Small Town Boss Read online

  Small Town Boss

  Book Two in the Landon County Series

  Cheryl Michaels

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Sneak Peek - Small Town Player

  About the Author

  Copyright © by Cheryl Michaels

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, including photocopying, graphic, electronic, mechanical, taping, recording, sharing, or by any information retrieval system without the express written permission of the author and / or publisher. Exceptions include brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

  Persons, places and other entities represented in this book are deemed to be fictitious. They are not intended to represent actual places or entities currently or previously in existence or any person living or dead. This work is the product of the author’s imagination.

  Any and all inquiries to the author of this book should be directed to: [email protected]

  Small Town Boss © 2019 Cheryl Michaels

  Chapter One

  No home. No car. Only blood money she refused to spend. That was Claudia’s reality as she stared at the “Help Wanted” sign in the window of Landon’s one and only inn. She was just passing through, but with only a few hundred dollars in her purse, she knew she wouldn’t get very far, especially if she had to pay for rooms along the way.

  She didn’t know where she was going. She only knew she had to get as far away from her hometown as possible. The pity, coupled with the memories everywhere she turned, was more than she could stand.

  As she climbed out of her car, she wondered how long it would take before she could have a mechanic look at her car and send her on her way. If Landon was anything like her hometown of Brockville—and she knew it was, since the towns were only an hour apart—there was only one or two mechanics to service the entire town, which meant people often had to survive days without wheels. Normally she wouldn’t complain, since she preferred walking or biking to driving, but Landon was still a little too close to Brockville for her comfort.

  Someone might have read her story in the local newspaper, and if they had, it would only be a matter of time before the offers of help came pouring in. Claudia was tired of being the town’s charity case. She just wanted to feel normal again, or as normal as she could expect to feel in a world that no longer included the people she loved most.

  “Can I help you with that?”

  Claudia had been so lost in her own thoughts, she hadn’t heard the man approach, so she gasped when he reached around her to grab her suitcase out of the trunk of her Honda Civic.

  “Sorry, I didn’t realize anyone was out here.” In her beaded flip-flops, she had to look way up at the dark-haired, blue-eyed stranger, but instead of feeling apprehensive about being alone in a parking lot at dusk with some strange man, she reminded herself this was a small town where people helped each other.

  That was the very reason she was headed to a big city where she could get lost. No one would care to know her sad story because everyone had one. She looked forward to being just another face in the crowd.

  “I was just checking on some nuisance bear my security guard reported.”

  “A nuisance bear?” Claudia’s gaze darted around, looking for the animal in question. Then she noticed the gun tucked into the waistband of his worn jeans.

  “Sorry,” he said, moving the weapon to the back of his jeans, where it was hidden beneath his black T-shirt. “You can’t be too careful. Some of these bears are pretty bold when they’re trying to protect their food source. It seems my dumpsters have become their new favorite feeding ground.”

  It wasn’t that Claudia had never seen a gun before. She’d grown up on a farm with her grandparents and parents, and her husband had been a hunter. She just wasn’t used to seeing a man with a Glock 20 in plain sight unless he was wearing a badge.

  “Do guns make you nervous?” he asked, setting her suitcase in the gravel parking lot and closing her trunk.

  “No.” She assumed the guy managed the place, since he’d referred the dumpsters as his. “Do you have any rooms available?”

  “You don’t have a reservation?”

  “No, I wasn’t planning to stay. I was just passing through when my car started overheating. Hopefully I can get a mechanic to look at it tomorrow so I can be on my way.”

  He grimaced, looking genuinely sorry to be the bearer of bad news. “I’m afraid the only mechanic in town is away for a few days. His daughter is graduating from college, and he and his wife drove out for the ceremony.”

  “He doesn’t have an apprentice or anything?”

  He smiled, looking sympathetic. “Yeah, his son. But he wanted to be there for his sister’s graduation ceremony too.”

  “Maybe someone else in town could have a look at it?” she asked, feeling slightly panicked at the prospect of being stuck there while she watched her money dwindle to nothing. “Someone who knows his way around a car? I’d be happy to pay for his time if you could point me in the right direction.”

  “Overheating can be caused by a number of problems,” he said, giving the car a quick once-over. “Radiator, thermostat, cooling system leak, hoses, belts, water pump. The point is, you’re likely going to need Mike to order parts for you. That could take a while. Probably a few days after he gets back on Monday.”

  “Oh.” She bit her lip as her gaze hit the ground. “Um, how much do you charge for a night?”

  “A hundred and a half, unless you want a room with a view?”

  “I don’t care about the view,” she said, sinking against the car as misery bled into her voice. “But I can’t afford that. Is there another place I could stay? A little bed and breakfast or motel, maybe?”

  “Mrs. Harper used to run a B&B on the outskirts of town, but she sold her place and went to live with her sister. The family who bought the place wasn’t interested in renting out rooms.”

