Chase flashed a wicked grin. “How did the opening and everything go without me?” She leaned against the front desk.
“Smooth sailing. Not that I had to interact with them, aside from collecting laundry.”
“Hmm…” Chase smirked.
“What?” Symone narrowed her eyes.
“You don’t know how good you have it.” Chase stood up and walked over to the coffee machine on the table.
“Why?”
“Because normally, they give the new person hell. You’re an exception to the rule.”
Symone’s spirit grew heavy. Yet another thing I owe to Gia. “Because of Gia and Lefty?”
Chase snickered. “No.”
“You?”
Chase laughed and turned to face her. She stirred the red and white stick clockwise and watched her from under her long lashes.
“Because they feel sorry for me?” Symone guessed.
“Oh, Sy, no, nothing like that.” Chase stood up straight. “You really are clueless, aren’t you?”
“About what, Chase? This isn’t my world.” She shook her head. “I’m trying to do the best I can navigating it on the fly. If I’m fucking up and not pulling my weight, let me know.”
“You’re doing great. I wouldn’t have left you here solo if I didn’t think you could handle it, so relax. The boys are rarely this well-behaved for anyone. But it seems our living, breathing, colossus has opted to take you under his wing.”
Heat flooded her face. The image of the imperfect and extremely masculine man filled her brain. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she mumbled.
“The hell you don’t,” Chase retorted. “I’d call it adorable if I did that sort of thing.”
She toyed with the papers, uncomfortable with the direction their conversation had taken.
“Look, he’s not going to push the issue. I just thought you might want to be aware of the person that has your back. You never know when you’ll need him.”
“Are you on my team?”
“You wouldn’t be here if I wasn't.”
Symone nodded. She wanted to take her at her word, but every person she’d gotten close to left.
Chase took a few sips of her coffee “Alright, I better get in there and get started before they ride my ass for the rest of the day, and not the way I like.” She winked and left the area as swiftly as she’d appeared. The woman came off like a storm, irrevocably changing things as she went, without breaking a sweat.
A trait she admired. She lived life on her terms. What did it feel like? So many unanswered questions swirled in her mind. Learning to live for herself with no direction was more of a challenge then it should’ve been. Just shopping for herself had been a first-time experience.
The door opened and Demon walked in with Lefty by his side. “How are things working out here? Taffy?” Demon asked. He spoke softly, but there was a hefty weight behind the words.
His dark gaze swept over her leaving her feeling exposed. The man didn’t miss a thing. “It’s going well.”
“The others going to agree with that statement?” Lefty all but spat at her.
“What would be the point of lying when you’re just going to ask them?” She rolled her eyes.
“I don’t know why the fuck you do the things you do, Taffy.”
“Symone. It’s Symone now.”