He opened the car door and leaned in, his face just inches from mine. “Did you plan on getting out?”
“Ugh!” I said, pushing his face away with my hand. “I was trying to avoid you for as long as humanly possible.”
I followed him inside where amazingly the line wasn’t that long. I usually avoided coming inside on the way to work (I opted for the drive-thru) because it was usually insanely busy. I went ahead of him in the line and ordered the biggest caramel coffee they had and one of the giant coffee rolls that looked fresh out of the oven. I didn’t bother to stand with him while he ordered but left him to pay and wandered down the line where an incredibly fast barista handed me my coffee. “Bless you,” I told her.
I took my coffee and went to sit by the window, hoping I could people watch instead of listen to whatever it is he dragged me here for. A few minutes later he came over and dropped a paper sack in front of me, along with several napkins. He sat down and popped the lid off his black coffee (gross) and then unwrapped a sandwich that appeared to be made on wheat toast and consisted of egg whites and ham.
“Are you one of those freaks that counts every calorie they put in their mouth?” I asked as I dug out the giant coffee roll and took a huge bite.
“Clearly, you are not.”
“My breakfast tastes better than yours,” I sang and took another bite.
“Food is fuel. Not… enjoyment.”
I ignored him and savored my sugar.
“When were you going to tell me we were invited to lunch?” he said after a few minutes.
I choked on my coffee. “How did you know about that?”
He gave me one of those looks that would cause lesser, healthy-eating girls, to run away screaming. I just sat there and waited for him to get to the point.
“Call her. Make the date for this week sometime,” he demanded.
“If you think I’m going to help you—” I began, sitting up a little straighter.
“I wouldn’t need your help if you hadn’t involved yourself in my business, befriended my Target, and told her I was gay!” he growled over the rim of his coffee.
“You know what they say,” I told him. “When the going gets tough, the tough get going. Maybe you should take that as your cue and leave.”
“What part of this is my job do you not understand?” he ground out. “Do you think I want to be here in this reject of a place? Do you think I want to be sitting here with you? I don’t have a choice. I do this job or…” His words fell away and I leaned forward.
“Or what?”
“Are you finished?” he asked, looking around at a few of the other tables. Apparently we were drawing an audience.
“Yeah,” I said, dropping my half-eaten donut in the sack and rolling down the top. I stood up and grabbed my coffee and the bag while he threw everything away except for his coffee, which now had its lid.
I followed him out of the shop and sank back into the leather of his Porsche. The seats were still warm.
He turned on the engine but didn’t put the care into drive. He just sat there staring out over the dashboard. “Make the date or I’ll kill you.”
“You will not.” I rolled my eyes.
He turned hard, cold green eyes on me and stared me down. I stared back, refusing to buckle under the pressure of his threat.
“All it would take,” he said softly, “is one little call to the Grim Reaper himself. All I would have to do is tell him that you were getting in my way and I wouldn’t have to kill you. I think you know once the Reaper makes a claim, there’s no going back.”
I thought about Piper. I thought about the price she would pay if he actually made good on his threat and sent the Reaper after me.
“I can’t do it until Saturday. I only get an hour for lunch during the week.”
“Good. Make it a weekday. Then you won’t have to stay the entire time.”
“Fine. Now take me to work. I can’t stand to be in your presence any longer.” I felt defeated, in over my head, and it was barely eight a.m. I didn’t even feel like hurling insults at him anymore; it was all just too much for the moment.
He didn’t say anything the rest of the drive and when he pulled up to my building, I climbed out of the car, not even caring I was early (usually, I liked to be there right at eight so I didn’t have to spend any extra time here).
He grabbed my arm, stopping me from getting out completely. “Make the call today, Frankie. I’ll be checking in to see that you did.”
I jerked my arm free and got out of the car, slamming the door behind me. I didn’t look back but went straight inside and to my spot behind the counters. It was only then I realized I left my coffee and the rest of my breakfast in his car.
I sighed.
Headache + Charming - Sugar = one very bad day.
Chapter Eleven
“Haunted - to come to the mind of continually; obsess.”
Charming
I dreamt about her last night. I heard her voice calling my name. I heard her laughter and then I heard her cry. I pushed the covers off before daybreak and the air was still frigid due to lack of the sun. I went to make coffee, thinking the brew would help chase away my thoughts (and yeah, maybe the brandy I was going to pour in), but I found myself staring at the coffee maker and wondering what she would have thought about all these modern day appliances.
I couldn’t stay here. I couldn’t be alone. The minute I left Storm last night and climbed into my Porsche, I’d thought of little else other than her. I needed a distraction. A face to look at other than the one that haunted me.
I pulled up the address on my phone, got dressed, and drove to her apartment. I knew she would be pissed; I was actually looking forward to her hideous attitude and screechy voice. Anything to drown out my own memories.
Her apartment had been a little bit of a surprise. It wasn’t gaudy and over the top like I thought it would be. It was almost classy. And the posters of Marilyn Monroe reminded me of old Hollywood. She, however, had been over the top.
She pushed me so far with her attitude that I threatened her with G.R.’s wrath. That was the first time I ever threatened to sic him on someone. Usually I fought my own fights. She just knew how to push all my buttons and piss me off like no one else could.
Still, the way she climbed out of my car, without looking back, leaving her precious sugar behind, had made me feel… bad.
I told myself it was because of who I thought I’d seen last night. The reason I was feeling things. The reason I was so on edge.