by Brent, Cora
I liked her a lot.
And not just because she’d given me a job when I desperately needed one and cared about the condition of my aura.
Cynda’s hand glided over the clothes on the counter. “I had a vision of how to reorganize the men’s section. Sales wise it’s our weakest category. That whole area is just so uninviting. Have you tried the Cardamom Tea I left in the kitchen?”
Cynda had a habit of jumping from one topic to another with no preamble. I didn’t mind.
“Not yet. I’ll be sure to try some today though. Oh, Alyssa wanted me to tell you that she needed to run out for a few minutes to pick up a prescription. She’ll be right back. I was just going to stick to the register until lunch and work on getting this new inventory tagged if that’s all right.”
“Of course that’s all right.” She flashed the warmest of smiles. “You are so vibrant today, Taylorbriggs.”
Cynda didn’t wait for a response. None was expected.
In fact she might have been on to something. Despite the irritating voicemail from Sister Bitch, I was starting to feel like I might be getting ahead of the game. My meeting with a university financial counselor had been very productive and although it was too late to enroll for this semester I was able to apply for a grant that would allow me to return in January. Plus, after I was candid about my financial hardships, she helped me apply for an additional loan that would help get me back on my feet. I was expecting to receive the funds within the next week and so I’d placed a temporary hold on a studio apartment only a few blocks from here. Old and slightly run down, it was a far cry from the grand accommodations of Castle Court, but it was paradise compared to the cramped nest of my car’s backseat. The night I’d hit rock bottom on the floor of The Outpost was history. I now had confidence that I was strong enough to weather these storms.
“Ah, hell.”
I’d spoken too loudly. Three nearby shoppers looked up, puzzled. And the reason for the outburst waved at me with delight.
“Taylor! Good to see you.”
I heaved a sigh. “Kellan Gentry. Is this a coincidence or have you been following me?”
He looked over the multicolored racks of women’s clothing. “Perhaps I’m not here to see you at all. Perhaps I’m just shopping.”
My mouth twitched. “So is there a side of you I haven’t seen before or are you looking to buy for someone else?”
Kellan stopped inspecting the row of bright dresses and approached the counter.
“Neither,” he said, dropping the wise guy act and reminding me that he was even more devastatingly good looking when he was serious. “I was worried about you.”
I nearly shot back a sarcastic response but then caged it. There was no reason for me to be rude to him. He didn’t deserve it, especially when he was looking at me like that, with such earnest concern. The same way he’d looked at me over breakfast the morning after I crashed on his couch. Like I was some fragile, endangered species that he was now responsible for saving.
I knew Kellan didn’t deserve the brush off just because I remained mortified about accepting his help the night I’d hit rock bottom. I had been trying not to think about him and this town was big enough for me to hope that I could avoid him indefinitely.
Apparently that was not the case.
“So how did you find me?” I asked, trying to sound less than hostile.
“I’m blessed with a vast network of connections,” he answered with a straight face.
“I’m sure that’s true.” I folded a yellow cropped t-shirt. My heart was pounding. Why was my heart pounding? There was no reason to be nervous. “After all, you are the legendary Kellan Gentry.”
“I’m legendary? Nobody told me.”
“Cut it out.”
“What else do people say? Is my superior stamina referenced?”
“I’ve been out of the mainstream lately so I don’t really know if anyone has anything to say about you these days.”
He frowned. “Somehow we’ve gotten off topic.”
“What’s the topic, Kellan?”
“You.”
He leaned in a few inches. His aftershave attacked my ovaries. There was something terribly unfair about how goddamn hot he was.
I took a step back. “As you can see, I am doing perfectly well.”
His eyes never left my face. “Yes, you do indeed look perfect. So you’ll have lunch with me, right?”
“When? I mean, why?”
“Because we’re friends and because eating tacos alone is depressing.”
I sighed. “You sure do have an answer for everything.”
“Most of the time. It’s eleven thirty. When can you take lunch? I’m starving. We can share the six taco plate at Sol.”
The desire to turn him down warred with the fact that in spite of my misgivings, I liked him. Not in a lets-bone-against-a-wall kind of way. I had no space in my life for such shenanigans right now no matter how good he smelled or how ruggedly square-jawed he looked or how fantastic he was in bed. I liked Kellan because he was nice and he was funny and I suffered from a severe shortage of satisfying conversations in my life.
“I have to wait until my coworker returns,” I said. “Maybe twenty minutes?”
He shrugged. “I can wait. I’ll wait right over there.”
“Where?”
“Against that wall.”
“Go wait somewhere else. My boss might ask questions if you’re just standing there and staring at me.”
“I won’t be staring at you. I’ll be looking at my phone. I was in the middle of watching Jaws before I decided to come down here and pay you a visit. I want to see how it ends.”
Kellan didn’t allow any objections. He propped himself up against the wall between two shelves of secondhand handbags and proceeded to gaze into his phone. I wondered if he was really watching Jaws.
