Page 8 of After Midnight

“Oh, hell no,” I told the girl in the mirror. “We’re not doing that.”

With a determined look in my eye, I set about getting ready for the rest of the day, and joined Jeanette in the café in time for the midmorning.

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THE DRIVE IN WAS PEACEFUL. Daisy chugged along steadily with no issues, and the weather was unusually warm and still. Back to back days of warm weather in the fall was unheard of, but I wasn’t one to complain. I hated being cold. It was one of the reasons I moved back to Arley in the first place after my years in the north. I hated the winters there, so as much as I fought myself against returning, coming back home to the south did have its benefits.

I pulled Daisy into the parking lot of Dreamy and shut her off, gave her a pat, and whispered “good girl,” to her for a job well done. I knew I’d have to get a new car one day, but Daisy had been with me since high school, and it was hard to let her go. We’d seen too many fun times, and troubled times together for me to send her off to some scrap heap or mechanic who wouldn’t give her the care she deserved.

I stepped outside and placed my foot in the gravel of the lot. The sound of the crunch as my foot made contact was like a song. I shut my eyes, threw my hands out wide and leaned my head back to soak in all of the heat from the glorious fireball in the sky. This was my moment. This was my song playing in the background of my mind, in front of my store, on a beautiful day. If I sold Dreamy to anyone, let alone a shifty, conniving man like Victor, I’d never forgive myself. I’d never get to have days like this again.

I ignored the sound of the bell over the front door as it chimed since I was so caught up in the moment and my thoughts.

“Girl, what are you doing?”

I opened my eyes and put my arms down. Jeanette stood in the opened doorway of Dreamy with the biggest smile I’d ever seen.

“What?”

“You’re twirling.”

Fire flooded my face. I didn’t realize I’d been twirling.

Jeanette bust out laughing and shook her head. I reached inside Daisy, grabbed my back with my belongings for the day inside, headed towards the entrance and my shame. It wasn’t the first time she’d caught me being in my head. I often transported myself to another land, or reenacted a music video I’d seen, or some scene I’d caught in a movie once. Escapism was a real thing for me, and I made no apologies for it. Though I had to admit it was a bit embarrassing when someone caught me while I was in my head.

Jeanette held the door open for me as I passed through and snickered, and I might have joined her in the laugh, except when I walked into my café, my jaw dropped to the ground. There, behind the counter, was Sex-on-a-stick in a white apron and covered with flour.

“What are youdoinghere?” I blurted out. “And why are you behind my counter?”

“Oh,” Jeanette came running up beside me wearing the same smile she had when I was outside, but with a hint of mischief in her eyes. “I hired him this morning. Isn’t it great?”

“No,” I answered with a grimace. “No, it’s notgreat. How are you going to hire someone without asking me first?”

“Don’t worry, Dream,” Sex-on-a-stick shot from over the counter. “I’m just passing through.”

“Excuse us,” I shot back to him, and grabbed Jeanette by the arm. “You and I need to have a discussion.”

I ushered her past Sex-on-a-stick and despite her grunting protests into the backroom and shut the door. “What are you doing?” I demanded. “Why did you hire him...anyone, without my permission?”

“Because you need the help!” Jeanette fired back. “You called me this morning, tired and troubled and asking for time? Girl, look at yourself. You’re twirling around out in the parking lot trying to spin your troubles away.”

“That’s not why I was twirling.”

“Isn’t it?”

I totally hate her for how well she knows me.

“Okay, I was totally doing that, but that’s not the point. I can’t afford to hire someone else right now. I’m barely keeping the ship afloat as is.”

Jeanette tilted her head and tightened her jaw. “Girl, please. I look at that P&L statement every day, just like you do. With a couple of cost saving measures, youcanafford to bring on someone else to help you out.”

“That’s not true, I— “

“Not to mention the fact that Mr. Hottie out there volunteered to work for free.”

“What?” My mouth fell open and my hand flew to my chest in a futile attempt to catch it.

“Yes.Hecame in this morning and said he was looking for work and asked if we were hiring. I told him I didn’t know, and that I would have to askyoufirst. Once I saidyour name, he said he didn’t need to be paid and would do it as a volunteer to get the experience. It was during the morning rush, you weren’t here and I knew we could use the help. So, I gave him an application, and a crash course in mixing. He was actually quite helpful.”

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