Cocky Delight: A Hero Club Novel

by Maria Macdonald

  “Nice,” I reply, walking toward the front door. “So, I’m only good to visit because he’s out?” I tease her.

  “We see one another at least three times a week,” she states something I already know with a roll of her eyes.

  I wrinkle my nose, poking my tongue out at her.

  “Anyway, I was hoping I would catch you on a muffin day,” she says, her eyes sparkling.

  “You’ve just seen me come in from work, do I get up at five am to bake for you? Erm… the answer is no. Therefore, no muffins for you today,” I tell her, taking a swig of my gin.

  Aubrey pouts and I shake my head with a grin.

  We make our way outside and sit down on my front stoop, watching as the sun sets. The sky darkens, but the sun is still clear enough to form a line across the vista with yellow, red and orange waves of color.

  We sit quietly for a moment, bathing in the beauty above us, when we hear a squawk and then another, followed by a scuttling sound and something hissing.

  Both Aubrey and I realize what the commotion is at the same time.

  “Erm, Nola, is that one of Mrs. Peterson’s chickens?”

  I nod. “Yep.”

  It runs, like I’ve never seen a chicken run before, straight along the footpath toward the sea. It’s quickly followed by a gray blur.

  Aubrey coughs, “And, um… is that Blanche chasing the chicken?”

  I nod again. “Aha. That is the spawn of Satan currently chasing Mrs. Peterson’s chicken,” I answer, quickly swallowing down the rest of my gin.

  Chapter Five

  NOLA

  I eye the second pile of paperwork sitting on my desk like it’s Lucifer himself. After completing pile one yesterday and drinking gin with Aubrey until late, I’m not sure I’m as prepared to take on pile two as I thought I was yesterday. I tilt my head, maybe if I squint a little the paperwork will magically disappear.

  “You look like you’re trying to set fire to your desk with only your eyes. Are you a witch?”

  Groaning, I move to take my seat behind my desk, placing a little space between Kato and me. I knew he was coming in today, I just thought I’d have more time to prepare. It’s only the third time I’ve seen him and if you don’t count the first or second – which I totally don’t – I can forgive myself for appraising his appearance. He’s tall, with a fabulous body and almost black hair, which also has a copper glint and hangs slightly in his eyes. Kato pushes his big, strong hand through his hair and I ignore his biceps as they flex. Instead, I take in his caramel eyes, long thick sooty eyelashes and large straight nose. He has a little scruff growing, but I can still see the sharp edges on his defined jawline. I realize he knows exactly what I’m doing when a wide smile spreads across his face and fuck my life, he has a chin dimple – of course he does.

  “Maybe I’m the one with magical powers,” Kato says, smirking. He’s leaning against the wall, his legs crossed at the ankle and he’s the epitome of relaxed and sexy. “It’s okay, I can stay here all day, continue your perusal. But I warn you, gorgeous, I’ll expect you to allow me the same gift.” He winks at me. Winks. What the ever-loving hell?

  “I wasn’t checking you out, but then you would assume that, wouldn’t you? Cocky.” I mumble, opening my desk drawer and taking out my emery board I look for a nail that needs attention. Of course, because I love my nails, none of them need any filing. Well that’s just typical.

  “I think you mean delightful,” he winks. “I keep telling you, gorgeous, I’m a delight. You just need to get to know me,” he states, standing away from the wall a smirk adorning his disgustingly beautiful face. Ugh. Asshole.

  “We’ll agree to disagree,” I reply, putting my file away and checking out my pretty orange nails.

  Kato strolls over and places his hands on my desk and leaning forward with a smirk his voice is low and gravelly, causing my skin to prickle as he says, “I could argue with you for hours, gorgeous. Your face is beautiful normally, but when you’re angry it’s stunning. I bet when you come, you’re breath-taking.”

  My mouth hangs open. I know it does, but I seem incapable of closing it. I’m frozen and stupid, apparently.

  “Anytime you want to show me, I’ll be here,” he states as he backs away, dropping a couple of files on the corner of my desk, then walks toward the door.

