“Oh, Ben, I wasn’t groaning at you. Take your time. It’s what’s behind you that caused it,” I reassure him. Voices are getting louder, as the majority of the female customers have recognized the trio. Darn. If I desert Ben right now, he’ll think I lied to him, but I want to know what brings the Modelteers to my coffee shop.
Ben finally gives me his order, and I pass it to June and ask Stephen if he’ll take over for me. He does and I make my way to the side of the shop and watch as Larry, Curly, and Moe—yes, I watched The Three Stooges with my dad as a kid—get out of line and move across the room to me. I roll my eyes at the looks on the faces of the female audience. Colin’s eyes meet mine, and my heart squeezes. I get a warmth that is so unnatural to me I don’t think a thousand fans could cool me off. I drag my eyes away from his and meet Drew’s laughing ones, but there’s also a strange warmth in them.
“Hi, angel,” he says. “So this is where you spend your mornings.” His voice is smooth, too smooth for me to fall for.
“Apparently, since I’m here and wearing the shops’ apron. Such a good guesser you are,” I say, my smile more a grimace. I wish he’d at least look surprised at my comeback, but that infernal grin stays on his face. I glance at Liam and his bored look is replaced by a smidge of a smile. I skip over Colin and move back to Drew. “So, what brings you guys in today?” I say sweetly, knowing the glare my eyes are giving him is anything but sweet.
“We came to escort you home and invite you to come out with us tonight. Right, guys?” Drew looks to his two cohorts and seems satisfied when they nod in agreement.
I hear a sigh from the table behind them and two young girls whisper loudly that they are available, which Drew ignores.
“I’m confused why you guys would want to spend time with boring old me when any girl or woman would jump at the chance to do so. Do you guys feel sorry for me? Because I’m happy with my life, and I do have one.” I take a deep breath and wonder at the puzzled look on their faces.
“What makes you say that?” Liam asks.
“Because I’m probably your pet project to show poor little, plain Dora how the beautiful people live, and frankly, I’m really not interested,” I say, trying not to burst into tears at the possible truth in my statement. Okay so it’s that time of the month and I’m a little grouchy, crampy, and bloated.
“That’s bollocks!” Colin’s loud voice makes the room quiet down, and I realize everyone is hanging onto our every word.
Great. By tomorrow I might be front-page news: “Short, unruly red-haired barista adopted by generous star models, their way of making her life more bearable.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I spy my boss pointing to his watch and mouthing “quitting time,” which makes me relieved that I can escape this nightmare. Without a word, I grab my backpack from behind the counter and push by the trio, avoiding eye contact. Once outside, I take a deep breath and jog down the street. The tension I’m feeling is slowly replaced by the rhythmic pounding of my feet on the pavement. I absolutely love running, and I try to run whenever I can.
I hear quick and steady footsteps behind me, like the sound of men’s dress shoes clicking along on the pavement, but I push ahead and reach the subway platform seconds before the train doors shut. I turn and watch as my followers reach the platform, looking a little out of breath. I wave as the train shoots past them, and then I’m lost in the tunnel.
I don’t want to go back to the apartment and face the music. What if I’m wrong? What if they really want to hang out with me? No! They’re just rich little boys with a new toy, and I wish I had my old life back. My feet eventually lead me back to the loft. Thank goodness Brad isn’t on duty, so I make it to the elevator unnoticed. I use my key to enter my own door.
Tomorrow is Thanksgiving and I was intending to go home in the morning, but I begin throwing clothes in my overnight bag. I take the stairs instead of the elevator to my car in the underground garage. It’s kind of spooky—one of the fluorescent lights is blinking and then softly explodes, plunging my car into darkness. Drew’s parking spot is still empty as I pass by, quickly unlocking my doors. I shiver, but I don’t think it’s because of the cold. I think it’s the creepy feeling I’m being watched. I hold my breath until I’m clear of the garage and on my way home.
Home sweet home … my safe refuge from this crazy world, well, kind of. Walking into the house, my sense of smell is ensnared by deliciousness and I follow the trail to the kitchen. My dad is standing at the sink, apparently dancing to something only he can hear. I hesitate, not wanting to scare him, and then I notice the ear buds. I wait patiently, giggling at his ungraceful moves. I sense a presence behind me and my mom puts an arm around my shoulders and gives me a side hug.
“I thought you weren’t coming until tomorrow, but I’m so glad you’re here. He’s adorable, huh? That’s why I married him.”
“You married Dad because he can’t dance?”
“Well, there’s that too, but his all-around charisma. I mean, look at him. Any woman on the planet would just love to eat him up.”
“Ewww. Mom, that’s so wrong on several levels.”
She laughs. My dad hasn’t noticed us as he continues to awkwardly gyrate. The sun is shining through the window, highlighting the red in his hair.
“So?” my mom asks as she gently guides me away from the kitchen door and into the living room. Pulling me down beside her on the couch, she waits.
“So, I came home early.” I watch her eyebrows go up and I know she’s intuiting again. “Okay, my life is a mess. It used to be so normal. I worked, went to school, came home for dysfunctional Sunday dinners, and listened to my best friends have sex every night. Now I live with three famous male models, and one of them makes my stomach hurt. I know they just feel sorry for me. They want to take this pitiful, short, red-haired, average-looking dork under their wings,” I groan while gesturing to myself.
“Oh, is that all? I thought something was really wrong. Honey, those guys really like you. You’re funny, loving, and beautiful all wrapped up in a petite package. I know for a fact you make men drool.”
“Yeah, right. Zombies maybe. And you’re my mom. You have to say I’m awesome because it’s in the parental contract.”
“Let’s get back to the one who makes your stomach hurt. It’s Colin, right? Tell me I’m right. I so hate that I can’t read family.”
“Yes, it’s Colin, but he’s been hurt, and by a beautiful model at that. So what chance would I have?” I look at her, feeling so inadequate. Even when I caught that SOB ex of mine with his slut, I still didn’t feel this way. Why does there have to be such perfect specimens in the world?
“Have you given him a chance?”
I shake my head.
“Well then, you don’t know, do you? I have a couple of things to tell you about Drew and Liam. Henry had a long discussion with me the other night and made me miss my favorite show, Rizzoli & Isles. And your dad forgot to tape it or DVD it, or whatever it’s called nowadays. Anyway, they both need your help. He said if you hadn’t blocked them with your negative thoughts, you would see that. Honey, did you hear what I just said? No, of course you didn’t. Now pay attention. Liam and Drew need you. So you need to tune into them and figure out what they need.”
“Are you sure? I mean, is Henry sure? They’re perfect. Perfect faces, perfect bodies, perfect life—”
“Those are facades. Look below the surface and you’ll see.”
“How long have you been here, Sweet Pea?” My dad’s voice makes us turn our heads to see him grinning at us.