He noted her suddenly subdued demeanor. “Hey, everything okay?”
“Sure.”
“Look, I’m not Freddie. I didn’t leap to the conclusion that this was a date.”
“I get that now.”
The corners of his mouth tugged up in a soft smile. “I’ve said something to make you uncomfortable.”
“No. I’ve said something to make myself the fool. Again.”
“What? No. Come on. Let’s get out of here before Freddie finds more work for us. We’ll pick a restaurant in the car.”
She nodded.
It was drizzling, so they made a mad dash to the vehicle. Jules hadn’t had the car long. It had been a gift from Brock. It was a new-used current model two-door Toyota that made him feel like a clown in a circus. “Big guys like me shouldn’t drive little cars,” he’d said, but Brock had insisted he take it as an apology for all the trouble his ex-girlfriend and The Human Order had brought down on all their heads nearly a year ago. He still saw the security video online sometimes, but thankfully the news clip didn’t show his transformation. He didn’t need to come out to that sort of media circus.
As they backed out, she said, “So you don’t like Chinese?”
“Not really, no.”
“Huh. I thought everyone loved Chinese.”
“I like rice,” he said.
“What about the pub down on Fourth?”
“Why would I go to a pub for dinner?”
“Because they have wings that are to die for. You do like chicken wings, right?” She had that mischievous smile again.
“Yes, I like chicken wings,” he said. He smiled. He felt like growling. Why do I find her both aggravating and entertaining?
He navigated through the busy streets until he reached Fourth. “Left here,” she said. “It’s down a few blocks, should be on your right.”
“Should be?”
She shrugged. “Oh, well, you know how these buildings are, they just up and move if you’re not paying enough attention to them.”
That made him chuckle.
There was a small parking lot behind the pub, which was in fact on his right, and it had already stopped raining. The place was small, and unlike the larger, more modern bars and clubs, this one was well lit. The bar was some kind of dark wood, highly polished and accented with brass. There were tables as well, a few café style, round with ornate chairs. The rest were booths along the walls with faux leather benches and lights hanging over them with green stained glass shades.
She led the way to the bar where the bartender was unpacking a box of coffee stir sticks and stashing them under the bar. “Is the kitchen open?” she asked with a smile.
“Sure is. What can I get you guys?”
“Chicken wings,” she said. “A large order. A Guinness, and …” She looked over her shoulder at him.
“Just a Coke,” he said. “I’m driving tonight.”
“Sure thing.” He pulled out two glasses and slid them full over to Jules. “That’s twenty.”
They both pulled out their wallets. Jules came up with a twenty, Kaylee only had a ten. He reached over, plucked the ten from her fingers, and handed the twenty over the bar. She laughed.
“Grab a table. I’ll bring the wings right out.”
She grabbed the glasses while he tucked the change away, and he followed her to a booth near the window.
“Do you come here often?”
“Not often, but often enough. I like it. I can watch the world go by, the wings are good, and the service is friendly.”
“Not to mention attractive?” he said.
She glanced back at the bar. The bartender, a regular, was one of those wiry guys with the half-shaved, half-long haircuts and black-framed glasses. She shrugged. “If you say so. I’m not really into little guys, but to each their own.”
“I’m not into guys at all!”
Her eyebrows went up and she said, “Mm-hm,” in that ‘I don’t believe you’ way.
“I was just teasing you.”
“Oh, well then, you’ll have to try a lot harder than that.”
“Oh look, food!” He hoped the bartender wouldn’t notice the way he was blushing and avoiding eye contact.
Kaylee just smiled a deceptively sweet smile and said, “Thanks.” She grabbed a wing, devoured it, and tossed the bones onto the second plate. As she wiped her fingers on a napkin, she said, “Aren’t you going to have some.”
“You seem so sweet,” he said. “But you’re sharp, aren’t you?”
“Of course. Eat up. These are really too good, and I’ll eat them all if you don’t hurry up.”
“Fine.”
“So, how did you end up in the graphic design field?”
“A friend of mine had just finished an economics degree and another a design and marketing diploma. The diploma took less time and the work looked like more fun. They work together, sort of, so they got me through the intern portion of the diploma, and here I am.”
“Did you always want to do this?”