  “You wish,” I croak as he walks through the doorway. Granted, it would sound better if I said it with even a little conviction and, even more so, if I wasn’t sitting there with my tongue hanging out.

  Kato leans back through the door. “Oh I do, Nola. I do.”

  It takes me ten minutes to get my lady boner to calm the heck down and another ten minutes until my brain is able to work enough for me to start looking at the receipts and paperwork Kato dropped off. Damn him. Damn the fact that everything about him screams sex. And damn him even more that I can still smell his scent of wood and cologne filling my nose and my lungs, making my nipples perky. Damn him.

  “How are things going at work?” Aubrey questions the moment we sit down.

  “Well, Kato has been working near the offices this week,” I answer.

  “Okay,” Aubrey lets the word hang in the air.

  “So, he’s been in three times!” I complain, throwing my hands up.

  “What’s the issue?”

  “He keeps sitting on the edge of my desk,” I look away and pout, “and he moves my stapler.” I sulk like an errant child.

  “I’ve heard through the grapevine that you and Kato don’t seem to get along,” Aubrey grins as we sit waiting for our food. I’ve noticed the older we get, the more our catch ups have involved food. “But I think you like him.”

  “By the grapevine, you mean Chance,” I reply, ignoring the other part.

  She shrugs, “Are you saying it’s not true.”

  “What can I say, he rubs me the wrong way,” I reply.

  “It sounds like you could do with some rubbing,” she wiggles her eyebrows and laughs.

  “Oh God, please-”

  “Yep, that’s what you should be saying. I think Kato could totally help you see stars.” She winks at me and I narrow my eyes.

  “Are you trying to be stupid?” I ask her.

  “Nope, I don’t have to try.”

  I bark out a laugh, “Oh shit, you’re a freaking nightmare.”

  “Yep, but you love me.”

  I sigh, “Yeah, I suppose someone has to.”

  “Hey,” she replies, slapping my upper arm lightly, “Chance loves me too, remember.”

  “Uh-huh, but I always thought he was a glutton for punishment,” I retort and we both giggle like ten-year-old schoolgirls.

  “This place is nice,” Aubrey states when the giggles subside.

  We both spend a moment looking around.

  It’s a new restaurant, which is quiet and classy. After her morning shift at the shelter today, we decided to come here for lunch. We’ve both been talking about trying the food here, and now we’ll get to - if it ever arrives.

  “It is nice with all the grey and white marble, and did you see the chandelier?” I say, pointing to the ceiling. We both look up and I notice other customers glancing at us with disdain. I grin at them and they quickly look away. “The menu is pretty fancy,” I continue, “however, I could eat a dirty rug, right now. How long are they going to take? We only ordered chicken soup. What are they doing, plucking the chickens?”

  Aubrey laughs and we get some side eyes from the customers at other tables again. “People are looking at us,” she says, biting down on her lower lip.

  I look around and those who were staring quickly turn away for a second time, all except for one woman who frowns deeply when my eyes meet hers. I stick my tongue out. Her eyes widen and she blusters, before turning back to the other people at her table.

  “You are so bad,” Aubrey smirks.

  I open my mouth to reply when I’m assaulted by a screeching noise. It’s like someone is slowly killing a seagull. It
takes a second to sink in that it’s actually Mrs. Peterson storming across the restaurant, heading directly toward us. Within seconds she’s standing at our table, scowling down at me like she wishes I would spontaneously combust. Honestly, at this point, I wouldn’t mind if that happened.

  “My Derrick was traumatized by your evil cat,” she snaps, spittle flies from her mouth and I jerk my head away to avoid it.

  Who calls a chicken Derrick?

  I then think about Blanche, and touché myself. I shrug – again to myself. At least I didn’t name the damn cat. Damn my life is now so sad that I’m arguing with my internal monologue.

  “Are you listening to me?” Mrs. Peterson barks out.

  I look around and can’t blame the other patrons for watching our table this time. My gaze falls on Aubrey, whose face is nearly red trying to hold in her laughter. I narrow my eyes at her before looking back to Mrs. Peterson.

