His eyes twinkled. “Are you throwing me out?”
“I guess I am,” Niki returned with a nervous chuckle. “There’s only one man in town that can fix that refrigerator, and that’s Carl. If he leaves before I get down there, I’m up the creek without a paddle.”
X nodded and moved toward the door. “I don’t mind waiting. I feel like I should at least walk you down.”
If there was one thing Niki hated more than anything in the world, it was pity. She’d dealt with people feeling sorry for her her entire life. “I can manage,” she shot back a bit stiffer than she’d intended.
His head tilted slightly, and a strange look skated across his face. “If you’re sure.”
“I am.”
“Very well then.” He departed without another word.
Chapter Three
Exodus slowly descended the stairs, his mind still on the tiny human standing so proudly next to that bed. She’d just dismissed him as if she were a queen and he… Well, he, a mere servant.
In all the years X had been on Earth, he’d never once had a female brush him aside the way Niki had. It felt foreign, refreshing, and more than a little humorous. He chuckled.
X decided he liked Niki, with her wire-rimmed glasses and regal stance. She had a quiet strength about her that he had instantly picked up on. And she abhorred pity. She’d made that obvious when he’d offered to wait and see that she made it safely down the stairs.
He wondered how long she’d had heart problems. And he’d known her to have a heart condition from the moment he’d lifted her into his arms.
What a shame, he thought, reaching the bottom of the stairs. The poor thing was awfully young to carry the burden of such an affliction.
It would have been so easy for X to heal her defective heart before he’d fallen. But the power to manipulate the human body had been stripped from him the day he’d been cast down.
Sure, he had the ability to command the weather; he could even control the animals that wandered the earth. But when it came to mankind, he was completely powerless.
X skirted the diner and entered through the front. The bell above the door chimed, drawing the attention of the room’s occupants. Everyone turned to peer at him.
“I have your table ready,” Ellen purred, waving him to her section of the dining room.
Faye Durden, the plump, older waitress who X preferred to wait on him breezed by and met his gaze. “Bless your pea-pickin’ heart.”
It was all X could do not to outright laugh. He understood the meaning behind Faye’s comment. Apparently so did Ellen, if her expression was any indication.
“Jealousy doesn’t become you, Faye,” Ellen muttered under her breath.
Faye shook her head, calling over her shoulder as she continued to walk away, “You’ve got two other tables waiting on refills, girl. Grow some priorities.”
X took a seat, holding his breath to keep from choking on Ellen’s perfume. She wore far too much, unlike Niki’s subtle fragrance.
Ellen leaned in close, pulling a pad and pen from her apron. “What can I get you, Mr. Brooks?”
“Five eggs scrambled with cheese, grits, a double order of bacon, and two biscuits.”
Ellen’s eyebrows lifted. “My, aren’t we hungry this morning? Can I get you a drink?”
“You can get me one,” a woman chimed in from the table behind X.
Ellen rolled her eyes. “I’ll be right there, Mrs. Primrose.”
“I’ll just have coffee,” X informed her, handing back the menu she’d placed in front of him.
Once Ellen had wandered off, X glanced toward the kitchen in time to see Carl pop up from behind the refrigerator and speak something low to the cook, Randal.
Randal turned from the grill. “Are you sure? I don’t think Miss Stanton can afford a new fridge.”
Carl rubbed at the back of his neck. “I got a used one down at the shop. It needs Freon, but I can probably have it ready by this afternoon.”
Niki picked that moment to appear through the back door.
X noticed her face pale when Carl broke the news.
She licked her lips and rubbed her palms along the front of her baggy jeans. “How much is that going to cost?”
“Well,” Carl began, “a new one will run you between three and five thousand, depending on the size. But I got a used one down at the shop I can sell you for twelve hundred.”
“Dollars?” Niki wheezed, her hands stilling in their urgent movement along her thighs. “I don’t have that kind of money.”
Compassion stirred to life inside X. The poor little mite couldn’t afford to replace the refrigerator.
The longer he sat there watching her, the more his heart went out to her. She couldn’t be more than twenty years old and probably weighed a hundred pounds soaking wet. And she was sick.
X pushed to his feet and trailed over to the open kitchen door. “Excuse me. I couldn’t help but overhear.”
All heads turned toward him, including Niki’s.
She pushed her glasses up on her nose and cleared her throat. “I apologize for that, Mr. Brooks. I hadn’t realized we were speaking so loudly.” And with that, she reached over, took hold of the door, and pushed it closed.
X blinked. Twice now, Niki Stanton had dismissed him without an obvious second thought.
He returned to his table seconds ahead of Ellen and his coffee. But his gaze remained on that damn closed kitchen door.
“Is something wrong?”
It took him a moment to realize Ellen had spoken to him. “What?”
“I asked if you were all right.”
“I’m fine,” he muttered, already pushing to his feet as the kitchen door opened and Carl stepped into the dining room.
X followed him outside to his work van. “Excuse me, Mr. Dover?”
“Mr. Dover is my father,” Carl informed him, opening the sliding door to the yellow van. “Name’s Carl. What can I do for you, Mister…?”