  “Of course they weren’t,” Claudia muttered, fighting back tears as her cell phone rang. She knew it was probably her grandmother or mother wondering where she was, but she couldn’t deal with their questions now.

  “Look, I don’t know what your situation is,” he said, pointing at the sign in the window, “but I could use some help around here until I can find a new waitress. The last one left me high and dry when she left town with one of my guests.”

  “I’ve never done any waitressing before,” Claudia said, wondering if she was up to the challenge. “But I’m willing to try, if you don’t mind showing me the ropes.”

  “You got it.”

  He grinned, and it wasn’t until that moment Claudia realized how striking he was. She’d stopped looking at men that way a long time ago, so she was a lot slower on the uptake than most women.

  “Brady Wright,” he said, extending his hand. “I own this place.”

  “Oh.” She glanced at the impressive one-story log structure that seemed to stretch on for miles. Brady seemed young to own a place like this. “Um, my name’s Claudia T—” She cleared her throat when she realized it wouldn’t be wise to use her married name if she didn’t want people to connect her to her story. “Armstrong,” she said, offering her maiden name instead.

  He frowned sligh
tly, as though he suspected she was lying to him about her identity. “Okay, well, you can stay here for free in exchange for waiting tables six hours a day, and the tips are yours. Sound okay?”

  “Sure, thanks.”

  He picked up her suitcase and led her toward the double doors. “We’ll just have to fill out some paperwork and—”

  “Brady,” she said, stopping him with a hand on his forearm. “I know this is going to sound strange, but since this is a temporary arrangement, do you think we could forego all that?”

  “Why do I get the feeling you’re running from something?”

  She was running… from her own nightmares. Except no matter where she woke up, she would still be alone. “It’s a long story.” And not one I intend to share with you.

  “And you’re a pretty private person, I’m guessing?”

  “Something like that.”

  She hadn’t always been that way. In fact, she’d once been the friendly, outgoing one. The first grade teacher all the students and parents had nominated for the Teacher of the Year award year after year, because she gave everything she had inside that classroom. Until one day she realized she had nothing left to give. She was empty now.

  “Okay, fair enough,” he said, holding the door for her. “I don’t need to know your whole life story.”

  Thank God. “I appreciate that,” she said with a shaky smile. “And I appreciate you helping me out with this job until I can get my car fixed.”

  “No problem, that’s what we do around here. If someone’s in trouble, we help ‘em out.”

  Claudia understood that mentality—she’d grown up with it. Like Brady, helping people had always been a part of her DNA. Until she reached a point where she couldn’t even help herself anymore. She was too broken, too grief-stricken to breathe sometimes, much less lend a helping hand to a friend or neighbor in need.

  “Hey, Dana,” Brady said to the older lady behind the front desk. “This is Claudia. Her car’s giving her some trouble, so she’s agreed to wait tables for me ‘til Mike gets back.”

  “Nice to meet you, darlin’,” the lady said with a wink. “You’re lucky you ran into this one.” She pointed at Brady with an affectionate smile. “He’s always ready to help a pretty girl who’s down on her luck.”

  Claudia felt she must be oozing desperation to elicit a comment like that. With the intent of perfecting the fake smile, she tried it on for size. She’d had plenty of practice in the days after the funeral, but she’d hoped to shelve it permanently when she left Brockville. “I’m very grateful for his help.”

  “Room 115 still available, Dana?” Brady asked, glancing at his employee’s computer screen.

  “Sure is.” She handed him an old-fashioned key on a ring instead of the plastic card Claudia had been expecting.

  “Don’t people lose those?” she asked as Brady led her through the rustic-looking lobby with wildlife paintings and distressed leather furniture situated in front of a massive stone fireplace. “The keys?”

  Looking amused, Brady said, “Why would they? They manage to keep track of their house and car keys, I’m guessing. Why would their room key be any different?”

  She supposed he had a point. “It looks like the dining room is still open,” she said as they passed a large, open room with high ceilings and pine tables decorated with crisp white tablecloths. “Do you need any help tonight?”

  “That’s okay.” He glanced at his watch. “We’ll be wrapping things up in there soon. The kitchen stays open until eleven though, if you’re hungry. You’re welcome to get anything you want while you’re here. The bar, which is on the other side of the inn, will be open ‘til one. We usually have live entertainment there on Friday and Saturday nights. Since you’ll be working the breakfast and lunch shift, you’re welcome to pass by. I have to fill in tomorrow night, since the act I had booked came down with the flu.”

  “You sing?” She didn’t know why she was surprised. Perhaps he looked a little rough around the edges to be a musician. Though she didn’t know any musicians personally, she’d always pictured an artistic poet who carried extra guitar picks instead of a gun.

