Outside

by Michelle Mankin

  I loved the shop I had purchased from Karen at a steal, but I knew the inventory was getting a little tired. I also knew that I wasn’t going to survive another month on the income from it. I needed a second job. Actually a third if I counted the weekend gig at the Tiki Bar.

  I put my blanket and mug behind the counter and removed Chulo’s leash. He was the official ambassador of the shop. He found a slice of sunshine from the large exterior window to nap in while I got busy. If not like new I could at least make what I did have in the store look presentable.

  Hours of rearranging current inventory and only a handful of paying customers later I lamented having too much free time on my hands. It meant money wasn’t coming in and that I had plenty of time to think, which wasn’t a good thing at the moment. I worked and reworked the figures with a pad of paper, a pencil and a calculator before sagging against the counter.

  The numbers didn’t lie. There was no way I was going to make a profit this month.

  I felt two insistent taps on my lower leg. Grateful for the distraction from my full on fret mode over the budget, I glanced down at my Havanese. Chulo danced on his back legs his expression making his irritation evident before he tapped his paws against me once more. “Sorry fluffy face. It’s time for your walk, isn’t it?”

  He seemed to smile indulgently. His expressive green and gold flecked eyes seemed to say, ‘I only put up with you and your shortcomings because I love you, human.”

  “I love you, too.” I scooped him into my arms and was just about to turn the shop sign to closed when my cell rang. I frowned at it. The plan for the damn thing was too expensive but I couldn’t go without it. It wouldn’t be safe and I used it as my business number anyway.

  “Mona’s Surf Shop. This is Simone. How can I help you?”

  There was a long pause on the other end and then his voice.

  Lincoln’s.

  “Simone, what is this? Some kind of joke? Tell me you don’t really have a surf shop named Mona’s?”

  “Um.” Shit. I forgot that I had given him this number to call me when he had the papers ready. As if I had any other number I could have given him. It was just that I had planned on being able to recognize his caller ID. But I had been too distracted and it was my habit to answer with the shop greeting. Too late now. I would just have to brazen it on out. “Yes, this is the right number and yes I named it Mona’s because Simone sounded too French.” I twisted my hair around my finger, a nervous habit. Hopefully, he would buy all that and not realize that the shop name was mostly just a nod to the fact that I was far from over him. “Did you get the stuff back from the lawyers already?”

  “Yes and no.” He sighed and even his sigh sounded sexy to me. I tried not to imagine what he was wearing or not wearing. I suppressed a shiver. “Yeah I have the documents but well…I’m hoping I can convince you to reconsider. Maybe you don’t need the money, and I can understand why you don’t want to work with me, but having your name on a project like this is a really big deal. I wanted to ask if maybe you’d let me take you out to dinner so we can discuss it further.”

  “That’s not really a good idea.” But even as I spoke the words of refusal I glanced around at the shop and remembered that big pile of unpaid bills. A fat royalty check would probably go a long way towards solving my problems.

  I scooped Chulo into my arms. He licked my face and it tickled. “Stop that, baby.” My voice was husky with love and amusement. I giggled.

  “What the hell’s going on?” Lincoln queried sounding irate for some reason. “Is there someone with you?”

  As if.

  But I smacked Chulo loudly, a big muhwah just to give Lincoln something to think about, a slight deception that might keep him from flirting with me. I didn’t need that temptation. I looked at my pooch and he gazed back at me as if he were reading my thoughts. Taking an extra job would mean I would have less time for him and the beach, both of which kept me sane.

  Chulo seemed to nod in furry agreement.

  I could suck it up and work with Linc on this. Swallow my pride just a bit. For me, Chulo and my shop.

  “Nothing’s going on. But I’ve changed my mind. I think I will listen to your pitch. I’m having dinner with a friend at Hodad’s. Why don’t you swing by and join us?”

