Page 35 of Derek
“I didn’t even know you had soup options on the menu,” Ren states as she takes a bite.
“We don’t, Nika just made it for y’all. You know how she is. She loves to feed people.” Stevie says softly, and I laugh.
“Janie is going to be salty she missed out on this.” Janie loves food about as much as I do.
Stevie shrugs. “Baka has a ‘Janie section’ in the fridge. I’m sure some of this will end up in there.” I raise my brow at Stevie. She’s acting off, quieter than usual.
“You okay?” I ask softly, and she shrugs.
“Yeah, I guess so. I had an issue at the convention that I’m not fully over yet, I guess.”
“Do you want to talk about it?” Ren asks, and Stevie shakes her head.
“No, thanks. I’ll be alright. I just… need to process everything.” She gives us all her reassuring smile before we go back to eating.
I moan as I take another spoonful of soup. “This is delicious. Oh! I bet Derek would like this.” I say, standing up.
“Ohhhh….” Ren chuckles. “Derek, huh?” My cheeks go warm as I stick my tongue out.
“Shut it,” I tell her, walking to the counter. “Nika!” I holler into the back. The older woman comes out with… oh lord, there’s the butcher’s knife.
“Get out!” She yells at no one. “Oh, sorry, I thought you were in trouble.” She laughs, slamming the blade into the block.
“Uhh… no. I was wondering if I could get a to-go container for my friend? He’s kind of weird about fast food, and he’s working all day today.”
“Ahhh a man? Is he big man like the Fox and the Compass? Or tiny like you?” I laugh lightly.
“You’ve met him, Derek. He’s a big guy.” Her wrinkled brows shoot up.
“Derek is good man. Good aura. And he likes my Krafna! I make a bag. Nika no like the men, but that one, I would let him live.” I smile uncomfortably before walking back to the table. As I sit, my best friends are all grinning at me like jerks.
“Shut up,” I mutter, sipping my soup. “We are just friends.”
“Derek doesn’t have friends.” Stevie says, humor in her voice. “Derek has made it very clear he doesn’t want friends.”
“Well,” I say, hiding both my annoyance and embarrassment at the situation. “I guess he changed his mind.”
“While I’m fine with that,” Ren states, placing Howie’s pacifier in his mouth. “I hope it is strictly platonic on both ends, if that’s the case. We just don’t want you to get hurt.”
I glare at my soup, no longer hungry. I hear Nika call out that the food is ready, and I stand. “I’m going to go ahead and go. I’ll talk to you girls later.”
“Indy wait,” Stevie says, but I wave her off and smile at her.
“It’s fine, I’m not upset. It’s just been a long day. I want to give this to Derek and go to Luca’s and rest.” They both give me an apologetic smile, and I walk over to Nika and grab the bag. After arguing for a minute about me paying, she yells at me in Croatian and walks away, so I stuff a twenty in the tip jar before walking out.
Nuts About Doughis the bakery that Stevie works at part-time. Her Croatian grandmother, Nika, and her mom, Zora, run it together and keep the Hel’s crew well supplied with pastries and the infamous peach danishes. It’s not far from Hel’s, so I walk the few blocks to the shop. I’m having a pleasant yellow day, minus the fatigue, so I want to enjoy it.
Once at the front door, I lean onto the railing and pull myself up the single step to get inside. Opening the door, I hear Fox call out from the back.
“We’ll be right with you!”
“It’s Indy!” I call back and am met with a string of “Hey Indy” from the guys. I walk into the tattoo area and frown.
“Where’s Derek?” I ask, noting his empty station. Atlas flinches as he looks up from his client.
“Someone knocked over the mug you bought him, and he freaked out. He was already having a bad day, but I think that set him off. Fox made him go out to his car and sit in time out.” I nod, heading to the back. I lean down, pressing cheeks with Ash, who is also with a client, before walking out the back of the shop. I see his Yukon and sigh as I grip the plastic bag and lean onto the railing. I get one step down when I hear a car door open and shoes running over the blacktop.
“What in the hell are you doin’?” He scolds as he starts running up the stairs.
