, Charlie, there has to be someone. You are gorgeous—”
“And shy around anyone who isn’t you or my family,” she added, cutting me off. “There’s just no one here who catches my eye.”
“That doesn’t mean you haven’t caught their eye. Has anyone tried to talk to you?”
She looked like she was trying really hard to think, and finally she shrugged. “I don’t know; I don’t pay attention.”
“Why not? See? Those books you read are ruining you for real men.”
“They’re not!” she said on a laugh. “I’ve never had a boyfriend . . . I don’t want one.”
“So you’re just going to become an old cat lady . . . or a nun?” I asked, my voice and expression flat.
“No, I’m not. I just—I haven’t found someone who has shown himself to be worth my time.” That same sadness I’d seen earlier was back, and her eyes seemed somehow unfocused as if she were seeing things I couldn’t even begin to imagine. “Trust me, I’ll know when there’s a guy who’s worth it.”
I waited for a few moments to see if she would expand on that, and it wasn’t until I started talking again that she shook off her expression. “You’ve never dated anyone, and you seem to avoid guys, but you look like your heart has been shattered by someone. I don’t get it. Did something happen to you, Charlie?” I finished on a whisper, fear and panic clawing at my stomach at the thought of someone hurting her or taking advantage of her.