by Shyla Colt
“I’m a fast learner and a hard worker.” I can feel the heat pouring off her body. Her eyes dilate, and I see something more than irritation glide across her dark eyes. She clears her throat and averts her gaze, closing the link between us.
“We need to get this finished, so we can meet up with Ellis and Casp at the restaurant. They’ll wonder what took us so long.”
I smirk, pleased that I won our standoff. I don’t mind the cold shoulder, baby girl. I live for the chase.
“Wouldn’t want to worry them.”
Tilting her head, she pauses. “I get the feeling you’re not really concerned.”
“I’m past worrying about what others think. I get the feeling you are, too.”
“You don’t know anything about me,” she says softly.
“Not yet. After being in your apartment, I can see there’s another woman inside of you begging to get out. The girl standing in front of me isn’t the real you.”
“You talk a big game—”
“Believe me I’m not playing, and I can back it up. You’re used to dealing with your brothers and your cousin. I’m an entirely different breed.”
Her pink tongue darts out as she licks her lips. The pause fills the small space. “So sanitization is a three step process. Since we’ve already taken out the garbage, and stored our leftovers, we’ll prep the water.”
I give her space and observe, taking everything in as I admire the way the pants cling to her thick thighs and rear end. With her hair in a bun, her long, slender neck begs to be nibbled. Moving in closer, I inhale the scent of sea and sunshine. It sends warmth through my body.
Xia Foley is the type of woman you take seriously. You win her over, settle down, and keep her happy. I never would’ve given her a second glance before. Women were used to scratch an itch. But this layered mystery packed in a body that has my fingers aching to explore is tempting me to mix business with pleasure.
“Do you think you’ll remember this?” She glances at me and arches an eyebrow.
“Two parts water for one-part cleansing solution. All the utensils and bowls need to soak in it for at least ten minutes a piece. We use that time to clean the surfaces and check our inventory before we head to Fresco to restock and finish our prep.”
“I’m impressed.”
“You should wait. I haven’t begun to show you what I’m capable of.”
“Psssh.”
Her attitude is a red flag to a bull. The more she fights, the more I want her. “Here I thought we were becoming friends.”
“If you’d keep the suggestive comments to yourself, we probably could be.”
I chuckle. “When I’m suggesting something you’ll know. Maybe that’s where your mind is headed.”
She spins to face me. “I don’t know what kind of women you’re used to, but I assure you there’s nothing easy about me. So you should save your breath.”
“How can I when you keep intriguing me?”
“Shayne. You’re here to learn a job and go back home.”
“You’ve never had a change of plans before?”
She opens her mouth and closes it shaking her head. “No. I make a plan and stick to it.” Her voice drops an octave and sadness fills her eyes. A heaviness spreads through the area, clinging to the atoms in the air like clouds heavy with impending rain. She peers down, hiding her eyes from me.
Placing a finger under her chin, I force her to look at me.“That’s no way to live.”
“I grasp that now.” The soft spoken tone touches a place inside of me that turns on my desire to comfort.
“So change it.”
“What?” She peers up at me.
“Life is short and unpredictable. You don’t want to look back and be filled with regrets. Believe me.”
“Easier said than done. You don’t understand what family responsibilities–”
“I know better than you think. I’m one of many in my family, and it’s always about the greater good. Which is fine, until you find what they need, and you need no longer mesh.”
“Yes,” she whispers.
We share a look, and for a moment we’re completely connected. Honk. She jumps as a semi rumbles by. The moment is gone, but not forgotten as we move to finishing our task in one-word questions and answers.
Chapter Two
Xia
I’m in trouble, thanks to the hazel-eyed blond who sees too much and has a deep, soulful voice that makes my knees weak. Most of my relationships have been casual; the only semi-serious one crashed and burned when he saw how much went into my work. It’s been a string of dating partners who don’t last more than three dates ever since.
None of these men affected me in the visceral way Shayne does. Despite his casual appearance, there’s an edge to him that makes him seem bigger than he is. If he thinks I’m hiding a personality, I’m not alone. It’s never smart to be involved with someone you work with. Just being related is hard enough. I can’t imagine how adding more volatile emotions into the mix would affect your work environment.
I shouldn’t even be thinking about him, but whether I like it or not he’s gotten under my skin. Striping off my clothes, I pitch them into the laundry bin, and step into a warm shower. I let the water beat down on my shoulders, unknotting my stiff muscles. Fridays are always insane, and training another person requires more mental power than usual.
In the end, I’m drained like a battery that needs to be placed on a recharge station. Shayne’s a fast learner, but there’s a vast range of things to teach. I sigh. Here I am, home, and still thinking about him. No more.
I focus on getting a lather with my mermaid tail soap and washing away the day. The hours have been grueling with everyone split between the current truck and the one to come. It sticks in my craw, and I hate that. I wish I could cut the bitter part out of me and turn it into a motivator, but there’s something unforgivable about family betrayal. After a life of being overlooked, patronized, and guilted into putting the greater good of the family before my own wants and needs. It’s a raw, bloody, infected wound I’m not sure will ever heal properly.
