“Want to grab some lunch?” I ask him and Kane, the latter eating a small bag of Doritos as we stand around the rear of my truck.
Kane holds the bag up. “This sure isn’t going to tide me over until dinner.”
“I stole a sandwich while in there,” Baden says, thumbing over his shoulder at the building we’d just left. “Well, I didn’t steal it. One of the volunteers thought I looked hungry, and they pressed it into my hand.”
Baden, Kane, and I just got done passing out over one thousand meals to the homeless in that building. It’s one of the many Phoenix-area homeless shelters we’re working with in conjunction with the Vengeance organization to help combat the growing issue. We’d met with the entire team and assorted family members at the arena where truckloads of donated food arrived today. We worked on assembly lines, making sandwiches and vats of soup as well as snack bags. After, we’d loaded up in individual vehicles in small teams of two or three to hit the various shelters around town. We handled the lunch rush for this particular shelter, and it killed me to see so many children in line waiting for what would be their only meal today. It had a profound effect on Kane and Baden as well.
As we were loading up the empty coolers, we all agreed we’d like to do more, but we’re just not sure what more we can do at this point. Definitely a conversation we can continue over lunch.
I nod toward the truck and we get in, Kane taking the front seat and Baden getting into the back of the extended cab.
“Mind if we make a quick stop along the way?” I ask.
They both mutter their assent. I figure I can’t be this close to Clarke’s store without stopping in to say a quick hello.
Sure, I just saw her last night where that kiss had me about ready to fuck her right there on top of the Scrabble board, and, yes, I’m going to see her for dinner this evening, but I can’t seem to fucking help myself. I’d like to see her in the middle of the day, too.
We’re no more than five blocks from her shop and while there’s not a parallel spot right in front, I find one half-a-block down. After I feed the meter, the guys get out of the truck to follow me.
It’s Baden who finally asks, “Where are we going?”
Kane makes the accurate guess. “To see his girlfriend.”
Baden, of course, is stunned and it takes me no more than the half-block we have to walk to fill him in on the fact I’m still seeing the beautiful redhead I’d brought to the weddings.
Just as we’re about to enter, my phone rings. I recognize the number, but it’s a call I don’t have time to take at the moment. I hit the button that will send it to voice mail, intent on returning the call as soon as I leave Clarke’s store.
The bells announce our arrival, and I see Veronica behind the register helping a customer. This doesn’t surprise me as Clarke told me her friend often helps out around the place. She apparently does this for free, because Clarke also told me that Veronica received so much money in her divorce settlement she never has to work another day in her life if she doesn’t want to. The only problem is that Veronica is incredibly bored being a rich divorcee, so she works here more often than not while she tries to figure out what to do with her life.
She shoots me a welcoming smile. Clarke had introduced us during one of my forays into the store. Just last week, she was polite but regarded me with a bit of skepticism.
Not sure what Clarke has told her since our last few days together, but Veronica’s smile is definitely warmer.
Which is nice but not a requirement.
Baden and Kane walk in behind me, Baden mumbling the word “damn” in an appreciative way under his breath. That means he laid eyes on Veronica, who is every bit of the knockout she has made herself up to be. She’s wearing a wraparound dress that does wonders for her body, and her face is flawlessly beautiful.
I barely spare her a thought as I start walking along the rows of shelves in search of Clarke.
I find her in the third row, a box on the floor at her feet as she slides books into their appropriate spots.
My movement catches her eye. I have to say the delight on her face when she sees me feels pretty fucking good. I’ve never had anyone look at me quite that way before.
Sure, I’ve had women regard me appreciatively, but that has to do with either my physical attributes or the celebrity that comes attached to my name.