Exodus held his gaze. “It’s Brooks, and I’d like to have a new refrigerator delivered to Miss Stanton.”
Interest sparked in Carl’s eyes. “A new one?”
“Brand new, yes. And I’d like to have it delivered within the hour, if at all possible.” X wasn’t sure what had made him follow Carl outside, but he could no more stop himself than he could stop the sun from rising in the morning. He told himself it was because he didn’t want Hazel’s Diner shut down for any length of time. It happened to be his favorite place to eat.
Carl set his tools inside the van and slid the door shut. “I doubt she’ll take too kindly to that, Mr. Brooks. From what I’ve gathered, Miss Stanton is a very proud lady. Her granny was the same way.”
“You let me worry about that. Just get the new one here as soon as you can.”
“All right then.” Carl slid behind the wheel and started the engine. “But I don’t take credit cards. It’s cash or check.”
X nodded. “I’ll be by right after breakfast to pay you in full.”
He turned to go, but Carl’s next words stopped him. “But you don’t even know how much it is.”
“It doesn’t matter,” X responded and then made his way back inside the diner. He would get Niki Stanton that damn refrigerator, whether she liked it or not.
Chapter Four
Niki watched Carl go with a feeling of foreboding. There was no way she could come up with twelve hundred dollars for another refrigerator. Especially one that came without guarantees.
Randal rested his towel over his shoulder and touched her on the arm. “Look, I have a little money put back that I was saving up to use for a mini vacation. It’s not twelve hundred dollars, but you’re welcome to it.”
Niki was horrified. “I couldn’t take your money, Randal! Thank you for your generosity, but I couldn’t.”
“You gotta have a new fridge, Miss Stanton.”
“I know. I’ll figure out how to make that happen. And not by taking money from my employees.�
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Randal retrieved his towel and turned back to the grill. “All right, but the offer stands.”
“Thank you, Randal. You’re a good man.”
Niki touched the cook on the arm and gave him a gentle squeeze before making her way to the small office in the back of the kitchen.
She took a seat in her grandma’s old wooden chair perched in front of an equally old wooden desk and switched on the laptop she’d brought with her from South Carolina.
After waiting for the computer to boot up, Niki went to her banking page and typed in the required information.
A second later, her checking and savings accounts became viewable. She had a little over two thousand dollars left in her savings and barely three hundred in her checking.
Her grandmother’s account had even less in it.
Why would Hazel keep the diner open if it made so little money? And why did it make so little money?
Niki leaned back in her chair, her mind going over everything she’d learned from Randal in the past week since arriving in Helen, Georgia.
He’d informed her that the diner used to make enough revenue to pay for the food orders, the power bill, and the employees. But things had gradually begun going downhill after Hazel became sick, until there was barely enough to get by on.
Niki blew out a half-defeated breath, pulled the calculator toward her, and plucked up the stack of invoices resting next to it. Something had changed drastically over the past two years, and Niki was determined to find out what.
The sound of the back door opening caught her attention. She pushed her glasses up on her nose, got to her feet, and strode to the kitchen.
Her mouth dropped open at the sight of Carl and two other men attempting to steer a double-glass-door cooling unit through the door.
“Whoa,” Niki called out, hurrying forward with her eyes huge in her face. “What is this?”
Carl barely spared her a glance. “It’s your new refrigerator.”
“I know what it is,” Niki shot back, more than a little stunned. “Why is it here?”
Continuing forward with the large unit, Carl replied, “It was bought and paid for this morning. I was told to see that it got here within the hour, and that’s exactly what I’m trying to do.”
Niki pinched the bridge of her nose and took a patient breath. “Paid for by whom?”
“Mr. Brooks.”
Niki’s mouth fell open in shock. “Mr. Brooks paid you for this refrigerator?”
“Look, Miss Stanton. I’m only doing what I was asked to do. The unit is bought and paid for and now belongs to you. If you have an issue with that, I suggest you take it up with Mr. Brooks, because I’m backed up from now till Sunday down at the shop. I really have to hurry and get on back.”
Anger began to surface. “Well, take it back with you. I didn’t order it and therefore do not want it.”
“Maybe you should think about it,” Randal piped in. “Without it, we’ll have to shut the diner down. And I don’t think you want to do that, ma’am.”
Niki stared back at Randal for long moments and then waved Carl forward. “Go ahead and set it up there.”
She then asked,” Do you have a number for Mr. Brooks?”
Carl shook his head. “He didn’t give me a number, but I have his address.”
Niki held out her hand. “Give it to me, please.”
* * *
Niki drove up the mountain for a good fifteen minutes before the road forked in front of her. She touched her brakes, glanced at her GPS, and took the road to the left.
She traveled another five minutes up the steep incline before she noticed a chimney rising through the trees.
That had to be Mr. Brooks’ house.
The GPS picked that moment to announce her destination, leaving no doubt that the place belonged to X.
Niki pulled into the drive and her breath caught. There, perched in the shade of dozens of trees, stood a beautifully built log cabin.
She switched off the engine and took in the serene setting in front of her.
The porch appeared to wrap around the cabin, with hummingbird feeders hanging every few feet.
