Aiden gets up from his stool and walks over to them.
Seriously, this is going way too far. I don’t need babysitters. I’ve taken care of myself since I was ten. I walk over to the table and stand there tapping my foot, looking from pairs of eyeballs to pairs of eyeballs.
“Don’t you have somewhere to be, Aiden?” Willow asks.
Funny. I was just thinking that about every single person sitting at this table, including Aiden, because Aiden is standing not sitting.
“Yeah, I have a parts store to get to and a car to tend to. Hey, Chloe. Do you think I can borrow a defibrillator from you?” he says, with a chuckle.
That is so not funny. Ruby does not need a defibrillator!
“See you later. Don’t let the door hit you in the ass on the way out,” Amelia teases.
“Sit down,” Shay demands, pointing to the one empty chair.
“I really can’t. I just started my shift,” I tell them. “What can I bring you ladies to drink?” I can get them a drink, then hopefully they’ll all leave.
“Yo, Gary! Savvy’s taking a break, a long break. You don’t mind, do you?” Willow asks, snapping her fingers in his direction. “Bring us a round of Tequila Sunrise’s, and a club soda for me,” she continues.
My eyes go big and I look at Gary, shaking my head back and forth. I silently send him subliminal messages to ignore every word she just said. Not only did she just tell my boss that I’m taking a long break, but she barked drink orders at him. I need this job. If I get fired from here, I’ll have no way of paying Ava rent or buying food. And I like food. Gary looks at the girls, then he looks at Willow and waves his hand at us. Did Gary just say I could take a very long break after only being on shift for thirty minutes?
“Sit,” Ava demands, pulling me down into a chair.
“Look, I really appreciate what you’re all trying to do, but I can’t lose this job,” I tell everyone. God, I need some gum. Forget about buying dollar nail polish, I need gum, like stat.
“You can always have your job back at Max’s PI firm,” Chloe says.
That was an amazing job. I wish I could have it back. I can’t involve anyone I love in my crap until I know this Reno shit is for sure over.
“So, let’s not waste any of your time, then. You’re screwed,” Willow says bluntly.
“What?” I ask nervously. Tingles race up my cheeks and I start to feel a little light headed.
Gary brings over our drink orders on a tray; he sets the whole tray on the table with more force than necessary, then says, “On me, pass them out yourselves,” then he turns around and leaves.
I look at Gary because he’s just now entered the Twilight Zone with me. I stand and pass out the drinks. Ava pulls me down in my seat again.
“Woman, stop pulling me in my seat,” I say, then immediately regret saying it. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean that,” I tell her.
She smiles at me, nods her head and says, “There’s some of that spunk I love so much.”
“I see the way Aiden looks at you. It’s the same way all the rest of the Wellington men look at their women. You’re screwed, and I say that in the nicest possible way. Once one of them boys gets that look in their eyes, there’s nothing you can do. You should just count yourself one of the luckiest women in the world and surrender,” Willow says.
Tears fill my eyes, because I’d like nothing more than to give into the fantasy of being Aiden’s woman. “I’m not like any of you,” I tell them.
“Like any of us? Just what do you mean by that?” Amelia asks.
Shit, now I’ve pissed her off. “Please don’t take it the wrong way. You all are so . . . beautiful and amazingly talented and look like you belong. I look like last week’s trash,” I tell them.
“Last week’s trash! Don’t make me pull you out of your chair and slap some sense into you,” Ava says.
“Oh, honey. You just don’t have a clue, do you? You need to take another look at yourself in the mirror.
Seriously, this is going way too far. I don’t need babysitters. I’ve taken care of myself since I was ten. I walk over to the table and stand there tapping my foot, looking from pairs of eyeballs to pairs of eyeballs.
“Don’t you have somewhere to be, Aiden?” Willow asks.
Funny. I was just thinking that about every single person sitting at this table, including Aiden, because Aiden is standing not sitting.
“Yeah, I have a parts store to get to and a car to tend to. Hey, Chloe. Do you think I can borrow a defibrillator from you?” he says, with a chuckle.
That is so not funny. Ruby does not need a defibrillator!
“See you later. Don’t let the door hit you in the ass on the way out,” Amelia teases.
“Sit down,” Shay demands, pointing to the one empty chair.
“I really can’t. I just started my shift,” I tell them. “What can I bring you ladies to drink?” I can get them a drink, then hopefully they’ll all leave.
“Yo, Gary! Savvy’s taking a break, a long break. You don’t mind, do you?” Willow asks, snapping her fingers in his direction. “Bring us a round of Tequila Sunrise’s, and a club soda for me,” she continues.
My eyes go big and I look at Gary, shaking my head back and forth. I silently send him subliminal messages to ignore every word she just said. Not only did she just tell my boss that I’m taking a long break, but she barked drink orders at him. I need this job. If I get fired from here, I’ll have no way of paying Ava rent or buying food. And I like food. Gary looks at the girls, then he looks at Willow and waves his hand at us. Did Gary just say I could take a very long break after only being on shift for thirty minutes?
“Sit,” Ava demands, pulling me down into a chair.
“Look, I really appreciate what you’re all trying to do, but I can’t lose this job,” I tell everyone. God, I need some gum. Forget about buying dollar nail polish, I need gum, like stat.
“You can always have your job back at Max’s PI firm,” Chloe says.
That was an amazing job. I wish I could have it back. I can’t involve anyone I love in my crap until I know this Reno shit is for sure over.
“So, let’s not waste any of your time, then. You’re screwed,” Willow says bluntly.
“What?” I ask nervously. Tingles race up my cheeks and I start to feel a little light headed.
Gary brings over our drink orders on a tray; he sets the whole tray on the table with more force than necessary, then says, “On me, pass them out yourselves,” then he turns around and leaves.
I look at Gary because he’s just now entered the Twilight Zone with me. I stand and pass out the drinks. Ava pulls me down in my seat again.
“Woman, stop pulling me in my seat,” I say, then immediately regret saying it. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean that,” I tell her.
She smiles at me, nods her head and says, “There’s some of that spunk I love so much.”
“I see the way Aiden looks at you. It’s the same way all the rest of the Wellington men look at their women. You’re screwed, and I say that in the nicest possible way. Once one of them boys gets that look in their eyes, there’s nothing you can do. You should just count yourself one of the luckiest women in the world and surrender,” Willow says.
Tears fill my eyes, because I’d like nothing more than to give into the fantasy of being Aiden’s woman. “I’m not like any of you,” I tell them.
“Like any of us? Just what do you mean by that?” Amelia asks.
Shit, now I’ve pissed her off. “Please don’t take it the wrong way. You all are so . . . beautiful and amazingly talented and look like you belong. I look like last week’s trash,” I tell them.
“Last week’s trash! Don’t make me pull you out of your chair and slap some sense into you,” Ava says.
“Oh, honey. You just don’t have a clue, do you? You need to take another look at yourself in the mirror.
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