  Surely it wouldn’t be that hard to deal with Lincoln for the brief amount of time it would take to finalize things. Meeting him in a busy place surrounded by my friends would keep me out of real trouble.

  That was all I needed to do. Keep my focus on the end result. What I had in my life was good and I had everything that I wanted. Well, except the money. But I certainly didn’t need Lincoln or the heartache that went along with him.

  I lucked out and got a spot right next to the popular hamburger joint. I wondered why she had suggested it. Was she trying to send me a message by having us meet in the center of town where it had all started for us?

  I cut the ignition on the rental and threw my arms over the wheel trying to find the peace that had eluded me since last night. Hell since fifteen years ago if I was being honest with myself. And I had been even more tense and irritated since I got off the phone with her. Sure I was getting to see her which is what I wanted, but knowing there was another guy in her life made me more than a little crazy. Realistically I knew she had to have moved on. But in my heart I liked to remember the way things had been and dreamed she was still waiting on me to come back so we could patch things up and move forward together. The way I had always wanted. The way it should have always been.

  I twisted my watch band around and checked the time. I was five minutes early. I looked out the driver’s window and saw the ocean at the end of the street. I swallowed heavily. So many memories. When I returned my gaze to the restaurant I saw her, standing just outside the entrance with a guy who was young and tall enough to be on the LA Lakers. From his body language it was obvious that he was way into her, leaning over her with his hand on the wall above her head. Whatever he was saying made her entire face light up. The way it used to for me. Her gold eyes sparkled beautifully in the setting sun.

  My gut twisted and jealousy set it aflame. I gripped the steering wheel so hard the metal seemed to groan. So this was the guy. The competition. I stared at both of them till my eyes burned before blinking.

  So be it. He might be younger and he might be able to make her happy the way I once had, but I had at least one thing on him. She had been mine first.

  I got out of the jeep pocketing the key as I made my way up the wide sidewalk past several different storefronts all connected together. Some I recognized. Some were different. Diagonal parking spaces and the two way street with a yellow stripe down the center reflected the layout of a typical old fashioned downtown, except that the rerouting of the Five around the area cut OB off from more traditional and in my opinion more boring commercial ventures.

  He saw me first. His eyes narrowed slightly before he said something to her. She turned around, amusement draining from her face and wariness replacing it.

  My determined stride faltered but I recovered quickly giving her a leisurely head to toe scan. The one I had perfected over the years on women who didn’t matter. “Hey, Mona. You look smokin’ hot,” I drawled suggestively. “Who’s your friend?” I smiled but there was not a trace of amusement in it. It was more of a territorial flashing of my teeth. A message between him and me. A guy thing to let him know the score up front.

  Mona was mine.

  “Patrick Donegal.” He stepped away from her grinning widely as he held out his hand. Was he dense? Had he not gotten the message? Or did he think I didn’t rank as competition?

  If I were in his place I would have pulled her into me and kissed her. Flexed my biceps. Something.

  “Simone was just telling me a little bit about you,” he explained.

  She had never mentioned me to him before? That was interesting. I wondered if that was a good or a bad thing.

  “She says you’re a musici
an.” His tone made his words a question instead of a statement.

  I nodded feeling Simone watching me closely.

  “Cool. What instrument do you play?”

  “A little guitar now. Some piano.” How old was this guy anyway? I knew the Dogs weren’t as relevant with the younger crowd. Edgier groups like Tempest were pushing us older hard rocking band aside. But to tell the truth I didn’t really care all that much anymore. Fame had become a long, lonely, mostly dissatisfying road.

  “He sings, too.” The corner of Simone’s very kissable lips twitched. I found myself mesmerized by the sight. I wanted to taste the inadvertent amusement my evasiveness had caused.

  “Really?” Patrick cocked his head to the side the end of his stubby ponytail poking through the venting in the backwards no shoes, no shirt no problem Hodad’s ball cap he wore. A matching Hodad’s t-shirt with the same slogan and a white bar towel hung from the back pocket of his shorts.

