Page 11 of The Right Woman

When I go to make some coffee in the French press, there isn’t enough left to get a scoop for what I need. “Fuck!” I forgot to pick some up. Throwing the bag in the recycling, I grab my jacket.

I’ll just have to stop by a fast-food restaurant and get a cup on my way to the garage. Like a lost lover, my mind rests fondly on Rainy Day cafe and that perfect autumn roast they make. I can taste it on my tongue. Feel its warmth easing the irritations of the morning… But then, all I can see is Rosy flirting with the barista, distracting her from being able to do herjoband get me my coffee.

The only good thing about the exchange is that I don’t think she recognized me. If she had…I’m not sure what I would have done. Paid her to keep quiet? Grabbed her arm and taken her to the bathroom and shoved my dick so far down her throat shecouldn’ttalk again?

My hips raise off the driver’s seat as I adjust my firm erection.Damn it!Why won’t this thing go down? I’m thirty-six. Not a teenager.

I roll up to the drive-through window and place an order for black coffee. Considering the cramping grunts my stomach makes, I may as well treat myself since I won’t be getting any pussy tonight. I ask for a breakfast sandwich to go with my morning joe. When I pull up to pay, however, the woman waves off my credit card.

“Sorry, sir. Our machines are down. Only taking cash.”

“What? Are you serious?”

She lowers the microphone on her headset and stares at me, asking silently if she needs to repeat herself.

Heaving a sigh, I roll up my window and drive away. I don’t have any fucking cash, either. Going through a mental checklist, I plan a visit to the store for coffee, cash, a new water heater, something to eat for breakfast this week…

And pussy. Maybe they have it in a hidden aisle in the back.

By the time I get to the garage, I’m late. Ihatebeing late anywhere, but especially when I’m trying to set a good example for Eli. Who has already irritated two customers by the time I get to the back office he’s using as his own now that I made him office manager, encouraging him to step away from the cars with his disastrous mechanical abilities.

“Sorry!” He sounds all whiny, like he used to when we were kids. Catching my eyes, he shrugs sheepishly and says quietly, “I thought I knew what I was doing by now. Thought I could help Tate out when it got busy, but I should have known better.” Slumping into the chair across from my desk, he runs his hands along the sides of his shaved head. Guilt racks my heart once again. He looks so fuckingdefeated.

He’s doing good with the customers and running the business aspects of things, but some days, I don’t know what to do with him. Hehasto have a job. It’s part of his parole. And no one hires ex-felons. Especially one who was in on drug trafficking charges.

“It’s fine. I’ll straighten things out and offer free repairs for those customers on their next visits.” Hurriedly, I add, “Just let Tate and I handle the service.”

Looking out the window over the long table in the back corner of the room, he sighs. “Essa’s going to come by today, if that’s okay. Her car’s not doing good, so I said we’d take care of it for her.”

I cross my arms. Eli rarely opens up, and this seems like a rare opportunity to hear what’s going on in his head. I wait to see if he’ll say something more. But, just like me, he stays silent. “What’s she do for work?”

His chocolate brown eyes greet me, and I see it. This man is head over heels for this woman. My youngest brother issmitten. “She’s in school at Northview University.” He sits back in the chair with a squeak and smirks bashfully. “Uh…I think.God, this is stupid, but…I think I may try my hand at some classes, too.”

A mixture of pride and jealousy twists my guts. It must be very serious if she’s convincing him to achieve an untold dream. Eli’s always been bright. I spent years trying to convince him of that fact. This girl has helped him see his worth in just a month. Why wouldn’t he take what I said as the truth? See how proud I am of him?

Emily’s words during an argument come back to haunt me.“I’m not a mind reader, Adon. No one knows what’s going on in that head of yours. If you feel like sharing, we’re waiting with open hearts.”

“That’s fantastic. I think that’s a wonderful idea.” Visions of expanding the family business across town, with each of us running a franchise, enter my mind. Rhodes would never, though. And I’m not sure I can trust Eli to handle the pressures it would take, at least not yet. While sober. “Have her pull into a bay, and Tate can take care of her car.”

The tension leaves his body in a giant wave and a broad smile spreads across his lips. He looks just like that time I said we’d all go to an outdoor concert when we were teens.

It was just after Mom died and Aunt Maria was on her way from Greece to help me out. The three of us were mindless, disgusting zombies walking around the house. I tried my hardest to get Rhodes and Eli to clean and cook under my supervision. What did I know about grieving? I was just an eighteen-year-old kid myself and now a guardian to my two younger brothers.

Eli had been bugging me forweeksbefore she died, wanting to go to some concert. Mom said for me to take him, that it would be good for us to go. But after she left, I thought it would be irresponsible.

Until one night, the grief got to be too much to bear. I couldn’t take feeling so fucking sad anymore. So I marched into his room where Rhodes and he were talking. Probably about me being such a fucking tyrant. And I told him we were going.

The brightness in their smiles was all I needed to feel like living another day. Those fuckinggrinskept me alive. And I eat it now like it’s my last meal.

Emotion grips my heart so powerfully, I think my eyes water, but I won’t let him see. Instead, I focus on the computer screen and clear my throat. “Okay, so I’ll call those customers. Get back up front.”

Once he’s gone, I focus on cleaning up his messes. And spend the rest of the day dealing with angry people and rude suppliers.

The lack of coffee catches up to me after lunch when my head pounds harder than it has all day. I forgot to stop to eat so my stomach has acid pouring through it, waiting for any protein. My hand slams down the receiver of the phone as I deal with the city inspector coming by at the most inconvenient time. And just as I think about getting a bite, Eli knocks on the door to introduce his girlfriend to me.

She’s a fucking tiny thing, and Rhodes is right. She looksreallyyoung. But knowing she’s in college and that I tried to fuck a girl about her age at the club last weekend, I ignore it. If Eli’s happy and looking into a more solid future, one without booze and drugs, I’ll encourage this new relationship.

Her big blue eyes look up at me as if she’s terrified as she peeks around my brother’s body. Brushing off my palms, I stand and stretch out my hand. “Hey there. I’m Adon. You must be Essa?”

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