“I know, I shouldn’t dish it out if I can’t take it,” he muttered.
I wanted to press further. I wanted to know more about the guy I’d become fascinated with in such a short time, but I also didn’t want to get involved. It was the ultimate catch 22. “Uh, yeah, speaking of dishes I guess I should finish sweeping up my mess.”
“That’d be good. Then hopefully you won’t break anything else when we wash them.”
“Oh my God, shut up!” I pushed his shoulder.
I finished sweeping up the dish, scooping it up in the dust pan and throwing away the shards in one of the big garbage cans near the bar.
“Okay, now that you’ve man handled me enough, let’s head to the back.” Brad motioned for me to follow as he turned on his heel and pushed the swinging door to the kitchen.
The dining area was a good size with quite a few booths and tables, but the kitchen was tiny. The giant stone oven took up half the room with a narrow little walk way between it and the prep table. A few feet behind that was a large industrial sink filled with dishes and pizza pans.
“We have to wash all of these by hand?” I stared wide-eyed at the giant stack.
“Yeah, usually the guys aren’t that busy and can get it done after the dinner rush, but it was pretty swamped tonight.” Brad walked up to the sink.
“So...we have to wash all of these, like for real?” I stood next to him, staring at the giant stack and wondering how many of the plates and other things I would end up breaking.
“What, are you afraid of a little water?” He turned on the faucet and grabbed the hose, squirting it on my hand.
I gasped as soon as the icy cold water hit me. “Brad!”
“You don’t like that? Or was that a good gasp?” He raised his eyebrows playfully. “Maybe you need some more.” He pointed the nozzle right at my shirt and sprayed, the water instantly soaking through the white cotton and bra underneath.
“Oh my God! Totally not cool!” I screamed and grabbed the hose. “Stop it!”
“Stop what, this?” He was definitely stronger than me and grabbed onto my hand, forcing the hose to face me and sprayed a large stream of water that soaked through my shirt again. I screamed and he laughed.
“Brad!” He pulled the hose back so it was just out of my reach and I lunged for it. He caught me, pulling his free arm around my waist and pressing my wet chest against him.
I licked my lips. His eyes flitted from my eyes to my lips. He leaned in, pressing his mouth to mine. I gasped when he nipped at my bottom lip before licking it and then his tongue met mine. I wanted him. I couldn’t deny that, but before I could melt into him I pulled back, staring into his icy blue eyes.
He didn’t say anything, just ran his thumb along my bottom lip. I wanted to stop myself, to say I couldn’t. The way my lip trembled from his touch, and more than just my shirt was wet, was proof enough I couldn’t refuse his advances.
I fisted his hair, pulling his mouth back to mine. He dropped the hose and brought his other arm around my waist as I molded my body into his. Everything about the moment with him felt right. Everything about kissing him seemed right until the harsh reality of the real world brought me back when a door slammed.
I jumped back, gasping and letting go of him. Brad wasn’t so quick to move, only reluctantly letting go of my waist when I shimmied away.
Kellie walked back into the kitchen. “Just forgot something in my locker and thought I’d see how everything’s going.”
“It’s going great.” I forced the biggest smile I could.
“Yeah. Going fine, Kellie.” Brad kept his back to her, his body pressed against the sink.
“Are you sure you don’t need me?” She stepped closer.
“Yeah, we’re good,” Brad said, not even looking at her.
“Okay. Fine.” She turned and stormed out.
As soon as the bell went off over the front door Brad turned away from the sink and pulled me back against him, making it painfully obvious why he wouldn’t turn around once he pressed his body against me. His erection was pushing right into my lower stomach and as much as I wanted him, I had to reign it in.
I put my hand on his chest. “Look, Brad. It’s obvious that I like you, but I can’t do this right now. I mean... well I can do this, but not a relationship. If that’s what you want, I might not be the girl you’re looking for.”
