Page 40 of Good Vibes Only
“Good man,” he said, and patted my chest. “And good luck on your lunch date.”
9
McKayla
Imade it to the shop just before we opened at nine in the morning. I unlocked the door and shuffled in, letting loose a deep and tired yawn. I hit the lights. The pulsing of the cold fluorescent lights hurt my bleary and sensitive eyes.
“Oww,” I whined.
Clearly, I’d drank a little too much of Brett’s “essence” last night.
Just thinking of him made it come back in a flash. Our little “moment” on his backyard balcony. His thick arms wrapped snugly around me. The gentle touch of his lips against mine. The realization, as his scent and taste melded with my senses, that my chemistryabsolutelyagreed with his.
He was a good kisser. And Ilikedit. But I was also drunk. I’m not saying I was wasted or he took advantage of me or anything like that, no. I’m saying I was drunk enough to lose my inhibitions and kiss someone who, really, I should be keeping at arm’s length instead.
Why?
As if on cue, the radio next door began to blare, playing the same forty “greatest rock hits” I’d be hearing all day long. Just like the previous few weeks. A second later, the power tools joined the symphony with their screaming.
Ugh,I thought.
I just didn’t knowwhyBrett wanted to take me out, much less why I’d even agreed.
Clearly, we weren’t thinking. We got a little carried away with the BarDown beers, I guess.
Part of me wanted to text him and ask if we could reschedule. Once he agreed to that—and certainly he would—all I had to do was keep pushing the date off until he eventually got the idea. Only problem with that plan was I didn’t have his number—and I knew if I’d asked Sofia for it, she’d want to know why, and would try to talk me out of canceling on him.
The door bells jangled and Raven walked in right on time, as always.
“Mornin’, boss! How goes it?” she asked. “You look so cute today!”
“I do?” I looked down at myself, acting as if I had no idea that I’d worn a cute outfit and spent a little extra time on my hair. “Oh, huh. Thanks.”
Okay, yeah,I had some reservations about our lunch date, and doubts about Brett’s intentions at large. But, er, I guess I still wanted to look good …? For some reason. I’m not getting my hopes up or anything but, y’know, just in case.
Raven got straight to work pulling the online orders that came overnight.
“So what’s the occasion?” she asked while she worked.
“Nothing, really,” I murmured.
“Ah. There’s the tell.” She grinned. “Itissomething, because if it were truly nothing, then you wouldn’t add the ‘really’ part afterward.”
God, was I really that transparent? Oh well; there was no use hiding it. She’d find out later, regardless.
“Alright. Fine. I might be having lunch with someone today.”
“Aw, yay! I’m so happy for you!” she said, and clapped her hands in a fit of excitement. “Sooo … who is he?”
I sighed. “If I told you, you wouldn’t believe me.”
“Hmm. Can I try to guess?”
I laughed sharply. “You can guess all you want, but there’s not a chance in hell you’d ever get it righ—”
“Is it the short guy from the brewery next door?”
My jaw dropped. “How … in the hell … did you possibly guess that?!”
