Just One Moment: A Black Alcove Novel

by Jami Wagner

  The idea is great, but sharing shifts and tips doesn’t sound like a good idea to me.

  I enter through the back door on the side with the parking lot and head up front. Conner’s and Logan’s voices carry from the back room as I pass. I’m almost to the front when a female tone I’m growing too familiar with fills my ears.

  “I’ve never actually made a drink for anyone before, but I’m a quick learner.”

  No, no, no. Not here, too.

  “Have you ever waited on anyone?” Sara asks.

  “Just at the diner next door.”

  “All right, well, Conner and Alex have both said great things about you, so how about we get some paperwork done and put you on the schedule? In a couple of weeks, we can review and see how things are working out.”

  “That sounds great,” Skylar replies.

  I step into the open bar, and when Sara looks up at me, she smiles. Skylar has her back to me, sitting at the bar top.

  “Oh, Luke, this is perfect. Since you two already know each other, I’m going to have you train her for the next two weeks. You don’t mind, do you?”

  Tips definitely just went down and so did my mood. Not that it wasn’t already pretty low. The bookstore, here, and pretending we are great friends. I’m about to get in way over my head.

  Blonde hair flips over her shoulder, and I swear I’m in a movie at how slowly Skylar turns to face me. Bright, hopeful eyes meet mine, and her lips part. Instead of saying anything, she gasps lightly, and I sure as shit hope I didn’t just do the same.

  My eyes immediately fall to a set of plump lips before finding her eyes again. It’s as though my entire body forgot how to do anything but stare. I’ve never seen her look like this before. I mean it’s her, but it’s nice. She looks … I can’t pull my eyes away.

  Skylar looks nervous, and when she licks her lips and swallows, I try my best to look at anything else in the bar, but I can’t.

  Sara clears her throat and bumps Skylar. She blinks, the moment gone. Skylar turns her gaze down to her hands, but not before I catch the faint pink of her cheeks.

  “I’m just going to grab you a couple of shirts and a few other things from the office. I’ll be right back,” Sara says, sliding off her stool and leaving me alone with Skylar.

  “So, you got a job. Here, of all places.” I step behind the counter and punch my employee number into a computer to clock in.

  “Well, you did make it hard for me to find one anywhere else.” Her tight-lipped smile is a dead giveaway that she isn’t pleased with me. Right now, I need her to like me and my company.

  “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have told people not to hire you. I was holding a grudge, and I made poor choices on how to handle it.” The words come out too easily; I’m feeling just as shocked as she looks. “I was hoping I could make it up to you by taking you to Alex and Conner’s barbeque this weekend. I could pick you up from the store.”

  Her mouth opens and her eyes grow even wider than before. Her delayed response starts to worry me. I take a deep breath and wait. She’s still looking at me. Still silent.

  “You’re forgiven, but I’m riding with Beth,” she says.

  This time it’s me who doesn’t say anything. I nod and then walk away. Why does it bother me she said no? It’s like I was asking her out for real. Was I?

  Chapter Nine

  Skylar

  I’m not so sure going to a barbeque with all of Luke’s friends is such a good idea. I tried to use the rainy day as an excuse. People don’t have barbeques in the rain. It just makes sense not to, but in this town, they make it work and they get together no matter the weather.

  The wind is howling, and the rain pelts against the windows. Thunder strikes and the lights flicker.

  I should really stay home. I have no idea what happened at the bar a couple of days ago. I think, I think, Luke asked me out. Something about it … I don’t know. It just came to him so easily, like either he had rehearsed it or maybe he actually meant it. Either option stirs my stomach. Say he did rehearse. That means it’s something he didn’t really want to say, which is annoying, but then why would he say it? And if he did mean … yeah, I don’t even know where to start with that one, because that would be super out of the blue if Luke one day magically decided he liked me not just as a person but enough to take on a date.

