Page 21 of Consequences

“Glad to see you again, big guy,” the old man says at the register. “You’re keeping me in business. I’ll have to start a rewards club just for you. Keep you coming in here.”

Undertaker chuckles. “Wouldn’t take it even if you offered. This is better than any chain out there, Milt. See you in a day or two.”

He planned to take the sandwich to go, but he spots a familiar brunette, and before he knows it, his feet have him moving towards her booth.

Jamie sits alone, and her hair hangs in curls with more makeup on her face than she wore the night she went to the party. She looks damn good.

“Care if I join you?”

Jumping, she glances up before smiling. “Please.”

“Come here for lunch? I fucking love this place,” he says and unwraps his food. He takes a big bite and closes his eyes as he groans. “So good.”

“I was supposed to meet a date, but I’m pretty sure I got ghosted.”

He looks at the half-eaten sub on her plate as she picks at the bread and tosses it onto the tray. For the life of him, he can’t figure out what ghosted means, but it doesn’t really matter. “Date? Lunch isn’t a date, baby doll.”

Flushing, Jamie smiles but doesn’t meet his gaze. “It’s all I can seem to get. I hate internet dating.”

Why the fuck do you resort to finding men on the internet? That’s how you get chopped up by serial killers. The internet is for porn and googling medical symptoms.“His loss.”

She chuckles and shakes her head. “I should’ve known better. I’m not the type of girl most guys want.”

“And what type of girls do most guys want?”

Undertaker finds himself very interested in learning what type of girl he’s attracted to. Because as far as he’s concerned, she’s sitting right across from him in a delectable off-limits sort of way.

She slumps in her seat, and he swears he sees dampness on her long lashes even though she doesn’t appear to be crying. “You know what I’m talking about.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about. I don’t know you very well, and I don’t have your dating profile in front of me, but I can say with certainty that you’re pretty. And you seem fairly resilient. Not many people can hold themselves together waking into a motorcycle clubhouse like you did.”

This makes her smile. “Thanks.”

“And we both know your pencil dick stepbrother doesn’t have half your strength.”

“Oh, he’s… something, that’s for sure.”

“Still didn’t answer my question, baby doll.”

“I’m not the prettiest or skinniest girl in any room. All the guys I meant want the skinny girls. The ones who better have two zeros in their pant size if they have double digits.”

He snorts and continues chomping away. “Not every guy wants someone that skinny.”

“I thought maybe this would be a new start, you know? New place, new guys. I was sooooo wrong.”

“You’re looking at the wrong men, then.”

Laughing, Jamie finally looks at him. “Yeah, okay.”

Something about this woman calls to Undertaker on a deeper level, and he can’t stop himself. He has to know how off-limits she really is. “How old are you?”

“Twenty-two.”

Holy fuck. That’s more than fifteen years younger!“Just graduated college?”

“Last year. I took a temporary position for a year to add experience to my resume, but they didn’t ask me to stay on as a permanent employee. When Dad invited me to come and stay with him, it felt like a sign. Now, I’m pretty sure it was nothing short of a mistake.”

He studies her. “Mistake?”

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