Page 7 of Zombie's Howl-O-Ween
“Zombie.”
“I’m sorry, what did you say?” Surely, I didn’t hear him correctly.
“The second order is for Zombie. I doubt he used his legal name, but maybe he did. He’s a little odd. Try Brandon.”
“I know who he is. His name isn’t on the list.” I couldn’t believe it. Was Brandon angry with me?
“He said you’d have his order ready.” His words were like a punch in the gut.
“You mean to tell me that all these years he knew I knew his order?” I wanted to scream but of course I wouldn’t. Papa would flip out at me for acting childish in front of a customer. “Then why would he tell me what he wanted every day if he knew I knew?”
“I don’t know.” He shrugged. “He just asked me to pick up the orders and said you’d have his ready.”
“Why didn’t he pick it up himself? Is everything okay?” Maybe something happened to him.
“He’s fine. Just couldn’t come today.” Maddox raised a curious brow like he was hoping to get a reaction out of me. “You seem disappointed.”
“He’s just never missed a day.” I turned around and went to get Maddox’s bag off the pick-up shelf. It was a name I hadn’t seen before when I’d processed the online order but then I didn’t get out much and only knew a few of the bikers, like Brandon. I spent most of my time working in the deli, and at home. I only knew those who came in. “Here you go.”
“Are you okay? Got a secret fling going on with him none of us knows about?”
“Stop messing with me.” I laughed and shook my head.
Like was he serious? I couldn’t tell with the mischievous smirk on his face. I was starting to get the vibe that Maddox came to the deli on Brandon’s behalf. Which was weird. I didn’t think bikers would do stuff like that.
Maddox placed two twenty-dollar bills on the counter. “Keep the change.”
“Thanks.” Oh, my heart. He said the exact words Brandon usually said. Had I been making more out of our limited interactions? Of all the men who came into the shop, Brandon had been the only one to stand out to me.
I couldn’t explain what attracted me to him, but whatever it was had made me blind to any other guy.
“Come to our Halloween party. It’s going to be spooktacular.” He snorted, then strutted out of the building.
Spooktacular? Was he for real.
I laughed again, but I felt giddy this time.
No question I’d go to the Halloween Bash. I needed to find out for myself if Brandon Adams liked me more than being the chick who knew his sandwich schedule and made them just to his particular liking.
Geez, now I had to think of a costume. I hadn’t dressed up for Halloween since I was in middle school.
What would Brandon like?
Something sexy?
Scary?
Maybe a little of both?
“Burr… It’s so cold,” Mom said as she appeared from the back office and looked up at the digital thermostat. Her arms were wrapped tightly around her body. “Snow is coming.”
“Don’t say that. I’m going to the club’s party.” I cut my gaze toward the large picture window. It did look blustery and frigid. “It’s too early for snow.”
“Don’t you remember that we had snow on the first of October last year?”
“I remember.” I grumbled a chain of profanity to myself. But last year the snow melted away by the next day. I opened the weather app on my cell phone.
“And in 1991 was the infamous Halloween blizzard. I was a teenage girl back then. I remember the town shutting down for days. We got over three feet of snow.”
