Whatever their logic is, it’s flawed. Our girl won’t fall for their scheme, whatever it may be, and we certainly aren’t about to let it happen.
“Greer, let’s go!” Eli calls, bringing me out of my inner musings about the whole fucked up mess. We have a client who wants the mini Firs that we planted outside five years ago transplanted into a pot so they can be inside and decorated for Christmas. I’d like to knock the crazy loon upside her fool head. The things are huge and not exactly easy to completely uproot. Also, if I have my guess, come New Year’s she’ll want them back outside.
Jet
Gah!
These damn men and their panty-melting killer grins that won’t leave my fucking head. I can barely concentrate. I don’t think I’ve ever been so excited for a date before. Technically, I have never been on a real date with the sense that it could lead somewhere other than an uncomfortable one-sided groping session.
These guys throw me so off-kilter that I damn near jacked up someone’s new ink because of it. Get your shit together, girl, I repeat to myself every five minutes or so. It isn’t until Rocky, one of my artists, points out the sappy look on my face and the humming that I want to vomit.
He thinks it’s hilarious and demands a gossip session in which, for some reason more screwed up than I care to admit, I spill the fucking beans.
He’s quiet for a few minutes, and it hits me how it must look to him, me with two men. When he says, “That makes so much sense,” I breathe a sigh of relief.
“What do you mean makes sense?” Of course, confusion has to follow.
“Girl, when have you ever been conventional? About anything? You with two men who, I might add, have made you this girly– “
I have to stop him. “Hold the damn phone there, Rocky. Don’t put me and girly in the same sentence again, or I’m taking away that sexy, new gun I just got you.”
“No need for threats. I’m just saying that they bring a happiness out of you I’ve never seen before, and bitch, I’ve been with you from the beginning…Don’t touch my gun.” His dirty look fails.
Can you tell he’s gay? That whine! Drives me nuts, but I love the fucker. And he’s right, he has been with me since the day I opened up. Next to me, he’s one of the best artists in the province. People come from across the country for us.
As our next clients walk in the door, we are both quickly absorbed in our art. I don’t have much time afterwards to think about Greer and Eli. With only three days till Christmas, I plan to close the shop until after the new year, giving everyone including myself a nice long break, so we are jam packed with clients all day.
Greer
“Dude, stop fucking fussing and let’s go,” I hear Eli yell from the front door.
I can’t help it, I’ve never anticipated a date so much in my life. I understand I was gruff and off-putting with Jet the day before, but there’s an attraction I can’t seem to explain and find that I like it.
It’s amazing that Eli feels the same way. I fucking love that we rendered her speechless before we left. Her lips had looked bee stung, her eyes glazed over in passion, and I could have sworn her body was vibrating with need. I can’t wait to get her in private where we can truly show her pleasure.
“About fucking time.”
“Shut up! This is fucking ridiculous,” I snap at him.
Eli pauses before opening the door. “What is? You don’t want her? ‘Cause I’m telling you, man, she could be the one for me, the deal breaker, and that would fucking suck.”
Listening to him bare himself to me has me opening up, too. “No, man. I fucking want Jet more than my next breath, but this is fucking hard. She thinks I’m a selfish dick. I’m not you; I don’t do the lightness and jokes. I fucking can’t.”
“I get it, Greer, and that’s what I’m here for. It’s why this works for us. We balance each other out. I’m the yin to your yang or something like that.” The way he puts it makes sense. Helps to calm my nerves as well.
Looking at the door and then quickly meeting his eyes lit with anticipation, I say, “Let’s go get our girl.”
“That’s what I’m talking about!” He cheers, slapping my back as I walk out ahead of him.
Nerves are eating at my gut as we drive back to Jet’s shop. Good nerves, bad nerves. Both. I feel like a fucking fifteen-year-old boy on my first date again. The potential that she might be the one for us has me so out of character I’m not sure if it is a good thing or bad.
We’re both quiet on the way to pick her up, and in his own way, I think Eli is nervous also. I don’t get why, but I know he has his own insecurities just like me.
“She could be it, right?” His softly spoken question has me turning to look at him. His eyes are on the road as he drives, but I can see the stress on his face. Doubt is running unbridled through the both of us, and it’s time for me to step up out of my shell to show him I am all in.
“Yeah, she is. No doubt, man.” The smirk that plays on his lips conveys his need to hear that from me.
Eli