Then I had to quit wondering about Kellan Gentry for a little while because a customer approached to pay for the Beatles t-shirt she was thrilled to have located in the racks. Alyssa returned fifteen minutes later and full of profound irritation that the cost of her medication had risen yet again. Alyssa was an aspiring actress who’d starred in community theater productions of Macbeth and Cat On A Hot Tin Roof and her hands flailed around lot as she complained about ‘greedy patriarchal bastards’. I glanced over at Kellan to see if he was amused but he remained engrossed in Jaws.
“I’m going to take my lunch now,” I said to Alyssa. “Cynda is over in the men’s section. I can finish tagging this pile when I get back if you don’t have time.”
Alyssa wasn’t really listening but she waved me off and dramatically twisted her chestnut hair atop her head while gazing in Kellan’s direction with unconcealed interest. She’d worked here for three years, owned an endless collection of patterned maxi dresses and always swore she was on the cusp of moving to New York City to take Broadway by storm. I hoped she really did make it to New York City one of these days. It would be nice to know that someone’s dreams came true.
After retrieving my purse from the locked closet beside Cynda’s meditation room I joined Kellan at the wall. He didn’t look up from his phone. I shifted my weight impatiently. He remained captivated by the images on his screen.
“I’m ready,” I announced.
He held up a finger. “Wait. It’s a pivotal scene.”
“Did Chief Brody kill the shark yet?”
He looked up with a crushed expression. “Why would you do that? Why would you spoil the ending?”
“I’m sorry. I had no idea there were still people in the world who didn’t know how Jaws ended.”
“There probably aren’t.” He shoved his phone into his pocket. “I’ve seen it at least two dozen times. Let’s go. I’ll drive.”
“We can walk. It’s a block and a half away.”
Once we were outside the combination of the blazing sunshine and the quiet street had the effect of killing the conversation. We traveled half a block in
silence.
“I have hypoglycemia,” I blurted. “That was why I collapsed that night. I do have enough money for food. I was just being cheap and trying to save a little cash instead of doing the smart thing and eating when I needed to. I swear I don’t depend on the kindness of strangers to feed me.”
He nodded. “That’s good to hear. But today I’m paying since I’m the one who invaded your space. If you try to argue I’ll suffer from spontaneous deafness.”
“I suppose I won’t argue then.”
“That’s settled. So where’s your friend’s place?”
“What friend?”
“The one you’re staying with, Taylor. Remember?”
“Oh, that friend. It’s real close to here.”
“How convenient,” he said in a tone that indicated he didn’t believe me at all.
We reached the entrance to Sol. The fragrance of the authentic Mexican food was intoxicating. Kellan prodded me to grab a table while he ordered since the place was already crowded. A few minutes later he arrived with two sodas and a tray loaded with enough food to comfortably feed eight people.
“Wow. Have you invited a group of friends to dine with us or do you really think I’m going to eat all of that?”
“I decided I didn’t want to share a taco plate after all so I got you your own. And I also ordered two sampler plates in case you wanted to try anything else on the menu. You can have all the leftovers. I’ve got a bunch of errands to run this afternoon so they would just sit in my car. You can take them back to work and keep them in the refrigerator.”
“How do you know there is a refrigerator where I work?”
“There’s not? Bummer. In that case I’ll have to swing by my apartment and drop them off. You can stop by at your convenience and grab them.”
This guy. Through all his tongue-in-cheek sarcasm he had so much charm he ought to be outlawed. I needed to watch my step around him. Romance wasn’t in the cards for me anytime soon.
“Actually, there is a small refrigerator in Cynda’s meditation room. She stores her essential oils in there but I’m sure she’d let me use it.” I paused, wondering if anyone anywhere has ever been so touched by an offer of leftover Mexican food. “Thank you. You didn’t have to do this.”
He pushed a pair of small containers in my direction. “Have some salsa.”
There was a line at the order counter now and all the tables were occupied. It was a good thing we’d shown up when we did. I polished off a pair of chicken tacos, completely alert to the fact that Kellan was avidly watching my progress.
“Are you aware that you keep staring at me?” I asked.
“I have a little control over which way my head faces so yeah, I was aware.”
I smiled. “And are you waiting for me to fall over again or are you just entranced by my beauty?”
“A little bit of both. By the way, I’m glad you don’t suffer from excessive modesty.”
I shrugged, enjoying the banter. “I can’t help it if you keep drooling over me. Most guys do.”
He laughed. “That’s the Taylor I remember.”
I rolled my eyes, embarrassed. “Yeah, you got to know me so well.”
“Certain aspects of you anyway.”
“A few of your finer points are burned into my memory as well.”
“At the risk of sounding conceited, I’m glad it was so good for you.”
“You were good,” I said and blushed, wondering if I should have made such a dangerous admission.
But I couldn’t deny the truth.
I hadn’t been with so many guys that they became indistinguishable in my head. Kellan stood out, partly because he’d been so focused on getting me off. Most of these college boys were in too much of a frenzy of ‘Lemme stick it in!’ to give a damn. Kellan gave a damn. I almost wished he didn’t because now an uncomfortable degree of heat tugged at my belly and traveled lower. I had to work at keeping my face neutral as I took a casual sip of my soda and changed the subject.
