Page 42 of The Love Duet
With that, Pepper turned, leaving me in the living room, and for the first time in years, I could feel that familiar pressure behind my eyes, threatening to make me feel human again.I had no idea if I was ever going to be able to repay her, but I was going to try, and that meant giving the online counseling another chance, despite how it hadn’t worked before.
Chapter 6
Josiah~
Even though I looked considerably different after a long shower, I still couldn’t help but feel as if everyone was still staring at me, an unwanted nuisance in their personal space.Even knowing that it was all in my head, I still couldn’t help but feel that way.
After taking a shower this morning, I had thrown my hair back in a ponytail, the used rubber band not long for this world, then I’d gotten ready for my first day at work.However, after taking care of all the hygienic necessities, I’d been forced to walk out of Pepper’s bathroom in only a towel, loathed to put my dirty clothes back on.
Luckily for me, Pepper hadn’t been at all surprised to see me walking around her home in only a towel, and when I had pointed out my dilemma, she had grabbed me a clean t-shirt that hadn’t fit and a pair of sweats that I’d been barely able to walk in, they’d been so tight.Still, I had suffered the discomfort as Pepper had thrown all my clothes in the washer, breakfast on the table as the laundry had been running.Thankfully, one of her employees had agreed to open the shop for her, giving us plenty of time to make me presentable for work.
When we’d gotten to the shop, we had barely made it in the front door before Pepper had been bombarded with questions about her attack, and everyone wanting to make sure that she was okay.It’d been wild to see so many people come together for one of their own, and even her ex-husband had stopped by to check on her, reminding her of her appointment with the security company.
I’d also been introduced to Wilmar Perico, Pepper’s delivery man, Pepper announcing that my first day of training would be with deliveries.Since no one knew that I was the homeless man that had saved Pepper, everyone was treating me like your average everyday new employee, and I couldn’t lie and say that it didn’t feel nice.Of course, her ex-husband knew who I was, but I only knew that because Pepper had been very forthcoming during breakfast, letting me know that her ex-husband, daughter, and best friend all knew about me and my situation.
Anyway, Laurie Ross was Pepper’s other full-time employee, and from what I could gather, she was just as kind, bubbly, and outgoing as Pepper.As for her part-timers, they didn’t come in until after school, so I wouldn’t meet any of them until later.
Pepper had also decided to order pizza for lunch for everyone, and it was getting harder and harder not to feel emasculated every time that she came out of her wallet.I knew that she meant well, and I also knew that she couldn’t possibly know how I felt as a man, but that didn’t stop me from feeling a tinge of shame each time that she was generous with herself.
“How’s it going?”Pepper asked, walking into the back room where Wilmar and I were eating lunch.
“No offense, Pepper, but it’s not rocket science,” Wilmar quipped.“With the magic of GPS nowadays, it’d be hard to get it wrong.”
Instead of taking offense, Pepper just smiled.“I’m not talking about getting the deliveries quickly, I’m talking about all the single women of Macon ordering flowers from us just so that you can deliver them.”
That got a laugh out of me, and I’d forgotten what it felt like to have normal banter like this with other people.“She’s not wrong.”
Wilmar looked over at me.“Says the man that had to help Darla Perkins with her one vase of flowers.”
Pepper arched a brow at me.“Making friends out there already?”
“Hardly,” I muttered, my ears turning red.
“We’ll see when you suddenly get an influx of emergency flower orders,” Wilmar snorted before helping himself to another slice of pizza.
“Well, once he’s trained with you and Laurie, then we can keep him stuck in the back room to keep the single women of Macon from rioting in the streets,” Pepper teased.
Just then, Laurie peeked her head in, and she had a tiny grin playing on her lips.“Kenneth Query is out front again.He’d like to speak to you about some fresh roses.”
“Talk about causing a riot in the street,” Wilmar snorted, leaving me curious.
“Who’s Kenneth Query?”I asked, looking between them all.
“Just a douchebag that’s been trying to get Pepper to go out with him for months now,” Wilmar answered.“Still, he thinks that his money is a substitute for character.”
Pepper just rolled her eyes.“You guys are too much.”
“What do you want me to tell him?”Laurie asked, and as much as I had no right, and as much as it was too soon, I felt an immediate jealousy that I had no business feeling.
“I’ll be right there,” Pepper sighed.“Better I deal with him than you.”
Then looking my way, Laurie asked, “Are you single, Josiah?’
Everything in me froze.“What?”
“If you’re single, then we can just tell Kenneth that you’re Pepper’s new boyfriend,” Laurie suggested.“It would solve everything.”
“It’s not a bad idea,” Wilmar chimed in.
