Page 3 of Spring Break with a Pilot

I also wanted to see the asshole in person. I’ve googled him over the years. He’s married to some socialite who came from money, has two legitimate kids—one only three months older than me—and a dog.

He’s the attorney general. Out of curiosity I checked on some cases associated with him. Seems like his cronies always get off easy. He strikes me as just another smarmy politician padding his own pocket. Least that’s what Granddad always said.

Arriving at my apartment building I circle a couple times before waiting ten minutes to make sure I wasn’t followed. Inside I take a fast shower in the shared bathroom. In my bedroom I push the dresser in front of the door and flop on the bed. I need to sleep. Tomorrow I’m going to try to make it home to see Mom after helping Boots for a couple hours during her rush hour.

* * *

Boots is out backwith her guy unloading a bunch of new flower vases and containers. I’ve only met him once in passing. He seemed nice enough. She said he and his brother were both military and now do some kind of security stuff. I can hear them coming toward the front.

“Stop it! Not here. We may have customers. I’ll make it up to you tonight.” Boots chuckles. “No. Later.”

I finish wrapping the arrangement scheduled to be picked up when the bell over the door jingles. Looking up I come face to face with the guy from last night. Not the attacker, the one who helped me get loose.

Fear races through me. “Did you follow me?”

“What are you doing, here?” He stares at me in surprise.

“She works here, Silk.” Boots looks from one of us to the other. “You two know each other?”

“No,” I say

“Yes,” he says.

Boots shakes her head. “Okay… Then Silk, this is Melia. She’s helping out part time until I can afford to hire her full time. Which I hope is soon.

“Melia, this is Silk. He and Dax work together. They’ve known each other for years.

“How do you two know each other?” she asks.

“We don’t,” I say.

“Met last night,” he says, then grins. “I saved your water bottle. I’ll bring it by later.”

In the daylight he is a hottie, but I can already tell he’s very sure of himself where women are concerned. Not my kind of guy. “That’s okay, I have another one I like better.”

He raises and eyebrow. He knows I’m lying, but I don’t care.

Boots looks between the two of us. I’ll get fifty questions later. Dax looks to the heavens and shakes his head.

The bell over the door dings and two customers walk in.

Dax looks at Silk and grimaces. “You’re here, so make yourself useful and help me unload the truck.”

The minute the woman leaves with the flower arrangement I’d been wrapping, and the other customer chooses her bouquet, Boots turns to me. “Please tell me you two are a thing. I would so love it if you were dating. You two would be perfect together. You and I could work together and go on double dates with the guys after.”

“Uh, I don’t think that’s going to happen. We—ah, just met by accident.”

“He certainly looked at you like he was interested. For the record, he does look a little like a player. That gorgeous blond hair, the pecs and washboard abs, the cocky self-assured attitude. I thought he was too when I first met him.

“But all that swagger is his self-defense. If he can put you off, he doesn’t have to worry about you getting too close. I’m not sure what he’s afraid of when it comes to women. But he is.

“When it comes to protection, he’s the one who tries to have everyone’s back. You can trust him.” She holds my gaze. “I know somethings going on with you. I’ve been there. I see the signs. Someday, not here, we need to talk—real talk. Dax and his friends saved me. Silk is solid.”

“I can’t. It’s…”

“Dangerous? Believe me, I know. But the guys do dangerous really well.”

The bell announces another customer before I can ask her story and the rest of the afternoon flies by. I need to leave by four to catch the last ferry. My questions will have to wait for the weekend.

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