Page 66 of Aftertaste

Two Sides of Me

Haven

I signed the last form on the clipboard and placed it in thedonepile. Fridays were always the worst for leaving on time, so I should have known better than to take the later shift at the doctor’s office.

I loved my job, more than anything. It had always been my dream to be a nurse, I just hadn’t realized the amount of paperwork that would be involved. In my head, I imagined saving lives every day, but in reality, it was the small moments that made the most difference. The woman who was worried about her health during pregnancy; reassuring the man who was aware that he was losing his memories. It was those pockets in time that made my job worth it. Not the big moments that came hardly ever inside a local doctor’s office.

That and the hours. It meant I was able to continue my second job—the job I’d had since I’d been in college. The one that paid more than my day job.

“Are you heading out?” Doctor Vasali asked, pushing his pen into the pocket of his royal blue scrubs.

“Yeah.” I turned behind the main desk and clicked open the bottom locker to the right then pulled my bag out. I wouldn’t have time to change, not when I only had fifteen minutes to get to the other side of town. “I’ll see you on Sunday.” I smiled at him and patted his arm as I waltzed by him. “Have a good night!”

I couldn’t quite make out his muffled reply, but I knew he’d be doing what he did every Friday night: going on yet another blind date made for him by his parents. They’d been trying to find him a wife ever since I’d known him, and they hadn’t been successful yet.

The main doors to the office opened automatically as I neared them, and I inhaled a breath of the cool night air. There was something about staring up at the dark sky with twinkling stars that had always calmed me.

I didn’t have time to stare up at them tonight though, so I hightailed it across the lot we shared with a drugstore and to my car. It took several tries for my damn engine to finally click on, but as soon as it did, I peeled out of there, now only having ten minutes to make it to the club.

Being late was my thing. It didn’t matter how early I left to get somewhere, I almost always made it there later than I should have, whether it was by a minute or an hour. Timekeeping wasn’t my forte. My brother on the other hand…he wasalwaysearly. The complete opposite to me. And as soon as I pulled into the street the club was on, I swore I could feel his eyes on me. His laser focus staring into me with an “I knew you’d be late” look.

The neon light above the club doors was a beacon, attracting anyone and everyone to it. A single word,Vibe, lured people into the club, promising a night they would never forget.

Standing underneath that light was the six feet three guy, his face fierce, his muscles bulging. A warning not to fuck with him or anyone around him. They all knew him as the doorman, the guy they could rely on, the guy who wouldn’t stand for an ounce of shit. But I simply knew him as my loyal big brother. My protector. The one man in this world I could rely on.

I hadn’t even pulled into my usual space a little way down from the club doors when I saw him in my rearview mirror getting closer. Reaching into the footwell of the passenger side of my car, I grabbed my bag, praying I’d packed my favorite jeans to dance in this morning. I couldn’t remember what I’d picked out because yet again, I’d been in a hurry to make it somewhere on time.

“Haven,” Rush’s deep voice said as he opened the driver’s door, standing in the road.

“Rush,” I replied, in our usual greeting. We’d done it since we were little kids. At first it had been because we’d seen someone on a movie greet each other with just their name alone, and it had stuck. In the movie they’d been serious, their mouths stretched into straight lines and their eyes narrowed at each other. But when Rush and I did it, it was always with a smile on our faces.

He stretched his arm out, his giant hand coming into my car, and I didn’t hesitate to take it. “You’re not as late as usual,” he said, his lips pulling farther up on one side.

“Whatever.” I rolled my eyes, reverting back to the teenage version of myself. His deep laughter echoed on the street, causing several people to turn and look. Rush never failed to demand attention. The other doorman stood like a centenary at the left side of the door, and as we approached, he pulled it open. “Thanks.” I nodded, knowing I wouldn’t get a reply from the silent, brooding man who was nearly as big as my brother.

“I’ll see you inside around midnight,” Rush told me, his expression turning serious now.

“Okay.” I stepped inside but turned at the last minute. “Did you bring food for break?” My stomach rumbled as the words came out of my mouth and I cursed myself out for skipping my second break today just so I could finish work with enough time to spare.

Rush raised a brow and shuffled into his usual spot, ready to let people in. “What do you think?”

I slammed my hand onto my hip and fluttered my lashes at him. “I think that my awesome big brother brought extras with him because he knew his little sister would be starving.”

He stayed silent, staring at me, waiting me out. I knew his tactics, and I knew there was no way he wouldn’t have brought extra for me. “You’d be right.” He tilted his head toward the inside of the club. “Get in there. You only have fifteen until we open.”

My eyes widened. “Shit!” I hooked my bag higher on my shoulder. “Later, gater!”

Fate Dealing Its Blow

Thalia

My head bobbed as the thrumming beats from the club echoed outside. I couldn’t quite make out the words, but I didn’t need them for my body to start swaying left to right. Sage chuckled from behind me, the sound a little on edge, and I couldn’t help but laugh. She didn’t do things like this, not unless I dragged her with me.

“What?” I asked, grinning at her over my shoulder.

“Nothing.” She smiled back and gripped onto Storm’s arm that was wrapped around her. He stood behind her, ever the protector, his gaze shifting around us.

I shimmied toward her, excited to be out of my house. If there was somewhere to be on a Friday, you could bet your ass I’d be there. Anywhere was better than trapped within the walls of my own personal hell.

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