“You’re not listening to a word I’m saying.”
“And neither are you. You waltz in here expecting me just to drop to my knees and do whatever you ask. Well, that isn’t going to happen.”
“Cancel. The. Meeting.”
Molly shook her head and pushed off the counter. “Not happening. You have one month to learn how to be quiet, or the board will make you be quiet.”
“The board seems like a pile of shit since you’re the vice president. I don’t stand a chance in hell.”
She shook her head. “That’s where you’re wrong. I can’t just shut you down. If I could, I would have already. I’m just the one organizing the chaos. I need to get at least three other owners to agree with me.”
I smirked. “So, that means all I need to do is get everyone on my side.”
Molly shrugged. “You can try.”
“You think you got this in the bag, don’t you?”
“I know every business in this strip mall, and serve most of them every day. I doubt you’ve got enough time to turn them all on me.”
I shook my head. “It’s not about turning them against you, Cookie, it’s just me making them see my side. Plus, the month also gives me time to make you change your mind.”
“Doubtful. You can try, but that’s all you’re going to do.”
I smirked. “You really don’t know who you’re messing with.”
“Hmph, there’s nothing you can do about it.”
“Oh, but there is, Cookie. Just you wait.” I spun around on my heel and stormed out the door.
Molly Rey wanted to mess with me?
I was going to show her just what she signed up for.
**********
Molly
“Sweet Jesus, what was that?”
I grabbed a towel off the counter and wiped my hands. That was exactly what I thought was going to happen when I set up the meeting, although I didn’t expect him to try to run me off. “That was Kellan. Head kung fu asshole.”
“I’ve never seen him before. Typically, I see the silver fox.”
“The silver fox is Dante.”
Sage whacked my shoulder. “How do you know these guys names, know which one is which, and not tell me?”
I rubbed my arm and glared at her. “Because it doesn’t matter what their names are.”
“Please, speak for yourself. Now I have names to go along with the fantasies.” Sage’s eyes glazed over, and I didn’t want to know what was running through her mind.
I snapped my fingers in her face. “Do you think you could focus?”
Sage shook her head. “Yeah, sorry.”
“Kellan came over to tell me that he got the notice about the meeting.”
Sage bit her lip. “I’m going to assume that he wasn’t happy.”
“Unhappy would be an understatement. Pissed is more like it.”
“What did he say?”
“He said I didn’t know who I was messing with.”
Sage frowned. “That doesn’t sound too promising.”
It didn’t, but I had no idea what he could do to me. He was right, he could talk to the other business owners and try to get them on his side, but it felt like he wasn’t talking about that.
“So, what are you going to do?”
That was the million dollar question. He wanted me to run with my tail tucked between my legs, but that wasn’t going to happen. I wasn’t asking him something unreasonable. There was no reason why he couldn’t just yell a little quieter. “I planned on making my way over to all the other businesses this week, and just waiting until the meeting.”
“You really think that’s the best, just waiting?”
It wasn’t, but I had no idea what Kellan had meant when he said I didn’t know who I was messing with. “I think I’m just going to have to play this by ear. I think Kellan came over here thinking he could just scare me into canceling the meeting.”
Sage laughed. “Obviously, that didn’t work.”
“No. I have just as much of a right as he does. I’m sure if I was doing something to piss him off, he would complain too.”
Sage grabbed the coffee pot she had set down. “Well, I can tell you that I can’t wait to see what he has planned. If it involves him coming in here again, I’m okay with it.”
I pointed at her and shook my head. “He’s the enemy, Sage. Remember that.”
Sage waved me off and moseyed over to refill cups. “He’s hot, Mol. I don’t know how you don’t see it.”
I turned around, and leaned against the counter. I knew he was hot, but the problem was he knew it too. I glared at the wall that butted up to the karate studio. Kellan had thrown down the gauntlet, letting me know he wasn’t going to lie down quickly.
Now, all I could do was wait and see what his next plan of attack was going to be. He didn’t want to listen to me, so I had no plans of listening to him.
Four weeks until the business owners meeting. All I needed to do was keep my eyes open, and make sure to get over to all of the businesses to get them on my side.
I grabbed my coffee cup and continued my stare down with the wall. I had no idea what was going to come next, but I knew I had to be prepared.
Kellan and his kung fu buddies were going down.
**********
Kellan
“That was quick.”
Tate and Roman were standing next to their cars, and I really wished they had already left. “I said what I needed to say.”
Tate leaned against his Camaro. “She cancel the stupid meeting?”
I shook my head. “No, she insists on having the damn thing. Although, I have a plan.”
Roman laughed. “You always have a plan, fucker. That’s why we keep you around.”
I flipped him off and tilted my head toward the studio. “You lock up?”
Tate smirked. “Yeah, we weren’t sure how long you were going to be, so I hit the lights and everything.”
I spun my keys around my finger. “Good. I think I’m just going to head home and worry about all of this shit on Monday.”
“You’re not coming in tomorrow, right?”
I was finally taking a damn day off, and there wasn’t a damn thing that would make me come in. Even a feisty barista who had decided to make my life hell. “Yeah, I’ll be in on Monday.” I headed over to my Challenger and beeped open the locks.
