light up on the small screen, a wide grin spread across my face, before I set it down, rolled over and slept.
Saturday morning came way too early. I’d failed to close the drapes in my room all the way the night before, so the sun shone right into my eyes before I was ready to wake up. Stumbling into the kitchen I made a strong pot of coffee and downed my first cup before I went in to get ready for the day.
It would be a busy one, as most Saturdays were at Indulgence. It was a good thing, as I worked on commission. It would also help me to pass the time until my dinner with Gavin the next night.
I got to the store first, thanks to my too early wakefulness. Amber arrived just a few minutes after me and we went inside together. Aurora was late coming in, which was unusual. She made her schedule to coincide with Luke’s as much as she could, but planned it ahead, so her tardy arrival today caught us by surprise.
Aurora walked in, and she was accompanied by a puffy eyed Hope. Her demeanor was subdued, I wanted to ask, but didn’t feel comfortable doing that, since Hope and I weren’t that close.
When Hope walked into the back to sort some new inventory, Aurora explained that Hope and Jake had a huge fight and she’d had left him. She was staying with Aurora and Luke until the situation with her stalker was resolved.
I was worried for Hope, of course, but for Jake too. It was obvious to all of us that he was completely gone over her, I wondered if he’d show up here today and try to talk to her.
I didn’t know Jake well, but what I could tell, he wasn’t one to take no for an answer. I hoped that he wouldn’t make a scene with customers in the store.
As selfish as it was, I also wondered if things between Hope and Jake were permanently over, if Gavin would move in. I didn’t think that he would, after all, he and Jake were close friends, I couldn’t imagine him encroaching on a buddy’s girl like that, even if she was an ex. Tyler was right, I had to get those kind of thoughts out of my head.
I felt like shit, thinking about the situation that way, guilty for dreading seeing Gavin’s interest in Hope again. Gavin having feelings for anyone would be difficult; just as it had been when we were kids. I wished I was more mature than that, and I hated that about myself.
At some point, he’d probably couple up with someone. The only good thing about that was, I wouldn’t see it, at least not much. I’d never really spent much time with the group as a whole, I’d be sure to keep it that way. Fuck, I really didn’t like that either. I liked these people. I didn’t want to act like some bitch, because I couldn’t grow up and deal with Gavin dating and eventually marrying someone.
“Good afternoon, gorgeous ladies.” Tyler chirped as he walked through the front door of the store later that day. Thank god, he was just the man I needed to see today.
“Hey, Tyler, how are you?” Aurora asked just as Amber walked over and gave him a hug. The girls knew him, since he came in to take me to lunch at least once a week.
“I’m going to whisk this lovely creature to lunch, if you all don’t mind.” Hope smiled for the first time all day, which was great to see. “Can we bring anything back?” He asked, kindly. They all smiled and declined.
“I’ll grab my purse,” I called, walking toward the back of the store.
Walking the three blocks to the deli, I held onto Tyler’s arm, as I usually did. We talked and laughed about our week, though we talked most days, we only caught up like this when we got together, face to face.
There was something underlying though, something in his eyes that I couldn’t read. I wanted to ask, but decided to wait until we had our lunch.
“All right, cookie, spill it.” Tyler said as we settled into the table.
“Spill what, my cookies?”
His raised brow and smirk was enough incentive to get me going, so I told him. I went through everything that had happened the day
Saturday morning came way too early. I’d failed to close the drapes in my room all the way the night before, so the sun shone right into my eyes before I was ready to wake up. Stumbling into the kitchen I made a strong pot of coffee and downed my first cup before I went in to get ready for the day.
It would be a busy one, as most Saturdays were at Indulgence. It was a good thing, as I worked on commission. It would also help me to pass the time until my dinner with Gavin the next night.
I got to the store first, thanks to my too early wakefulness. Amber arrived just a few minutes after me and we went inside together. Aurora was late coming in, which was unusual. She made her schedule to coincide with Luke’s as much as she could, but planned it ahead, so her tardy arrival today caught us by surprise.
Aurora walked in, and she was accompanied by a puffy eyed Hope. Her demeanor was subdued, I wanted to ask, but didn’t feel comfortable doing that, since Hope and I weren’t that close.
When Hope walked into the back to sort some new inventory, Aurora explained that Hope and Jake had a huge fight and she’d had left him. She was staying with Aurora and Luke until the situation with her stalker was resolved.
I was worried for Hope, of course, but for Jake too. It was obvious to all of us that he was completely gone over her, I wondered if he’d show up here today and try to talk to her.
I didn’t know Jake well, but what I could tell, he wasn’t one to take no for an answer. I hoped that he wouldn’t make a scene with customers in the store.
As selfish as it was, I also wondered if things between Hope and Jake were permanently over, if Gavin would move in. I didn’t think that he would, after all, he and Jake were close friends, I couldn’t imagine him encroaching on a buddy’s girl like that, even if she was an ex. Tyler was right, I had to get those kind of thoughts out of my head.
I felt like shit, thinking about the situation that way, guilty for dreading seeing Gavin’s interest in Hope again. Gavin having feelings for anyone would be difficult; just as it had been when we were kids. I wished I was more mature than that, and I hated that about myself.
At some point, he’d probably couple up with someone. The only good thing about that was, I wouldn’t see it, at least not much. I’d never really spent much time with the group as a whole, I’d be sure to keep it that way. Fuck, I really didn’t like that either. I liked these people. I didn’t want to act like some bitch, because I couldn’t grow up and deal with Gavin dating and eventually marrying someone.
“Good afternoon, gorgeous ladies.” Tyler chirped as he walked through the front door of the store later that day. Thank god, he was just the man I needed to see today.
“Hey, Tyler, how are you?” Aurora asked just as Amber walked over and gave him a hug. The girls knew him, since he came in to take me to lunch at least once a week.
“I’m going to whisk this lovely creature to lunch, if you all don’t mind.” Hope smiled for the first time all day, which was great to see. “Can we bring anything back?” He asked, kindly. They all smiled and declined.
“I’ll grab my purse,” I called, walking toward the back of the store.
Walking the three blocks to the deli, I held onto Tyler’s arm, as I usually did. We talked and laughed about our week, though we talked most days, we only caught up like this when we got together, face to face.
There was something underlying though, something in his eyes that I couldn’t read. I wanted to ask, but decided to wait until we had our lunch.
“All right, cookie, spill it.” Tyler said as we settled into the table.
“Spill what, my cookies?”
His raised brow and smirk was enough incentive to get me going, so I told him. I went through everything that had happened the day
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