Chapter 9

nine

. . .

River

“Will Goldy is here,and he’s insisting on seeing you immediately,” Cassie said. “You have about ten minutes before your next client.”

“I thought we talked about this. They can’t just show up without an appointment.”

I leaned back in my chair and pinched the bridge of my nose. My receptionist, Cassie Windfield, was the daughter of Samantha Windfield, the woman who ran Magnolia Haven and had pulled some strings to get Grammie the room she had.

The best room in the place because of the views.

Kingston and I owed her more than a favor, so hiring her daughter, who was fresh out of college, seemed like a fair enough exchange.

But Cassie probably shit rainbows and unicorns and didn’t have a serious bone in her body. Ever since I’d hired her a few weeks ago, locals were showing up unannounced because word had gotten out that she wouldn’t turn anyone away.

Which meant I was working my ass off and never got a break between clients.

“Right. But Will was my eighth-grade science teacher. He is the reason that I majored in Bio Chem.”

Which didn’t really pan out, seeing as you work as a receptionist at a goddamn law office now.

I knew Will Goldy. He was one of the biggest pains in the ass in Magnolia Falls. The man complained about everything and everyone.

I let out a long breath, trying to keep from losing my shit. “When I have ten minutes between clients, Cassie, it’s my time to take a piss or a shit if so needed and grab some coffee.”

“Oh. I totally get that,” she said, all wide-eyed and hopeful, completely incapable of reading the room. “I’ll get your coffee, and I can…”

“You can… what? Take a piss for me?” I pushed to my feet and walked toward the door.

“I do need to use the restroom, and then I will most definitely grab your coffee, boss.”

“I told you not to call me boss. My name is River.” For the love of God… why couldn’t she follow one rule that I’d put in place? If she were anyone else, I’d have fired her by now. She hadn’t been here that long, but we were certainly not off to an impressive start.

So maybe I went through assistants faster than most people stopped for gas. I didn’t have a lot of patience, and you either did your job or you didn’t. I wasn’t a goddamn babysitter.

Will Goldy was standing and pacing in my front office when I cleared my throat. “Will, you don’t have an appointment, and I have a client coming in less than ten minutes. You’ll have to make it quick, or you’ll have to make an appointment like every other client that comes here.”

“I don’t need longer than that. This is quick. Trust me, you don’t want to wait to hear what I’m going to tell you.”

Yes, I actually would prefer to wait.

I had zero interest in what he was going to say. The man was an alarmist. He got worked up over nothing most of the time, and I was the exact opposite.

I didn’t get worked up over much.

If something pissed me off, I did something about it.

I didn’t need to run it by anyone.

He moved toward my office when I motioned him inside, and he took the seat across from me.

“What can I do for you?”

“I’m guessing you haven’t heard the news?”

“You’ve guessed correctly.” I glanced down at my phone. “And we’ve got six minutes left.”

“I only need three.”

Then spit it the fuck out, man.

“I’m listening.”

“The Magnolia Falls board has voted, and they are expanding the size of the dog park. That means that with the expansion, the dogs have the added space on First Street. It’s unacceptable.”

“Yes, I actually did hear about that. It will give the dogs an extra area to stretch their legs. No one uses that space. It’s city land. It’s literally right next to the current dog park. Why do you have a problem with that?”

“Because I go to Benny’s Barber. And I don’t want to see dogs taking a shit when I’m getting a fresh cut.”

“Benny’s Barber is on Third Street.”

“Correct. But I have to walk by First Street on my way.”

This fucking guy.

I pushed to my feet when I glanced down at my phone and realized his time was up. “Will, the original dog park is also on First Street. You’ve always had to walk by the dog park to get your hair cut.”

“But now it’s larger, and that is unlawful.”

“No. It’s actually not unlawful. The land is owned by the city. The people that live in this town love their dogs, and they want to expand the space, and the land is there to do so. They voted. It got approved. And it’s done. The people have spoken. Perhaps you should park somewhere else and walk a different route to get your hair cut.” I stared down at him and waited for him to stand.

“This doesn’t enrage you? You don’t feel the need to join our voices and stop this madness?”

At the moment, I feel like buying a dog just so I can have my dog take a shit on your front porch.

“No. I have no issue with the expansion. You have no case. Next time, please call ahead and make an appointment.”

He was barely out of my office, and I let the door shut before moving back to my desk and getting my notes together for my next meeting.

The door flew open, and my annoyingly bubbly assistant came hurrying inside. “Isn’t Will so hot?”

“I hadn’t noticed,” I grumped, staring down at my notes.

“Well, I made your coffee just the way you like it. Extra cream and two sugars.”

I squeezed my eyes closed and repeated the same words I’d said more than a dozen times this week. “It’s no cream and one sugar.”