“You gonna tell us what your plan is about the coffee chick?” Roman called.
I opened my door and slid in. “I’ll let you know when I think of one.”
Tate laughed. “I thought you said you had one.”
“Give me until Monday, I’ll have something then.” I slammed my door and shoved the key in the ignition.
I was always the man with the plan, but this was one time I really wasn’t sure what to do. With Molly being the vice president of the committee, we were already a step behind.
The Challenger purred to life as I turned the key, and I shifted into reverse, ready to just get home. I had told Tate I would have a plan Monday, but as I passed by the yoga studio, an idea hit me.
Dante, Tate, Roman, and I always had chicks clamoring after us when we were on the circuit, and it didn’t matter if they were young, old, or in between. We always had women playing out of our hands.
It was about time we pull out all of the stops and meet our neighbors.
Powerhouse was here to stay.
**********
Molly
“Molly, I really think you need to give my son a chance. I believe it's just what you are looking for.” Frank pointed his finger at me and shook his head. “Just one date isn’t going to hurt you.”
I smiled at Frank and set his full cup in front of him. “Americano, Frank. Is there anything else I can get you?” The bell above the door chimed, and I glanced over to see Dante walk through the front door. Son of a bitch, what was he doing here?
Frank droned on. “Yeah, I want you to give him a chance.” Dante stood behind Frank an
d folded his arms over his chest. I don’t know how he could look so pissed off just standing there. “Friday night, he’s free.”
I turned my eyes back to Frank and shook my head. “‘I’m good, I promise you. If I need a date, I’ll let you know, and your son will be on the top of the list.”
Frank swatted his hand at me, mumbling under his breath about ungrateful kids, and ambled off to his table.
Dante raised his hand. “I’m Dante.”
Jesus. Did I really need to relive my embarrassing moment right now? “I’m Molly.”
Dante smirked and eyed-up the pastry case. “You have the best cookies I’ve ever tasted.”
My cheeks heated, and I knew I was blushing ten shades of red. “I’m going to take that as a compliment and move on.”
Dante winked. “It’s usually for the best to move on after I’ve had your cookie, but I can’t seem to move on from yours.”
I surveyed the cafe, praying for Sage to need a refill on the pot of coffee she was carting around. I leaned and whispered. “Are we actually talking about cookies right now?”
Dante threw his head back and laughed. “We sure are, darlin’.”
Well, now I really felt like an idiot. For a second there, I had thought Dante was hitting on me. Dream on, Molly. Dante was not the kind of guy who would be interested in me. I grabbed a box from under the counter. “What kind, and how many?”
“Whatever’s good.”
I nodded my head. “That would be any of them. How many did you want? I’ll just give you some of each.”
“Make it a full dozen. Tate and Roman are at the studio today.”
And now the hot guy circle was complete, and it was confirmed they all had sexy as hell names. “Coming right up,” I mumbled.
Dante leaned against the case and watched me fill the box. “You really going through with that meeting?”
I sighed and grabbed three huge chocolate chip cookies. “Yes.”
“We’re just trying to run a business, just like you are, darlin’.”
I dropped three more cookies into the box and looked up at Dante. “I know that. I’m not trying to shut you guys down, but you’re disturbing my customers.”
Dante looked around. “Maybe they should all turn their hearing aids down. Problem solved.”
I rolled my eyes. The clientele was on the older side, but that didn’t mean anything. I grabbed six more cookies and closed the box. “Anything else?”
“You got protein shakes?”
I wrinkled my nose. “Negative.”
Dante shook his head. “You should get some protein shakes in here. We would be over here every day if you did.”
That would be the last thing I wanted. Especially if I ended up getting my noise ordinance approved. The boys of Powerhouse were not going to be fans of mine if I got my way. “Eight ninety-nine.”
Dante pressed a ten into my hand. “Keep the change, darlin.” He grabbed the box out of my hand and sauntered out the door.
Bess bustled over. “Call me Sally and slap me silly. Who was that?”
I slapped the ten into the drawer and pushed it shut. “That is one of the four pains in my ass.”
Bess hummed her approval as she watched Dante ‘til he disappeared from view. “That is one pain in my ass I wouldn’t mind.”
“TMI, Bess.”
Bess hushed me. “Oh, hon, you don’t even know the half of it. That man that just walked out deserves his own book written.”
I rolled my eyes. “Well, I’m sure he’d be more than willing to go on, and on, about how amazing he is. Damn, I’m sure any of them will.” I had only met two of them, but I’m sure they were all arrogant asses. Dante had been nicer to me this time, but I assumed that was only because I was his hook up to get more cookies. Kellan still seemed like a huge ass. I growled as I remembered him holding the door open for me, treating me like a nuisance.
“So, did he ask you out?”
My jaw dropped. “Excuse me?” Bess must have smoked the good stuff today.
“I saw him eyeing you while you finished up with Frank. By the way, please tell me you didn’t agree to go out with his son. I’ve seen him, you can do so much better.”