The recovery process can’t begin until I quit. Seeing everyone day in and day out is too much. It’s scary, preparing to leave everything behind, and stepping out completely on my own without support or backing. It’s now how Foleys do it. The water turns cold, chasing me from the stall and on to dressing. I’ve got a mini Death Note marathon planned with Jas and Andy. Real friends are the people you can wear your pajamas around.
At least that’s what I tell myself as I pull on my Lazy Bones T-shirt with matching Skull and Crossbones boxer shorts. Slipping my feet into black flip flops, I call it a day. I have no one to impress, and zero fucks left to give. I have to be back at the truck bright and early to start the training process all over again, and the only thing keeping me going is this mini reprieve tonight. A human isn’t meant to toil endlessly without breaks or things to look forward to. My goal remains achievable until I make major changes. It’s brought me down in a way I’ve never experienced before.
I always considered myself lucky to have a job I loved. Now that love is turning to hate, and my heart is hardening at an alarming rate. I’m sinking fast, and trying to bail enough water to keep me afloat while I wait for the raft I called in for a rescue to arrive. I leave the house, eager to escape the regret, and ghost taunting me for the decisions I’ve made over the years. My head is a loud echo chamber for drama right now. The state of being has me off kilter, and gloomy.
With my hair breaded around my head in a dark brown crown, I lock the door behind me and welcome the moonlit night and warm air.
***
“Why don’t you go get everything ready while we make the drinks?” Jas asks.
“It’s so sweet how you tell me to get lost without actually saying the words.” Andy kisses
her on the cheek, and I laugh as he disappears from the kitchen.
“You look exhausted. Is everything okay?” Jas inquires the moment he clears the room.
“I am. Training slows everything down, so work takes twice as long, and Shayne is so cocky it makes me sick.”
Jas’s thin lips form an O.
“Jas, I’m telling you, he lives to get on my nerves. He always has something to say when we’re alone, which is most of the time.” I shake my head. “And why is he so cocky? It must be etched in his DNA. The way he stands, talks … hell, the way he smells. Can a man perspire Alpha pheromones?”
“Alpha is an interesting word to use,” Jas says coyly.
“Why?” I narrow my gaze at her.
“Well in the past minute alone you’ve mentioned pheromones and Alpha. I think the lady doth protest too much.”
“Ugh. No, Jas.”
“What?” she asks innocently.
“I’ve never liked Alpha-holes.”
She smirks. “Your mind not, but I think your body does. Hormones are biologically based, not psychological.”
“You’re supposed to be my friend.”
“Best friend, which means I’m your truth giver.”
I mumble as we pull out the ice, limes, mint, rum, and club soda. We work together chopping mint and limes as we measure out the liquid. By now we’ve got it down to a science.
“Are you going to stay mad at me, or think about what I said?”
“Ugh. I’m not mad.”
“Mmm hmm.”
“I’m frustrated with the entire situation. What I love is turning into the very thing I’m starting to hate, and it breaks my heart.”
Setting down the pitcher, she shakes her head. “No. What you hate is the way they try to put you in a box, and make you do things their way. Don’t let this setback ruin the joy and passion you have for Magical Munchies. I know you’ve been waiting a long time, and it’s disheartening, but I never had any doubt that you would make it. You’re in the home stretch here. Get Shayne trained, set your plans in motion, and let’s get it done.”
“You’re going to help me?”
“Of course, I am. You know my schedule is flexible. I can’t do it indefinitely, but I can hang tight until you train some reliable staff.”
I give her a spontaneous hug. “Thank you.”
“You have always been there for me. How could I do any differently?” Jas asks softly.
We separate, and I can’t help but smile as my spirits lift.
“Now about this mysterious Shayne, who I really need to see with my own eyes.”
“Jas.”
She tuts me. “Let me finish. Don’t take your anger at your family out on him.”
“I’m not.”
“Aren’t you?”
I examine her words. “I don’t think I am. He just rubs me the wrong way.”
“Or the right way.” She wiggles her eyebrows.
“Come on.”
“All I know is you light up when you talk about him. Have some hate sex, free up that tight kitty, and see how it loosens you up. You are wound so tight I might start calling you Cogsworth.”
“Listen, Lumiere. You know I don’t do casual sex,” I counter, referencing the randy candlestick from Beauty and the Beast. I made the mistake of attempting it once, and it didn’t sit well with me.
“Cogsworth, there’s a first time for everything, and if I’m reading this situation right, you’re in for a lot of new experiences.”
“No,” I protest. Once she gets a hold of an idea, she’s as stubborn as a dog with its favorite bone.
“Are the drinks ready, ladies?” Andy calls.
“Yep. We’re headed in now,” Jas replies as she lifts up the pitcher and I grab the tray with the glasses and lime wedges. “Enough worry. It’s time to relax and let the day remain behind us where it belongs.”
I nod my head. I’ve always admired and envied her ability to let things go. It’s been said one or a million times I beat a dead horse. I force myself to turn off my brain as I settle on the love seat diagonal from the couch with a fresh mojito.
“Are you ladies ready?” Andy asks.