  “Hey girl.” Beth walks into my apartment as if she lives here, too. “Are you ready?”

  She’s completely dry. I wrinkle my brows as I take in her appearance and then look out the window.

  “How are you not soaking wet?”

  “Well, we have this handy dandy thing called an umbrella.” She laughs, showcasing the black stick in her hand. She taps it against the ground and the edges flair open. So much for another attempt at not going. Not that I had another excuse.

  “I can’t believe everyone you know is still going to this thing.”

  “Well, not everyone. Abby caught a cold, so she isn’t going.”

  A cold. That would have been an easy one.

  I could say I don’t want to go, but that would be a lie. I simply don’t want to run into Luke, because now I’m not sure if I need to act like we always do and argue or if I should be nice to him. This should be an easy decision, and I hate that I have no idea why I can’t decide.

  “Today, girl. I’m going to have white hair by the time you get that coat buttoned.”

  I snap out of the new Luke daze I’ve let myself fall into. I’ve actually fallen into it quite a few times since he invited me to go with him, but no one needs to know that.

  I grab my purse, placing the strap across my body, and follow Beth down the stairs. I lock the door and huddle under her umbrella with her till we reach her car.

  “I know I don’t have to tell you this, but just in case I do, I’m going to anyway,” Beth says, buckling her seat belt.

  “Okay …”

  “You and Luke need to be nice to each other today. There will be kids around.”

  I laugh. “Yes, I assumed that was the role we would take on today.”

  “I mean it. And I hope you’re going to be nice to each other when you start working at the bar, too. We are there to make money, and all other emotions should be set aside.”

  “Beth, is something bothering you?”

  “I just really wish the two of you would get along. He’s one of my oldest friends and you’re one of my newest. I’m tired of being the middle man, and I don’t want to have to choose.”

  Darn. I didn’t realize we were that bad. I mean, I guess I did know. But I didn’t know it was affecting Beth.

  “I’ll try harder. I swear.”

  “Really?”

  “Yes, but can I ask you something without you getting upset?”

  “Um, I can’t make any promises.”

  “All right, well, you seem to consider Luke’s feelings a lot.” I hesitate, unsure if I want to know the answer. “Do you think you might have feelings for him?”

  She laughs. “I can assure you I don’t. I’ve just known him for a long time. He’s a good friend. I swear. That’s all it is.”

  “Okay.” I lean back in my seat, pinching my lips together to keep from smiling as I watch the raindrops glide down the window.

  “Would that bother you?” she asks. I twist to look at her.

  “No. Not at all.” Was that too obvious, too quick of an answer?

  “Are you sure?” A sly smile starts to appear.

  “Why does everyone think I should date Luke?” I ask. Maybe her answer will help me think clearer.

  “Because all of us had already matched you two up in our minds before someone broke into the store.”

  “So you don’t think I did it?”

  She sighs. “I never thought you did. I shouldn’t have said anything that day we were hiking. I’m sorry. No one believes you did anything.”

  Except Luke.

  “I think Luke may have asked me out,” I tell her out of nowhere.
r />   Luckily, Beth was already slowing to stop being a long line of cars parked on a neighborhood sidewalk. Her car jerks to a halt at the same time I notice that the layout of each house is almost exactly the same as the ones next to it. It’s like a neighborhood of cloned homes.

  “Warn me next time you attempt whiplash,” I say, observing her hand until she’s put the vehicle in park and I can safely take my seatbelt off.

  “When were you going to tell me he asked you out?”

  “I didn’t think it mattered. It was a couple days ago. He asked if he could pick me to come to this thing.”

  “What? Just yesterday you asked me for a ride. Why did you do that?”

  That’s a very good question. Why did I do that?

  “I couldn’t say yes just because it was the first nice gesture he made to me. Twenty-four hours before that, he was shouting at me about how I was doing everything wrong and he was telling the entire town not to hire me. It was weird. I went with my gut and said no.”

