The Truest Thing (Hart's Boardwalk 4)
Typical me, I thought. I would have to develop a crush on the one guy I shouldn’t want.
3
Jack
Hartwell
Seven years ago
* * *
Waking up to a phone call from Ian was not Jack’s favorite thing in the world. He answered it because he knew Ian would just keep calling until he did. He answered it even knowing what the call would be about. Every two months or so, Ian liked to call and berate Jack for not coming into the family business. Jack didn’t know what Ian hoped to accomplish with these phone calls other than to irritate his son.
There was a cure to Jack’s current mood, however, and it was on the boardwalk.
Sure, Emery’s coffee was the best in town and he’d taken to going every morning, Monday to Friday, before work to grab himself a coffee. On the mornings he and Cooper ran on the beach, they’d go to Emery’s together and the buffer of Cooper was much appreciated.
Cooper found Emery’s shyness awkward as fuck. If it weren’t for her coffee, he’d probably avoid the place.
Not Jack.
Jack thought every blush, every stutter, was so adorable, he couldn’t stand it. There was something mysteriously feminine about Emery Saunders. He wanted to know all her secrets. He wanted to make her laugh, to know what it sounded like.
And he wanted to be the one to discover if she blushed all over.
In the two years Emery had lived in Hartwell, no one had learned much about her. The people of Hartwell understood that she was painfully shy, so it wasn’t like they disliked her. It was just that they would always consider her an outsider while she didn’t participate in town events and befriend folks.
It annoyed Jack. Someone should make more of an effort. He’d talked with Bailey Hartwell about it, and she’d tried to approach Emery, but it had backfired. Bailey’s lack of filter had led her and Jack to deduce that she was a little too intimidating for Emery.
Someone more reserved needed to approach the shy newcomer. He’d asked Cat, Cooper’s sister. Although she was as blunt as Bailey, she didn’t have Bailey’s overwhelming energy or reputation as the town princess.
Cat, unfortunately, was like her big brother and was uncomfortable with Emery’s timidity.
She was also suspicious of Jack’s motives, as were Cooper and Bailey … so Jack stopped asking folks to look out for Emery.
He’d just have to do it himself, but from a distance.
Little did he know he’d have to do it that morning.
Jack pushed open the door to Emery’s, a smile prodding his lips at the mere anticipation of seeing her. That smile disappeared at the sight of the man aggressively shouting at Emery.
“I bought it yesterday. I should be able to return it!” the man waved a book in her face.
Emery was scarlet with embarrassment and concern. “S-sir … as I’ve—as I’ve tried to explain, the book is damaged. You’ve clearly read—”
“I want my money back, moron, end of story!” he yelled, making her flinch back in fright.
Furious, Jack pushed past the guy waiting in line and grabbed the aggressor by the scruff of the neck to shove him away from the counter. He stumbled, almost going to his ass.
“What the fuck?” He glared at Jack as he straightened.
Jack glowered down at the tourist. “You do not get in the face of any woman in my town, asshole.”
The man waved his book at Jack. “The bitch won’t give me my money back.”
Oh, he really wanted to hit this loser. Jack took a step toward him. “You watch your mouth, or I’ll make you watch your mouth.”
He swallowed. “Look, there’s no need for threats. I just want my money back.”