“Can you order us some lunch? Thanks, Babe!” I hear her yell through the thin walls.
My stomach growls as if I hadn’t finished those three pieces of pie this morning for breakfast. Why I let that woman boss me around like a damn two year old is perplexing. Grabbing my keys off the desk, I snatch my jacket off the hook and head for my truck. Bar food sounds fucking perfect right about now.
“Hey Jeremy. How’s the lunch crowd?” Sitting down on an empty barstool, I quickly do a three-sixty of the bar in hopes to find Charlie. I knew she wasn’t in the stock room since I walked by it on the way in, but was hoping I would catch her working the earlier shift today.
“Slow, Man.” Jeremy picks up a bottle of Miller Lite and shakes it at me.
“Yeah, sure.” Jeremy twists the top off and slides the cold beer in front of me.
“You eating?”
“Charlie working?” I ask after taking a long pull from the bottle.
“Is that the new hire? Nope; just me behind the bar and Shelly and Grace out on the floor. I don’t know about tonight, but I haven’t really looked at the schedule either.” Jeremy shrugs, reaching for a drink ticket that pops out of the printer next to him.
“Can you put in two bacon cheeseburgers with fries and ranch to go? I’m going back to check the schedule,” I holler while grabbing my beer off the bar.
Stopping at the office door, I quickly glance over the schedule until my eyes stop at the very bottom, on Charlie’s name. She is off today, but looks like she is behind the bar Friday night. Scrolling my eyes up to my name, I notice I’m off the calendar until Saturday night. Letting out a sigh, I lean my head into the closed door. I don’t know if I can wait till tomorrow to see her. I need answers on what happened this morning, and stewing on it doesn’t seem like a real option.
Suddenly, the door pulls open, causing my body to stumble forward into the small office.
“What are you doing here, Greyson?” Mark asks as he catches my forward falling body.
I realize how often he has asked me that question in the last couple days, and it dawns on me how many times I’ve been at the bar lately. “Lunch for Cameron and me, then I thought I would check out the schedule.” Adjusting myself, I pull down my t-shirt and let out a nervous smirk. Why am I panicking over looking at the schedule? It wasn’t like I didn’t work here on occasion, and I did tell him that with the shop closed I can pick up a couple extra shifts if he needs me.
“Are they starting the remodel tomorrow?”
“Yep. Cameron and I are just packing up the last few boxes and the queen got hungry.” Mark laughs and steps around me, motioning for me to follow him back to the stockroom. “So, I notice you have Charlie on the schedule full time now. I take it she is working out?”
“Well, she needs the distraction and we can sure use the help in here.” Mark hands me a large box, then grabs one himself and wanders back down the hallway.
“Have you seen her today? We didn’t get a chance to exchange numbers after leaving the restaurant this morning,” I say casually, trying to hide my infatuation with his niece.
“She went to breakfast with you?” Mark questions, giving me a concerned look.
“Hey, it’s not what you think,” I lie. Well, it shouldn’t be what it means. I might just be losing myself over a girl who doesn’t even want to be friends with me. “I’m just trying to be her friend, Mark. But, this morning she freaked out and left in a hurry.” I set the box down next to him and shove my hands into my pocket. I’m sure the nervous twitching is going to give me away.
“Don’t take it personal, Greyson. Charlie has some issues she has to deal with, and I’m not sure she is ready to tackle those things yet.”
I open the box and start handing Mark the cleaning supplies he is shoving under the wells. I need a break from this girl, but my mind can’t seem to shake her. “I get it, Mark. I really do. I just thought she might want a friend to talk to.”
“Since when do you have girlfriends besides Cameron? I didn’t know you had that type of kindness in you.” Mark laughs, while grabbing the large bottle of bleach from my hand and shakes his head.
“I know what you’re thinking old man, so just stop it.” No one needs to know the hand I am playing with until I’m ready to call it for the win.
