Page 38 of Hello, Listener
Getting up now.
I swing my legs over the side of my bed and make my way into the small kitchen. My spoiled cat waits by his food bowl for his breakfast. He barely lets it sit before he begins his attack on the dry pellets. He lets me pat his little white head between his pointy ears before I head back into my room.
I grab my phone and search through my apps.There you are.Spotify is always there when I need it. My “Daily Mix 1” plays in the background while I begin the task of putting on my makeup. My look is complete once I add my signature bright red lipstick. Next, I grab my curling iron and curl each section as well as I can while dancing to the music on my playlist. When I’m done, my loose, red waves fall past my shoulders.
I slide my black denim skirt over my hips, having to jump in the process. Sometimes it’s a blessing and a curse to have this ass. My cropped tee comes on next. The wrinkles are easy to smooth out as it falls just about an inch above the waistline of my skirt. I spot my boots in the middle of my closet and slide them up my calves. They sit just right below my kneecaps.
I pull my black leather jacket over my T-shirt and grab my leather purse. The black strap carelessly hangs over my shoulder. My umbrella is next on my list of necessities. Remembering how heavy the rainfall was this morning, I make sure to grab it off the small counter in the kitchen. My cat watches while I snatch all of my things in a rush, trying my best not to be late for my first day back to work. “Be a good boy for me,” I tell Artemis as he letsme pet him on my way out. Quickly, I open the door and head down the short hallway towards the building’s exit.
I’ve been sitting outside her apartment all morning. From where I am parked, I have a perfect view of her bedroom window.Mental note, buy Thalia curtains you can’t see through.With a hint of reluctance, Janice decided to reopen The Neon Rose, which means she’ll need more of my liquor to sell to her regular customers.
The idea that Thalia will be in the same place where that guy was killed has me on fucking edge. There is no way I’m going to let her be there by herself today.
My grip tightens on my steering wheel when I see her walking out of the side entrance with her black umbrella and her short skirt that sits in the middle of her upper thighs. She holds it just barely over her head with one hand while the other holds her phone. My knee bounces in anticipation at the idea of getting to see her tonight. I’ve been distancing myself since the last time we’d seen each other, only texting her now and then, but it’s just small talk.Seeing her, it doessomethingto me, and honestly, I don’t fucking like where it’s going.
I continue to watch her walk in the rain down the sidewalk as she heads towards the direction of the bar.I can’t let her walk alone. Damn it.I’m about to look like a fucking creep.While backingmy car out from my spot to get closer, I honk my horn, stopping Thalia in her tracks. She quickly turns her head towards my driver’s side window as I roll it down. My mischievous grin emerges from behind the receding glass.
“Lee?!” I love the way the pitch in her voice rises when she says my name. It makes my smile widen.
“Hey, Sweetheart.” I lean out of my lowered window.
“What are you doing close to my apartment?” Her question shouldn’t bother me, but it does.Maybe because there is a killer on the loose. Or could it be because I can’t stop thinking about you, and it’s driving me crazy.For now, I’ll put those constant thoughts in the back of my mind.
“I was in the area and I saw you walking by yourself.”It was only half a lie.“Would you like to ride with me to The Neon Rose? I’m going there myself.” My smile stays plastered on my face like I'm a giddy fucking kid.
“Yeah, I’ll take that ride.” The not-so-subtle wink she gives makes my cheeks hurt from how wide I’m grinning.Fuck, she’s adorable.
“Alright, Sweetheart. Hop in.” I reach over and open the handle of the passenger side door. As she shakes the water off her umbrella, I watch her ass move in her short skirt. I do my best to keep my thoughts to myself, but I can't help the idea of fucking her in my car and making us both late for work.Damn, it would be so fucking easy to slide that skirt of hers up to her waist. I wouldn’t give a shit who saw her grinding those perfect hips of hers on my lap in the driver’s seat.That all ends when she climbs into the car and closes the door.
“You walk alone in the rain often?”This is me, trying to make conversation. Whatever I can do to make this situation less awkwardand to take away from the fact that I look like a stalker right now.It feels like you can cut the tension between us with a fucking knife.Leaving the apartment before she woke up the next morning probably wasn’t one of my best ideas. God, she probably thinks I’m a jackass.
“Yes. Normally, I don’t mind the rain, though.” Iwould love to see that perfect body of hers wet. Fuck, not letting her walk in the rain has its drawbacks.She looks up at me with those beautiful eyes, her full lips parted.What is it with women loving to watch men drive? It’s a kink I’ll never understand.Whatever it is, I don’t mind feeling her eyes on me when I turn the wheel.
“You think it’s going to be busy tonight?” I keep my eyes on the slick road, desperately trying to keep my mind off the vulgar thoughts spiraling in my head. With Thalia being this close, it’s hard tothink.
“After being closed for about a week. We’re going to be slammed with our normal regulars. Well, most of them,” she wrings her hands at the idea.My girl is anxious about tonight. I can only imagine the thoughts that must be going through her head right now.Wait a second.My girl? What the fuck am I saying? I can’t mean that.I mentally shake the notion and continue the short drive in silence.
The drive soon comes to an end, and we park in front of the bar. “You ready, Sweetheart?” I ask, turning off the ignition.
Thalia briefly glances over at the alley between The Neon Rose and the boutique next door before we make our way inside the bar. I know she has mixed feelings about coming back to work—we all do, but life goes on.Well, for most of us.I do my best to hold her little umbrella for the two of us. It mostly covers Thalia, but that’s okay; I don’t mind getting a littlewet.
Both Jace and Janice look at the door, snickering at the sight of Thalia and me walking in together. By the way the two are giggling, it must be a sight to see–one that will have them speculating all night.
“Look at you two together,” Janice announces. Her voice is heard over the music, and I see Thalia’s cheeks getting redder by the second.It’s so fucking cute.
“Oh, what’s going on here?!” Jace’s finger is pointing forward, aimed directly at us as he sways his hips at the same time.
“I was just in the neighborhood,” I mutter, shutting the door behind Thalia and me.
“Whatever you say.” Jace’s hips sway again as he makes his way back towards the kitchen.
The night goes quicker than I would have expected. The Neon Rose is packed. People are crowding in, filling in at the bar, the tables, and even the small amount of floor space is filling up as they stand around chatting with one another. I listen to the customers gossip about the homicide of the man in the alley that was only a week ago.Who knew a murder so close to the bar would make a killing in sales.
Janice explains that most of them are her regular patrons, as if she’s still trying to keep up her humble persona. She knows she’s going to make one hell of a profit by the end of the night. I don’t miss the way the corner of her mouth turns up as the bar customers continue to file through the doors. She must be happy to see her loyal barflies once again.
While The Neon Rose was closed, the three of them were thrown out of the routine they all had grown to know so well. Life may notbe fully back to normal for these people, but it’s closer to normal than what it had been.
I mostly stay around the back towards the kitchen. My attention is focused on the inventory of liquor bottles and recording how much more Janice will need for the rest of the month. Occasionally, I make glances at Thalia in her element. The way she puts on her bartender charm has me captivated. She looks like a fucking goddess under the glow of the lights. I can’t help the way my scowl turns into a smirk when she catches me looking her way. The beam I get in return is the icing on the fucking cake.
