The Truest Thing - Hart's 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.”

“No need for threats? You don’t think screaming at a woman in her establishment is threatening for her?” Jack looked at the book in his hands. The spine was bent to shit, the pages speckled in sand. “This isn’t a fucking library. You bought the book, you read the book, end of fucking transaction. You got me?”

“I—”

Jack moved right into his space, shutting him up. “I don’t care what your problem is, why you need to treat a woman like shit to make yourself feel like a big man. But you’re not a big man. You’re a bug. A bug I’ll squash if I see you in here or anywhere near Emery again. Got me?”

Despite the rage flickering in the man’s eyes, cowardice won out. Without another word, he marched out of the store, slamming the door behind him.

Dick.

Jack turned back to Emery who seemed a little dazed. “You okay?”

She nodded slowly.

Jack gestured to the man waiting in line who looked embarrassed too. Probably because he’d just stood there while that guy tore into Emery. Once the customer got his coffee, Jack was alone in the store with her.

He loved and hated these moments of aloneness.

She was pure temptation.

He couldn’t have her.

But, fuck, did he want her.

His blood was up after dealing with that little shit, and it was harder to ignore the urgency of that want.

Drifting to the counter, he enjoyed the way she watched him. Anytime he saw her around town, she had a faraway look on her face, as if she was somewhere else. She was like this when she served her customers. But not with him. Jack always got her entire focus.

And he liked that more than he could say.

“You sure you’re all right?” he asked as she began making his and Cooper’s Americano without him having to ask.