“I know you, Greyson. And trust me when I say this crudely, but Charlie is not going to bend over for you. You are barking up the wrong tree.”
“So, she bats for the other team?” Maybe that would explain the complete shutdown on her part. Maybe she is one of those super modern feminists that hate the male species in general. But, then why did she agree to have pie with me?
“Give it up, Greyson.” Mark laughs and grabs both of the empty boxes, slipping through the half door and disappearing around the corner.
“Here’s your food, Greyson,” Marks says, holding the to-go bag out in front of him.
“Thanks. I guess I better get back to the shop before Cameron puts my balls in a vice grip,” I chuckle, giving Jeremy a half wave and heading out for my car. Technically, Mark didn’t say if Charlie is into the male variety, but he didn’t exactly shoot down the possibility of being a lesbian either. Normally, my radar picks up on those real quickly, but I don’t get that vibe from her.
Suddenly, my cell phone blares in my pocket.
“Woman, I just got the cheeseburger and I’m heading back to the shop. If you utter a single word on this taking too long, I swear I will eat both of these burgers before even getting back and then shit in your car.”
“You wouldn’t dare,” Cameron’s voice comes through the speaker loudly.
“Try me.”
I laugh, pressing the end call button and climbing into the truck. She knows I’m totally serious about shitting in her car, considering she has seen some of the crap us guys do to each other at the shop. Prank wars are dangerous with guys, and just because she has a pair of tits and wears some incredibly sexy heels doesn’t make her void from our shenanigans.
“If you do anything to my car while I’m on vacation, I will chain you to the table and have Kenny give you that prince albert you have always wanted,” Cameron threatens, snatching the sack out of my hand.
“I seriously need to rethink your salary if you have enough to leave this place.” Opening a box, I swipe the entire contents on the top of my desk into the box, giving us space to set out our food.
“I guess that’s one way to pack up your office,” Cameron snorts, pulling up an extra chair to the now cleaner desk. “How can you live like this? Wait, don’t answer that.”
“You lived with me for two years; I’m sure you know the answer already.” I slam the first bite into my mouth, and chew the greasiness slowly. My mind continues to think of Charlie and this morning. My mind is starting to remind me of a stalker; thoughts of her invading my space, her creamy pink skin, the long brown hair, those eyes that bore straight through you.
“You seriously need to get laid. I haven’t seen you this distracted since, well, never I guess. I would offer myself up, but we both know what going down that roads looks like.”
“Do you still like it when they force your legs………..”
“Stop right there, Greyson!” Cameron narrows her eyes at me, causing a smart smile to creep across my face. “Why don’t you call Mona tonight; you know she is always up for some fun with you?”
Shrugging my shoulders, I shove the rest of the burger into my mouth and clasp my hands behind my head. A distraction might be a welcoming change; considering this has been one of the longest dry spells I’ve been on in quite some time.
“Seriously, an evening of fake boobs in your face, and you sitting here contemplating it? Whatever has you so messed up, please either get over it or under it before I come home. Okay?” Cameron kicks her shiny red stiletto heels up on the desk and shoots the wrapper into the garbage can across the room.
“Nice shot, Hooker.”
“They are pretty fabulous, huh?�
�
“You really should get back to work, considering I apparently pay you way too much to afford shoes like that.” Standing up from the chair, I grab another empty box and start filling it with the countless binders of drawings that take up the entire bookcase behind the desk.
“You never used to mind my shoe budget when they were in your bed.” Cameron’s moist lips tease the side of my ear, her fingers digging into the tops of my shoulders.
Forcing my eyes closed, I let out a deep breath and turn around to face her. “Nice try,” I manage to say through clenched teeth.
“You’re too easy, Greyson. Too easy,” Cameron laughs while taking a step back and flashing an evil smirk. “Finish packing, and then call Mona. You really could use that release.”
“I hate you sometimes,” I yell as she disappears around the corner. Some things never really change between the two of us.
