Page 57 of The Moment He Couldn’t Walk Away

“I care about all my friends,” she said.

“I’m glad Finch is one of them.”

As she had no reply for that, Nina walked away.

Life was so simple not that long ago. Now it was complicated. Her mother was gone. There was her father, who she’d told herself not to look up on the internet but did and wished she hadn’t. She’d slept with Finch McAllister and was pretty sure he’d ruined her for any other man, and she’d purchased Circle Left. Nothing else was going to happen, she vowed.

“What?” she said, entering JD Hopper’s lair. He was bent over Fox Gleeson, tattooing something onto his arm.

“Did you know Nina got the Rudest Employee award last month, Fox?” JD said, not looking at her. “We’re hoping she turns that around this month and goes for the Best Employee of the Month award instead.”

“Gee, you must be a great employer, JD. I wish we had that,” Fox said.

“Yeah, he’s a real peach,” Nina drawled.

“You work for your family, Fox,” JD said, looking up to wink at Nina. “Maybe you could implement it.”

“Don’t tell me, let me guess: You’re getting Betsy’s name on your arm, Fox?” Nina asked.

Fox Gleeson was harmless enough, if stupid as a plank of wood. The man had been in an on and off again relationship for years. The town took bets on when the next breakup was.

“I just tattooed a fish on his arm, Nina,” JD said, giving her a look she interpreted to mean the man’s an idiot.

“Not just a fish, JD. It’s a black crappie, Nina,” Fox said.

“Don’t ask,” JD mouthed. “All done, Fox. Head on out to Birdie, and she’ll give you the aftercare instructions for your tattoo.”

“Betsy is going to love this,” Fox said. “She was with me the last time I caught one.”

“And they say romance is dead,” JD said.

“Thanks, JD,” Fox said as he headed for the door.

“Do you know what I think, JD?”

“Can’t wait to hear,” he said as he started cleaning up.

“I think he plays at being dumb so he gets away with more.”

“His mother certainly does a lot for him, so you could be onto something,” JD said as he sat on the edge of the chair.

“What did you want, JD?”

“I’ve been trying to talk to you.”

“About what?”

He was that kind of handsome that seemed effortless. Tattooed with a beard, the man looked after himself, and Nina had always thought she’d end up with someone like him. He came from money but had walked away from it to settle here and marry the youngest Duke sibling.

“How you’re doing. Zoe said I need to try harder, seeing as you’re probably struggling a bit at the moment, even if I’m super pissed you bought Circle Left and didn’t tell me, so I had to find out from Sawyer. Let me tell you, Nina, I really hate it when my best friend gets one over me.”

“I told you just after him, but he was first because he was in Circle Left when I went to discuss it with Hank and Nancy. You know what this town is like, JD. No one can stay out of conversations.”

“There is that,” he agreed, getting out of his seat.

His jeans sat low on his hips, and he wore a gray fitted shirt that likely cost more than Fox’s entire wardrobe.

“I’ve come up with a few ideas for Circle Left that I’d like to run by you.”