Page 4 of Talk Nerdy To Me
Chapter 3
BASE
“I saw your ride leave without you. Do you need a lift?” Raya asks as she weirdly wipes down the bar.
Did something happen I don’t know about? I thought she lived on a vineyard three hours from here and about to marry rich. Why the hell is she working here?
“If it wouldn’t piss off your fiancé, yeah,” I tell her as I lean against the bar and glance back over at Red.
It’s like she’s unaware there are even people around as she quickly flips through a thick binder.
“You don’t really seem surprised they left you behind,” Raya says as I just watch Red’s finger slide down each page at a rapid pace.
She can’t actually read that damn fast, can she?
“They’re dicks. I’d be more surprised if they hung around this long after curtains,” I tell her, smirking when Red snaps the book shut like she’s found what she’s been searching for and starts moving around the room like she’s checking everything out.
“What’s her deal?” I ask Raya, gesturing to Red.
She doesn’t answer immediately, and when I turn my head, Raya’s simply arching an eyebrow at me. Her eyes move to Red, then they dart back to mine.
“She’s young, hot, and could probably use some friends her own age who aren’t married with kids,” she says like she’s stating something surprising while she blinks a few rapid times.
“What?” I ask as she just continues to blink for a second or two longer.
“Hey, Britt, can you give Base a ride?” she calls out to Red.
Looks like I can stop calling her Red now. I finally have a name.
My lips spread in a smile when Britt’s eyes widen and seem to freeze on me. Maybe she’s bisexual?
Usually I don’t care about someone’s sexual orientation, but in this case, I’d seriously like to know. If she’s straight, she really fucking doesn’t like us at all, because she’s paid zero attention to us all night. It seems like her focus has been specifically targeted on the large amount of women who work here.
“Um...to where?” Britt finally asks, seeming confused.
“My house. It’s on the beach. Not too far, but too far to walk while carrying this,” I say, motioning to my case that is carrying my new favorite baby.
“Oh...yeah. Sure,” she says, sounding hella uncertain. “Just let me shut the lights off.”
“You covering for the manager or something?” I ask, following behind her as everyone filters out.
Raya has vanished just that fast.
“Yes,” she states flatly.
“Do you usually have to do this sort of thing?”
She shakes her head, and says, “No.” That’s all I get.
“Have you worked here long?”
“No,” she says simply.
I can’t tell if she hates talking in general or if she just hates talking to me…
She mutters something to herself when she stumbles into a barstool, and then she glares at it like the thing jumped out in front of her.
“Are you always this...odd?” I ask, trying my damnedest not to laugh as she makes her way to the large breaker box, struggling to walk in the heels she’s wearing.
“Yes.” Deadpan. She’s not joking, is she?
Intrigued, I prop up as she flips the lights off one by one until we’re shrouded by the darkness.
