Page 15 of Double Trouble

I’m gonna tell Brink I’m totally into her, and we should be a thing, but I’m gonna say it a lot better than that.

I tug at my collar, cringing against the material. Pete said this party wasn’t a formal thing, but to get out of my uniform. I don’t know… hearing engagement party triggered button-shirt images, and when I asked my mom, she said I should dress up.

The buttoned shirt had to be ironed, which hell if I know how to do that, so I stuck it in the dryer for an hour and went with that, but it still has some wrinkles in it. I don’t own a plain t-shirt, and I wanted to be prepared in case Mad wanted to board again tonight, so I’m wearing a blue tee with yellow print splayed across the chest that if people were to look really close, they’d see the graphic right through this buttoned-up mess.

I run a hand through my hair, forgetting that I pomaded the crap out of it, so my hand comes back waxy and greasy. Shit, this done-up stuff isn’t made for people like me.

I wipe the stuff on my jeans, forgetting I’m supposed to be keeping those nice too. Ugh, forget it.

Troublemakers is dark, the outside lights shut off and the sign on the door sayingClosed for Private Party. The parking lot is packed. I don’t own a car, so I board down the street in my “formal wear” and kick my ride into my hands as I make my way to the door. I weave in between Pete’s motorcycle and Brink’s car, my heart double-timing as I see her helmet sitting in the backseat.

Yeah, tonight’s the night. I’m gonna ask her out. Hold her hand. Kiss her goodnight.

I don’t have a Yoda, but I do have me, and I’ve been replaying this night in my head for a long time.

I make my way inside, following the signs and the noise past the food court to the archway with golf clubs decorating the brick. The lights on the floor lead to the outside doors to the Tiki Zone where there’s a miniature golf course and a bungee dive into water. Tiki torches line the walk and the snack shack is open and buzzing with many co-workers ordering umbrella drinks.

It’s been a while since I’ve come out here. The Wheel Zone is my… well, zone, and managers have stopped stationing me elsewhere for years. Candace once asked if I’d consider doing a different one for a week or two, but changed her mind before the schedule went out. It’s not that I don’t mind other zones. The Wheel Zone is just where I shine, I guess, and it’s been so long since I’ve done other places I might need training on them first.

I search through the familiar faces of coworkers and the unfamiliar ones from wherever Candace and Pete know them. I’m looking for one in particular, and it doesn’t take me long to pin her down.

Damn, she’s stunning. My breath stops dead in my throat. Mad’s usually tangled and messy strands are curled and bouncy, hanging just over the small of her back. A red, silky thing flows over her shoulders and down her torso, falling breezily into… well, shit… that’s a skirt. A bunch of metal loops create some sort of belt around her waist, cutting the red fabric into different shapes. She tries to push one side of the sleeve up over her shoulder, but it falls right off, leaving her collarbone exposed.

Aislynn, who’s standing next to her, laughs and gestures to the bare shoulder. From what I gather with the very little experience I have in lip reading, she’s telling her that’s how the dress is supposed to look.

I head over, tripping myself in the rush to just be next to her. Her hazel eyes drift to me a few steps away, and she gives me the brightest smile, and I feel like freaking Tony Hawk.

“Hey, Brink,” I say, and we greet each other with a clasped hand elbow bump. Even dressed up in our fancy pants, we keep it casual.

Aislynn flips her long pink hair over her shoulder and takes a sip from her bright orange umbrella drink. “You just get here?”

I nod, trying not to let my gaze drift to Mad and that dress. “You?”

“Nope. Just got off, so I changed in the break room.” She leans against a fake palm tree. “Do either of you know who that is who just walked up to Candace?”

Mad cranks her head around me, and I follow her gaze. A bespectacled dude with a decent beard pulls Candace into a hug, squeezing her pretty tight.

“Oh, that’s Luke,” Mad answers. “He works at Candace’s ranch.”

Say what now? My eyes widen, and I take him in more carefully. This guy works with Mad, then. Every day.

I try not to let the fact that he’s the typical female magnet bother me. The fact that he has a real manly job doesn’t intimidate me either. Nah.

My jaw clenches, and I stand a little straighter. Can she see me flexing in this monstrosity of a shirt?

“That man is the most gorgeous alive,” Aislynn says, making this conversation fun for me.

“For sure,” I tease, and she gives me a good kick to the foot.

“I meant second to you, babe.”

I kick her back, but I’m grateful for the shoutout. I can use all the help I can get.

Aislynn subtly jerks her head toward Mad, waggling her brows as she gulps a healthy sip from her fruity drink. I take a deep breath, taking the hint.

“Uh… Mad—”

“Can we talk for a sec?” she blurts, then backtracks. “Oh, were you going to say something?”

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