Alexia’s phone went off in her bag playing Kay-J’s new pop hit, “Settled Over You.” She winced and dug in her bag, quieting it. It was a new text message from Kelly.
What ru doing?
Alexia looked around the tiny office in the back of Cherry Creek Specialty Store. There were papers stacked a mile high on the metal desk. Sample cookies filled a basket atop the filing cabinet. Some weird New Age music played softly from a CD player in the corner.
Alexia had applied at the store just a week ago, and she was now, officially, an employee.
I’m @ the store, she texted back to Kelly, waiting for my boss so i can fill out papers.
It took Kelly a total of seven seconds to respond. Bummer. i was going 2 ask u 2 come 2 the gym w/ me.
I wish I could, but u know i’m a working gurl now.
I know! good luck w/ that!
“Yeah,” Alexia mumbled and slipped the phone back in her bag.
According to Alexia’s parents, a “real” summer job built character, which was why she was at Cherry Creek Specialty Store at ten A.M. on a Saturday morning. Thankfully, Alexia had a good feeling about the store. The owners, an older couple well into their sixties, were extremely warm and inviting and the store itself had a good vibe.
It wouldn’t be so bad, right?
Alexia wasn’t one to complain about hard work, but she’d wanted to work at the bookstore. She’d heard employees got forty percent off their purchases! And who wouldn’t love working around books all day long?
Her parents, both psychologists, had quietly suggested she look elsewhere, somewhere where she’d get dirty. Character was not built on bookshelves. Alexia argued that characters were, quite literally, on bookshelves, but her parents didn’t find that amusing.
Lately they’d been pushing her on everything. From school, to a summer job, to her relationship with Ben. When her parents were out touring, promoting the books they wrote, she got along just fine with them.
Now they were taking a break from tours and they were in the middle of switching offices. Their lease on their old office had run out while their new one was still being built, which meant the brunt of their work was done from home.
Suddenly they were everywhere and very much into Alexia’s business, including what kind of summer job she worked.
Bella, one of Alexia’s bosses, walked into the office. “Okay, thanks for waiting. How about we get that paperwork out of the way and then go on a tour of the store?”
“Sounds good.”
Twenty minutes later, with the necessary paperwork completed, Bella led Alexia from the small office by the back door into the kitchen. “Here’s where we make our sandwiches.” There was a long white countertop with several compartments filled with meats and veggies and other sandwich necessities.
In the middle of the kitchen was an island, pots and pans hanging above it. There were several shelves below it with more pans and utensils and other small kitchen appliances.
Bella led Alexia to a small room off the kitchen.
“And this is the break room. You can leave your bag in here. There are aprons in the cupboard above the sink. You’re welcome to put whatever you want in the fridge.”
Alexia hung her messenger bag on one of the hooks behind the door, then grabbed an apron. They were forest green with the Cherry Creek logo—a river with a cherry tree—printed across the front.
Just as she tied the apron on, the back door opened and closed. Several voices rose and fell as the new arrivals made their way to the kitchen.
“Oh, and here’s the rest of the morning crew,” Bella said as they filed into the break room.
“This is Nancy,” she said, nodding at the fortyish woman. “Rachel.” She was the one with long blond hair. “And Jonah.”
Jonah was about Alexia’s age, if she had to guess. He had sandy blond hair and a warm smile.
“Hi,” Alexia said, nodding at everyone.
“Nice to meet you,” Jonah said, ducking behind her to grab an apron.
Alexia didn’t recognize him from school and wondered if he went to Chisholm Academy.
“Well,”—Bella clapped her hands together—“you guys ready for another busy day?”
By the end of her shift at four o’clock, Alexia’s feet felt like they were going to fall off. Her forehead was slick with sweat, her apron covered in purple onion juice and avocado mush.
If this wasn’t a “real” job, she didn’t know what was. The lunch rush had been chaotic and the cleanup afterward lasted even longer. Who would have thought so much went on behind the scenes?
Alexia tossed her dirty apron in the hamper and grabbed her bag.
Jonah met her in the break room. “How was your first day?”
Alexia thought about her response. She didn’t want to come across as whiny. “It was tough,” she said. “It was a lot more work than I thought it’d be.”
He nodded, blond hair falling over his forehead. He swept it back with quick fingers. “It’ll get easier,” he said, giving her an encouraging smile. “When do you work next?”
“Um…Monday.”
“Me, too. I’ll see you then.” He said good-bye.
Alexia grabbed her things and hurried home to put her feet up.
Every muscle in Alexia’s body was screaming. She felt like she’d run a mile, biked two, and balanced a basket on her head for another four.
She lay back on her bed, relishing the soft comfort of her pillow-top mattress. If she didn’t move for the next twenty-four hours, it still wouldn’t be long enough.
Eyes closed, she listened to her breathing, feeling sleep slinking in just as her bedroom door burst open.
“Lexy?” Ben said.
She opened her eyes and smiled at him as he looked down at her.
“Tough day?” he asked.
She managed to nod.
“Well, I brought something to make you feel like royalty, which would make me the slave and you can totally order me around so long as it includes making out with you.”
She laughed as he sat down beside her.
“Here.” He handed her a plastic bag and she dug inside.
“Aww, Ben!”
There was a Subway sandwich and a chocolate chip cookie the size of a hamburger.
“And ice water, too,” he said, nodding at the plastic mug on her dresser.
“You’re too good to me.”
“Yes I am.”
She ribbed him and he yelped. “I wasn’t serious.”
He leaned down to kiss her softly on the lips. “And neither was I.”
He quirked an eyebrow. “Yeah?”
She nodded and he bent over to kiss her again, this time lingering longer on her lips. She pulled him closer, weaving her fingers through his messy hair. He put an arm over her, his hand reaching beneath her T-shirt.
Tingles erupted at the contact of his skin against her tummy. And then all her nerves seemed to light with fire.
Ben slipped his tongue along her lips, and she did the same, pulling him more on top of her. He pulled back, breathing hot and heavy.
“You have to stop teasing me like this,” he whispered, pushing against her. “You’re going to drive me insane.”
That was an early crush rule, Alexia thought. It said to tempt and tease the crush, but she hadn’t meant this when she wrote it, which is why she deleted the rule. Somehow the deleted rule still lingered in her mind.
“You’re right,” she said, shrugging out from beneath him. “I’m sorry.”
He lay back against the pillows, closed his eyes and rubbed at his brow.
“I really am sorry, Ben.”
“I know.” He didn’t look at her yet. “I just…” He sat up. “I love you and I want to share everything with you and you’re so damn hot.”
She grinned, face hot with flattery and something else.
He scooted off the bed. “I should go anyway. More family stuff tonight. I just wanted to bring you over a treat, but then you tried seducing me.” He came around the bed and kissed her atop the forehead. “I’ll come by later tonight and massage your feet for you. I bet they hurt.”
“Shh.” He put a finger against her lips. “It’s my job to take care of you, and I take my job very seriously.”
Smirking, she nodded. “All right. I’ll see you later, then.”
“Love you.”
“Love you, too.”
She followed him downstairs, and she watched him leave from the living room window. When he reached his car, he stopped at the front bumper and bowed in her direction.
She giggled and waved as he got inside his car.
Everything about their relationship was perfect.
Everything except for the whole situation with It.