Page 50 of Wanting More
She didn't like feeling this way. Sapphire was nothing like her mother. She didn't need men or a relationship to define her and give her life meaning. But...she did need them. She needed this odd pseudo-family relationship. It was starting to mean a lot to her.
In front of her, Sapphire watched Joel's shoulder tense as he took a deep breath before exhaling, bringing her out of her thoughts.
Turning his head, he looked at her over his shoulder. "I'm going to tell you a not-so-secret secret, ok?"
She had no clue what that meant but nodded anyway.
"I told you Hayden, Vic, and I own a few properties around town, right?"
"Yeah," she said hesitantly.
"Well, it’s a bit more than a few. Technically, we own Tonya's trailer she lives in—and the trailer park it sits on. Sooo…"
"Oh," she let the word drag out as she thought about what he was saying. "Meaning, it would be in her best interest to keep you happy, right?"
He tilted his head in consideration as a mischievous smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "I wouldn't say happy, but I would definitely say not to piss me off," he said with that smile that always made her pulse race. "Come on, let's get back home before Hayden wakes up and starts crying."
When they got back to the café, they pulled into the gated area in the back. Instead of unloading the food like Sapphire thought, Joel unhooked the leather saddlebags from his bike and hoisted them over his shoulder. Upstairs, Hayden was sitting at the dining room table, looking as if he had just woken up. His mop of dark brown hair was still damp from his shower and pushed back from his face. Sapphire almost stopped and stared. With the new trim of his beard and now the curtain of hair pushed back, she could see the fine details of his face even better. His narrow grey eyes that looked at the world like blades cutting in the dark were framed by thick straight eyebrows that gave those piercing eyes an even deadlier glower. His nose and cheeks reminded her of a finely carved statue of a Spartan warrior, regal and dangerous.
How did she not notice these details before?
Suddenly Hayden let out a large gaping yawn that turned into a tired groan as he stood up from the chair. Sapphire helplessly watched the thick muscles in his chest flex underneath his criminally small black tank as he stretched out his arms. Oh, that was why. She was surrounded by two giant beefcakes, that's why. Who the hell could make it properly to their faces when she had mounds of big hard muscles to get past?
"Okay, let’s see what damage we can do," Joel said as he stared at the food he dumped onto the counter with a mad gleam in his eyes. Slapping his hands together, he rubbed them together and began reaching for the eggs.
Sapphire cast a worried glance at Hayden. To her surprise, he was shaking his head and giving her a look of silent horror. Wordlessly the message was conveyed: do not let Joel cook.
"How about I cook for you instead?" she called out hastily just as Joel popped the top of the carton of eggs.
Blinking, Joel stared at her for only a second before his dark blue eyes brightened in pure delight. "Oh, fuck yeah," he said, putting down the eggs and stepping back with a polite wave of his hand toward the stove. "Please be my guest."
While she cooked, Sapphire listened to Hayden and Joel talk at the table behind her. Their deep voices carried over the sound of sizzling meat in the pan about shared stories at the bar, plans for their gym, and of course, conversations about their beloved bikes and getting them worked on.
Slowly the conversation filled in little gaps of the small Texas town she had initially written off. Funny stories of a married couple on the verge of divorce who both worked at the meat packing plant and both of whom patronized the bar made her laugh as Hayden told her how both were trying to make the other jealous by hitting on people in the bar but having to share a ride back to their house. The little details began to add blooms of color like an unfinished watercolor painting to the life and community of this town.
Setting down the full plate of eggs, sausages, and French toast, Sapphire eyed Joel and Hayden's excited faces as they began scooping mounds of food onto their plates and wondered if her cooking hadn't been a devious plan between the two all along.
The drive to Stardust Cove later that afternoon was admittedly better than anything the bus could have provided. Taking the truck keys from Hayden and complaining about hisgrandmadriving, Joel drove, cutting the projected forty-five-minute time down to thirty-five. Needless to say, Sapphire had held onto one of Hayden's thick arms for dear life while he had casually death-gripped theoh-shithandle above his head.
"You two are being real dramatic right now," Joel groaned from behind them as she and Hayden practically staggered out of the now parked truck onto the parking lot pavement. "There was nothing wrong with my driving."
Sapphire leaned against a nearby parked car. She could hardly take in the splendor of the pristine campus around her. She was far too busy trying to gather her equilibrium and secretly thanking God she was alive. "I thought…I thought we were…" Her mouth felt dry, and her mind still raced with images of nearly getting t-boned earlier as Joel took what she was very sure was an illegal left turn.
"Going to die?" Hayden supplied with a growl. Pulling away from the car he was leaning on, he stood up fully. He still looked a little green, but he took a deep pull of air and gave her a small smile. "Yeah, me too. But once I get my stomach out of my goddamn throat, I’ll kill him for you. Be sure of that."
They began walking up the neat white walkways that bordered the emerald green lawns surrounding the beautiful historic campus.
Joel shot Hayden a challenging look. "Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'd like to see you-"
"Hi! Are you here for the eleven-o-clock tour?" A young man with a cheerful smile called out with a wave from the doorway they were heading for.
"Yes, we are," Joel replied smugly. Through the whole death-defying trip down here, he had been worried about missing the appointment despite both her and Hayden's near pleas that there would be other tour times.
"Okay, great, you're just in time," the boy called out. "We were just about to start."
Joel threw them both an unmistakablesee-therelook as they walked inside and joined the group.
Holding a clipboard in hand, the young man walked to the front of the gathered group. "Okay, everyone, let's begin the tour to what could be the great start of your new life."