Chapter 9
Charlie
“Are you even alive?” Samantha’s voice came loudly through the speaker. Being woken up from a deep hard sleep by the musical styling of David Guetta isn’t always my first choice in the morning.
“Yes,” I grumble, rolling over onto my back. Glancing at the clock, I have only been asleep for a whopping two hours before the untimely phone call. Normally, I would have been up and out the door for a run by now, but after leaving Greyson at the restaurant, all I did was flop around in bed for the next couple hours, until I finally passed out sometime after six.
“Because you promised you would call, and obviously that never happened, Charlie. What gives? Did you get abducted by the mob or something? I know, maybe all that sunshine gave you amnesia, or there is always a possibility of a shark attack.”
“You know I don’t go in the water past my ankles. Besides, I got busy. Sorry.”
“I was seriously about to drive myself up there if you didn’t answer my call. I don’t like it when you jump off the deep end, Charlie. You scare me when I don’t hear from you.” Silence fills the line, as I mull over what to say next. I know she cares and deep down inside somewhere that really should count for something.
“I’m sorry I haven’t called you sooner. I’m okay, I promise.”
“Alright, well class is about to start, so I’ve got to go. But, so help me god I will come up there and kick your scrawny ass if you don’t call me tonight. Got it?” Samantha threatens.
“Loud and clear, Captain.” Rolling my eyes, I toss the covers off my body and swing my legs over the side of the bed.
“Love you, Charlie.”
“You too,” I ramble back. Saying the words “I love you” isn’t something I’m comfortable with. Sure, Samantha is someone that I cherish very much, and yes, I probably do have those feelings toward her. But, the last person I said those three words to is gone. I doubt if they ever make their way back into my vocabulary ever again. Not like it really matters, since living this jaded life is something I need to get accustomed to.
There is no use to crawling back in bed. The sun blaring through the white lace curtains offers no option of sulking in a darkened room. Glancing at the door, I notice my running shoes where I left them the other day. Grabbing some shorts and a tank top from another duffle bag, I slip into my shoes and grab my phone and earbuds from the nightstand. Tossing my hair up in a messy ponytail, I search around for a couple banded bracelets and quickly slide them on. A long, hard run on the beach might slip me out of this funk this morning. If not, at least I’ll get a good workout in before doing nothing all day long.
It is hard to set the pace running, when I am constantly skipping songs on one of the playlists. The songs lack that runners groove, leaving me with no consistency in my morning jaunt. Finally giving up on finding that right track to set the tone, I flop down into the sand and stare out into the waves. The beach tends to have a calming effect on people. The methodical way the wave’s crash into each other, the gritty texture of the sand on your bare feet, and the salty taste to the air are all things that normally let people relax. Sadly for me, the waves remind me of the staleness of my life, repeating the same damn pattern over and over again. The sand is creeping into my shorts and the salt air is really drying out my sinuses. Sure, it is beautiful, but that is about it.
“Well, I’m glad I ran into you this morning, since we didn’t exchange numbers last night,” a deep voice comes from behind me. Shielding my eyes from the sun, I quickly glance behind me and am surprised to see Will. “This seat taken?”
“No,” I rush, instantly grabbing my creeping shorts and giving them a tug further down my legs. “Shouldn’t you be teaching or something like that?”
“Actually, I’m only an adjunct instructor right now. Did you already forget about our coffee date? I’m a little crushed, Charlie.”
“I didn’t forget per say; I just didn’t realize it was for today.” Forcing a tight smile, I drop my head back down and start picking at the sand. Things slip my mind easy, and when there is already so much going on in my head, coffee dates don’t rank high enough to keep tabs on.
“It’s okay if you are blowing me off, I can totally take a hint.” Will lets out a carefree laugh and bumps his shoulder into mine.
“That isn’t it,” I stammer, instantly trying to back pedal my last train of thought.
