I grumbled about it, but I went. I still to this day don't know why he wanted to spend his short leave hunting animals when his job was to hunt humans.
Despite my complaints, I actually enjoyed it, not the killing animals part, but the hiking in the hills, amongst the beautiful scenery with my brother who I missed dearly. I took the picture when we got to the top of the mountain. With the view of the whole valley we lived in, and then some. Our hometown in the winter was magical. Snow capped the hills, temperatures going well below freezing, caused the bare trees to turn white with frost. It had been early morning and the sun had just risen, a soft pink dancing on the horizon, street lights of the town still twinkling. It was amazing, our small town nestled among the rough hills, the whole valley dressed in winter white. I loved that picture.
I sat behind my desk and cranked up my laptop, sipping the coffee that was slowly contributing to normal brain function, after half of it had been screwed out of me last night.. I heard my phone ringing from the depths of my handbag, I managed to answer just before it went to voicemail.
"Hello." I greeted nervously, hoping it wasn't Cade. I hadn't given him my number or anything, but he was a super badass with super badass powers. Or more likely he got it off his sister.
"Sweetie!!" I heard my mum scream, I relaxed into my chair smiling. It had been awhile since I had heard from either of my parents, I missed them.
"I've been thinking about you, things have just been so busy I haven't had the time to ring! How was the opening? You getting settled in okay? Making any new friends?" My mum shot multiple questions at me at once, I was used to it.
"The opening was great, I'm emailing you pictures of the store now." I started typing on my laptop, "We are settled in fine, Amy did a freaking great job of the house, but I'm sure you've already seen it all."
"Yes, yes Amy sent me pictures ages ago, I had the final say in most design decisions." Mum told me matter of factly.
I rolled my eyes. "Of course you did mother! And yes we are making some awesome new friends Amy got us invited to a party the other night. It was heaps of fun, met some lovely people, one of whom I hired to work in the store. Looks like we are going to need her, things are busy already! I think a clothing store was exactly what the female residents of Amber needed." I glanced up to see Amy leaning against the doorjam munching on a sandwich. ‘MUM' I mouthed at her.
"HI LACEY!" Amy shouted, mouth full.
"Amy says hi mum." I said sarcastically.
"I heard her honey, I'm so happy she's there with you, you have such a great friend in her." Mum murmured softly.
"I know Mum. How's Dad?" I asked after my father, because like Ian, he took my attack pretty hard, like he should've protected me or something, no matter that he was on the other side of the world and the fact it was my stupid decisions that nearly got me dead, but they were both macho men who blamed themselves.
"He is doing good sweetie." Mum answered, voice still soft. "He's off on some fishing trip, down in Stewart Island, thank god, he was driving me insane."
"Mum! He's retired, which he deserves, he's worked very hard through his life." I snapped.
"I know." My mum snapped back. "But he doesn't know how to be retired, he just annoys me, and now he isn't working, he wants sex."
"LA LA LA LA!" I shouted, cutting her off. "I do not need to hear about that, ewwwww."
"You are such a prude Gwen, you're a grown woman, you should be happy your father and I have a healthy sex life." My mother chided me.
"Whatever mum. I do not need to know details. Kapesh."
"All right all right." My mother conceded, for about a millisecond. "How about you sweetie? Any men in your new town?" She sounded almost hopeful.
"Nope." I lied. "None at all, this town has no men. Well not under the age of fifty anyway."
Amy who still leaning at the door, shamelessly listening, narrowed her eyes.
"Don't listen to her Lacey!" She shouted, trying to wrestle the phone from me.
"What is Amy saying? Gwenevere are you lying to your mother?" Mum asked sharply.
"No mum sorry really busy got to go. Love you." I called still trying to fight off Amy.
"Don't you dare..." I heard my mothers angry but amused tone before I ended the call.
I glared at Amy who was now leaning casually at my desk, taking another bite out of her sandwich, as if nothing happened.
"What the fuck was that Abrams?" I screeched.
"What?" Amy shrugged her shoulders, "You should tell your mother about your two sexy suitors and about your no doubt wild night last night." She smirked.
"That is the last thing I am going to, my mother does not need to know about my sex life and especially not about Cade. She would die." I exclaimed dramatically.
"I doubt that." She exclaimed dryly, then did a wee jump, smile on her face.
"Now tell me all about your wild night of passion between you and sexy Cade." She looked like an excited child. "I am sooooo glad you finally got laid, was about time. How hot was it? On a scale of one to Channing?" She asked deadpan.
"Hot." I answered. "Like I lost count of the amount of orgasms I had hot." I decided to give her a little. I usually told her everything about my sex life, but for some reason I wanted to keep last night to myself. Between Cade and I.
"Holy shit really?? How big was his cock? Is he rough and hard or gentle and slow?" She demanded.
"I am telling you no more." I decided, and her face fell. "I will say, my favorite La Perla underwear was ripped, ripped off me."
At this, she fell back on the couch dramatically fanning her face.
"Enough about me anyway," I continued. "Anything happen between you and Brock?"
Amy sat up abruptly frowning. "No. Why would it? He's an asshole" She said shortly. I sat back in my chair, not expecting Amy's defensive reaction.
"Wow." I held my hands up in mock surrender, "I was just asking, he's hot and seemed nice, and you were giving him the look." I teased.
"He is not that hot, nor is he nice nor was I giving him the look." She snapped.
"Were so." I shot at her.
"Were not."
"Whatever! How's the morning been?" I asked letting her off the hook, but something definitely went on there, something I would find out later.
"Ohmigod its been crazy girl!! Word spread. Like fast. People have been coming in from out of town to shop, we got ourselves some big spenders. Just because people live in a hick town does not mean these woman ain't got style. "
"Better get to work then."
Chapter 6
Amy was right, word spread, like crazy fast. Amy, Rosie and I were run off our feet for the rest of the week with women coming in, some for complete wardrobe overhauls. I was going to have to do a new order soon, a big one. Working out on the floor really helped me figure out what the populace of women wanted so I could get it in, but I had heaps to do so I would need to hire more staff. And luckily by the way things seemed to be going I would more than be able to afford it. I also spent the week trying to evade Rosie's multiple questions about me and Cade, she seemed itching for us to get together, no matter I hadn't heard from him since Thursday the morning he left cause he had ‘shit to do.' It was now Tuesday, the following week. I definitely expected to see him, keen as he seemed. And even though this should have been what I wanted, I found it hard to keep my mind off him. I had been non-stop with the store but Cade was constantly on my mind, and I was kind of hurt, he declared me as ‘his' one minute then no communication the next.
I did get a distraction with Luke coming in every morning and delivering me a coffee, which had become a bit of a ritual when he discovered I had a substance abuse problem when it came to caffeine. We didn't talk much, given I was usually always busy, but it was nice, I really liked him, and he was definitely hot, but not like Cade. I told myself I would give him a chance, the next time he asked me for dinner I wouldn't blow him off saying I was too tired, I would say yes.
I was at the counter, Rosie had gone to get lunch, and I had given Amy the afternoon off, since we were quiet. I was flipping through some look books, circling stuff I thought I might order for the store, when the bell over the door chimed. I looked up, smile on my face ready to greet a customer, and my eyes met Luke's. As he sauntered up to the counter, I mentally congratulated myself for deciding to go out with him. He looked good. His blonde hair was tousled and swept over his face, and he was clean shaven. He was wearing his uniform and fuck did he wear the shit out of that thing, he pushed his aviators to the top of his head as he approached the counter and rested his hand of his gun belt, out of habit I think. But man did that make him look even hotter.