“You positive you’re okay, sweetie?” Marsha leans towards the counter eyeing me with fear.

“I’m high-quality. Simply coping with a bit of, uh, abdomen bug. That’s all.”

“Proper, a abdomen bug.” Her lips press collectively. “Is that this the sort of abdomen bug which may get a bunch of our patrons sick?”

“No, positively not,” I say rapidly.

“Properly, let me know if you happen to want one other break.” She offers me a pleasant shoulder squeeze earlier than getting again to it. I really like Marsha with all my coronary heart—she’s in her early forties, the saintly mom of 5, holding all of it along with duct tape and prayers. As I carry a tray of meals that makes me bodily repulsed over to desk six, I can’t assist however marvel if I may be even half as sturdy as she is.

In all probability not.

It’s an unsightly shift. Positively not my most interesting work. I screw up a pair orders and the information are awful, however at the very least there’s cash in my pocket after I clock out for the night time.

“You already know what I get to do after I go house?” Marsha asks as we step out the entrance door. The night time shift is already settling into their routine.

“Yoga. Bubble tub. No, let me guess. A really attractive international man goes to rub your toes and go down on you for a half hour?”

“Dishes. I get to do dishes.” She offers me a glance half stuffed with shock and half with curiosity. “A half hour? Hon, if somebody a lot as touches me down there, I take into account myself fortunate.”

“Please, you’re nonetheless attractive. I see the best way the previous guys have a look at you.”

“Good level. If I needed a bunch of geriatric males on social safety, I might have an entire harem of them.”

“They’re your velocity. Some soiled stuff at 5, asleep by six.”

“You’re tempting me, hon. I simply would possibly get me a Metamucil Daddy. You already know, like a Sugar Daddy, however previous.”

“I acquired it.”

She slaps my again, laughing at her personal joke. I shake my head and transfer to comply with her to the bus cease, however motion towards the sidewalk makes me cease. We’re out in West Philly, and whereas it’s not a nasty neighborhood, I nonetheless get a bit of jumpy in the course of the night time.

And I ought to, as a result of standing beneath a streetlight subsequent to a parking meter is Saul.

“Hey, you coming?” Martha hesitates just a few toes away.

Saul’s not transferring. He’s watching me, head tilted to the facet. I stare again, a tingle operating down my backbone, caught between operating away and getting nearer to him. He’s sporting a darkish go well with, as black as his hair.

“Truly, I’ll meet up with you,” I say, taking a step towards him.

“You already know him?” Marsha’s eyebrows are in her hairline. “Right here I’m bragging about all my previous boyfriends. The place’d you meet an underwear mannequin?”

I shoot her a glance. “He’s not that good-looking.”

“Yeah, hon, he actually is. I’d eat uncooked burger meat off his chest.”

I cowl my mouth. I positively didn’t want that picture. “That’s disgusting.”

“No kidding. I’m well past the purpose of getting dignity.”

“I’ll meet you on the cease in a couple of minutes, okay?”

“Positive, no matter you say.” She grins at me and winks. “If he gives you some Metamucil, say sure.”

I roll my eyes and stalk over to Saul, principally to get away from Marsha’s teasing. She ambles away, laughing to herself and casting bemused seems to be over her shoulder, the nosy creature.

“What are you doing right here?” I hiss at him as soon as I’m shut. I seize his arm and transfer him just a few toes away. He lets me draw him alongside, and I’m very conscious of the thick, corded muscle beneath my fingers. The man’s freaking reduce like he does wrist curls with thousand-pound plates for enjoyable.

“I got here to see you.”

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