“I’m joking, Charlie. Don’t worry about it. Have you had breakfast?” Glancing at my phone, I realize it is now a little after nine, and I have yet to eat anything of substance. I did grab a handful of peanuts out of the glass bowl on the end table before jetting out the door. But, I only got a couple in before spitting the rest of them out on the sidewalk. I tend to forget that Uncle Mark is a bachelor and even though he keeps the house pretty clean, I doubt those peanuts got changed out very often.
“Um, no.”
“I know a great little café a couple blocks from here. Care to join me?” Will’s easy smile and calm demeanor makes it easy to say yes without too much thought.
“Okay.” Will’s smile gets even wider as he stands and offers a hand to help me up. Accepting his offer, I shudder when our skin connects, sending a jolt of electricity through my body. Quickly, I break the connection and brush the remaining sand off the back of my shorts.
“So tell me about yourself,” Will asks, leading us up to the paved walkway at the top of the beach.
“Yeah, let’s try something else.”
“Not ready to divulge your secrets yet, I get it.” Will’s laughter rolls right off his lips with ease. Even with my snippy response, he seems to keep rolling with the punches.
“I just don’t like talking about myself that’s all.”
“Alright, well what’s your favorite food?”
“Um……..Kraft mac and cheese.” I let out a small laugh, easing the tension in my rigid body.
“I’m a sucker for pizza. I seriously lived off the stuff in college, and for some unknown reason I can’t seem to kick the habit now. I don’t even have to say my name when ordering from Jake’s. Kind of sad really.” Will points to the left, showing me the small diner just down the block.
“I’m from California,” I blurt out, sending an instant blush to my pale cheeks.
“What brought you up here?”
“Change of scenery?” I say in question, not really sure of the answer I had given.
“I’m from the Seattle area. The college was the first place that offered me employment after graduate school. I’ve been in the area for a couple years now.” Will reaches out and opens the door, gesturing for me to enter the tiny cafe.
“Thanks,” I respond, offering him a small smile as I slip into the diner. The place was pretty full for the size of the place.
“Looks like there is a table in the corner over there, does that work?” Nodding my head, I carefully slide past patrons eating and grab a seat at the little round table.
“How old are you?” I question as Will sits down.
“Twenty-nine,” he replies while handing me a menu. “The pancakes ar
e incredible.”
Nodding my head, I pretend to be looking over the menu. There is only an eight year age difference between the two of us. Not too bad if things were to progress……………..what in the hell am I thinking? Setting the menu down, I grab the water glass in front of me and quickly gulp down the contents.
“What can I get you kids?” an older lady with a white and red checkerboard apron asks.
“Can I do a number six, Deloris?”
“Of course you can, William. And for you, Sweetie?”
“Um…….” I mumble, quickly glancing back down at the menu in hopes to find something. “A number thirteen?”
“Do you want toast, biscuits, or hash browns with your eggs?”
“I’m fine with just the eggs and bacon.”
“Okay, Sweetie. Can I get you guys anything else to drink besides water?”
I fumble with my empty water glass, but just shake my head.
“Just a refill on water, Deloris. Thanks.” Will smiles at the woman and I notice a small dimple appear on his left cheek.
“I’ll get your orders in then. Just let me know if you need anything else,” she announces, quickly turning to leave.
“Come here often?”
“Like I said, I still live off delivery pizza if that gives you any inclination on my cooking skills.” Laughter comes from both of our lips, letting even more of my apprehension of this breakfast date slip further away.
***
Breakfast with Will yesterday really wasn’t bad. It was easy to talk with him once I got over that irrational fear of spilling my secrets to him. He steered the conversation in a way that no question got too deep, or I didn’t have to give too much information about my past. It is nice having someone here to talk to, even if I think his reasoning behind taking me to breakfast wasn’t exactly to just be friends. Still, it changes nothing on my no dating policy I have set for myself. I did, however, end up giving him my cell phone number, only after promising him I would meet him for coffee on Sunday.
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