  “This is huge. Oh man, this means things are good and we can all be normal now.”

  She climbs out of the car, again with her umbrella, and comes to my side. I duck under the cover as we speed walk to the house.

  “This is not normal,” I tell her. “Don’t you think it’s weird he would do that?”

  “No, I’ve been talking you up since the day I met you. It’s about damn time.”

  Beth shoves me inside the house before I can reply. I’m in mid argument when the crowd makes me stop. Kids run past me, screaming as they chase each other, and people of all ages are grouped up, chatting away. There have to be at least thirty people just in my view from the front door.

  “They really go all out when they have people over. Plus, everyone is everyone’s family, so it’s hard not to,” Beth says.

  “You mean you’re all related?”

  “Well I’m not and Luke isn’t. But Kelsey and Conner are brother and sister. Logan and Alex are brother and sister. Kelsey married Ethan, who is cousins with Sara, and Sara and Logan are married. And then you know how Conner and Alex got together.”

  “Right, yes, that was a good time.” I laugh. “What about Abby?”

  “Abby is not related to anyone. That’s probably for the best, too.”

  “Oh, are you all not friends anymore?”

  “We should have cut her off years ago, but somehow we still care about her no matter how many poor choices she makes. She’s been pretty low-key lately though. It’s been nice.”

  “Beth, Sky, over here.” Alex waves us to where she, Sara, and Kelsey are standing. As we shrug off our coats, hanging them in the coat closet near the door, goose bumps prickle my skin. Someone is watching me. I turn to scan the room and … I was right. Luke is watching me from where he’s sitting on the sofa. A smile twitches on his lips when we lock eyes. He nods and holds up his can of Pepsi to me in greeting.

  I nod fast, and take off after Beth.

  I told her I would try to make things between me and Luke better. Nothing can fix that better than a truce of some kind. I hope he sees it the way I do.

  Luke

  It was as though every part of my body knew she had walked through that door. Mind, heart, stomach, eyes, and groin. She didn’t notice me right away. Which is good. I needed that moment to decide what I should do next and how I feel about whatever I choose to do.

  My mother wants me to get along with her. I want to get along with my mother. I made the first effort to be friends with Skylar, and she turned me down. How could she turn me down? It was my store that she—fuck, I really have to let that go. That isn’t even what I’m most annoyed about right now. I’m annoyed she said no, damn it. I hate that it bothers me, and I hate that it’s taking all I have to remain sitting on this couch instead of going to find her. That’s another thing that annoys me. Any time I’m around her, it takes all I have to do anything.

  “You’re supposed to be having fun.” Conner takes the seat next to me. Jake runs up behind him, struggling with the zipper of his jacket. Conner zips it up and then tightens the strings around his hood. Jake jerks back.

  “Dad, don’t do that.”

  “You need to bundle up.”

  “I don’t want it on.”

  “It’s on, or you’re staying inside.” The father voice comes out thick. Jake runs away, his hood still covering his head.

  “You’re letting him go outside in this weather? After we called off our rematch basketball game because even we don’t want to be outside in this downpour?”

  “It wasn’t really my choice. Logan bet Jake and Claire an extra scoop of ice cream that he could run faster than them around the back yard, even if it’s raining. Once he planted the idea, it was hard to change their minds.”

  Loud screams and squeals fill the house. Conner jumps, and I turn quickly to see Logan chasing the kids out the door.

  Alex is shaking her head with a laugh, watching them through the back window. She pivots on her heel, coming to a pause. She smiles at Conner, and a crimson color sweeps over her cheeks.

  “Isn’t she beautiful? I still can’t believe she’s mine,” he says.

  I’m nodding when Skylar comes into view behind Alex. Her eyes lock on mine.

  “Yeah, she sure is something,” I say.

  I twist back around and look for something else to focus on. I can’t like her. This is so freaking out of the blue. I despise her.

