Page 17 of Falling for Nicole
“Boss.” She salutes before disappearing from sight.
If Lilly wasn’t my sister, or a woman, the smug as fuck look on her face would earn her a slap. Deciding against admitting she may have been right all along I focus on a more important matter. “You should have told me about that,” I say nodding in the direction Nicole just disappeared in.
“I didn’t think you’d care,” she says innocently.
“Fuck that, Lills. Anything happen like that again, you tell me, straight away. Got it?”
“Sure thing.” The amused smile she gives me does nothing for my frustration. Lilly knows everything there is to know about me. Our weird twin shit means nothing passes us by, and that smile tells me she knows my exact thoughts regarding her best friend. She’s been going on at me for years about how I don’t really hate Nicole and that the reason she irritates me so much is because I care more than I will ever admit. I still think she’s talking bollocks. So what if I want to find out if she riles me up as much inside the bedroom as well as in everyday life? It means nothing, right?
Nicole
I knew Lilly was up to something. If her telling me we were going out for a night time walk on the beach wasn’t suspicious enough, the look on her face told me everything. She was a shit liar when we were kids, and it seems she hasn’t mastered the skill in the time we were apart.
I stare at my bruised eye in the mirror and think back over the events of the previous night. One of the regulars had got well and truly shit faced on the cheap arse whiskey the pub kept. When I refused to serve him another, he turned nasty. A couple of the other regulars talked him down and escorted him out. I didn’t think anything more of it until I left for the night.
I was walking across the dark car park when a figure stepped in front of me and backhanded me across the face. I didn’t see it was him but I don’t think I’ve pissed anyone else off enough for them to want to attack me in my short time here.
The slap stung like a bitch but I didn’t think it would have left any damage. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I pulled my sun visor down and got a glimpse of my quickly swelling eye and the small trickle of blood running down my chin. Tears stung as I thought about how naive I’d been, but never in a million years did I think that dickhead would do anything like that. He’s been pleasant enough to me for the past month or so I’d been working there—but then, I guess alcohol changes people.
I knew there and then I’d never be returning to that place.
Vowing to phone in the morning and explain, I started my car and headed back to Lilly’s. Not getting paid this month really doesn’t help with me getting out of her and Lucas’ hair and finding my own place. Every day I’ve been online, looking for a rental within my budget. At this rate, I’m going to have to set up a tent in their garden if I want to get out of their way.
I thought maybe Lilly just wanted some peace and quiet after a day with two boisterous twins; it never occurred to me to put two and two together and figure out that all the questions she’s been asking me about my previous bar work had any relevance to anything. I thought she was just trying to find out more about my life up north. I didn’t realise she was interviewing me, in a round about way. I also never would’ve believed that Declan would have even considered having me work for him. Stranger things have happened I guess because I am now a Dec’s Surf Shack employee. No, not just an employee—I’m his manager. We’re going to be working side by side as we get it ready for opening. I’m sure it’ll be fine. Yeah, it’ll be totally fine.
I shake my head at the crazy turn my life has taken since arriving in this seaside town. Maybe this is the start of something new between me and Dec. Maybe after all these years we can put whatever it was that made us hate each other all those years ago to one side, and we can be friends like we were always meant to be.
* * *
Waking up the next morning with a new lease of life knowing my shitty job at the guesthouse is behind me, I grab Bailey and head out for a morning run. It’s not as sunny out as my mood, but I can still see a glimpse of the sunrise through the breaks in the clouds.
I’m not surprised when I spot a small figure out in the distance. I try to put thoughts of my new boss to one side as I run along the wet sand and watch Bailey bound off in front of me.
Is working for him a good idea?I wonder for the millionth time. I keep coming up with the same answer. Yes. Dec is an incredible businessman and I’m sure he’ll be nothing but professional while we’re working together. I’ve no doubt his attitude towards me will continue to be the same as ever outside of the shack, though.
The clouds start to clear, allowing the early morning sun to shine down just as I get to the rock I sat on previously. Seeing that Bailey is starting to flag, I pull myself up and repeat my actions from that morning a few weeks ago until I spot Dec emerging from the water.
“Come on, pup, time to go.” I jump down from the rock and start to walk towards the end of the beach when I hear him shout.
“Hey, wait up.” Turning around, I watch as he jogs towards us. “I know I said first thing, but this is early to start working, even for me,” he pants out.
“Just enjoying my new home.”
“Oh, you were looking at the view, right.” He winks before I spot him starting to lower the zip on his wetsuit out of the corner of my eye. I fight to stay focused on his face and the arrogant smile playing on his lips.
“Don’t flatter yourself. I’m going to take him home and have a shower. Then I’ll be back.”
I watch as he thinks for a few seconds. I’m about to turn away when he speaks. “We’re just going to be lugging boxes around and unpacking furniture, a shower seems pointless. And…” He trails off as he looks down at my exhausted puppy.
“Bailey,” I add.
“He can stay. What harm can he cause?”
“Says the person who’s never owned a puppy. You have no idea what he can get himself into.”
“It’ll be fine, come on.”
I follow him in, this time allowing my eyes to drop. Unfortunately all the effort I put in earlier not to check out his chest is shot to shit when he suddenly turns around and finds me staring intently at his arse.
