Page 4 of Atlas

“What am I thinking about?” I busy myself with the antique cash register, pretending to check it one more time to make sure it’s functioning correctly. It would be a disaster if it failed to function on a day when I hope to make serious sales. “Hmm. I was just… going back through all the memories from the past ten months.”

“Hmph.”

Lynette would say I have no filter, and that’s true for the most part. I’m not used to being unable to push out the words in my head. Lynette is also so prim and proper and sweet.

Anyway, I never have been like my sister. Prim, proper, dignified, professional, and controlled aren’t words that I’d apply to myself. Before I met Atlas, I can’t remember a time when my face ever got hot. I know my cheeks are pink right now, which is discomfiting.

“None of this would be possible if I’d never met you.” I’m usually fearless, but I have to keep fiddling with the register. I crank the handle, and the drawer pings open loudly, right at the end of that statement.

“Oh my god, Willa, yes it would have.”

“No. I know your parents helped you buy the building, and you’ve put in so many hours renovating it.”

“I’m your landlord. You can’t make money off a property if it’s unusable. You pay me rent. My help wasn’t charity. This is a good income source.”

He’s downplaying this. All the days we spent together here, the massive effort he put into doing most of the demolition and construction himself when he’d never done any of that sort of thing before. For the first few months, it was just us, often camping out in the massive shell of a building in sleeping bags, then going to classes during the day at the community college and coming right back here.

“You hadn’t even done this before and yet, you figured it all out. You got the club to help too, which was amazing.”

There isn’t a single member of the Satan’s Angels that didn’t have a hand in making this dream a reality. From the drawings to the manpower, they had my apartment ready to live in by January, as promised, and had the store down below ready for June. For the past few weeks, they’ve been helping me move furniture into place, arrange clothes, even set out toys and old books. It wasn’t just the men either, but their old ladies and families who were here, helping me put the finishing touches on this place so that I could meet my grand opening date.

“I did, because if you can’t make money, then I won’t get paid either. I’d have to evict you, and do you have any idea how much effort that would be?”

I shut the drawer and look up. Staring at Atlas used to be like looking directly into the sun. I got over that fast, but today, it’s like seeing him for the first time. “There’s no way you can downplay this, Simon Backun. You’re a good man. Selfless and kind.”Gorgeous. Off-limits. Enough to drive a woman mad. Literally the best score on this planet. Your ex was an idiot who didn’t appreciate what she had.“And I’ll be thankful to my dying day for the help you’ve given me, and for being my friend when I didn’t know a single person here.”

“I had to be your friend. I was forced, remember?”

I snort. “Don’t make me get Pearl out and extract a confession. You loved taking me to college so much that you’re doing a degree now.”

“I’m doing a degree because I love studying. Taking you was torture.”

I race out from behind the counter and punch him playfully in his huge, leather-clad shoulder. His face twists up and he pretends to be injured.

“Ouch, Willa. Thathurt. This, after all I’ve done for you.”

I’m mentally five, so I pull a face far worse than Pearl’s monkey grimace. “I thought you just said you didn’t do anything.”

He grows serious fast, and for a second, I’m afraid that he’s seen straight through to my heart. I’m naturally flirty, silly, fun loving, and easy going. Half of the people I meet probably don’t assume I have a brain in my head. It comes with the territory of being blonde, blue eyed, and curvy. No one would suspect that underneath my casual, playful exterior, I’m actually capable of deep thoughts and feelings.

“Mom and Dad wanted to know if you’d like to come for dinner tomorrow. I told them it was a bad time with the opening, but they’re not going to let it go. They’re going to come this afternoon, so they’ll probably ask you themselves. I didn’t want you to be surprised.”

“It’s not the first time I’ve gone with you.”

I search his face, trying to figure out what’s different this time. If people assume things about me, they also assume that Atlas is just a stupid jock with stupid jock tendencies.

That’s the last thing he is.

“I just wanted to tell you.”

Atlas is wicked smart. He plays himself off like he’s not emotionally intelligent either, but I know that’s not true. Whatever is going on in his big, beautiful, downplayed brain, he’s not going to let me in on it. I give him my brightest smile. “Okay. I’d love to come. And I’m super excited to see them this afternoon.”

“Georgia’s coming from Seattle too.”

“Oh!” I’ve never met his big sister. Should I feel pressure?

He’s seen me sweat enough times in the past to recognize that I’m starting to stew in my anxiety right now. “She’s sweet. You’ll love her.” He grins at me. “Everything will be perfect today. We’re all so proud of you, Willa.”

When he walks over and hugs me,platonically, it sets my heart racing. I have no right to long for more, but as I drag a deep breath of his citrusy, motor oil scent in, my chest tightens. He uses hair product that smells like coconuts, and whatever is in it brings out the golden streaks. He has the kind of hair that any woman would be jealous of.

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