Hard to Handle

call from a man who was going through a terrible, awful, devastating time. Aiden is a good man, Sadie. And you”—she lifted her hand and gestured to Sadie—“you’re an absolute ten in every way. Let it go. Forgive him. And let yourself be happy.”

Sadie thought about that for a second. Crickitt made it sound so easy. Was it that easy? “But what if I can’t?”

“What if you can?”

Sadie blinked at her empty plate. A second later, it was whisked away by their waiter.

What if she could?

Did she dare put herself on the line again?

*  *  *

Aiden managed not to fidget with the pen in his hand, but his foot bounced up and down like a sewing machine needle. He’d spent the last ten minutes explaining his plan—his creative financial plan—to purchase all five Axle’s stores. Axle remained silent the entire time, his eyes flat black stones, his face impassive.

The day Aiden had taken Sadie to lunch, she’d given him invaluable advice. Find out what he wants, she told him. Did Axle want to open a smaller store elsewhere or never look at another motorcycle again? Did he want to continue custom building and advertise locally or collect soda cans in Key West and live in a hut?

Since that lunch, Aiden had slipped in questions whenever he and Axle had a moment alone, mentally taking notes and planning his pitch. Turns out Axle had no plans to move to Florida, and he wasn’t about to give up building bikes. Axle wanted to stay in Osborn, build replicas of vintage motorcycles, and sell to local stores who would in turn resell them for profit. Axle’s business plan was solid, his talent for crafting custom-made bikes impressive. They’d sell like hell. But Aiden didn’t want him to sell to anybody. He wanted Axle to sell to him.

Exclusively to him.

Aiden hoped the offer he’d pitched—giving Axle all of the profits from the sale of his bikes, and a percentage of the profits from this, his largest store for two years—would appeal enough to get his agreement. Aiden needed to get some more money together to get the loan for the stores. After extensive number crunching, and adding in the increased business Axle’s coveted replicas would bring in, Aiden figured two years was more than enough time. By then he could buy the stores outright and Axle could continue his hobby and bank a hefty lump sum when the sale closed.

Aiden just needed Axle to keep it in his name for those two years.

“Done deal,” Axle said.

Aiden blinked the mountain range in front of him into focus. “Really?”

Axle’s mouth cracked into a barely there smile. “Yup.”

Aiden burst out of the guest chair like his pants were on fire. “Thank you, Axle. You won’t be sorry. I’m—” Aiden cut himself off when he realized Axle was grousing up at him. “Thanks.” Aiden ran into Sadie on her way to the office from the sales floor.

He grasped her shoulders and backed her into the supply closet, flipped on the light, and closed the door behind them. Sadie’s eyebrows were up, lips poised, probably to ask him what he was doing.

Aiden lost sight of the answer.

Sharing his news took low priority with Sadie’s lips this close. He pressed her against a shelf filled with paper, boxes of pens, and rolls of receipts, and kissed her. She kissed him back, stroking his face with cool, slim fingers as she moved her mouth against his. He pulled away to find a satisfied smile on her face, her lids at half- mast. Mmm. His favorite look on her.

“Um…thank you?” she said.

“Thank you,” Aiden said in a thick husk. “I’m buying Axle’s.” He briefly explained the details. “He loved the idea.”

“Loved?”

“Well, loved it like only Axle can love anything.” Aiden said.

She grinned up at him. “Congratulations.”

He could kiss her again. Would have if he didn’t suddenly become aware of the haphazardly stacked supplies over her head, the dust tickling his nostrils. “I’ll let you out of here now.” But he didn’t move, lowering his head for one more brief kiss after all. “Unless you don’t want out of here.”

Sadie flattened a palm on his chest. “I was coming to find you to say good-bye, so yeah, probably we should get out of here.”

“I’ll walk you out.” Aiden popped open the door and practically smacked into Axle, who slid them a strange glance as he lumbered by.

Aiden walked Sadie to the parking lot. She paused before settling into her car. “Um…so Axle’s is completely stocked with Midwest parts.”

“Great,” Aiden said. And soon he’d be running the place. He needed to hire someone else before Axle left. Or maybe two someone elses. Axle wouldn’t be easy to replace.

“And the window is done.”

“I saw.” There was something in Sadie’s face. Distance. Maybe a little sadness. Aiden digested what she was telling him, focusing on the words completely and done. “You aren’t saying good-bye for the day,” he said. “You meant…”

She shrugged. “I’m done.”

Aiden nodded. That sucked. “Okay. Great.” He’d sort of forgotten she was only around temporarily, had become accustomed to seeing her almost every day. He liked running into her in the hallway, talking to her in the store when they were slow. He liked finding her alone in the break room at the vending machine. And now she was “done.” He frowned.

Sadie shut her car door and rolled down the window. “I’ll be glad to get back to the office.” She slipped her sunglasses on and sent him a grin.

Was she telling him the truth? Was she glad to be done? Glad to go back to sitting in her cubicle for most of the day? Aiden had watched her in the store, interacting with customers, setting up displays, chatting with employees. She liked it, was good at it. Her ease with people was the driving force behind her success.

“I’ll miss you,” Aiden said. When that hurt too much, he corrected. “I mean, miss your help. With everything.” He gestured at the store. “In there.”

Sadie’s smile remained, which bothered him. “I’ll miss it, too. It’s a cool store, Aiden. You’ll do well with it.”

Why was this starting to sound like reunited high school friends promising to meet up for drinks before the next ten years passed them by? Had their attraction only been one of proximity? Convenience?

Sadie turned the key in the ignition and Aiden realized if he didn’t make plans with her before she left, he never would. Convincing her to go out with him, to do anything with him, always worked better when he was face-to-face with her.

He leaned into her car window. “Hey, before you go…” She tensed slightly, so he put his hand over hers on the steering wheel.

Aiden briefly explained his brother’s and Shane’s partnership, and the celebratory cocktail party scheduled for this weekend. “Landon will be there, and my sister, Angel. Shane invited Evan and me, I think so we wouldn’t feel left out.” He wished he could see Sadie’s eyes. With sunglasses hiding her eyes he wasn’t sure what was going on in that pretty little head of hers.

Stop stalling.

He squeezed her hand and shot her a smile. “Come with me, Sadie. Be my date.”

*  *  *

Sadie rested the statuette on her desk. A few coworkers poked their heads into her cube and congratulated her some more. The awards ceremony took up the entire afternoon and now most of Midwest’s employees were filing out to the destination of happy hour.

Sadie had worked so long, so hard to achieve number one in sales at Midwest. She studied the gold placard with her name engraved on it, and thought she should feel more of a…she didn’t know…an oomph or something. More powerful, or successful. Ready to tackle her job with renewed fervor.