"Can do, but isn't that going to mess with your shop layout?"
“It's going to look a mess, but it doesn't really matter, no one comes in here anyway." The words were out before I put any thought into whether this info was appropriate to share with a new tenant.
Well, that killed the conversation. Gabe watched me with those grey-blue eyes, burning into my skin as if he was recording everything to save for another day. He took a step closer, putting a hand on my shoulder. ”Look, love, I could easily lease this whole shop from you. This is just a side investment, my day job is back at my workshop. Flea's good, he's in demand and business is really picking up. I've been waiting for a bigger space to hire some new guys on. Double what we originally agreed to would be a dream for me right now. The guys would even help move everything to your place if you needed it.”
I looked around at the dark-wood furnishings, the velvet-covered armchairs, the richly gleaming display cases of semiprecious gems and arcane equipment. I’d pressed my face up against the glass as a kid, making crazy stories up for each one, aided and abetted by Tess when she was old enough. For a while, we used to come by every day after school, sitting at Nan’s big carved desk–ostensibly doing our homework–until Mum could pick us up after work
I shook my head, "That's a generous offer, but I can't. We have to try and make a go at this place, for my Nan."
His hand slid to my shoulder blade, rubbing small circles there. It was crazy inappropriate to let someone who was about the begin a business relationship with me touch me like this, but standing there, surrounded by his woody scent, his hand a warm weight on my skin, it was too nice to shrug off.
“Gabe!”
I didn’t get a chance to approve or not because the door jangled open and a tall, slender woman with long waving black hair and a full sleeve tattoo walked in, flinging her arms wide when she saw us. She launched herself at the biker as soon as she was close enough, his hands pulling free of me and grabbing her waist on reflex, her hands twining around his neck. Uncomfortable and feeling slightly guilty for touching another woman’s man, I looked over at the glass case behind me, giving some imaginary fingerprints a buff.
So, the new guy had a girlfriend. Of course, he did; he was bloody gorgeous. Blokes like that didn’t run around free-range unless they were unmitigated bastards and even then, probably able to find someone to put up with them, if they could curl up next to that landscape of man flesh every night. And she was exactly what I would expect a hot-looking biker guy would want in a partner. She had low-rise denim jeans and a cropped black singlet on with what I assumed was Gabe’s bike shop's logo on it. This revealed a considerable expanse of golden toned, well-muscled, lean abdomen. I could do a thousand crunches every night and not get anywhere close to her perfection.
“I’m Amber,” the girl said, finally noticing I existed. She stayed within the circle of his arms but held out a heavily ringed hand for me to take, a wide flirty smile on her face. Pretty sure that wasn’t for my benefit.
I took it and gave it a firm shake, “Ash.”
“Oh, you’re Ash! I thought you were a guy,” her eyes swivelled back to Gabe’s, “and you let me think that.”
“It’s just business,” Gabe growled at her. Damn straight it is, mate, I thought to myself. “Look, this is going to take a bit longer than we thought. How about you get Ash to show you some of the silver jewellery she has? I had a quick look, it’s right up your alley. Dragons and fairies and shit. Why don’t you pick out something nice, on me, while you wait?”
I waited for her to stiffen, get huffy or something. It was nice of him to spring for some jewellery, but his tone was a little too much ‘run along little girl’ for most of the women I knew. Instead, she squealed, jumping up and down and clapping. Really? The chick who’d sat through a full sleeve tatt was squealing like a little girl? I fought the urge to shake my head, plastering my professional retail smile instead. “I figured it might help you out,” Gabe said in a little more reasonable tone. Thank God for that, as I wasn’t sure how far my professionalism stretched.
“Thanks, that’s kind of you, but you needn’t for my sake . . .,” I said.
“Ooh! These ones! They have amber in them! Can you open the cases?”
“Yep, just got to go in back and grab the keys and Jez. She’s our shop assistant, she’ll help you out.” I nodded to them both and disappeared gratefully. Once I was away from them, I let out a huge breath I hadn’t realised I was holding. My chest felt tight and kind of achy. My heart was beating much faster than usual, and I felt like I was pumped with adrenalin, yet also kind of . . . disappointed. Really, I thought to myself, are you crushing on the new tenant? I slapped myself on the forehead, which had everyone turning around to look at me. Great, as if this couldn’t get any more embarrassing.
“Jez, Gabe’s girlfriend is in the market for a new amber ring. Can you take the cabinet keys and help her out?”
“Sure, what’s her name?”
“Amber.”
“Amber . . . wants an amber ring. Right.”
“Amber wants to put money in our till, which is a goddamned blessing, irrespective of her name. Help her out, please.”
“Yeah, sure,” Jez grabbed the big key ring off the hook and went outside.
“Where’s King Arthur?” I asked, noticing we had one less body in the storeroom.
“I returned him to Camelot,” Merlin said.
“He is sorely needed in his realm and as I was the one you seek, I thought there no reason for him to stay here. He was beginning to get some rather odd ideas.”
9
“Don’t want him to start getting ideas about democracy? Might put an end to the Round Table before it even starts,” I said.
“No, no, but he is quite taken with cars. He was re-imagining them as war machines, but we need to leave something for people to do in World War I. Anyway, your sister is keen to find out more about the portal. Shall I educate her alone, or will both of you be participating?”
I looked over at Tess. I saw the shine in her eyes and the almost quiver in her body. She was forcing herself to sit there quietly and act like this was no big thing. I looked at the door and considered it.