“You seem very different from your brother,” I said.
“Which one?”
“You know I’ve only met Thomas.”
“Right. Thomas is the good cop. I’m the bad cop.”
“And where does your other brother fit in? What was his name?”
“Derek’s our ill-mannered supervisor.”
“Are you the youngest?”
“No. Thomas is the youngest. Can’t you tell? I’m far more mature.”
“That’s not the impression I received but if you say so.”
He smacked a hand on the table. “Wait, are you trying to say you’re into Thomas? Because I can’t go setting that up. It would just be fucking weird.”
I choked on a tortilla chip. “I can’t believe you went there. No! I’m not into Thomas.”
“What does that mean? My brother’s not good enough for you?”
I burst out into laugher. Full blown belly laughter and it felt strange because I had not laughed like that in a while.
When I was able to catch my breath again I glanced at my phone. “I have to get back to work soon.”
“I’ll grab some take out boxes.”
He was gone and then back in a flash. He handed the Styrofoam containers over so I could pack up the remaining food. There was a lot of it. I could reasonably host a dinner party off these leftovers. That is, if I still owned a table where everyone could sit. And had a room to place the table in.
“We should hang out like this again,” Kellan said as he watched me close the containers.
I wanted to agree. Kellan was fun and easy to talk to. But the residual throbbing between my legs reminded me of the potential complications. I was almost in a place where I could say my life was back on track. Maybe someday there’d be a possibility that something could happen with Kellan. But now…
“I can’t,” I said. “You’re a great guy but-“
“Whoa.” He held up a hand. “There’s no need to friend zone me. I told you the night you came to my apartment that I’m not searching for a sequel. Anyway, my dance card happens to be full.”
“Does that mean you have a girlfriend?” The thought messed up my gut in a weird way.
The question made him evaluate me more carefully. I realized that I needed to clarify my meaning.
“I would not be applying for the position. I was just curious if some high maintenance chick is going to appear and try to tear my hair out at the roots for talking to her man.”
Kellan raised an eyebrow. “If I did have a girlfriend she would be neither high maintenance or the sort of person eager to commit assault.”
“Good thinking.”
He was serious again, shifting in his seat and clasping his hands together as he leaned forward. “Taylor I know you’ve had a hell of a time. After everything you’ve been through you’d have to be a strong person to remain standing.”
Kellan must have asked around. He knew more than I thought he did.
“I am still standing,” I said, tipping my chin up and feeling a streak of stubborn pride.
Kellan raised an eyebrow.
“Well,” I amended. “Except when I’m fainting on the floor of an all American burger joint.”
He flashed a smile and then allowed it to fade. “I’m not asking anything from you. I just want to help in any way I can.”
“I know.” I stood up and gathered the containers of food. “I do appreciate it.”
He wouldn’t give up. “Let me give you my number. In case you ever change your mind and decide to use it.”
The problem was I knew I would use it. In a moment of loneliness and despair, the same kind that grabbed me the night I found a hot guy at a party and brought him home with me to dull the pain of my imploding family life. And that wouldn’t do either of us any good.
I gave him a smile. I had a long history of being a jerk to people. I really wasn’t trying to be a jerk now. I was trying to be the opposite.
“Goodbye, Kellan,” I s
aid gently. “I really do hope I see you again someday. I just can’t see you right now.”
And then once more I walked out on him.
Chapter Eight
Kellan
I stared down into the vehicle’s guts, the sight of them making about as much sense to me as Morse code.
“Is it the transmission?” I asked, already compiling dollar signs in my head as to how much this might end up costing me.
My brother rolled out from beneath the raised undercarriage. “No. Radiator’s leaking like a son of a bitch.”
“Can’t you just stick a patch on it or something?”
Derek sat up and absently wiped his grease-covered hands on an equally greasy cloth. “Only if you want to risk catching fire on the road somewhere.”
“Fuck.”
“Relax.” He got to his feet and glanced in the direction of Stone Gentry, equal partner in the Brothers Gentry Garage. Stone was chatting with some of the other mechanics. Derek had been promoted to a supervisor at this location, which was one of the three spread out across the valley.
“I’ve got to clear it with Stone,” he confided. “But you know we’ll get you the part at cost and I’ll take care of the labor.”
“Dude. You’re the best. I’d hug you if you weren’t covered in filth.”
“Let’s not get crazy. There’s no need to hug me.”
“Fine. I didn’t really want to anyway.”
He jerked his head. “I’ll catch Stone when he’s done talking. In the meantime let’s grab some snacks from the vending machine.”
I behaved like a big spender and paid for a pair of sodas and two bags of potato chips. Derek stuffed half his chips in his mouth and guzzled an entire soda in two swallows. The pig.
“You want mine too?” I offered. “I lost my appetite after watching you eat.”
“No.” He belched. “Paige is cooking me dinner tonight.”
“How domestic.”
He kicked my shin. “By the way, how come I had to hear from my girlfriend that you’ve now got one of your own?”
I stalled. I flipped open the tab on my soda can. “One what?”
