The Whole Package Read online

  The Whole Package

  Alexa Riley

  Contents

  The Whole Package

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Epilogue

  Epilogue

  Epilogue

  Shielding Lily

  Chapter 1

  Stalk the Author

  The Whole Package

  by Alexa Riley

  Bailey Webb has stressed and worried about her special needs sister Hazel ever since their mom took off. She’s struggling to keep both their heads above water until a chance meeting changes her life forever.

  From the moment Shawn Reed meets Bailey, all he wants to do is protect her. Not only does she need help but so does her sister, and he’s ready to step up to the plate.

  Warning: This overly sweet and precious story is filled with so much love. It’s got surprise presents, baby farm animals, and a hero who loves to spoil. It’s all you could ask for, plus a mountain of sugar on top. Call your dentist and schedule an appointment. This book is guaranteed to give you cavities.

  Copyright © 2017 by Author Alexa Riley LLC. All rights reserved.

  No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, email to [email protected]

  http://alexariley.com/

  Publisher’s Note: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are a product of the author’s imagination. Locales and public names are sometimes used for atmospheric purposes. Any resemblance to actual people, living or dead, or to businesses, companies, events, institutions, or locales is completely coincidental.

  Edited by Aquila Editing

  Cover Photo by Sara Eirew

  Cover Designer: Perfect Pear Creative Covers

  To Emily…

  We were worried about getting this wrong, but you helped us find the way. Thank you for everything.

  Chapter 1

  Bailey

  “I should have brought a change of clothes,” I tell Kyle as I take my purse out of my locker then close it again. “It’s too late now.”

  I’ll never be able to drive home and still make it to the meeting on time. Not that I really have anything nicer than my work uniform I could wear. I have no clue what people wear to a shareholders meeting. Not that I even know what a shareholders meeting is. All I really want is a minute of Mr. Reed’s time, and I know he’ll be at the meeting.

  He’s the CEO and holds the majority shares for Community Mart grocery stores. It’s an employee-owned grocery store, which means all the employees who work at the grocery store have stock in the company. It’s part of being an employee, but it also means you can go to the quarterly meeting if you like. I’ve never known anyone to actually go before, but I don’t have any other options. Talking to the CEO is my last shot. He could make or break things for my sister Hazel and me.

  “Who cares? It’s your work uniform and it’s a company meeting. If they don’t like these uniforms, then they should change them.” Kyle plops down onto the bench and opens up his lunch. He digs into the bag and it reminds me that I haven’t eaten today. By the time I got off the phone with one of my sister’s doctors, I’d been out of time to eat and had to get back to my register.

  “The uniform isn’t that bad.”

  Kyle makes a face at me as if I’ve lost my mind, but I’m not sure he’d find any uniform to his liking. He told me the other day it needed a pop of color. We wear black pants with a white polo and our name tags. If you ask me, I think we’re pretty lucky and I’m not going to complain about it. Over at Sun Price grocery store they have to wear these ridiculous hats that have a spinning propeller on top of it.

  “I could blend into the walls wearing this.”

  “With the customers we get, sometimes I wish I could blend in with the walls. I don’t need any flair to draw attention to me.” You’d be shocked how mean some people can be over expired coupons or us running out of a product. Not that they’re all bad. I do have a ton of customers I love who always seek out my line.

  “Ain’t that the truth. Mr. Sims is always on the lookout for you.” Kyle wiggles his eyebrows and I have to fight a groan. Who doesn't that man notice? I think his only preference is vagina.

  “Please don’t start with that.” I sit down next to Kyle on the bench and he hands me an apple slice. I take it knowing this will be it until I get home and have dinner tonight.

  “Just saying he’s a hottie.”

  “He’s also our boss,” I remind him. I have no desire to get tangled up with my boss and then end up without a job when things inevitably go south. The store manager, Mason Sims, thinks he’s a ladies’ man. I think he’s only into me because I never flirt with him like everyone else does. He’s so creepy. He’s our freaking manager and he flirts with everyone. Not just employees but customers, too.

  “Don’t forget a manwhore,” Kyle adds, reading my mind. He scrunches up his nose and shakes his head. “Who knows how many holes he’s stuck his D into.”

  I smack his arm. “Shh,” I half-heartedly scold him, not wanting us to get busted talking shit on the boss. “That’s gross,” I add. I don’t want to think about Mason’s D.

  Don’t get me wrong. I can see why it’s so easy for Mason to land as many women as he does with his looks. He’s got that whole all-American thing going on with blond hair and blue eyes. He’s also good at his job, except for the flirting crap. Still, he rubs me the wrong way. Those baby-blue eyes of his linger too long on my body and it makes me uneasy. He’s clever, though; he makes sure to do it when no one else is around.

