Page 6 of The Inkslinger

He throws his head back and laughs loudly, drawing the attention of every person in the room. It’s a full-throated sound that has me leaning closer, wanting to experience it fully. When he faces me again, he must see my confusion.

“She’s a friend of the family, for lack of a better term. You’ll be living next to my mother for the next two weeks.”

“You’ve got to be shitting me,” I gasp. “How many of you are there?”

“Three brothers in total,” the woman says when she reaches us again. “Their sister lives in Gypsy Falls with her boyfriend. You probably already met Alistair if you met Skye. He’s a cousin.”

“The job is yours if you want it,” Adam says before walking off.

“I’m Lily, by the way,” she says holding out her hand. “Welcome to Franklinton.”

“Is he always like that?” I ask referring to Adam.

“Stoic and nonverbal? Yup, that’s my husband.”

“Well, I wasn’t going to put it that way, but yes.”

She laughs, rolling her eyes. “He reckons everyone else in his family does enough talking to make up for his lack of it. When he does talk, though, he tends to mean what he says.”

“That’s good to know. But I do have some questions about my newly acquired job.”

“Ask away. He would have sent you my way in any case,” Lily says.

“I actually just want to know what the dress code is. Can I wear shorts or a skirt? Or should I just stick with jeans?”

“I ordered some branded tank tops that I haven’t received yet, so I will get you a couple as soon as I have them in hand. Other than that, we are super relaxed, but I do suggest you wear flat shoes. I saw you walk in, and those heels are going to be your death behind the bar.”

I laugh at her assessment before taking a sip of my beer. “Will do.”

Chapter Four

Inspired To Idiocy

Laine

Every creative person will tell you that there comes a time in your life when you have nothing. You aren’t inspired to create art or to put words to paper. And I assure you that feeling sucks the big one. What’s worse than that, you ask? Being over-inspired.

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