Real observant, Peach. “So it is.”
“Well, let’s hear it.” She looked at me expectantly.
I stared at her, not sure what to say. Was I supposed to tell her something when she got to work today? I racked my brain, thinking about our trip yesterday. Nothing stood out besides that impressive engine work.
“You already forgot Compliment Thursday?” She sighed, but a smile still remained on her face. “You’re killin’ me, smalls.”
“You’re killing me softly.”
She swatted my arm. “Don’t you even start!”
“But messing with you is such a thriller.”
A scoff came out between those glossy lips, sending strawberry and mint wafting over my face. “You’re impossible.”
“You’re all fired up.”
She let out a little chuckle and rolled her eyes. “Okay, you win. I’d better go clock in.” She bumped against my shoulder as she sauntered toward the back, my skin burning where she made contact. I shook my head. Messing with Peach probably landed somewhere in the middle of my mountain of bad decisions. But I needed something to go right, even if it was just a hookup with a girl.
After Jules clocked in and made her way to the service floor, I took my first break. Making sure no one was in the break room, I grabbed the Cosmo magazine from my locker and opened it to the same article I’d looked at a few days ago. I’d hit an all-time low if I was taking advice from a magazine, but, hell, I’d take any help I could get. I absentmindedly put a check mark next to the first step while I read the second.
Step 2: Be playful
Now that you’ve captured that cutie’s attention by sharing a common interest, show that special someone your playful side. No one can resist a witty tongue, so make sure you bring your best lines when trying to hook that hottie.
My phone buzzed in my pocket, distracting me from the article. I grabbed it and looked at the screen and immediately put it back in my pants. Lex. For the love of God, why did she keep calling me when I told her she’d have a better chance at my player roommate being faithful than getting back with me?
A few seconds later, my dad popped his head in the break room, barely giving me enough time to shove the magazine under a stack of other papers. “Ryan, phone call on line two. They specifically asked for you.”
I bet it was Helen again. She’d called the past couple of days for tablet support. Which reminded me that Grandma had a batch of chocolate chip cookies waiting for me after I got off work. God bless that woman. “Thanks, Dad.”
I strode over to the phone on the wall and picked up, connecting to line two. “Office Jax, where all our products are top shelf at unbeatable prices. This is Ryan, how may I help you?” Welcome to Office Jax, the place where souls go to die.
“Why won’t you answer my calls?” a peeved Lex yelled.
The insta-headache started right on cue with her whiny voice in my ear. “What do you want, Lex?”
“I want you to answer my calls.”
“What good would that do?”
She sighed heavily, and I could picture her glaring at the phone, those amber eyes more toxic than any shot of alcohol. “Babe, you’re the one who said you didn’t know what you wanted. What was I supposed to do?”
My temples throbbed as I pushed back the urge to yell into the phone. “Not suck off my roommate?”
“That’s not fair,” she whined. Like a kid who’d just gotten her toy taken away.
I smoothed my thumb and index finger along the corners of my mouth. This chick could not take a hint. “Life’s not fair.”
“But, pookie—”
“Do not call me that.”
“You didn’t seem to mind it before.”
Yeah, I’d let any girl call me pookie if I loved her enough. Once that was out of the equation, so were the sappy pet names.
Jules rounded the corner, walking toward the break room. Finally, an excuse to hang up.
“I need to go. Helping a customer. Bye.”
“Don’t you dare—”
I hung up, her shrill voice streaming out of the receiver until I slammed down the phone.
How did it turn out like this? She started off so sweet and nice but, eventually, she let the manipulative, psychotic flag fly strong toward the end of our relationship. That’s how most of my relationships went. A fact I needed to keep tucked away whenever I entertained the idea of dating again. I wouldn’t have to worry about that with Jules, because I wasn’t sticking around long enough to find out.
Chapter Nine
Jules