  “Well?” she bites, tapping her foot on the marble floor.

  “Yes, of course, Mrs. Peterson. Derrick the chicken is traumatized. Have you thought about therapy?”

  “For the chicken?”

  “Well yeah, for him too.” I shrug and Aubrey’s laughter bursts free.

  Mrs. Peterson narrows her eyes at me before stalking off.

  “That’s another neighbor off the Christmas card list,” I state and Aubrey laughs some more.

  “What is going on here?” the words are stiff, and curt. I look up and see a man, who’s wearing a shiny badge that tells the world he is the restaurant manager. The world around us quiets and all eyes are – once again – on us.

  “I’m not sure, but I feel like I’m in a fantastically chic mental asylum,” I answer.

  He doesn’t smile, not even a flicker. “I think you should both leave,” he orders.

  “Can we take the soup to go?” I question and when his eyes narrow, I grin up at him. “No?”

  “Come on, this place is ridiculous anyway, we’ve been waiting for thirty minutes and still don’t have our soup,” Aubrey hisses at the man, loudly enough that all the other guests hear it and start chattering about their own wait. She smirks at the manager, knowing she’s created a fuss, “Have a nice day!”

  “So, what are you doing for the rest of the day?” Aubrey asks me as we drive home. I watch her Obama bobble head bouncing around and feel sympathy for the little plastic object as his head bounces from side to side. My head also feels like it’s about to roll right off my shoulders at any moment and I’m still hungry due to our lack of lunch.

  “I don’t know, probably food, Netflix and chill, without all the sex.”

  “Talking of sex, have you heard from Lance?” Aubrey questions.

  I turn to look at her, even though she’s facing forward driving. “Lance and sex never really belonged in the same sentence. Did I not tell you about our break up, about the orgasm thing?” My sarcastic tone cannot be missed and Aubrey glances over at me and smirks.

  “I do remember, and maybe it’s time to find someone else to fill that specific requirement,” she urges, still smirking.

  “It’s too soon, I mean, I only just broke up with him.”

  “It’s been weeks. Anyway, how long were you mentally broken up?”

  I shrug and look out of the window. It’s one of the things I’ve tried to ignore, not wanting to admit how long I wasted on a relationship which was clearly never going anywhere. And I can’t blame Lance, it was both of us. I was never as invested as I should have been, I allowed it to go on far too long.

  “He’s been calling,” I tell her, ignoring her last question.

  “Wait, he has?”

  I nod in reply, then add an affirmative mumble as she’s driving. I’m surprised Chance hasn’t told her already.

  “What’s he been saying?”

  “That he wants me back, he’s sorry he let me slip away. Oh, and how he can’t imagine life without me. He even asked me to move in with him.”

  Aubrey eyes me warily. “And what did you say?”

  “Give me a break, Aubrey, I told him I was done. There was no going back and he should move on. I said I was sorry-”

  “Wait, what?”

  I shrug and nod. “It seems only fair. I mean, he wasn’t the only person not doing his part in the relationship. Even so, it’s over, for good. If I’m being truthful with myself, I haven’t loved him for a long time,” I finally admit.

  “I have to tell you, that was how it seemed from the outside too. I always wondered why the hell you were together, if I’m honest.”

  “The only issue I have now is, that even though I told him how I felt and that there was no hope, he hasn’t stopped calling. Plus, I keep seeing him at different places I happen to be, like when I go grocery shopping on a Thursday night. It’s typical, I couldn’t get him to help me with anything when we were together, and now he’s everywhere I am.”

  Aubrey pulls her car into her driveway and switches it off. She unbuckles her seatbelt and turns in her seat to face me. “Has he done anything?”

  I unclip my own seatbelt and mirror her movement, turning toward her. “Done anything? What do you mean?”

  “Threatened you or seemed like stalker-ish?”

  I frown, “No. I mean, he’s been a dick a couple of times on my grandma’s answerphone-”

  “You really need to get rid of that,” she says, her lips twitching.

