Beautifully Broken Pieces (Sutter Lake, #1)(5)

Spikes of frustration and annoyance pricked at my skin. “I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself.”

“That may be true, but it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t let your friends step in when you’ve had a tough go of it. Carter and I were talking…there’s plenty of extra room at our place, why don’t you move in with us for a while.”

My muscles tensed. It was an incredibly kind offer. And it came from the most generous and caring of places. But it sounded absolutely miserable. Me, Carter, Austin, and their nine-month-old son. Controlled chaos is what that would be. Bedlam that would result in me biting my best friend’s head off and making her cry.

No. Just no. “That’s really kind of you—”

Austin raised a hand to cut me off. “Just think about it.”

“I’m sorry, Austin. No.”

His jaw got even tighter. “This is going to be a disaster.”

I’d had enough of this anti-pep-talk. “Your opinion is duly noted,” I snapped and picked up my pace. I passed a café, a Western art gallery, and an old-fashioned movie theater. I’d be visiting the theater for sure.

“Taylor, wait.” My shoulders stiffened at the sound of my best friend’s voice. “I’m sorry. He means well, he just doesn’t always have the most gentle way of communicating.”

My shoulders slumped. “I know y’all think this is a terrible idea, but maybe you could just keep that opinion to yourselves. I like it here. I think it’s the right place for me to be.” Just because it was a spur-of-the-moment decision didn’t make it wrong.

“I’m sorry. We’re just worried about you and want you close.”

I was going to scream. Yell so loudly, shop owners would probably call the cops because they thought someone was getting murdered. How did telling someone that you were worried about them ever help the situation?

Carter must have seen the exasperation in my expression because she hurried on. “But I support you. Whatever you need. I’m team Taylor. Even if that means being a long-distance team member.”

I let out a long breath. I couldn’t stay mad at this girl. She was too sweet. I bumped her shoulder with mine. Well, I bumped her arm, since she had a good six inches on me. “Thank you.”

Carter rolled her shoulders back. “All right. What’s the first order of business in making Sutter Lake your home?”

I grinned at my bestie. “House and job.”

Her eyes widened, but they were focused on something behind me. “I think we’ve got one of those taken care of.”

I turned to see what she was looking at. The store at the end of the block that we had stopped in front of was in its own free-standing building. It was set back from the street just a bit, giving it enough space for a wraparound porch filled with a scattering of rocking chairs and assorted tables. Huge windows boasting flower boxes looked out onto Main Street, making it the perfect place to people watch. A sign hanging from the porch’s awning read The Tea Kettle.

Warmth filled my chest. A tea shop. My mom and I had shared tea from the time I was four years old, and my mom had to fill my cup with half tea and half honey. That familiar pang hit again, but this time, it was mixed with hope. Hope that this was a sign that Sutter Lake was where I was supposed to be.

I glanced at Carter. “Do you think they’re hiring?”

Her smile answered my own as she pointed to the window. A sign in what looked like calligraphy read: Help Wanted – Waitress/Cashier. “Want to go in?” I nodded as Carter motioned to the boys to let them know where we were headed.

Liam grimaced. “I think I’ll pass on the tea shop. Why don’t you meet us back at the brewpub when you’re done.”

I couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped me. Men…no appreciation for the finer things in life. “All right, we’ll see you in a bit.”

Carter and I headed down the brick pathway and up the porch steps. As we opened the door, the familiar scent of tea leaves drifted over me, along with something that meant there were also baked goods on the premises. I hoped cooking wasn’t a job requirement.

“Welcome to The Tea Kettle. What can I get for you today?” a woman greeted from behind the counter. She was breathtakingly beautiful with a flawless olive complexion and dark brown hair. She looked vaguely familiar somehow, but I knew I’d never met her before.

I shook the random thought from my mind and walked the handful of steps to the counter. “Hi. I’m Taylor. I’m new to town and looking for a job. I saw the sign in your window, and thought I’d come pick up an application.”

The woman’s brows rose slightly. “Well, welcome to Sutter Lake. I’m Jensen, and this is my place. We’re not really the application type, but if you have a few minutes, we can chat and see if you’re a good fit.”

I liked the woman’s comfortable ease. It was as if she were completely secure in who she was. “That would be great.” I gestured behind me. “This is my friend, Carter.”

“Nice to meet you both. Why don’t I grab us some tea, and we can sip and chat.”

“That would be great.”

Within a few minutes, we were settled at a back table with delicious cold-brew teas and a plate of cookies. “These are delicious,” I said after swallowing a mouthful of cookie.