  Why hadn’t I noticed the work duds before? I knew why. I was too busy looking at Simone and seeing red because she had been talking to him. I wondered if I might be wrong about their relationship. She didn’t say anything about her friend working at Hodad’s. God, I hoped they weren’t together. The guy reminded me of myself at that age. He probably surfed, too. I reluctantly found myself kind of identifying with him.

  “Yeah, I’m in a band. The Dirt Dogs. Maybe you’ve heard of them?”

  “Sorry.” He shook his head, and I had to smile. It actually felt good to meet someone and not have to deal with any preconceived expectations. “I’ve got a band, too. We’re just starting to make a name for ourselves. We play local gigs mostly. But we’re actually playing at the Del this Saturday night. You should come. Bring Simone with you. She says it’s too far for her old beater to make it.”

  “That sounds like a great idea.” I touched Simone’s shoulder. A flash of heated awareness rushed through me. I had wanted to touch her since I first got a glimpse of her sexy body in the crisscross botanical print halter and earth toned drawstring pants that skimmed her perfect ass. Her skin felt warm even through the layer of soft fabric. Her eyes dropped to my hand as if to say, ‘Back off’. I kept it where it was and even applied a little pressure. Her lips parted as she sucked in a sudden breath and my dick jumped in approval. Excellent. She wasn’t completely immune to me. I could see her pulse beating rapidly in her neck. Mine was beating just as fast. “What do you say, Mona?”

  Looking a little bewildered, she licked her lips. “Huh?”

  “I’ve got the rental. I could take you to see Patrick and his band. I think he’d like it if you went. Right, Patrick?”

  “Yeah. She’s always making excuses but the guys and I invite her all the time.”

  “Sure. I want to go.” She gave me a subtle look that I knew meant retribution was coming later for backing her into a difficult spot. “But are you sure you’re going to still be in town?”

  “I’m sure.” I wasn’t going anywhere. We had a show at Humphrey’s on Friday but after that the tour was over. We were taking a break. An extended one while we, mainly me, decided if we wanted to continue doing the rock band thing anymore.

  “Let’s go inside.” I put my hand on the center of Simone’s back a little lower than was proper but I had to feel the bare skin her cropped top left exposed. See if it was as satiny soft as I remembered. I was pleased to discover that it was. I leaned in close and lowered my voice. “I’m suddenly starving.”

  Dipping beneath the red Hodad’s awning Linc and I entered the restaurant through the open doorway. Loud rock music and the aroma of sizzling meat and onions hit me immediately. I noticed nearly every seat was filled from the VW bus that had been repurposed to seat two diners to the long surfboard shaped table that spanned the entire length of the interior. My stomach grumbled as I scanned for a spot. Meanwhile Linc began to rub seductive circles into my skin with his thumb.

  His touch was infinitely more devastating in its present position that it had been on my shoulder. Nerve endings flared with heat as he widened the circles under the pretense of guiding me toward an empty blue painted booth in the back. Murmuring an excuse about having to get back to work, Patrick waved over his shoulder as he moved away.

  “Thanks for not using the intimidating celebrity angle on him.” I motioned with my eyes toward where Patrick was clearing a table as I scooted onto the bench. His brow creasing Linc stared at me for a long beat before he eventually nodded once and moved onto the bench opposite. Had he been contemplating sitting on the same side?

  “I’m curious as to why you think I would?” His clear blue eyes searched mine while his fingers drummed on the polished wood table top.

  “Hmmm.” I arched a brow. “Maybe because of that guy thing you pulled out on the sidewalk. “Hey, Mona.” I made my voice as low as I could to mimic him. “You look smokin’ hot.”

  “Nice impersonation.” He laughed and his gorgeous eyes glittered with amusement.

  Hands folded on the table in front of me I waited for him to explain. I had answered his question. It was his turn to answer.

