Jagged Harts, page 2
Before I step out the door, I spray on some vanilla body spray that I have had for almost two years. Even I am impressed that I have been able to make this stuff last as long as it has. Soon I won’t have to ration and stretch every cent that comes my way. Starting today shit changes and thank fuck for that.
I stumble around campus for a little while as I search for my first class of the day, quickly realizing that my first mistake was not scoping out where my classes were ahead of time, because this map that was so graciously provided to me does absolutely jack shit. With my head buried in the useless piece of paper, I don’t see the brick wall like figure right in front of me as I barrel straight into it.
“Whoa there, darlin’. If you wanted to touch me all you had to do was say so.”
The lame remark comes from the flirty brown-haired guy from the pub last night. His eyes twinkle with amusement as he gives me a smile that is filled with mirth. Being so close to him, I’m overwhelmed with the smell of laundry detergent and fresh pine. He is still douchey but at least he smells good, I guess.
Rolling my eyes, I move to sidestep him when he mimics the move so that he is still very firmly in my way.
“I didn’t know that you were a student. My lucky day. Where you headed, darlin’?”
“None of your fucking business.”
“Aw, come on. Don’t be like that, darlin’.”
“Aubrey,” I grit through clenched teeth as I try to step around him again.
“Aubrey?” He furrows his brows in confusion as he blocks my path once more.
“My name. It’s Aubrey, not darlin’,” I snap. “And I’m late to class. Move.”
I step to the left briefly before pulling a quick right and shoulder checking him on my way past as I continue walking through the quad.
“What building you going to? I’ll walk you,” he says, not missing a beat as he hustles to keep up with me.
My jaw ticks in irritation as I stop mid stride and exhale heavily before turning towards him. I could just knock him out, but I don’t think that my scholarship would stay intact after something like that, so I settle for verbal resolution. That’s what all those annoying as fuck counselors used to try to preach at school, so why the fuck not?
“Look, despite your fucking pathetic pick-up lines, I am sure that you are a nice enough guy. If I was any other girl, I bet I would be swooning at the thought of a good-looking guy going out of his way to show me around, but I’m not. So, if you would leave me the hell alone, that would be fucking awesome.”
He looks down at me, stunned into silence for a moment. Then a brilliant smile spreads across his face showcasing a perfect set of pearly whites. Is this guy insane? In what world did anything I just say warrant a fucking smile?
“You think I’m good looking?” Amusement laces his voice as he takes a step closer to me.
I snort. “That’s what you got out of all of that?”
I shake my head and turn around to keep walking. A few seconds later, I notice that he falls right into step with me yet again. Are all southern boys this persistent or is this guy just particularly skilled?
“I’m Cole Simmons,” he says after a few steps.
I nod as I keep my pace, making sure not to respond. I could honestly give a shit. I really don’t want to encourage this guy. Maybe if I ignore him, he will get bored and just go away.
When I finally find my first class, I open the door and pause. Cole is still following me. I turn towards him and give him a look that would make a lesser man shit a brick.
“Can you fuck off now? I am trying to get to class.”
That twinkle from last night returns to his eyes as he speaks. “Me too. Econ with Braxton. Lead the way darlin’.”
He makes a sweeping gesture for me as he reaches over my head to hold the door open. The way his accent draws out my unwanted nickname has me rolling my eyes. Whatever. I scan the room for an empty seat and start heading up to the back row, plopping down into the first available seat. Of course, golden boy chooses the seat right next to mine.
“So, where ya from darlin’?”
I close my eyes for a moment before I blow out a deep breath and turn to look at him. He has officially worn me down. Maybe if I just answer his stupid fucking questions, he will leave me the hell alone.
“California. Any other questions, golden boy?”
“Plenty,” he beams back at me. “But I’ll save the rest for tonight when we hang out.”
A laugh escapes me before I can choke it back down. “Yeah. That won’t be happening. Despite my total lack of interest, I will be job hunting all day after classes.”