“Oh, no. I did it again.”

You sure the fuck did.

She went to leave, but I knew Mary Swan would be here any minute. “It’s fine. Just leave the coffee and then bring Mary in when she arrives.”

Cassie turned quickly and held out the mug before losing her footing and tripping toward the desk, the piping hot coffee landing in my lap.

Also known as covering my denim-clad dick in motherfucking hot lava.

“Oh, no!” she screamed, like someone who had their family jewels set on fucking fire.

“Fuck.” I pushed to my feet and grabbed some tissues off my desk, wiping as much of the liquid away as I could.

“Should I call 9-1-1?” she asked, her voice shaky now, probably because I may try to murder her in the next two minutes.

“Why would you call 9-1-1?”

“Because you might be hurt.” She winced. “Or how about an ice pack?”

Yeah… first, you burned off my balls, now let’s cover them in ice. That sounds peachy.

“Cassie. I need a minute. Go see if Mary’s here and get her a water. I’ll clean this up. Close the door and give me five minutes.”

“You got it, boss. I mean Mr. River.” She hurried out the door, and I wiped down my desk and chair and assessed my coffee-stained groin.

Well, I’d be sitting for the next few meetings, so I’d at least be able to hide the stain until I could change clothing after work.

I picked up my phone and got on the Ride or Die group chat that was going at all times.

Remind me why I can’t fire Cassie Windfield.

Kingston

Because her mother got Grammie in that great room at Magnolia Haven. Your flowers are looking good. I went by this morning. You’ve got a real green thumb.

Well, I’ve also got a dick that probably has third-degree burns. Cassie is driving me fucking crazy.

Nash

She set your dick on fire? Should we call Hayes?

Hayes

Those aren’t the kind of fires that we put out. What happened?

She continues to let locals come in with no appointment, and she just spilled a hot cup of coffee in my lap. She’s completely incompetent.

Kingston

She’s sweet, and she’s hot. That’s a win.

Romeo

Sweet and hot is not going to help a dick that’s been burned.

Kingston

I think he’s being a bit dramatic. Cassie’s great.

Then why don’t you and Nash hire her at the construction company?

Nash

Hell no. I ran into her last week at the Golden Goose, and she went on and on about how babysitting Cutler last week was the highlight of her year.

Romeo

You let Cassie babysit Cutler?

Nash

Nope. In the end, she realized she’d been confused. It was someone else who’d been the highlight of her year.

Hayes

Now I kind of want to know who she mixed up with Beefcake. He’s kind of a unique kid.

Nash

Funny you should ask. It was actually Midge Longhorn’s border collie. She mixed up my fucking kid with a dog.

Kingston

I didn’t know Midge had a dog.

Nash

I tell you that Cassie mixed my kid up with a dog, and that’s your response?

I immediately thought of Ruby, and I couldn’t wait to tell her that Midge apparently had a dog now.

Romeo

Fuck her for mixing up our boy with Midge’s mutt, which, by the way, is weird in itself. Demi told me that Oscar is missing his border collie, Boone, and Midge suddenly has the same type of dog? Aren’t they neighbors?

Holy fuck. I think Midge Longhorn is a dog thief. This isn’t the first time she’s done this.

Hayes

What the fuck is happening here?

Nash

My sentiment exactly. My kid was mixed up with a dog by a woman who just burned off River’s dick.

Kingston

His dick is fine. He’s been grumpier than usual lately. I think it’s been a while since he’s been laid.

Romeo

He’s in a slump. Let him be.

I’m done with this ridiculous conversation. I have a client waiting for me, my crotch is soaking wet, and my dick is probably blistering beneath the denim. Go fuck yourselves.

Kingston

Good chat.

Romeo

Put some ice on it.

Hayes

I can grab you some ointment from the firehouse if you need it.

Nash

Now he’s definitely not getting laid any time soon.

<Middle finger emoji>

I turned off my phone and slipped it onto my desk when Cassie opened the door.

“Mary is here,” she said, with a big smile on her face as she guided the older woman to the chair across from me. “Oh, and, boss, Geneva Springs is here. She doesn’t have an appointment, but she just needs a quick minute when you’re finished.”

This was my life now.

I just had to accept it.

I narrowed my gaze at her, trying hard to keep my anger contained. “Close the door, please.”

I turned my attention to Mary and forced myself to get through the rest of the day.

I had no break, as my receptionist allowed not one, but three more clients without appointments to be seen.

The only thing that hadn’t been seen today was my cock.

I had no idea what kind of shape he was in. When I left the office, I was in a foul mood. I should go straight home, change my pants, and check my dick out.

But instead, I took a hard right toward Whiskey Falls because a cold beer sounded good about now.

And the woman behind the bar was the best thing I’d seen all day.