  “You going to make it home before Annie needs to leave? I can always go over when I get off my shift,” Kyle offers, making sure I have someone to take care of my little sister if I can’t get home fast enough.

  He knows my sister Hazel can’t be home alone. She gets off school at three, and the state helps with after school care three days a week because she is special needs. The other two, Annie comes to the grocery store and helps bag groceries. She loves it. She spends all the money she makes on feeding her animals.

  “I should be fine. Annie doesn't leave until six thirty. I think I should be back home by then. The meeting is at three. How long could it last?”

  “No clue. Sounds boring as shit to me. I’d fall asleep.” This I believe. Kyle can power nap anywhere. I’ve had to nudge him awake a few times at work. I once found him asleep on his lunch break in the back room on a pile of paper towels. It actually looked more comfortable than my bed. But in all fairness, my bed is a sofa pullout. “Let me know if you get held up. You know I love me some Hazel Basil time.”

  “You can come by for dinner if you want. I promised Hazel we’d have pizza tonight.”

  “Sounds like a plan. I’ll grab the pizza though. One less thing you need to worry about.” I reach for my purse to fish out some money. Pizza is the one thing I let us splurge on each week. It’s Hazel’s favorite. “Don’t even think about it.” Kyle stands and grabs his lunch. “I’ll get the pizza. You get it next time.”

  “Thanks.” I know he’s offering to pick it up because he knows how tight money is for Hazel and me. I also know there�
�s no fighting with Kyle when he gets his mind set on something. I learned that within the first week we worked together.

  I’m more of an introvert who wants to work and keep my head down. I have too many other things to focus and worry about and don't have time for friends. Hazel owns all my time and I’m good with that. I love my sister and we are a team.

  When I met Kyle he informed me we were going to be best friends. I brushed off his comment at first, but within a week he was right. The man is relentless in the sweetest way. I don't know what I would have done without him over the last few months.

  “See you tonight,” he tells me as he starts to push out of the break room. “Oh, and I hear Mr. CEO is a hottie!” he yells as he departs.

  Of course he heard that. When I think of the CEO of Community Mart I think of a graying older man in his sixties with a big belly. I do think he’s probably really kind if you go by how he runs the company. The stores are always putting on food drives and offering different things for employees. Like the program they offer so that Hazel can work here even with her special needs. It’s why I had a spark of hope that Mr. Reed would be able to help me. He seems like he cares, and I’m banking on that today.

  Picking my purse up from off the bench, I head for Mason’s office. The door is open, so I knock on the frame. He looks up at me from over his computer and smiles.

  “Come on in, Bailey.”

  “Oh, I was just letting you know I’m heading out.” On Thursday I normally work until six, but I requested off early for the meeting.

  “You’re really going to that?” Mason asks, and I nod. I’m not going because I care about the shares meeting. I’m going so I can get a minute of Mr. Reed’s time. I’m told he’s always at the meetings. Though with my luck lately he won’t be this time. But I still have to try. I really don’t want to go the route of showing up at his office. That seems creepy, and I really want to make a good impression.

  He lets out a long sigh. “Fine.” He shakes his head as if he’s disappointed in me for taking the time off. Which I’ve never done before. In fact, I pick up every shift that I can and come in when they need me if called. Asking to leave a few hours early should not be a problem. “But we need to talk when you get back,” he adds, making my stomach clench with panic.

  “Is something wrong?” I take a step into his office, wringing my hands together. I cannot lose this job. Not only do I need the money, but the insurance is about to be everything for Hazel and me. I need that more than anything.

  “I think maybe your role around here should change. Maybe a promotion.” He stands up from his desk and walks towards me. I have to fight myself from taking a step back. He reaches out, tucking a piece of my blonde hair behind my ear. “I do need an assistant manager now that Kim is leaving to go work at the corporate office.” His finger trails down my neck and it sends uncomfortable chills down my spine.

  Here I thought Kim leaving was going to be a good thing. She was mean and I’m happy she’s gone. Kyle, Hazel and I might have all done a happy dance when we heard the good news. Kim didn’t like us, and it didn't help that Hazel is not one to hold her tongue. She made a few comments about Kim right to her face, and it took everything in me not to burst into laughter. Though it was clear to Kim at the time I was dying to. That really didn’t help her from disliking our little group.

  I’m pretty sure she’s leaving because of Mason. Another girl bites the dust after having a quick affair with him. They all fall in love then can’t stand to watch him move on so easily. Kim had taken it harder than some of the others. She’d gone from mild bitch to mega bitch.

  “I should really go. Don’t want to be late.” I swallow the lump in my throat, wanting to get out of here before something happens. He's offering me a promotion. It’s better pay, but I can see clearly what he wants in return. My skin feels tight and the office feels smaller.

