Page 33 of XOXO

Even though I was exhausted half the time, the extra money really helped. And Rickie had quickly become a good friend. Most of my friends from school had all gotten married and started having babies or had equally demanding jobs so we just didn’t have time to catch up besides a few calls and texts here and there. But Rickie was at work most nights.

Pipes smiled as I walked past to put my things down and Rickie was in the locker room applying some lip gloss. “Hey girl. Should be slow. Weather sucks so most of the guys won’t be in.”

“Great,” I say dryly. “I need the cash.”

Rickie walked toward the door but put her hand on my shoulder and stopped. “If it’s dead, I can cut loose early if you want to try to stay and see if you can get some tips?”

“You don’t have to do that. Don’t you need it, too?”

She shrugged. “I’m okay actually. I don’t mind. My feet are killing me anyway. I’ll give it a few. Who knows, maybe it’ll be busy as shit.”

I smiled as she left. It sucked to think about leaving now, but ultimately it would be hard to manage both jobs for too long, and I’ve wanted to be an engineer my whole teen and adult life.

If the current contract went well and I landed a few more nice ones, I actually could be in the running for that window office.

I imagined waving to Chad from my fancy desk in that office as I walked from the locker room after I changed to the bar. The idiotic smile I was sporting quickly melted when I looked over and saw Chad, Andrew, and two other guys from the office.

My heart sped up and I turned to run to the back but slammed into someone. Squeaking as I nailed what was as firm as a wall, I briefly looked up to see the beard I kept imagining between my legs.

I heard Chad’s stupid fake laugh and remembered why I was bolting, but Stone’s hands were at my shoulders, steadying me. Instead of retreating, I grabbed his sides and spun us around, using him as a shield.

“Adi, is everything okay,” he asked in the panty-melting voice.

“Um, I–well–”

“Adi, I thought I saw you. Funny running into you here,” Chad said as he glanced around Stone. His eyes roamed the place, and his mouth was in a horrible scowl. “You hang out here?”

Judgy mother fucker.

“I–”

“Oh wait, I just noticed the apron. So, this is why you don’t have time for your work. Tsk, tsk.”

My jaw clenched and my face was hot. Once again saved by being brown. “Chad, this isn’t your business. What are you doing here?”

Stone’s grasp loosened, but he turned slightly so he could see us both. “Yes, Chad. What are you doing here?” He crossed his arms.

“Why don’t you mind your business?” Chad said with disdain dripping in his tone.

This idiot didn’t recognize Stone. He also didn’t realize he was a preppy asshole in the middle of a biker bar, insulting a VP.

Stone turned his back to me, and the overwhelming smell of leather and gasoline filled my nose. His back was so broad I couldn’t even see around him.

Even so, I could see several men stand up and make their way over to where we were standing.

“I’m sorry,” Stone said politely. “What was that you said?”

Andrew’s voice came from the other side of the small circle of men. “C’mon Chad. This is a bust. Let’s go somewhere more…well, more.”

A slew of preppy-boy laughs came but quickly stopped. Peeking around Stone’s huge arm, I saw a few of the familiar bikers in their faces. I couldn’t help but smile.

Once they were gone, Stone turned to face me. “What a dick. Ex?”

“Oh God, no!” Gross. “I work with them. You actually met two of them and chose my project over theirs.”

“Hm,” he said as he stroked his beard. “Those fuckers all look the same to me.” He turned fully to me again. “But then why run?”

Shit. “Because,” I said with a defeated breath. “He’ll tell my boss. I’m just glad he didn’t recognize you because that would really have been bad.”

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