  “The celebrity shit isn’t a big deal to me, Mona.” He covered my hands with his. My gaze dropped to where we were joined and I was reminded of the first time he had touched me. My body had reacted much the same. Immediate attraction. A rush of heated desire that made my pulse pound hard. Lightheadedness. “Definitely not something I feel I need to mention when first meeting someone. It’s refreshing to just get to know people as a regular guy without all that.” He squeezed my fingers and withdrew his hand but my flesh burned where he’d touched me. My gaze fluttered up to his face. His sexy lips wore a slight frown. “I heard your stomach growling when we came in. What would you like to eat? I’ll go up to the counter and place an order.”

  I told him and when I insisted on having my own order of fries he lifted a querying brow. “What?” I scowled at him. He had to remember I loved fast food. I had always been the most excited about trying out each new greasy spoon as we had traveled up the coast all those years ago.

  “These portions look pretty big, babe.” He scanned me again, his gaze lingering on my eyes delving deep for truths I didn’t want him to discover.

  “Yeah? What’s your point? I missed lunch and I’m hungry.” I could feel myself getting defensive.

  “That’s not like you. Skipping meals.”

  “Ok first off you don’t know me well enough anymore to make a definitive statement like that.” I was working toward more than a little peeved now. “And I resent the fact that you think you do. Fifteen years is a long time. People change.”

  “You’re right. They do.” I got the idea he meant more than just their eating habits. He didn’t say anything else for another tense moment and I could tell he was a little angry, too. His jaw was clenched and his eyes were a darker blue.

  “I got busy at work,” I admitted, immediately regretful for my previous tirade and wanting to smooth things over. I didn’t want to be at odds. It wouldn’t serve any purpose for both of us to lose our tempers. “I didn’t have time for lunch.”

  “Fair enough.” His face lightened. He knocked on the table twice. But I think we need to talk about that when I get back.” He sauntered away beneath the surfboard that dangled from the ceiling weaving his way through the crowd made up of mostly locals dressed in casual worn beach wear like me. The menu of burgers on the dry erase board wasn’t complicated but they were delish. The shakes were legendary, big scoops of ice cream overflowing the silver mixing cups they were served in. They always came with extra spoons, too.

  But even more enticing than the menu was the walking away view of Lincoln. So sexy with his wide shoulders and lean torso encased in a navy half button hoodie and his tight ass outlined in dark indigo Buffalo jeans. The navy color made his eyes look even more hypnotic and made my heart beat even faster. I tore my eyes away from the temptation and dropped my head into my hands. I felt a headache coming on and rubbed my aching temp
les.

  Keeping my mind on the end goal and not on him was going to be a lot harder than I had initially anticipated.

  “What’s wrong?” Linc asked when he returned folding his leanly muscled frame into the booth on my side, scooting so close to me that his hard thigh touched mine. A memory resurfaced that I swept aside as quickly as I shifted away from him. His arm over the back of the bench. His beckoning heat. His enticing scent. I tried not to hyperventilate as I pressed closer to the wall. If only the physical distance I’d created between us would be all it took to overcome my weakness for him.

  “What the hell, Mona?” Linc frowned. “Why do you keep acting all panicked around me?”

  I tensed grinding my teeth together as I glared. Needing a moment to measure my words, I took my time and then some before responding. He drummed the table as he waited. “Stop it.” I squashed his fingers flat. “And stop pushing me. Stop touching me. Stop flirting with me. Just stop it, alright.” My stupid eyes filled the way they often did when I got angry. I squeezed them shut and pulled in a deep breath to collect myself before opening them again. He was staring at me and what I thought I’d seen in the parking lot the night before was right there blazing steadily inside his eyes. Warmth. Caring. Regret.

  Two of the three I’d seen there before but the regret was new. And I knew in that moment that putting a world of distance between Lincoln and me wasn’t going to make a bit of difference, not when he looked at me that way. Startled by the realization my eyes got wide.