Page 15 of The Sidekick

“We’ll let you go then.” As soon as Trevor says it, a desperate urge to keep them talking hits me. I was enjoying my solitude just a second ago, wasn’t I?

“I was mostly calling to ask if you wanted to come in tomorrow around eight. The police have cleared out, and we have some cleanup to do before we can open again. Kind of an all hands on deck thing.”

“Yes, sir, of course.” I don’t hesitate to agree.

If Trevor asked me for a kidney, I would fall all over myself to give it to him. I am not healthy when it comes to him. Plus, to get out of my apartment and speak to real people?

That sounded horrible ten minutes ago. Why is it so appealing now? Maybe all this peace and quiet has just been me rattling around like a lonely ghost.

I can’t resist asking in a sweet, loud voice, “But, at eight in the morning or night?”

“Of course in the morning,” Max sounds so frustrated that I have to laugh. He’s surprisingly easy to rile up. “And unblock my number.”

I’m still laughing when he hangs up.

Chapter Seven

Tera

It isn’t until I’m parked in my usual spot that the reality of what I’m doing hits me. I’m about to go back inside the place I watched my friend get shot. I suddenly feel hot and then freezing, my stomach going queasy. When I close my eyes to do some deep breaths, it helps a little. I should have done some yoga before I came here. By the time I get out of my car, I’m only shaking a little, but my eyes feel stretched wide as they roll back and forth, looking for trouble.

“Hey!”

I jump and look up as Trevor waves at me from the open window of the second story. What in the world is he doing up there? The stairs are usually blocked off, and employees aren’t allowed on the second floor. It’s an unwritten law Pat told me about. Then again, it’s his bar, and he can go wherever he wants.

“You scared the pee out of me!” I call back. By his laughter, I know he heard me.

“I’ll be down to unlock everything in a second. I should have known you’d be early.”

“Sorry,” I wince.

I’m almost an hour early because I wanted to leave my apartment so badly. I accidentally left my key to the bar and my coffee on the kitchen counter because I was in such a rush to escape. I need to put it on my key ring. I’ve had it for three months now.

He shakes his head and pulls his upper body back inside, closing the window. I shuffle on my feet as I wait for the main door to open. It looks like it might snow, and I’m regretting the slip-on shoes I wore today. They’re too thin to keep my feet warm. I’ll just have to suck it up until payday.

I’m going to have to ask the awkward Hey, are we going to be paid for the days you were closed question. I hate being that person. I hate not being able to pay my bills more, though.

Joe’s car isn’t here, and I wonder if it was towed. Will I have to pay to get it back for him? Not that he would need it. Why are my thoughts so morbid suddenly?

The lock clicking behind me is loud in the quiet, making me jump again.

Trevor notices and frowns slightly. I glare at him without any heat as he steps outside. He doesn’t look cold in his boots and a short-sleeved shirt. It isn’t fair. Where is his coat?

“Hey,” he breathes out with a soft smile. “It’s good to see you.”

“You too,” I give him a shaky smile back.

No matter what, I’m stuck on him and don’t want to unstick any time soon. The pathetic real reason that I couldn’t block his number. The guy is hot and well-built. He could have any woman he wants. I just want to throw my arms around him and hold on forever. Sadly, he’s main character material, and I’m a sidekick. It would never work.

“I know this is going to be hard. I’m proud of you for coming out.” His hands rest on my shoulders, warming me up on the outside while I burst into fireworks on the inside at the thought of making him proud. I’m so unwell.

“Max and I have been cleaning so that it won’t be such a shock, but I wanted to make sure that you knew we would be here with you every step of the way.”

This man is too perfect to be real. Totally a main character, dang it.

“Ok,” I sigh, thinking more about my sad lady bits than what I’m about to do.

He ushers me inside and locks the door behind us again.

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