I shook my head, trying to figure out when I stepped into the twilight zone. Dante asking me out? “No, he wasn’t asking me out, and no, I’m not going out with Frank’s son.”
“Well, one of those answers I like, but the first one makes me believe that I need to slap some sense into that hunk of man, or one of the other ones are meant for you.”
I grabbed the cup she was clutching in her hand. “None of them are meant for me. Shit, I’m starting to believe that the only man meant for me is Mr. Mittens.”
“Hogwash. I know that there is a man out there for you. Sage found hers.” We both turned to look at Sage who was chatting with Frank. “It’s a shame they weren’t meant to be together forever.”
Sage had married her high school sweetheart. They had a wonderful marriage, and she had gotten pregnant, then Chad was deployed. He had only been gone for two months before Sage received word he wouldn’t be coming home. “She’s strong, though,” I mumbled.
“That she is.” Bess sighed and pointed to the cup in my hand. “Fill me up. I’ve got a new box set that released today that’s calling me on my Kindle. It’s gonna be an all-nighter.”
I shook my head and got to work making her latte. “So, everything okay in the corner?”
Bess tilted her head. “What do you mean? You change the chairs or something, and we didn’t notice?”
I laughed and grabbed the milk. “No. I just mean has it been noisy back there.”
“Oh, you mean the manly grunting and the kids yelling.”
“Yup, that would be what I’m talking about.” I put the pitcher of milk under the steamer and smiled at Bess. It wasn’t easy to have a conversation when I was making drinks. “Sorry, Bess.” I grabbed the double shot of espresso and poured in the milk.
“Oh, hon. No need to apologize. You are a goddess when it comes to coffee. You do your thang, and I’ll drink the deliciousness.”
I snapped the lid onto her cup. “Back to the noise, is it every day?”
Bess grabbed the cup. “No, although we’re not here every day. Mondays are the manly grunting, and on Saturday is the littles screaming.”
“Bad?” I cringed, worried.
“Oh no, it's no big deal. Laura complained about it to Sage, but Laura complains about everything. She’s the one who throws a fit with cliffhangers. She’s a hard one to please.” Bess took a sip, and a huge grin spread across her lips. “Heaven in a cup.”
Sage came over and slammed the coffee pot on the counter. “Who was that manly hunk?”
Bess laughed. “I knew you noticed him.”
“Pfft, he was hard to miss. Even Frank checked him out.” Sage pointed at me. “He was one of them, wasn’t he? Was he an ass to you?”
I shook my head. “He wasn’t as bad as Kellan.”
“Oh, so that was Dante. Definitely silver fox all the way.” Sage bumped Bess, and they broke out into giggles.
“And this is why I have to deal with them. You two would be fawning all over them, and telling them there isn’t a problem at all.”
Bess batted her hand at me. “You need to loosen up, hon. They may be loud, but it's no big deal. It could be a lot worse.”
Sage snorted. “Yeah, they couldn’t be as hot, and then instead of hot assholes, they’re just assholes.”
“True that, honey.” Bess waved to Sage and me then headed back to her book group.
Sage rinsed out the empty coffee pot. “So, what did the silver fox have to say?”
I shrugged. “Not much. He just came for cookies.”
“Did he mention the meeting at all?”
I dumped coffee beans into the grinder. “Yeah. He just asked if I was really going to go through with it.”
“I bet he was surprised when you said yes, huh?”
&nb
sp; I flipped on the grinder and shook my head. Sage put a new filter into the coffeemaker and held out the basket to me. I dumped the grounds into it, and she shoved it back into the machine. “He didn’t seem too surprised. I’m sure they think that I’m joking.”
Sage crossed her arms over her chest and leaned against the counter. “And are you?”
I wiped my hands on my apron and looked at the wall. “Do I want them to shut down? No. Do I want them to just keep it down? Yes. I’m not asking a lot.”
Sage pointed at the wall. “Well, I’m sure it’ll all get figured out in the end. I think you guys just need to sit down and talk with your heads, and not pissed off.”
That would be awesome, but I didn’t know if that was possible with Kellan. When we had first met, he seemed decent, but as soon as I mentioned I had a problem with him, he flipped the asshole switch on. “Well, I have just under four weeks until the meeting. I guess we’ll have to see what, if anything, they do.”
Sage shook her head. “I think you better prepare, Molly, because from what I’ve seen and what you’ve told me, Powerhouse isn’t going to take this lying down.” Sage grabbed the pot of decaf and headed over to Bess’ group in the corner.
I crossed my arms over my chest and closed my eyes. Sage was right, but I had no idea how to prepare for whatever Powerhouse was going to throw at me.
All I could do was pray I hadn’t started a war.
**********
Kellan
“Holy crap, man. How many cookies did you get?”
Tate grabbed the box out of Dante’s hands and dumped it out on the desk in front of him.
It was Monday early afternoon, and we were all gathered going over the plans for the week.
Dante grabbed a chair, spun it around, and straddled it backward. “A dozen. I knew with you assholes here, I was going to need a lot.”
Roman grabbed a cookie and pointed at Dante. “I still can’t believe you went behind enemy lines.”
Dropkick My Heart: Powerhouse M.A. Series Page 5