Page 23 of Sweet Dreams
She smirks at me, holding up another pink piece of hell. “I came back to deliver this, Teagan. I’m sure you know what it is.”
“I don’t. Refresh my memory, would you?”
She huffs. “I’m declining your renovations.”
“Why? It’s not renovations, Nancy. I’m fixing the damage the city caused. I’m not altering the structure of the building, so your permit is pointless.You’re doing it out of spite.” She doesn’t need to know about removing the room. That’s here nor there at the moment.
She shoves the paper into my chest, but I refuse to take it. “You will follow the rules, or I’ll threaten you.” She releases the paper, and it floats to the ground. She swivels on her heels and starts walking back to her blacked-out Land Rover when I call out.
“Have the day you deserve, Nancy. Don’t get hit by a fucking bus.”
She slams her door shut, reversing from the parking spot and speeding away.
“That lady is a...” John trails off.
“A cunt, John. You can say it. I’m a big girl, and she deserves any word you throw at her.” I'm rubbing my temples, starting to feel a headache creeping in. I could use either an energy drink or a strong drink right about now.
“I’ll get the crew back to work. We’ll work double time to finish this quickly before she can return.”
“Thanks, John. That would be wonderful. Did you need anything from the store?” I rub my temples more as the pressure slowly builds.
“No. I’m good.” He walks into the shop, leaving me alone.
I can't shake off this morning; I’m stuck in a pit of despair. I'm counting on John and his team to come through so Ican start getting back on track. Without my usual routine, I feel like I'm losing my mind.
The walk to the corner store is boring, to the point where I wish Elma would find me and gossip with me. It’s been a while since she filled me in on what’s happening in this town. It would be nice to know if Nancy is telling lies about me. I’m sure she’s already telling everyone that I want her dead, which wouldn’t be a rumour; it would be a fact. But Elma is nowhere to be found on my walk, and with my headache worsening, I’m not sure I would be able to handle the gossip. Every step I take feels like miniature jackhammers drilling into my skull. If I don’t grab some caffeine, I might not make it back to the shop. Is caffeine the answer? Probably not. But I’m going to say it is.
The bell above the door hits me like a sledgehammer when I enter the store. Another sign that I will not be replacing my bell.
“Morning, Teagan. How are you?” Tom calls out.
I wave him off. Heading for the cooler and grab the beautiful can that’ll make me feel better. I don’t even wait; I crack it open and slam half of it back, feeling the carbonation bite my throat. Let the magic work.
“Tom, it’s been a morning, and it’s not even ten yet,” I tell him when I reach the till. He chuckles as he scans my can.
“I can tell. I’m sorry about the shop. Elma told me.”
“Of course she did. I have a crew working double time to get it back into shape before the end of the week. I can’t handle any more delays.”
He gives me the look. The one that screams he knows who I’m talking about. “Nancy,” he says with a lip curl.
“Yeah. Don’t get me started. But I should get back and make sure she doesn’t reappear. Thanks, Tom.”
“My pleasure, Teagan. Good luck.”
I spin around absentmindedly and accidentally collide with a solid chest. My can slips from my hand as I see stars. I quickly shut my eyes and grab my head, hoping the pounding will ease. Arms envelop me in a warm embrace, drawing me in closer, and I catch a whiff of the comforting woodsy cologne.
“Dimples, you okay?”
I groan in response. The thought of talking has flown out the window. I bury my face further into Silas’ chest, trying to block my surroundings out. Maybe I should’ve just gone home. He goes to move me, and I cling to his hoodie.
“We have to move. We can’t stay here forever.”
“Ineed to get back to the shop.” I groan, slowly pulling away.
Silas lifts his left eyebrow. “You’re going to the shop while you have a migraine?”
“It’s a headache, and it’ll go away once I drink.” I raise my empty hand. “Never mind. Sorry, Tom, about the mess.”