He tilted my chin forcing me to meet his eyes. “Whatever this is, I don’t want it to stop. So whatever I have to do to keep it, I’m cool with that.”
I let out a deep breath. “Okay. I can live with whatever this is. We just can’t tell Mac because she won’t understand. Or Kellie. Or really anyone else for now. Until we at least know what’s going on or not...or...”
He pressed his lips to mine in a quick peck, officially cutting off my words. He pulled back and smiled. “Darcy you’re about as sweet as a Georgia peach but sometimes you talk too damn much.”
***
Nine
Mac & Darcy’s Apartment
Friday
6:45 AM
Mac
I woke up to my phone ringing, the rhythmic beat of my favorite Good Charlotte song pouring out from the speaker. I rolled over, still more than exhausted from the activities of the past week, but knowing I needed the money too much to turn down a job from Kiki.
“’Lo?” I answered, ignoring the loud snores emitting from my new roommate, from somewhere under a pile of blankets on the couch. I rubbed my eyes, anxious to erase the memories of my poor decisions the day before. Making out with a stranger was a stupid move, even for me.
“MacAllister! It’s Kiki,” she chirped, her voice far too chipper for not even seven o’clock. She and my parents were the only ones who were permitted to call me by my full name. For as long as I could remember, I’d been Mac.
“Hi, Kiki,” I greeted her as nicely as I could before consuming any coffee.
“You’ve got forty-five minutes, darling,” she announced in her thick accent. I wasn’t really sure where Kiki was from, but I knew it was either England or Australia. “I have a new job for you, and it’s going to be fun! You’ll be training one of our new recruits for the mail room at that huge office on Marietta Street,” she explained. “Do you remember the name? I seem to have lost the paper with the company name…”
“I know the one,” I confirmed. I’d spent a lot of time there. “I need to be there at seven thirty?” It was an earlier shift than I was used to, but that meant more hours.
“Right. You’ll meet Liam at the front desk in the lobby and then the two of you are going up to the sixth floor for mailroom duty at eight o’clock sharp. You know how they are about folks being late. Give Liam as much of a tour as you can, but be sure to report for duty on time.” Kiki was sweet, but she was also a force to be reckoned with.
“Got it. I’ll be there,” I promise.
“Great. I’ll call you later today and we’ll talk about your schedule for the rest of the week. Toodles,” she said, hanging up before I could even reply.
Kiki was the genius at the agency. She organized at least five hundred schedules for people being sent to companies requesting temp service. It was amazing. If I ever got the chance to meet up with her in person, I was sure I’d buy her a drink. Or two.
My feet hit the floor and Darcy peeked her head out from her spot on the couch. “Why is your phone ringing this early?”
“Maybe if you didn’t stay up so late, seven o’clock wouldn’t seem so early,” I mocked her. I went to the kitchen and pulled the coffeemaker forward on the counter. I loaded it up with water and grounds and then turned it on. “I’m going to take a shower and then go to work. Try not to sleep too much.” My coffee was the one thing I spent too much money on. I paid for the best of the best grounds and my coffeemaker was an elite machine. I would skimp on anything and everything else before I drank cheap coffee. I couldn’t afford Starbucks every day, but mine was just as good.
I walked d
own the tiny hallway, if it could even be called that, and went into the bathroom. To say it was small would be an exaggeration. The shower stall was barely big enough for a short girl like me. There was no place to move my head so it wasn’t in the direct spray of the water.
By the time I was clean, I needed coffee so bad, I didn’t care if my roommate was awake or not. I walked out of the bathroom with one towel wrapped around my body and another wrapped up in my hair. I blinked my way to the kitchen, so exhausted.
The coffee pot was completely empty. I stared at the pot for a full minute before an idea of what happened to my delicious caffeine crept into my head.
“Darcy!” I yelled, certain she’d bolt off the couch.
When I got to the couch, though, it was empty. Fuming, I stomped over to B-Rad’s. I didn’t bother to knock, choosing instead to barge in. Darcy was curled up in a blanket on his couch while he was cooking something in his amazing kitchen.
