Page 42 of The Attraction File

It wasn’t that her smile was something photogenic and needed to be on the cover of a magazine, but I had a feeling she rarely gave them out.

“No, I’m not interviewing to be a masseuse representative. I am trying to get a job in human resources. That’s what I went to college for. I have had a few jobs in HR but mainly contract work. This is the first place where I have a chance to work for a company with salary and benefits—the whole shebang.” She waved her hands in the air, jazz hands style.

“Well, good luck.”

They called out my order and I grabbed it off the counter. I liked the coffee here at Best Mornings. The coffee at Mimir was good, but this shop started when Mimir took over the building next door. I felt like we grew up together and I wanted to support it as best I could.

They called out Evaleen’s drink order and she nodded to me and turned to get her coffee.

I was about to turn and leave, knowing I had a slim chance of getting Evaleen’s number. Despite making her laugh, I got the feeling she didn’t give out her number to anyone.

But just as I turned a little girl ran up to her and tugged on her skirt.

“Are you Princess Rapunzel?” The sweet girl with two brown pigtails that looked on the verge of falling apart, gazed up at Evaleen with wide blue eyes. I’ll admit, it was one of the sweetest things I had seen in a long time.

I gave a soft chuckle and turned my attention back to Evaleen.

She was frowning.

Oh no, she was one of those people who hated kids. Maybe it was because I was just a kid myself when Damien destroyed everything, but I felt protective of them. I was not about to let Evaleen make a nasty comment or hurt this innocent little girl’s feelings.

Maybe I was wrong about Evaleen. I let one moment from when I was a teenager cloud my judgment. That woman didn’t know me and I didn’t know her. Somehow over the years, I painted her up in my mind to be something she wasn’t. Wounded. Scared. Lost.

She wasn’t any of those things. Maybe at one time she was, but now Evaleen was an adult. Now she was bitter and closed off.

Evaleen lowered herself to the girl’s height and pointed to a woman in the corner talking to a man in costume. “Does your mom know you are over here talking to a stranger?”

“It’s okay; I told her I was going to talk to Rapunzel.”

“Um, can I help?” I moved a little closer.

Evaleen turned her head to glance up at me and shook her head. Her face was peaceful, like some evil Disney villain knowing they had the upper hand.

“I’m afraid I am not Rapunzel. But guess who I have here?”

Evaleen stood and placed her hand on my arm.

“Who is that?” The girl turned her wide eyes to me.

“It’s Thor. He’s not a princess, but he is a superhero.”

Now my eyes widened as I turned toward Evaleen. “I am?”

She squeezed my arm and I decided to go along with it. It dawned on me that Evaleen wasn’t saying any of this to the girl to be mean; she was saying it to make the girl happy.

“Oh, I mean,” I pushed my legs apart with my hands on my hips, becoming the Nordic god for the little girl, “I am the mighty Thor!”

“Wow,” she breathed. “Can you make the furry monster that won’t leave my mom alone go away?” She pointed to the man in costume who had her mom cornered so she couldn’t get out of her seat.

“Chewie,” Evaleen said. Her eyes narrowed before she nodded. “Of course Thor can make him go away.”

I felt like she knew the guy by the way Evaleen gazed at him. I hoped this wasn’t an ex of hers and she was going to make a scene.

Once we got to the girl’s mom, she ran up to her and tugged on her sleeve. “Mom. Mom. I have Thor with me. Mom.”

The woman turned to me with surprise and worry. Her eyes snapped back to the guy in the fur costume before glancing over at Evaleen.

“How is it going, Chewie? Did you find your princess?” Evaleen folded her arms.

“Oh, uh, hi.” Sweat was rolling down the side of his face.

“Excuse me, but your adorable daughter told me she wanted our help. Please tell me this walking fur ball didn’t ask you to wear a Princess Leia costume?”

She nodded.

Evaleen sighed and shook her head before turning to the guy. “Chewie, leave this poor woman and her daughter alone. In fact, maybe take a break from women for a while until you learn how to ask them out properly. Or I’ll have Thor here hit you with his hammer.”

The guy raised his eyes to me, and I knew it was time to play the part.

I folded my arms and stepped forward. “I do love me some hammer.”

---