His smile stays firmly intact, not at all deterred from my rejection. “Oh yeah? Where you applying to?”
“Anywhere that will take me,” I mumble more to myself than anything.
I have scraped and saved for years, waiting for the moment that I could take off and never look back. My move from LA to Alabama officially drained me all in one swoop. Now in order to survive, I am at the mercy of anyone who will give me a job.
“Well, you sure are lucky to have met me, darlin’. We are looking for a server at The White Oak. I have a shift starting today at 4. Come with me and I’ll introduce you to the manager. I’m sure he’ll hire you.”
I pause for a second before turning to face him, eyeing him skeptically as I do.
“Really?”
“Yes, really,” he smirks. “You seem like a cool girl. Maybe a bit prickly on the outside but I am betting that makes you all the sweeter on the inside.” He tosses me a wink while he stares at me expectantly.
I would normally throttle assholes for just speaking to me the way that he is but for some reason all of his lines come across sadly pathetic as opposed to sleazy. It’s clear that the suave cool guy thing is more of an act than his real personality. Probably why I haven’t shoved his balls down his throat yet. My subconscious has already deemed him as harmless.
I bite the inside of my cheek as I contemplate his offer. What could it hurt, right? I have waitressed before and it wasn’t the worst. Plus, you get tips. Maybe I could make enough to eat name brand ramen, now that was the American dream. Maybe I need to reign in the bitchiness for a bit, at least until I can see if this guy is going to be able to hook me up with a job or not.
After a minute of weighing my options, I stick my hand out to Cole.
“Friends?” I smile. Well, my best version of a smile, which from the look on his face I imagine is closer to a grimace.
He looks down at my outstretched hand and shakes it, caressing the back of my hand with his thumb.
“Friends…for now.”
He finishes with a wink as I roll my eyes and pull my hand away before turning to the front of the class as the professor walks in.
“Can you start tonight?”
“Fuck, yeah! Shit, fuck. Yes, I mean. Of course, thank you,” I ramble.
I can’t believe it was that easy. Golden boy must have more clout than I gave him credit for. Who gets offered a job after a glossed over two-minute conversation?
“Great. Have Cole give you the tour and we will fill out all of the paperwork after your shift tonight.”
The owner, Marcus, looks to be in his late 40’s. He has light blonde hair with hazel eyes and a smattering of blonde stubble across his sharp jawline. He also looks to be well over 6’2 at least with arms the size of cannons. The guy is a total silver fox. I’d bet he has half the female population of Glenfield coming in this place for just a chance to catch his eye, though he doesn’t really seem like the type. He doesn’t exactly give off warm and cuddly vibes but then again neither do I so maybe that is why he gave me the job on the spot like that. Kindred spirits and all that shit.
“Hey there, darlin’. Told you we would be together tonight,” Cole says with a teasing smirk on his lips as he comes to stand next to me while Marcus heads to the back.
I roll my eyes and bump my shoulder into his. “Seriously though, thank you. I appreciate it.”
“I’m sure you will find a way to make it up to me.”
He waggles his eyebrows, and I can’t hold back an amused smile. This guy is admittedly starting to grow on me, like a fungus or a flesh-eating disease.
8 hours later and it is officially the end of my first shift. It was a little rough in the beginning. I mixed up a few orders at first and dropped a plate on the ground just before I got to the table, but I was able to get into the swing of things by the end. I turn the open sign off and head to the back to grab my stuff.
“Hey, darlin’. Nice work today. Let me walk you home,” Cole says coming up to me as he bumps his hip into mine.
I eye him warily, searching for any hints of malice but just as I originally concluded, he is harmless, so I relent.
“Alright, sounds good.”
As we walk down the road towards the dorms, we start talking. Well, Cole does most of the talking, I mainly just listen. Cole is a senior at Whitman, born and raised in a small town a couple of hours away and from the sounds of it, I nailed it on the head with the whole Norman Rockwell thing and the football in high school part. We discover that we are both hardcore fans of Harry Potter and ice cream, cookie dough flavor to be specific.