“Where the fuck is my coffee?” I demanded to know.
I could handle people taking almost anything from me but my coffee. It was my nectar of life.
“Uhh…we kind of had some…” Darcy admitted, her hands wrapped around an over-sized mug.
“We can make more,” B-Rad offered from the kitchen. “I’ve got a nice hot breakfast cooking for you, too.”
“I don’t want breakfast, dammit. I just want my coffee,” I whined. “You know what? Fuck you guys.”
I stormed out, slamming the door and then dressing as fast as I could. I applied some light make-up and then I was out the door, hoping for enough time to hit up a Starbuck’s or something, even though I couldn’t afford it. No such luck. A light drizzle had formed, so walking to Marietta Street was my fastest option, as all the busses and cabs were full. I pulled my little umbrella out of my purse and started my trek.
By the time I walked into the lobby, it was seven twenty-nine. I barely made it on time. Damn those two. I glanced around for Liam, not seeing anyone who could be him right away. Then I saw a guy walking toward me. He was cute, in his own little way, I supposed, with blond hair cropped short and just a hint of scruff along his jawline. He was taller than me, but that didn’t say much. He was short for a guy.
“Mac?” he asked as he approached.
“Yeah, that’s me. Are you Liam?” I returned, shaking his outstretched hand.
“Bingo. Happy to meet you,” he said. His wording would have felt out of place if he had any accent other than the British one he sported. It was deep and kind of sexy, but I wasn’t the type of girl to get involved with someone I worked with, even at a temp agency.
“It’s nice to meet you,” I said cordially.
“Kiki told me to be on the lookout for a pretty young blonde,” he commented.
“Umm, thanks? I’m not really sure how to reply to that.”
“It was a compliment, of course. You’re sexy,” he added.
I looked down at my plain black slacks and gray short sleeved blouse. My hair had to be a mess from humidity of the rain, the umbrella not protecting me thoroughly. .
“Hmm. Thanks, I guess,” I said, desperate to change the subject. “Ready to get to work?”
“After you,” he gestured, an obvious attempt at being gallant. I walked ahead of him, but I wasn’t biting his line. He was too sure of himself, too cocky for me. Peter had been like that. I didn’t want another guy like Peter.
I showed him around and then we went to work in the mailroom, right on time. Working a mailroom was one of the lowest jobs on the totem pole, but it paid well, so I never much minded having to work it. The paycheck’s were always full after a week or two of mail-rooming it.
Hours later, Liam offered to take me to lunch, but I declined, choosing to have lunch in the cafeteria instead. Not all companies provided a full café, but this one was superb, the food amazing, and best of all, everything was free. Finding a company like this was like stumbling across a gold mine. I always took advantage of a free meal.
With a full hour for lunch, I went next door to the mall to get myself a new contract for a cell. I was able to keep the phone I already owned, so at least I didn’t have to drop cash on a new phone. Thank God for the little things.
After work, Liam asked me to have a drink with him somewhere.
“I’m not really into you, Liam,” I confessed.
His laughter was real, heartfelt. “I’m not all that into you either, although I do think you’re hot. I’m new to the city, Mac. I’d just like to make some friends,” he explained.
Not thoroughly convinced he wasn’t some stalker or crazy person, I decided to let him buy me a drink, but only in an environment I felt safe in.
“There’s a little pizzeria and pub you can take me to,” I relented, praying Darcy or B-Rad was working tonight to keep an eye on us.
He hailed us a cab outside the building and then we were on our way. I pulled out my phone to text Darcy. I sent her a message asking whether or not she was working. I didn’t pray much anymore, but I hoped, at least, that either her or her boy toy was working. It was shitty to think that neither of them were there, so I just kept a positive attitude.