“Yes, sir. Let her rip.”
Almost instantly, I’m drawn into the dark and mysterious world of the Shinigami, Gods of Death from the Japanese lore.
***
I scrub my face with my hands as I eyeball our stock. We’re running low on sides. I’m not sure why our sales have spiked recently, but I have a suspicion the dimpled blond is a huge factor in the longer than usual lines full of females. With our smoky, sweet, tangy, and hot sauces, our demographic tends to possess the Y chromosome more than the X.
I watch, amused as a petite blonde in her early-twenties bats her eyelashes and orders a pulled pork sandwich with Carolina-style sauce, coleslaw, and a side of mac and cheese done three ways. It’s amazing how much the mac and cheese flavor is elevated when you add more complex cheeses types.
He takes her money and makes change. He’s not cold, but his disinterest is clear. My thoughts go back to the conversations I’ve had with Jas. I’ve never seen him be receptive to a come on. Perhaps I was mistaken about him being non-selective. It causes waves in my belly. No. I can’t afford to let my stance shift on this. Damn you, Jas. Now that she’s put the thoughts in my head, I can’t stop my mind from wandering. He has strong hands. Big and capable with callouses that speak to hard work. I can’t fault his work ethic. Or how fine he is.
I return my attention to the order.
Maybe it’s time I get back on the horse. If I’m having daydreams about a man I don’t even like, I’m more sexually frustrated than I imagined.
“The girls love this one, don’t they?”
I smirk at Casp. As the younger of my brothers, he was automatically easier to deal with than Ellis. Big brother had the weight of the world placed on his shoulders and was often charged with caring for us and helping out Mom while Dad was working. If he ever resented that, he hid it well.
Meeting Casper’s sparkling, chocolate brown gaze, I nod my head in agreement. With his curly brown hair, oval-shaped face, olive skin, and lanky build, he’s the perfect blend of both my parents. In his skinny jeans and black rimmed glasses, he embodies the word hipster.
“It would appear so.”
“I’m not complaining. I like money as much as the next person,” he says with a shrug.
I laugh, and Ellis turns toward me.
“What?”
“Nothing. We’re going to run out of mac and cheese and coleslaw in the next hour if we don’t send people off for prep,” I reply.
“I know. This is insane for a week day.”
“It’s summer, and we’re good food on a budget for college kids trying to save up for their next semester,” I counter.
“Yeah, you’re right. Let me know when you want to head out, and Casp will take over on the register.”
“Why me?”
“Because you’re prettier,” Ellis says.
Casp rolls his eyes.
“It’s true, Casp,” I tease.
“Screw both of you.”
Casp breathes through his nose. “Humph.”
Ellis nudges me with his elbow, and I laugh until my stomach aches. For a moment in time, we’re just three siblings, working at a job they love together. I hold the snapshot of time close to my heart, capturing it in a freeze frame and storing it in my memory. In a few weeks, they’ll be splitting their time between the new truck and here. I won’t see them nearly as much.
“I’ll go now. Let Casp switch over. I don’t want us to run out in the middle of a rush.”
As we leave the truck, I can’t help but shake the feeling that this is the beginning of the end.
***
Shayne
/> It’s strange how easy it is to slip into my new life. It feels good to work with my hands. I don’t mind dealing with the public in small doses now that I’ve learned to channel my charm into more than flirting. I’m actually enjoying learning the trade. One thing my dad handed down was his love for grilling. Off the top of my head, I can make at least five mean marinades and sauces. This reminds me of that time in my life when he was like Superman—we all did things as a family, and the future lay in front of us like an endless blacktop road that ran through sun-kissed California scenery.
There’s also a feeling of accomplishment I haven’t experienced in a long time.
I finish storing the sanitized equipment. It’s almost quitting time, and like most nights the brothers left earlier to attend to other things. I don’t think they mean to be dicks, but the effect is the same regardless. “Hail to the Chief” by Avenge Seven Fold blares from Xia’s pocket, and she sighs.
“Hey, Dad. … Yeah, we’re just about ready to close up for the night. … What? No. … Yeah, they’re long gone. … Do I have—” She rolls her eyes. “It’s awfully last minute, don’t you think?” She grits her teeth, and her eyes darken with anger. “Yeah. … Oh, I know. … Uh huh. Of course, I will. … Yep, you too.” I’d never heard a person pop a P and make it sound like a bullet until now.
I stand and take a step back. “Everything okay?”
“We’re being rewarded for all our hard work this month. A night out on the company dime.” Her words are tinged with annoyance. I’m not offended by her outward aversion to me when I see the longing in her gaze. It’s clear she’s used to living a life of denial. I’ve never been the type to curb anything.
It makes the pursuit a lesson in patience and real want. Lust is easy— a hot, quick burst of pleasure that’s forgotten when the moment passes. What I feel for Xia is a slow burn simmering beneath the surface. It’ll take more than a few nights to assuage myself of the ache in the pit of my stomach.
“Do you always do what your fathers asks you to?” I want to get inside of her head and see what makes her tick. Her life has been the polar opposite of mine, and any good hunter takes the time to learn about its prey.