He shook his head. “I didn’t really have plans for my future. Surviving was all I cared about growing up. They kept me straight and told me I needed an education. I didn’t want to disappoint them. Turns out, I actually have a talent for this.”
“I’ve noticed. How long have you been with Print Shop Pros?”
“A few years. I could have gone to work with my friends, but I felt like I needed to make it on my own for a while without handouts. I needed to prove I could do the job, that it wasn’t an empty diploma to justify a paycheck I hadn’t earned.”
“Would your friend pay better?”
“Yes.”
Kaylee knew a thing or two about proving herself. “Well, I think you made the right choice. It must have been hard, though, turning down the money.”
“Yeah, the money would have been nice. I can barely afford my crappy apartment and the food in my fridge, but it’s all mine—and it’s more than my dad thought I’d ever have.”
“Your dad was a bit of a hard ass?”
“My dad could never be more than ‘a bit’ of anything for all the time he actually spent in my life.”
“What kept him away? Drugs? Prison?”
“His wife didn’t approve of me and my mom.”
“Ah.” She noted the way his gaze stayed locked on the chicken wings while he twisted the glass back and forth on the coaster. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to push. My dad preferred drugs to kids. He only shows up when he’s sober and broke.”
“That’s rough. My mom had a few boyfriends like that. She didn’t want them getting me hooked, so they didn’t last long around our place. That didn’t stop them from coming around and raising hell for weeks afterwards though.”
“Still, to have an affair, have a kid, and not have the guts to spend a little time with him? That’s pretty low.”
“Yeah. I guess. I mean, he did have to live with her, so I guess it was important to him not to make her too angry. I did see him at least once a month. And when I saw him he asked all the ‘good dad’ questions. He didn’t like my friends though.”
“Where is he now?”
“Wisconsin. He took a job transfer.” The way he said it was just the way Remy always said it, like the job transfer had just come up and Gabriele had taken it, not like Remy had insisted Gabriele leave, so he’d asked for a transfer to another state, another clan. No, better to forget the feud that had nearly torn the clan apart and best not to bring a human into clan business.
“Does he keep in touch?”
“No. And I don’t keep in touch with him.”
“I wish my dad would leave,” she said. “Or that they’d put him in jail. When he does show up, high on something or drunk, he’s got a mean streak. It scares the hell out of my siblings. I know I used to hide in the closet when the shouting started.”
“At least you’re almost done with school. Soon you too will be able to afford a crappy apartment and a mostly empty frid
ge. It’s lean living, but hey, you’ll be free.”
“And my siblings?”
He sighed. “I never had any.”
“Yeah, at least you aren’t pretending to understand.”
“God, how did this get so depressing?”
She laughed, but the sound was strained. “I don’t know.”
“Can I refill your glasses?” They both looked up to see a waitress had appeared. She was dressed similar to Kaylee but with a black apron around her waist.
“I could use another Coke,” Jules said.
Kaylee was impressed. The waitress was a curvy blonde who really needed to do up another button if she didn’t want men staring down the front of her blouse. The affect seemed lost on Jules, however, as he looked her in the eye when he spoke.
“Kaylee, can I get you another beer?” He was looking at her now.
“I can get it.”
“I have your ten, remember.”
“That’s not all the money I have.” Her chin jutted up in automatic defiance.
“Another Guinness then,” Jules said, turning back to the waitress.
“Anything else?” she said. She licked glossy pink lips, her gaze intent upon Jules.
“No, we’re good here. Thanks.” When he turned back to Kaylee she was rolling her eyes.
He gave her a half-smile in reply and said, “Not my type.”
“So, you don’t like the bartender and you don’t like the waitress. I’m beginning to wonder if you have a type.”
“I don’t date much. Maybe I know what I don’t like but not what I will like.”
“But you’ll know it when you see it? Is that it?”
It only took a heartbeat for him to take in her face again. Was she wearing more makeup than the waitress or less? The waitress had been all gloss and glitter and color, while Kaylee was done up with such subtle care that it was hard to tell where the makeup ended and she began. She was dark and elegant and fun and smart. He smiled. “I hope so.”