Wide steps led to a stone walkway that opened into what could only be described as a bird and squirrel sanctuary. It had to be the most beautiful sight Niki had ever seen.
The front door to the cabin opened and Exodus stepped out. He sauntered forward, leaned against the porch railing, and crossed his arms over his chest.
The stance was intimidating to say the least. Niki had to remind herself of the reason she’d driven out here to begin with.
Gathering her courage, she got out, trailed up to the steps, and pushed her glasses up on her nose. “Mr. Brooks?”
“I asked you to call me X.”
“Yes, well, X, would you mind telling me why there’s a brand-new refrigerator sitting in my kitchen?”
He shrugged. “Because you needed one and I could afford to have one delivered.”
Niki saw red. “You can afford one, but I can’t. I don’t take charity, Mr. Brooks.”
“It’s X. And it isn’t charity, Niki.”
She adjusted her glasses once more. “Then what would you call it, if not charity?”
“A loan.”
Niki’s eyes narrowed suspiciously, and she muttered flatly, “A loan. I can’t afford to pay a loan back, Mr. Brooks. Not anytime soon.”
“How many times must I insist you call me X?”
“How many times must I insist that I don’t take charity, X?”
“Touché. Would you care to come inside for coffee? We can discuss the terms of this loan you continue to refer to as charity.”
Niki studied him for several more heartbeats. “All right. Lead the way.”
Chapter Five
Exodus had been expecting Niki to come barreling up his drive halfcocked. What he hadn’t counted on was enjoying himself immensely while sparring with her.
It felt good to interact with a female that wasn’t tripping over herself to fall into his bed. No, Niki Stanton didn’t want in his bed. Hell, she didn’t even want the damn refrigerator he’d bought her.
He unfolded his arms and waved her inside. “After you.”
She stomped her way up the steps and brushed past him with that regal air he was coming to recognize in her.
“Wow,” she breathed, stepping over the threshold.
Exodus followed her inside, closing the door behind him. “You like?”
“What’s not to like? It’s breathtaking.”
A spark of pride filled his chest at her words. “Thank you.”
“Who did all this?” She moved forward, her gaze touching on everything around her. “I can’t imagine having even half this kind of talent.”
Exodus cleared his throat. “I did most of it.”
Niki spun to face him. “You did this?”
“You sound surprised.” He chuckled, not missing the pink stain on her cheeks.
“No. It’s just that…” She shook her head as if to clear it. “Never mind. Now, about that fridge.”
“Coffee first. Come, we’ll take this to the kitchen.”
Reaching the kitchen, Exodus pulled out a chair for her and moved to the coffee maker on the counter. He spooned in some Columbian blend, speaking to her over his shoulder. “Cream and sugar?”
“Just cream, thank you.”
With a nod, he pressed the button on the coffee maker, grabbed two cups, and set the cream on the table in front of her.
He took a seat across from her. “I understand your reasoning behind not accepting the refrigerator as a gift. I really do. But if we could consider it a loan to be paid back at your own pace, would you be willing to do that?”
She pushed her glasses up on her nose, a move he’d noticed her do on more than one occasion. He figured it to be a habit she’d picked up when she became nervous.
“Really, Mr. Brooks, er, X. Why would you spend that kind of money on someone you just
met? To be honest, it makes me more than a little uncomfortable.”
For someone so small and sickly, Niki Stanton had a quiet strength that impressed X.
He leaned back in his chair, choosing his words carefully. “It’s really quite simple. I’ve been eating at Hazel’s Diner for years, and I’d come to care a great deal for Hazel. She wouldn’t want the diner shut down over a faulty refrigerator, and neither would I.”
“Really?” Niki eyed him suspiciously. “You did it for my grandmother?”
Exodus shrugged. “In a sense, yes.”
“My grandmother is no longer here, Mr. Brooks.”
Gaining his feet, he trailed over to the coffee maker, plucked up the pot, and returned to the table to fill their mugs. “Oh, I don’t know. I have a feeling she’s watching over the place.”
Niki nodded her thanks for the coffee and added some cream to hers. “Watching over it?”
X filled his cup, replaced the coffee pot, and returned to his seat. “I imagine she watches over you as well.”
Picking up her cup, Niki brought it to her lips and gently blew on it. “I don’t believe in angels, Mr. Brooks.”
Exodus tilted his head to the side. “And God?”
“Maybe. I mean, something or someone created this universe. Whether or not it’s still out there remains to be seen, I suppose.”
More than a little surprised by her admission, X took a sip of his coffee, giving himself time to process her words. “So, you think God existed at some point, just not any longer?”
“Are we really going to discuss religion?” Niki shot back, obviously uncomfortable with the subject.
X held her gaze for a moment longer. “I guess not.”
It bothered him to think of Niki Stanton as a non-believer. Not that her religious status was any of his business.
“About the refrigerator,” she was saying, bringing his focus back to the conversation at hand. “What kind of interest are we talking?”
He opened his mouth to tell her there would be no interest but thought better of it. She would consider that charity and no doubt march out of there, her glasses resting on the tip of her nose, her shoulders back, and her gait as regal as a queen’s.
Heroes Among Us: A Paranormal Romance Collection Page 2