  “It’s nostalgic,” I reply.

  “Did you keep the messages?” she asks.

  I shake my head. “No, I erased them.”

  “If he calls and leaves any messages again, good or bad, keep them. You might need them as evidence.”

  “Evidence?” My eyes widen on her. “When did this turn into a murder investigation?”

  She smiles. “Just being careful, who knows how far his stalker tendencies go?”

  “Oh my God, I’m going to star in one of those Netflix mysteries where I go missing and you never find my body,” I breathe the words out slowly as though they might choke me.

  Aubrey chuckles, “Drama much?”

  “Hey, you were the one who just said he’s going to kill me!”

  “Oh my God, Nola,” she splutters, laughing now, “talk about overreacting.”

  Aubrey starts getting out of the car, but when she realizes I’m not moving she ducks her head back inside, “Are you getting out?”

  I shake my head, “I might be safer in the car.”

  She groans at me. “Just think of it this way, where are you safer? Out here in a car where people can see you, or in your house, where you have the ruler of hell to protect you.”

  I purse my lips and think on it a minute. “You might be right, but I’m not sure Blanche wouldn’t just point the killer in my direction.”

  “But then who would feed her.”

  I nod, “Good point, I’m going home.”

  Aubrey laughs. I roll my eyes at her and get out of the car, waving bye as I head toward my house. When I walk through the front door everything seems quieter than it normally does and my mind whirrs at a speed it never has before. I shake my whole body out and try to re-adjust my damn mind before I lose it. Then I hear a meow and feel claws dig into my ankle and I know I’m home and I’m okay.

  “Fine, I’ll get your food,” I say, smiling down at Blanche. I’m pretty sure it’s the only time I’ve smiled at the cat and I swear she narrows her eyes at me.

  Chapter Six

  NOLA

  “The system looks amazing,” Chance murmurs as he sits across the office at his own desk. He has his laptop open, working through my progress on the files.

  “I know, I’m pretty fantastic, right?” I tease.

  He chuckles, “I wouldn’t go that far, you’ll be wanting a raise.” He winks and I roll my eyes at him.

  Turning back to my own laptop I start scrolling the emails that have come in from customers wanting work doing. “You have to visit four places this week and quote on new work,” I tell Chance.

/>   “Not a problem, can you speak to the customers and arrange the meetings? My calendar is up to date, so as long as you put anything new in the diary, I won’t forget it.”

  I nod and reply, “Will do.”

  Chance is much more organized and focused than I would have imagined him to be, and I’m actually really impressed. I have been here for just over a month now and I love this job, but it’s not my dream, and I wonder if I will ever be able to achieve my dream or if it will always be just out of reach.

  “Chance… Gorgeous,” Kato greets us as he walks through the door.

  “Hey, man, how did the Sullivan estate fare?” Chance asks him, thankfully removing me from the conversation.

  Kato takes his usual position against the wall with his feet crossed and his hands in the front pockets of his ripped jeans – ripped from the work he does, but of course that only makes them look designer. I stare at him way longer than I should and he chuckles, causing Chance to twist around and look at me, a frown playing above his eyes.

  “Everything went as it should and we finished half a day early. They were pleased with that,” Kato answers, pulling Chance’s attention back to him.

  I drop my head down and focus on my work, ignoring the way this man makes me feel. I’m not sure if I want to slap him or ride him, maybe both. Kato has an effect on me like no other. The moment I saw him in that coffee shop - laughing at me as I tried to free my heel from the grate and the rain pelted down - I had an immediate reaction which I thought was anger, but the more I see him, the more my anger turns to a different kind of heat. One that I’m determined not to acknowledge.

  “Good. Listen, can you take Nola with you to do those quotes we talked about?” Chance asks him, looking back at me and rubbing his chin.

  What the actual fuck?

  “Why do I need to do quotes?” I splutter.

  Kato grins at me.

  “It would save me and Kato having to do them all. It makes sense to have someone here who can manage quotes,” Chance replies with a shrug, “it would free up some of my time too.”