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called the assistant manager without consulting me and C) you got a key from him.”
    Wow, he was a nitpicker. “Rumor’s out about us sharing the store. Chuck had no problem giving me his spare key.”
    He ran his hand across the back of his neck. “Well, that’s great.”
    She took a breath. If it killed her, she would not fight with him. “Look. It is great. It is wonderful that I got a key. I want to be ready. The people who shop here come in before work for coffee and a doughnut, or things they need for breakfast for their kids.”
    “Since your family’s been boycotting this store for thirty years, how would you know?”
    “I live in this town. I know a lot of things about this place, these people. I’ve also been running the drugstore.” She held his gaze. It would be a long year if he questioned or argued with everything she said. “I know things.”
    “An insinuation that I don’t?”
    Oh, dear God! She had to endure twelve months, fifty-two weeks, three hundred sixty-five days of this ?
    “I didn’t say that!”
    “Whatever.” He brushed past her and headed for the caged area with the office behind it. “Open the store if you want. I’m going to review the books.”
    …
    Furious with the way Piper had not only taken over, but with the assistant manager who’d so easily given her a key, Cade strode to the cashier’s cage, the small, enclosed space that led to the office door. As he inserted his granddad’s key into the lock, he saw a row of cars forming in the parking lot.
    Well, she was the one who’d decided—on her own—to start working today. If she wanted to deal with employees and customers on their first day of ownership, that was her choice. He wanted to get into that office and find his grandfather’s proof that he hadn’t cheated Sean O’Riley. He’d show it to Piper first, kindly, as his granddad had said, then they’d see where the chips fell. But until he had the proof in his hand, he wasn’t making any waves.
    Twisting the key in the lock, he prayed that whatever the proof was, it was something so clear that she’d realize her inheriting half the store was bullshit and she’d back off.
    He snorted. Right. An O’Riley backing off. That was a good one.
    He walked through the cage to the office door in the rear, but before he got it unlocked, a small crowd had amassed inside the main entrance. Kelly-green smocks worn by two of the people standing in front of the registers marked them as employees. He also recognized Piper’s mother and three of her church lady friends.
    “Oh, Piper! This is so exciting. I’m so glad you’re in charge.”
    That came from one of the employees. Fantastic.
    “Maybe we can get a discount or two.”
    Harold Peterson added, “Some plants next spring.”
    “Maybe some hardware since those big chains forced Bernie out of business.”
    “And she’s giving her mother a job.”
    That came from one of the church ladies. He put his head back as anger fizzled through his blood. She couldn’t be a normal partner who had meetings, made plans, and carried them out fifty/fifty. No. She had to take over.
    Damned O’Riley.
    With a curse, he turned and walked out of the customer service area toward the crowd, which quieted as he approached. “Darlin’, could I talk to you in the office?”
    Piper faced him, her green eyes shining. “We need to open the store.”
    Something inside his chest caught. His fizzling anger bubbled away. Her eyes were so happy and her face so pretty that for a second he could only stare at her. Why was it that he couldn’t reconcile this beautiful, happy woman to skinny, nasty, grouchy Piper? She might have grown up to be pretty but she was still an O’Riley.
    He nodded at the two green-smocked employees. “Is one of you head cashier?”
    A little blonde timidly raised her hand.
    “Do you generally open?”
    She nodded.
    “Then do it.” He caught Piper’s arm and began leading her to the cashier’s cage.