  I release a loud breath, glancing up to come face to face with Beth. She’s sitting on the end of the coffee table with a knowing grin.

  “So, what’s this I hear you asked Sky out?”

  “She told you about that?” What did she say?

  “Well, don’t you sound hopeful.”

  “You did?” Conner asks, his voice a little high with excitement.

  “I just asked her if she needed a ride.”

  Right then, my ears are filled with cries of a small child. Logan is walking in the back door with Claire hugging him close as he carries her. Jake looks bummed out. Conner rises from the couch, leaving me alone with Beth. This is good. If I tell anyone the truth to figure out what to do, it’s Beth.

  “I think I made a mistake,” I whisper just enough so no one can hear us but firm enough that Beth leans in.

  “What did you do?” she asks.

  I survey the room to make sure no one is near.

  “My mom said she is going to take my half of the store away if I don’t get my shit together. She kept implying my attitude with Skylar, so I sort of made it sound like we are on better terms than we actually are, and then I asked her out, for show of course.” I think. “But now I don’t know. I feel weird about it.”

  Beth is glaring and then punches me in the arm. I flinch from the fact I wasn’t expecting that.

  “You fake asked her out?”

  Okay, maybe Beth wasn’t the right person to tell.

  “Well, I really would have drove her here.”

  “Under false pretenses. God, Luke, here I had hoped you were finally turning around, and you were only pretending. Why?”

  She starts to rise, but I grab her arms, gently asking her to sit back down. She does.

  “All right, so I’ve been a jackass. But why do you think she said no?”

  She’s shaking her head when she crosses her arms. “Sadly, I don’t have that answer for you. But why don’t you ask Sky what she thinks?”

  “Ask her why she turned me down? I can’t do that. That would imply I actually care when it was only a pity invite to make my mother happy.”

  I’m still not sure.

  “Wow. Tell me how you really feel.” I jump from my seated spot, turning to face Skylar. She was behind me and Beth knew it.

  Beth stands, too, and then shrugs. “Karma,” she says and walks off.

  “I’ll come with you.” Skylar turns, ready to follow Beth.

  “Please wait,” I say reaching for her, pulling my arm back when she stops.

  “So you c
an insult me again?”

  “I …” Beth is long gone now, and it’s just me and Skylar. I don’t even know where to begin. “I was a jerk.” Yeah, that’s sounds pretty good.

  Skylar props her hip against the couch. “Go on.”

  “All right, so I only asked you if you needed a ride a today because my mother wants more than anything for us to get along. I have no idea why, since you—”

  “Did nothing wrong,” she cuts in.

  “Since you popped into our lives,” I say instead of what I was going to say. Clearly I’m predictable, even to her.

  “I don’t know why she feels this way, but she is my mother and I should give it a shot. We don’t exactly get along. I’ll be the first to admit it. But the least we could do is put on a front for her.”

  “So only be kind to each other when she’s around?”

  “Yes.”

  Her lips pucker out as she stares at something behind me.

  “Yeah, I don’t think that’s going to work for me.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because now we are going to be at the store together and working at the bar together. I think we need to give this whole civil thing a real chance.”

  “And what, be friends?”

  “Maybe not right off the bat, but you don’t even know me.”

  “I—”

  “—know what you want to think of me. You think I’m a criminal with no goals in life other than making your life miserable, and I think you’re an uptight jerk who needs to get a grip on his life and learn that not everyone is out to get him.”

  “You don’t even know me.” Not really much of an argument, but I am none of those things she said.

  “Finally, something we agree on.” Her brow rises and a smug smile appears. “So what do you say, call a truce?”

  “That was your lead up?” I laugh. “Tell me I basically suck and then ask me to be friends?”

  “Well, you want to please your mom, and I want to keep a job long enough to get my own place. I don’t want to be above that bookstore any longer than you want me there. The sooner we get along, the sooner the store is back open and I have my own place. Deal?”