***
Ten
Uncle Tony’s Pizzeria
Friday
6:40 PM
Darcy
Another night at the pizzeria and another night I sucked hardcore at my job. It didn’t help that I think Kellie purposefully made it so I’d screw up. She would always “accidently” bump into me when I was cleaning a table or something to throw me off. It also didn’t help that we were extremely busy. I was expecting some dead time but just about every table was full and people kept coming in for the pizza and beer special.
There were enough faceless college guys that all looked the same, but then Mac walked in with a guy I’d never seen before. He was light-haired, lean, and if I could ignore his face he might have been attractive. I didn’t remember her ever mentioning a new boyfriend, so I raised an eyebrow and locked eyes with her across the room.
The bitch just turned away and found a corner booth with the Derp-faced guy.
Fucker.
I wasn’t allowed to have my phone out in the dining area, so I went past the kitchen to the area near Uncle Tony’s office where all the wait staff had their lockers. It was just a tiny hallway, but enough room that I could be tucked away from the public. I sent Mac a quick text and asked: who’s the dude?
She didn’t respond right away so I put my phone in my apron and headed back toward the dining room. Before I could exit the little hallway, Brad was right in front of me. “Hey, Peach, you okay?”
I swatted his arm. “Stop calling me that!”
“Then stop being so damn sweet.” He nuzzled my cheek, the stubble on his jaw brushing against me.
“Not now, Brad. Save it for when we’re alone.” I gently shoved him back even though I would have rather pulled him closer and felt more of his stubble on every part of my skin.
“Okay, are you going to tell me what’s wrong?”
I shook my head. “It’s nothing. I’m just trying to figure out who the dude is with Mac.”
He walked backward to the dining area. “There’s a dude with Mac?”
I grabbed his hand, pulling him back to me. “Yes! But don’t go staring at him,” I hissed. “She won’t text me back about who he is and I want to know.”
“Well I can maybe help you out with that and wait on their table.”
“Really?” I raised my eyebrows.
“Yeah, depending on what you’ll give me in return.” He smirked.
I rolled my eyes. “Ugh. I’m not giving you a blow job.”
“I guess if you really don’t want to know what’s going on...” He started backing away so I pulled him toward me.
“Fine! For every good detail you get me, you get a one minute make out session. Does that sound fair?”
His smirk turned into an all-out grin. “Sounds great.”
* * * * *
&nb
sp; Twenty minutes, and a lot of kissing later, I found out that the guy was British and worked with Mac at her latest temp job, but nothing about him being a boyfriend or anything else.
My break couldn’t come soon enough.
I went out to the back alley where the stairwell led to our apartment and leaned against the brick wall, pulling out my phone. No new texts. Of course.
I could have gone upstairs to me and Mac’s apartment or even sat in Brad’s and played video games or something, but I didn’t feel like moving. My feet were sore from standing all night and I was afraid if I sat down, I’d never get back up. I settled for closing my eyes and leaning my head back against the wall.
“Hey, why’d you bail?”
I opened my eyes to see Brad walking around the corner, his black shirt stained with pizza dough, his hair a mess, but everything about him was still damn adorable. And he definitely caught me staring.
“Get too hot in there while you were checking me out behind the bar and thinking about our next make out session?”
He closed the space between us and faced me, pressing his hands on the wall behind me, his lips just inches from mine.
“No,” I grumbled. “Just on my break.”
“Oh... then I guess you don’t want to listen to what I overheard at Mac’s table.” He nuzzled my neck.
“What did you hear?” I moaned, feeling the nip of his teeth.
“If you’re on your break you’re probably too busy to talk about it. Maybe I should leave you alone...” He took one hand off the wall and rested it on my hip, his thumb pushing up my shirt slightly so that his palm grazed my bare skin.
I arched into his touch. “Don’t tease me,” I whimpered.
“I kind of like it. It’s what you’ve been doing to me all damn night.” He pressed his forehead to mine, his words just a whisper on my lips.
I darted my tongue out, running it along his bottom lip slowly. “But you like it when I tease you.”
A Tale of Two Pretties Page 6