Light in the Shadows (Find You in the Dark #2)(45)
Author: A. Meredith Walters

“Of course,” she quipped as she started to bob her head up and down to the music. We pulled into the shop’s parking lot a short time later. “Ruby hasn’t been here in a while then?” she asked. I shook my head.

“Nope, Tilly’s been covering things, but I’m trying to pitch in and help when I can.” We walked through the front door, the bells tingling above us. “Hey Tilly!” I called out in greeting.

Tilly was reading a book behind the counter but jumped to her feet when she saw me. “Clay! Hi! I didn’t know you were coming in today.”

“Yeah, I wanted to get a head start on the shipment we got in yesterday. Ruby would have come…” Tilly nodded in understanding so I didn’t bother to come up with an excuse.

“Of course. I can help you if you want…” she offered, by I noticed she was now staring over my shoulder. She looked strangely irritated. Hmm, Tilly was usually too busy meditating or focusing her chi or whatever, to get pissed about anything. But the girl was definitely feeling the angry.

Maggie was hanging back and I waved her up. “You remember Maggie, right? She’s gonna help me with the boxes. So if you need anything, we’ll be in the back.” Tilly’s smile had disappeared and I noticed some weird communication going on between her and Maggie. There was a full blown chick show down going on. I just wish I knew why.

I never knew they had a problem with each other. I couldn’t remember them ever having interacted before.

“Sure. I’ll be up here.” Tilly’s voice was decidedly cooler and I took that as our cue to vacate. Girls were such a head f**k sometimes.

“Wonder what her problem is,” I mused, as I took in the huge pile of boxes lining the store room. Damn, this would take forever. Maggie snickered as she went to one and opened it.

“I forgot how oblivious you were,” she commented, though it was clearly more to herself than to me.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” I asked her. Me oblivious? Purposefully in denial maybe. But oblivious? Maggie simply shook her head and started unpacking the box. Grabbing the inventory sheet, she started checking off items as I came to sit down beside her.

“Seriously, Mags. What am I so oblivious about? Don’t leave me hanging,” I dug. Maggie nudged me with her shoulder.

“Tilly. She likes you, you idiot.”

“Well of course she likes me, we’re friends.” This wasn’t the news of the century. What was the big deal? And to be honest I didn’t want to spend time talking about Tilly. There were about a million other things I’d rather be doing than talking at all. Yes, my mind went there. Of course it went there. Maggie was beautiful and her jeans fit her ass really well.

“No, you dork. She likes you.” I snorted and shook my head.

“Whatever, Mags.” I didn’t know what the hell she was talking about. But I really didn’t care. Being here, with my girl, teasing and joking in a way that was almost…normal, that’s what I cared about.

“See…oblivious,” she muttered, turning back to the box in front of her. I didn’t say anything else, just got down to our task. We worked quietly, taking out items and placing them on the floor.

When we were done with one box, we moved onto the next. After a while, we started to talk again. Nothing serious, just random conversation about nothing in particular. It was the best useless conversation I had ever had.

Maggie did this for me. She made it all matter. Even the insignificant stuff.

“Crap, Clay, I really have to get home. I told my parents I’d be back in time for dinner,” Maggie said, getting to her feet. I closed up the box I had been working on and stood up, pulling my keys out of my pocket.

Hissss. That was the sound my balloon being popped. Knowing that this was over, whatever it had been, left me completely bereft. What if I never got an opportunity like this again? What if Maggie went home and realized spending time together had been a huge mistake? I knew I couldn’t live with that. Not when I had only just gotten a taste of what I had been missing.

“I’m glad we hung out, Clay. This was nice,” Maggie said, tugging on her coat. And like that, I was okay again. And I knew that Dr. Todd had been right all along, that there was something so fundamentally wrong about my moods and feelings being dictated by another person like this. But when it was good, it was so freaking good.

“Bye Tilly,” I said as we were leaving and Maggie smirked at me.

“Oblivious,” she mouthed.

I rolled my eyes. “Whatever,” I muttered, though I could play oblivious all day long if it meant she kept teasing me like this.

Maggie’s phone started to ring and she pulled it out to check the caller ID. I noticed the way her eyes darted to me before she answered.

I unlocked my car doors as Maggie began to talk to the person on the other line. I could tell instantly that she wasn’t speaking to either Daniel or Rachel. There was something about her voice that I couldn’t quite place.

She turned her face away as she spoke quietly and I tried respect her privacy and not eavesdrop. But that possessive animal inside of me had me listening all the same. And when I heard her say, “I don’t know, Jake. I promised my parents I’d be home for dinner,” I wanted to snarl.

Fucking Jake. Apparently they were close enough to talk on the phone now. And yeah, that pissed the hell out of me. A voice inside me growled she’s mine. And then my head became consumed by dark, twisted thoughts of Maggie with Jake and I couldn’t handle it.

I pulled out into traffic and hauled ass to her house. Maggie looked over at me in concern when I cut a sharp turn, causing my tires to squeal. I didn’t even spare her a glance. I couldn’t even look at her. This was killing me.

“I’ve gotta go, Jake. I’ll call you later,” Maggie said and hung up. My teeth were clenched and I was equal parts relieved and devastated when I pulled up in front of Maggie’s house.

I didn’t turn off the car. I just needed her to go even as I dreaded her getting out of the vehicle and leaving me. But I was fuming. I was mad at her, mad at me, mad and that f**king tool, Jake. I couldn’t deal with this right now. The dark need to take care of this horrible pain was becoming overwhelming.

“Clay. About Jake…”Maggie started and I held up my hand, cutting her off.

“You don’t need to explain shit to me. We’re not together. End of story.” I sounded bitter and cold and I saw the way Maggie flinched. I felt the flicker of regret but it was quickly drowned out by the noise in my head.