“Kramer’s has the best ice cream in town. We will have to go sometime,” Cole suggests.
Cole seems like a nice guy, once he puts the flirting bullshit aside, which usually isn’t for long. Despite his flirtations I can tell that he is a genuine person. He didn’t have to hook me up with a job, but he did even when I was a bitch to him. For a moment, I wonder if what he is offering is really payment. Where I come from you don’t get something for nothing. Does he want to take me out in exchange for getting me the job?
“Look, I’m sorry I was such a bitch today. I am not very good with people. But I don’t think-”
“Oh, don’t worry, darlin’. I’m not asking you out. You’ve already rejected me too many times for my fragile male ego to take in 24 hours.” He throws me a wink before continuing. “When you want to go out, you are gonna have to ask me. We are just friends, until you make your move.”
I chuckle and nudge him as we make our way up to my building. “Don’t hold your breath, golden boy.”
“So, what brings you to Glenfield?” He asks, turning to face me when we get to the doors.
I give him a deadpan look as I tilt my head to the side. “School.”
He rolls his eyes and smiles. “Yeah, smartass. I figured. But there are thousands of colleges all around the country. What made you come all the way from California to Alabama?”
My brows furrow as I hesitate. Why does he have so many fucking questions? Part of me wonders if this is just how normal people are. I wouldn’t know a thing about that, so I settle on a vague enough answer that still holds some truth.
“This was the first place that offered me a full ride, so I accepted. Pretty simple.”
“That’s awesome! Congrats on the scholarship. You must have had to work your ass off.”
He’s got no fucking idea.
“Well, do you like it so far? Alabama? Glenfield? Whitman?”
I shrug. “It’s as good of any place for a new beginning.”
I freeze as soon as the words leave my mouth. Fuck. Did I seriously just say that out loud? This damn guy and all of his incessant questions are seriously fucking with me. I need to get to my room and away from this nosy fucker.
He doesn’t comment on my answer, instead just smiling and nodding before he leans down and hauls me into a tight hug. I freeze in place as my breath stalls and my head starts to spin. Oh no, shit. Not again. Slamming my eyes closed, I do my best to talk myself down.
It’s okay. I’m safe. I’m safe.
My body starts to slowly relax, and my breathing begins again as I blow out a soft breath. Fuck. I haven’t had a mini freakout like that in a while. Cole must be able to sense my discomfort because he gently untangles himself from me and takes a healthy step back, finally allowing me to take in a cleansing breath.
“Night, darlin’,” he smiles softly before turning on his heel and heading back the way we came.
Blowing out a long breath, I quickly head inside and don’t stop until I am in my room, door locked and face down on my bed. Panic attacks suck. The worst part about them is how weak you feel during and after them, not just physically but emotionally. I promised myself a long time ago that I would never be that weak little girl ever again. That girl died a long time ago and from her ashes I rose. Never again will I be her, never again.
CHAPTER
THREE
AUBREY
My first week of my new life practically flies by. I am getting better at my waitress gig with every shift, and I have even been able to stay ahead in all of my classes, though since it is the first week, I guess that isn’t all that impressive. It is Friday night, and my shift is almost over, thankfully. My feet are throbbing, I’m hungry and so ready to go home. With 5 minutes left to close, I start my end of the night tasks so that I can get out of here as soon as possible.
Suddenly, the door bursts open as five rowdy college kids make their way inside and head towards a booth in the back.
“Seriously?” I grumble under my breath.
Guess my bed will have to wait.
I gather up the last bit of customer service that I can before I walk over to the group with a smile screwed in place. I am sure it looks just as fake as it feels. Good, maybe they will take the hint and leave.
“Hey guys. What can I get you?”
