Page 61 of The Sidekick

Chapter Twenty-Three

Tera

As Max walks away, I take a deeper breath and focus back on Diana, trying my hardest not to show my nerves.

I told someone to kiss my butt. It doesn’t feel half bad, either. She was a total jerk.

My chest has been tight with anxiety ever since Max called me bebé, and I can’t shake it. The feeling got worse when he said he wanted me and not as his friend in a confusing monologue. What does that even mean?

I don’t believe that Satan, AKA the boss man, lied. He didn’t want anything to do with me and made it very clear.

What isn’t so clear is how Max feels. He just laid it out there, and I stood there like a fool, trying to compute it after thinking all he wanted from me was sex. He makes it sound like he wants a lot more than that. How would that work with his boyfriend wanting nothing to do with me?

It wouldn’t.

Diana is going on about her new boyfriend. I struggle to tune back into the conversation but find it difficult. I’m feeling the urge to leave this strangely new yet familiar place. It’s like the alternate dimension of the bar I used to work at. There are a lot more patrons than there were before. I haven’t been around this many people in a long time, and it’s making me nervous. I don’t need a panic attack right now. This is already a mess.

Pat has returned to the new kitchen to make a few orders since a girl I don’t recognize nervously handed her a few tickets. Pat’s dower face halts most people in their tracks, and I’m glad to see at least that hasn’t changed.

My phone vibrates in my pocket, and I hold up a finger to Diana. She continues talking, ignoring the hold on a second cue, so I check the phone anyway. I can multitask sometimes. Alright, not usually, but I’ll make an effort.

Shade:Location

I frown at his stunted texting skills.

Me: I’m at the bar. Stop being a weirdo and text like a normie.

Shade: What is a normie

Me: A NORMAL PERSON!

Shade: Pick up ETA ten minutes

“This guy,” I mutter under my breath. He’s doing it on purpose, I know it.

“Ooo, a guy?” Diana leans over the counter, much to several patron’s delight, as her breasts try to spill out of her top.

“It’s like he’s never texted before,” I show her, and she giggles.

“That’s hot. He sounds military.”

I stare at her blankly as she calmly concludes that there might be a normal reason for Shade’s weirdness. There is no reason. He exists. That’s the only thing I can think of.

Me: Why? I’m fine here.

Shade:Dinner

Me: I can eat here now.

Shade: Not the plan ETA seven minutes wrap it up

“Why does he have to try and control my life?” I ask in exasperation. I don’t really want to stay here and pretend to eat something. I have no idea why I’m fighting him on this.

“Because alpha males are seriously hot. Is he like that during sex? Please say yes and give me details. I’m dying over here!”

I glance up to tell her she has the wrong idea about this and notice Satan standing behind her with a heavy scowl. He appeared just like a demon. His new name fits him so well.

“Yeah, give us details,” Max’s voice comes right next to my ear, and he doesn’t sound pleased.

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