  “We’ll talk about it later,” he finally says after a few beats.

  I think he was enjoying my unease. I nod before I practically run from his office. When I finally make it to my car, I let out a deep breath I didn't realize I’d been holding. My mind races, but I push all the Mason Sims bullshit to the side. I have something more important to focus on right now. I’ll worry about that mess tomorrow.

  I put the key in the ignition and pray it starts. When it does my chest feels lighter. It always does when the car actually starts. I don’t have time to get a jump start. I really need to find the time to get a battery. Oh, and the money for it.

  When I pull out onto the highway, I go over in my head what I’m going to say to Mr. Reed. I’ve practiced over and over again. I’m not above begging at this point. I’ll do whatever it takes to make sure my sister is never taken from me. We’re a team and I won’t have that broken.

  Chapter 2

  Shawn

  When I pull into the parking garage I have to circle a few times to find a spot. People think a CEO should have his own parking spot or his own personal driver, but I’d rather do it myself. I like driving, and why would I take up a whole parking spot just for me when it would hardly get used? The meeting is being held at our corporate offices, which I rarely visit. I have an office here, but I’m either in the stores talking with area managers or on conference calls in my car.

  I’ve only been acting CEO for the last year and I want to make it to all of our locations before the end of this year. My mother worked for Community Mart for nearly thirty years and ran it as CEO for the last ten. She worked her way up from cashier to the first female chief executive officer the company has had. When the shareholders voted me in as her replacement I vowed to continue her commitment to the company and the families that run it.

  My mom dropped out of high school when she was sixteen and got pregnant with me. She couldn’t find work anywhere and was desperate. Community Mart not only hired her but helped her get her GED. She worked her way up to manager then started our Moms to College program. Now the company pays for continuing education for all single mothers and even pays for childcare. It was her biggest achievement and the one she’s most proud of. She got her degree in business and never looked back. She’s my biggest inspiration and why I started working for the company when I was fifteen. I began bagging groceries until I went to college and then came back after I finished to work in the corporate office. I’ve worked my way up and earned the respect of those around me. When my mom retired she knew she was leaving it all in good hands.

  When I grab a parking spot I make my way up the elevators and to the boardroom. I wave to a few people and catch up with those I haven’t seen in a while.

  “Hey Shawn, how’s Martha doing?” Belinda asks as she shakes my hand.

  “She’s on a cruise to the Bahamas this week, so I’d say she’s enjoying retirement.”

  “That sounds wonderful. Well-deserved for her, but we sure do miss her around here.”

  “I’ll tell her you said that. She’ll like knowing we’re talking about her,” I say.

  “You’re probably right. How’s everything going with traveling to the stores? Is it going as you planned?”

  “It’s been great actually. I didn’t realize how much I missed interacting with people until I got stuck in an office. I know Mom liked being in the heart of the machine, but I think I work best by talking to our employees in the stores.”

  I think about the last town I was in and how much fun we had. We did a community blood drive and one woman was so scared to have her blood drawn, but she was determined to donate. I sat down and held her hand the whole time and I asked her about her beagle named Levi to distract her.

  “Where is the next stop?” Belinda asks as more people come into the conference room and take seats.

  “It’s here, actually. I had planned to come back home for a few weeks and spend some time with Mom while I went to the store in town. But then she announced she was going on vacation, so I won’t get to see her.” I shrug and Belinda laughs.

  “She s
eems to have retirement down.”

  “That she does. But it will be good to be in one place for a bit. I’ve saved this location for last since it was the one my mom started at.”

  “We’re all really proud that you’re continuing her legacy,” she says as the room begins to quiet down and everyone prepares for the meeting.

  “Thank you, that means a lot.” She squeezes my arm before she goes over and stands in front of the podium.

  Belinda is the CFO and is leading our meeting today. As she begins, the room falls silent and she introduces everyone. I give a small wave when she says my name, but otherwise I stand back and listen. She starts with showing everyone the projection of profits and spending for the previous quarter and the next.

  As she speaks I notice the door in the rear of the room opens slightly and someone slips in. The room is crowded, but there are still some seats in the back. I can’t tell who has come in late, but I watch as she ducks her chin and her blonde hair covers her face. She sits down behind someone and I have to lean back to get a better view.

  I should be listening to Belinda and paying attention in case someone asks me a question. But instead I’m curious about who this young woman is. I know everyone in the room if not by name then by their faces. I’m great with remembering people and things about them, and most of the time if I talk to them for a second their name will come to me. The people who attend the meetings are either directly affected by what’s being said or are located in this building and want to come mingle with other employees they don’t see very often. This newcomer in the back is someone I’ve never met before, which makes me think she must be an employee in the one store I haven’t been to.