Chapter 4

CHAPTER FOUR

CHARLIE

Arriving at Mercy Community Hospital in Draycott, I was given directions to my uncle's room, where I would be meeting with health care aides who would be coming to the house to help take care of him. Stepping into the room, my gaze fell on my uncle. The man lying on that bed was a shadow of the man I remembered from my childhood.

Uncle Henry had always been so full of life. His booming laughter could be heard throughout the house every time he laughed. He sang sea shanties, despite not being a sailor, just because he liked them. He would toss us into the air just to hear us squeal.

The figure lying in that hospital bed was so shrunken and frail, I had to double check I was in the right room.

“Can I help you?” the aide sitting in the chair by the bed asked, pulling me from my thoughts.

“Oh. Sorry. I'm Charlie Reid. Mr. Reid is my uncle.”

“Ah. I'm Kerry. I'm one of two aides assigned to Henry's care. He's already insisted we call him by his first name because, quote ‘Mr. Reid was my father’. Amanda, the other aide, went to get coffee.”

“No problem. It's nice to meet you,” I replied.

“Is that my Charlie girl?” came weakly from the bed.

“Hey, Uncle Henry,” I said as I approached the bed. He looked even more frail up close.

“I got myself into a fine mess. But I'll be good as new in no time. You'll see,” he told me.

I think we both knew he was lying. “Don't worry about that right now. Let's just get you discharged and home so you can rest in comfort. While I'm here with you, a room downstairs at the house is being converted into a bedroom for you. Going up and down stairs will be a little hard for a while,” I told him.

He hmphed, but he didn't argue with me.

“Oh, hi. You must be Charlie,” a woman who entered with two coffees said.

“I am. You must be Amanda,” I replied.

“That's me.” She handed a coffee to Kerry, and the three of us discussed the plan going forward. Kerry would be there three days a week and Amanda would be there four. They would be there from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., which would be perfect for the coffee shop. It could open from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. unless I hired someone to open it earlier. I'd have to think about that.

“Ah, Doc Henry. Are you ready to go home?” the doctor asked when he entered the room.

“I've been ready,” he replied with a bit of his old fire.

The doctor chuckled before he looked him over. “With your at-home care team in place, I see no reason to keep you here any longer. The nurse will be in to remove the i.v. and give you your discharge papers,” he said before he left.

Soon enough, the nurse arrived and Uncle Henry slowly made his way to the bathroom to get dressed.

“I'll go pull my car around to the entrance,” I told the aides and left. This way, he wouldn't have to wait once he was downstairs.

By the time I parked in front of the entrance, my uncle was waiting in a wheelchair. One of the aides helped him into the passenger seat and then they followed me the forty-five minutes home.

Once Uncle Henry was settled in the hospital bed that had been set up for him, I thanked the aides. Amanda left, leaving Kerry to take care of my uncle. I went to my room to call the number on the sign I'd jotted down earlier.

“Meadowlark Realty, Meadow speaking. How can I help you?”

“Hi. My name's Charlie. I'm calling about the vacant shop on Main Street next to Periodic Fables.”

“Oh yes, that is prime real estate,” the woman replied.

“I'd like to take a look at it as soon as possible,” I told her.

“I'm free now,” Meadow replied.

“Great. I can be there in five minutes.”

We bid each other goodbye and after telling the aide I'd be back, I left.

When I got to the shop, the Realtor was waiting.

“Charlie?” she asked.

“Yeah.”

“Great. I'm Meadow. Let me show you the inside,” she said before unlocking the door and leading me in.

I moved around the space, investigating everything. “Was this a diner or coffee shop or something?” I inquired.

“The owner was planning on opening a coffee shop, but she passed away before she could and her family members haven't touched the place since.”

“It's perfect. It looks like it already has most of what I need for my own coffee shop,” I said with a grin. “I'd be interested in buying if the price is right. I don't want to lease.”

“Great. Let's go back to my office and discuss it,” Meadow replied.

I followed her to her office, where we went over all the details. She made a quick call to the family to tell them my offer. They immediately accepted because they wanted to be rid of the property. So, I wrote her a check, she handed me the keys and the store was mine .

Pierce

I was shelving stock when a flash of red outside the window caught my eye. Remembering what Rhys had said the night before, I went to the window and looked out.

Holy. Shit. The woman who stood there next to Meadow Remington was stunning. Red waves that I wanted to run my fingers through, curves that just begged to be traced, and pouty lips I wanted to kiss.

I felt myself getting hard and had to readjust. This had to be the woman Rhys had mentioned.

Fuck, I wish I could be a fly on the wall next door. I waited until they both left before I went back to work.

An hour later, my curiosity got the better of me. I closed the bookstore and strode through Grimsby until I reached Meadowlark Realty. I stepped inside and nodded at Meadow.

“Pierce O'Connor, what brings you by?” Meadow asked.

“The redhead who was checking out the shop next to mine, who is she? Is she looking to open a shop up there?”

“So curious. You know that curiosity killed the cat, right?”

“Yeah, but satisfaction brought it back,” I replied with a grin. “Come on, Meadow. Do me a solid this one time. For old time's sake.” We'd dated back in high school and I wasn’t against using that bit of information for my benefit.

“Fine. Her name is Charlie Reid and yes, she's planning to open a coffee shop. She offered the Owens family a little over their asking price and they accepted it.”

“Fuck yeah. Good to know she's sticking around. Thanks, Meadow,” I said and left.

As soon as I was back at Periodic Fables, my bookstore, I sent a text to the group chat I had with the guys.

Me: I know the redhead's name. Oh, and Rhys was right, she's sexy as fuck.

Rhys: Like I'd lie about that?

Riley: Let's get to the important shit. How do you know her name?

Linc: And where did you see her?

Rhys: And more importantly, what's her name?

Me: I know her name because Meadow did me a solid.

Linc: How does Meadow know her name?

Me: I was getting to that. Damn, impatient much? I spotted her outside the shop next door with Meadow. I swung by Meadow's office and asked.

Riley: Well, don't leave us hanging, dude. What's her name and why was she talking to Meadow?

Me: Her name is Charlie Reid and she just bought the shop next to mine. Seems she's opening up a coffee shop.

Linc: Reid? Like Doc Reid?

Me: That's what I'm thinking

Rhys: Coffee shop? Fuck yeah! Hell, I don't even care if the coffee is good as long as that Goddess is there!

Riley: Hell yeah, I agree. Now we just need to finagle a way to meet her ????

Rhys: If nothing else, we can meet her when her shop opens.

Linc: I vote we go together instead of one at a time.

Me: Agreed.

Riley: Ditto.

Rhys: The ayes have it. Gotta go, client just walked in.

I put my phone away just as the bell over the door dinged letting me know a customer walked in as well. Back to the grindstone.