  He chuckled as he unlocked the door to her room. “You know what they say about judging a book by its cover.”

  “Sorry,” she said, blushing. “You’re right.”

  “Well, here it is. I hope this is okay?”

  He set her suitcase down by the door as she took in the large window flanked by floor-length white curtains before her eyes traveled to the rough-hewn four poster bed outfitted in a fluffy white duvet. “It’s perfect, thank you.”

  There was a bureau, which she assumed housed a TV, and a small table with two chairs by the window. She peeked into the bathroom and practically sighed at the sight of the old-fashioned claw foot tub. She would give just about anything for a bubble bath right about now.

  “The inn is lovely,” she said, tipping her head back to look at him. “Is it a family business?”

  “No.” He smiled again, catching her slightly off-guard with his appeal. “But I’ve worked here since I was a kid, so the old owners were practically family. When they decided to retire, they offered me a VTB. They didn’t really need the money. They just wanted their freedom.”

  “What’s a VTB?”

  “Vendor take-back mortgage. It means they’re my lenders instead of the bank.”

  “Oh.”

  “Thankfully I’ve been able to make some improvements that have led to a lot more business, which means the place should be all mine in about eleven months, if all goes according to plan.”

  She heard the enthusiasm in his voice, and it reminded her of a time when she and her husband had been excited about the prospect of buying their own little home, a place where they could raise the family they’d hoped to have one day.

  A rush of sadness washed over her, and he touched her shoulder, reminding her she needed to get better at masking her emotions. “Hey, are you okay?”

  “I’m fine.” She straightened. “Just a little tired, I guess. It’s been quite a day.”

  “In that case, I’ll let you get some sleep.”

  “What time would you like me to start in the morning?”

  “Six a.m. Mandy will be there to train you.”

  “Um, what about a uniform?”

  He gave her a quick once-over. “I might have something that’ll fit you. You about a size six?”

  “Yes.” She was surprised he guessed her size so easily. Perhaps he’d compared her to an old… or current girlfriend?

  “Okay, I’ll pass by with it in a bit, if you think you’ll still be awake?”

  “I’ll wait up.” That also meant she’d have to delay her bath, but it was a small price to pay for a place to sleep tonight.

  “I won’t be too long.”

  Brady was in the storage room located behind the front desk while Dana stood in the doorway, watching him riffle through boxes, looking for the extra uniform he’d ordered for his last waitress.

  “She’s a pretty little thing, ain’t she?” Dana grinned. “Long blond hair, blue eyes. Just your type.”

  “Then I guess you didn’t notice the wedding band,” Brady said, thinking Claudia would have been exactly his type, if not for that one little obstacle.

  “Aw, she’s married?”

  “Apparently.” He smiled triumphantly as he pulled the black, short-sleeved dress from the plastic sleeve. “Ha, I knew I had an extra one.”

  “Did she tell you what she’s doing here, where she’s from, why she’s traveling by herself if she’s got a husband?”

  “No, no, and no. She’s just passing through town, so I didn’t think it was necessary to get her whole life story.” Dana had been working at the inn almost as long as he had and he loved her like a mother, so the last thing he’d want to do was offend her, but he didn’t want her making Claudia feel uncomfortable either. “I get the feeling she’s kind of skittish, so I suggest we keep the questions to a minimum
.”

  “Oh, it sounds like there’s a story there.” She rubbed her hands together as her green eyes lit up with excitement. “Maybe she’s leaving her husband. Could be he cheated on her or—”

  “You’re letting your imagination take over, Dana,” Brady said affectionately as he rushed past her. “You know that can get you into trouble.”

  “You’re no fun,” she said, crossing her arms. “Where’s your curiosity? Don’t you want to know more about this girl who just wandered in off the street, looking like a scared rabbit?”

  Brady had noticed she’d seemed uneasy, especially when she introduced herself, second-guessing the last name she gave him. But as long as she wasn’t a fugitive, which he highly doubted, he was determined to mind his own business.

  “No. The only thing that matters to me is that she can balance a tray of food. Beyond that, I don’t need to know anything about her.”

  “Do I need to remind you the pickings around here are getting slimmer and slimmer every year? Most of the girls your age are already married off with a baby or two by now.”

  “And I’ve told you a hundred times, I’m in no hurry to settle down.”

  Brady had been working his butt off to pay the inn off for the past seven years. Now that he’d almost accomplished that goal, he’d worry about setting another one, but he didn’t expect it to revolve around a woman. He was having too much fun dating to worry about finding the one, as his mother put it.

  “You can’t go on like this forever,” Dana said, shaking a finger at him. “Look at your brother, Chase. He’s happier than I’ve ever seen him since he and Shay got engaged.”

  Brady knew that also had a lot to do with the fact that their son, Nick, was back in their lives. As much as he loved being an uncle, Brady was in no hurry to step into the role of Daddy.