They polished off the wings and chatted about work and school until their second glasses were empty. Before the waitress could come back to flirt again, Jules slid away from the table. “Come on, I’ll give you a lift home.”
“You don’t have to do that,” she said, following him out. “I only had two beers, and it’s not hard to bus home from here.” She even pointed towards the bus stop down the block.
“Kaylee, I’m offering. Get in the car and stop arguing.”
Her eyes got wider. “Demanding, aren’t we?” she snapped.
“Kaylee, you don’t have to prove anything with me. I know you can get home on your own. I’m trying to be nice. That’s all.”
She nodded. “Sorry. Hard habit to break.”
“I know. I know we’ve only worked together a week, but you can trust me. I’ve got your back.” He patted her arm. “It’s hard to stop being defensive, but it’s tiring too.”
“Yeah, yeah, I know.”
“Sorry. You probably don’t want a pep talk from me.”
“You’re right, that’s not what I want from you.”
“Oh?”
She stepped in close to him and popped up on tippy toes. It was a good thing he’d been leaning in already in an attempt to look engaged and comforting. If he’d been standing up straight, she’d never have reached. As it was, she still had to tug his collar before her lips met his. She stepped back just as quickly and smiled, suddenly shy.
“Okay, two beers is definitely enough. I’ll take that lift home.”
“Sure.” Jules got in the car still smiling. They didn’t look at each other. Kaylee turned the radio on and they let the music and the DJs fill the empty space where conversation had been earlier. She only spoke to give him directions to her house.
He pulled up in front of a little rundown house on a rundown block in a rundown part of town. He said nothing at all about the state of any of the buildings and just walked her to the door. She paused on the step and smiled at him. He reached out and touched her cheek.
“I’ll see you tomorrow,” she said.
“I’ll oversleep the alarm,” he said.
She laughed.
“Thanks for the wings.”
She nodded and slipped inside.
As he walked back to the car, he found he was still smiling. I don’t think I’ll need to go to the warehouse this week at all.
When Kaylee got to work the next day, Freddie was waiting for her in the lobby with a big smile on his face. “Come into my office,” he said. “I want to discuss your report.”
“I’ll be there in just a moment,” she said. “Let me just hang up my purse and sweater.”
He nodded.
She was all ready to leave Jules a note telling him to fetch her coffee, but his jacket was already hanging in the office when she breezed in. Her mood soured slightly. So much for oversleeping the alarm, she thought. She went back to Freddie’s office.
He closed the door behind her and waved to the second chair. “Sit. I just sent this off to your teacher, and I wanted to show it to you as well, just so you know where you stand.”
“That’s great, thanks.”
He put the papers on the desk and then leaned over her, pointing to one of the criteria. “Now, here you did really great. From the work samples Jules showed me, I’d say this is your strongest suit. Some of these you got lower marks on because I haven’t seen good examples of them yet, but I did note that on the report.”
She started to look up but realized just how close he was and looked down at the paper again. “Okay, everything looks good here. Jules and I are starting a new project today, so I need to get back to his office. I don’t want to keep him waiting—it makes me look bad.”
“Nothing could make you look bad,” he said.
She realized that leaning over her gave him a view down the front of her shirt and she shifted away from him. “We’ll talk later, okay?”
“Sure thing.”
She could feel his eyes on her as she walked out of the office. As soon as the door was closed she hurried away, fearful he’d call her back for some other pointless ‘one more thing’ just so he could offer a creepy compliment or sneak a peek down her shirt again.
When she reached the office, Jules was waiting for her with two mugs of coffee. “You beat me here,” she said.
“Only because I couldn’t sleep and had this sudden brainstorm and decided to come in early. But I got you a coffee because I sort of cheated.”
“Having a car is cheating,” she muttered, but she took the offered mug and took a tentative sip. “Pretty good. How did you know what I like in it?”
“I think you mentioned it once when you started working here. I have a good memory for things like that.” It was turning out that he had a good memory, aided by his sharpened senses, of a good many things—like the fact that she alternated between two different body sprays, a fruity one and a flowery one, and that her shampoo smelled of cherry blossoms. He knew the exact shade of brown in her eyes and had looked up the number for that color on three different graphic design programs.
Kenny (Shifter Football League Book 2) Page 39