The two girls in the group look up at me and wrinkle their noses like they smell something bad. I can relate because their god-awful perfume makes them smell like baby prostitutes. Maybe that was the goal? The girl’s skimpy outfits cling to them like a desperate second skin. Leather miniskirts and tops that more closely resemble headbands than actual shirts with sky high heels that can’t possibly be comfortable.
The bubbly blonde snuggling up to a tall guy with sandy brown hair speaks in a nasally voice.
“Can I get a sex on the beach?” She asks as she starts to giggle uncontrollably while giving ‘fuck me’ eyes to sandy boy.
The dark-haired guy sitting next to sandy boy scoffs and rolls his eyes, I automatically determine that I like him best. The redheaded girl speaks next.
“Can I get a Cosmo? And make sure that it’s made like really good?”
I internally roll my eyes. Well, I was gonna make sure it was really bad, but if you insist.
Looking past the girls, I lock eyes with a familiar pair of green eyes. The hooded guy that beat the shit out of the dude in the parking lot on Sunday is staring up at me with what looks like surprise, but he quickly masks it as he slings a casual arm around the redhead’s shoulders. Now that I can see him better in the light, I see that his dirty blonde hair is almost buzzed completely on the sides while styled longer on top. His jaw line is strong and sharp that only highlights his assessing gaze as he practically burns holes straight through me.
I also notice that the shadow of a bruise is starting to form on the left side of his face. Looks like Mr. Hothead makes it a habit of getting into trouble. He is wearing a t-shirt that hugs his arms like it’s wrapped around a set of tree trunks, and pair of black workout shorts that seem to fit him just as well as the shirt.
A glint of silver catches my attention around his neck. It is so dainty that it almost looks like a woman’s chain. Odd. Now under the fluorescent lighting my previous suspicions are confirmed. This man is sexy as sin and way too fascinating for my liking. His eyes narrow on me in a way that some may consider intimidating but I know what that dark glint in his eyes really is, curiosity.
Whatever he is looking for it seems he found it or found something because I watch as his eyes flicker for a moment before the hard shell of his perfectly placed mask cracks slightly. He must be able to feel it cracking though because he quickly rights it as he continues staring at me with his previous stoic expression.
Wanting to be done with our intense stare off, I peel my eyes away and face the rest of the group. I can’t believe we just sat there and stared at each other like that in front of all of these people. Thankfully, no one outside of the dark-haired guy seemed to notice.
“We will take two pitchers of beer and eight cheeseburgers,” Sandy boy states from the other side of the booth.
“Sorry, kitchen is closed. I can get you those drinks though,” I offer. What do they expect coming in here 5 minutes to close?
He tosses his head back and starts to laugh like I made a joke. When he realizes that I’m not laughing, the smile slowly slides off his face.
“Wait, are you serious?”
“As a heart attack,” I quip.
He shakes his head in what looks like disbelief as he leans forward and places his elbows onto the table.
“You are new here, clearly. Marcus always keeps the kitchen open for us on Fridays. It’s fine.”
“Yeah, well, the cook already went home so it looks like food isn’t on the menu tonight. Sorry,” I deadpan.
Green eyes flicks his gaze up to me and though I hate to admit it, my stomach dips for a moment with his attention sitting heavily on me. He cocks his head ever so slightly and squints as if he was studying an insect.
“Hey, y’all. Is there a problem?” Cole chimes in, coming to stand next to me with a friendly smile.
Sandy boy swings his gaze to Cole with a sneer firmly fixed across his face.
“Your new chick doesn’t know her ass from a hole in the ground. She says you guys aren’t going to serve us food.”
I notice green eyes shoots a look at his buddy as his hand resting on top of the table tightens into a fist before he settles his gaze back on me. The dark-haired guy on the other side of the table is giving the guy a similar look and Cole is now sporting a scowl before he lets it fade into a bull shit smile once again.
Guess no one appreciated that comment.
“Sorry about that guys. This is her first Friday shift. The cook already went home but I can whip up anything you want.”
