Soar
“Sure. Is this a housewarming party or something? Do we need to have a gift?” Always practical, I didn’t want to be the rude one who showed up empty handed.
“Hmm, I guess so. I’ll get something from my sister’s store. I think Jess would like her stuff.” Remy’s sister owned this cute little boutique that specialized in candles, lampshades, and other household accessories.
“Can I chip in? I don’t think I’ll have time to stop anywhere.” I also didn’t have much cash to spare. Remy was usually pretty reasonable with her money so I didn’t worry she’d pick out something extravagant.
“Sure. “
Remy was one of my few friends from NYU I still talked to regularly, and that was probably only because we worked together. When my dad lost his job, I made the decision of where to cut back easy on my parents. I took a semester off.
I’d planned on just moving home, but when Rhett offered me the closet, I jumped on it. Moving back home felt like giving up somehow. I’d always wanted to live in the city, and I wasn’t willing to let go of that dream just yet. I also wasn’t willing to let go of NYU. I’d started working full time with the hopes of making some cash and getting myself categorized as an independent for financial aid. My goal was to return part time in the fall. My back up plan was to apply to a less expensive school, which wouldn’t have been the worst option. Still, less expensive school or not, I had to pay my living expenses.
I wanted to see my other friends, but when you leave school, it’s sort of hard to stay part of the social scene—not to mention it’s kind of depressing. Who would have thought I’d ever be jealous of my friends for having to go to class and study?
“Want to meet at my place and grab dinner before we head over?” Remy rang up a customer. She wore her long, strawberry blonde hair in a braid down her back. I wished I could pull off a braid like that. I just looked like a little kid when I did it. She looked fun.
“Yeah, that sounds good.” I wasn’t surprised she didn’t suggest my apartment. I’d been trying to avoid bringing friends over. Rhett was already doing me a favor. He didn’t need a bunch of “kids” messing up his place.
The rest of our shift was uneventful. Remy left at lunch time to get over to campus for class. I tried not to feel too jealous as I wiped down the counters.
“Any big plans this weekend, Bates?” Eric snuck up behind me. He seemed to always wait until I was the only other one working to show his face. I was slightly surprised he hadn’t started out by asking about my head, but that was Eric. You never knew what to expect from him.
“Not really.”
He leaned back against the counter, his hulking figure boxing me in. “I heard you talking to Remy about a party.”
“Were you eavesdropping?”
“No. I was listening to my employees.”
“We’re not your employees.”
“You work under me.” He accentuated the word under, and it kind of made my skin crawl. At twenty-three, Eric wasn’t that much older than my nineteen, but that didn’t mean his pseudo come-ons didn’t skeeve me out. There was something almost menacing about him. You knew he was dangerous just by being near him. Why someone like that would be an assistant manager at a coffee shop, I didn’t know. But he did moonlight as a bouncer.
“Is there a point to this questioning?” Letting someone know they intimidate you is never a good idea. I tried to make myself appear unmoved.
“Come out with me Saturday night.” He crossed his arms over his unbelievably built chest. No one could say Eric wasn’t in shape. However, they might question his use of performance enhancement drugs.
“Didn’t you just say I was your employee?”
“Yes.”
“So…doesn’t that seem like a conflict of interest?”
He ran a hand through his blond hair. “It would only be a conflict of interest if you said no.”
“How do you figure?” I crossed my arms.
“I can make your life easy or hard, Bates.”
“This is harassment.”
“And what are you going to do about it?” A light smile tugged on the corner of his lips.
“Report it. Marv won’t put up with it.” The owner was a hell of a lot nicer than Eric was.
His smile became a full on grin. “My uncle doesn’t have a problem with me dating you.”
“Excuse me? Uncle?”
“Yeah. He’s my mom’s brother. That’s why we don’t have the same last name.”
“Oh.” Damn it. How had I not figured that out before? The more I thought about, the more it fit. They definitely had a close relationship.
“So Saturday, eight o’clock?”
“No.”
“Excuse me?”
“I said no. I’m not going out with you.” I couldn’t afford to lose the job, but losing my dignity would be worse. I wasn’t going to let someone bully me.
“Is there a reason you’re being a bitch?” He stood up straight, accentuating his height.
“Is there a reason you can’t take no for an answer?”
He laughed. “I like your spirit, Bates.”
“My spirit?”
“Yeah. I might even respect it a little.” He shifted and gave me a smidge more personal space.
“Okay…so that means you’ll back off?”
“It means I’m going to pretend you didn’t just say no. I’ll pick you up at eight Saturday.”
I stood up as straight as possible, trying to make my 5’7” seem even taller. “Do you think I want to keep this job that bad?”
“I think you want to put your own roof over your head so you don’t have to run home to mommy and daddy.” He relaxed his arms down at his sides.
His statement about picking me up set in. “How do you know where I live?”
“Your employee file.”
“That’s private.”
“Is it Casey Morgan Bates?” He winked. “I’m out, see you Saturday night.”
“I’m not going out with you!” I yelled, but he didn’t glance back as he slipped outside.
Perfect.
Chapter Three
Toby
“You’ve got to come tonight.” Emmett’s voice echoed across the gym. We were shooting hoops like two old friends. No one would imagine the history between us—not even him.
“Why?” I caught a rebound and easily tossed it through the net.