“Sorry?” I finally say, my voice soft.
“You called him Prez.”
I blink, look back to Maddox who is watching me curiously, and then back to the man who asked the question.
“It says it right there on his jacket and . . . I’m a Sons of Anarchy fan,” I blurt quickly, clearly a lie.
Maddox laughs, so do heaps of the bikers.
“Well, Mercedes,” Maddox says, still laughing, “you’re the best thing I’ve seen all day.”
“I’m glad I entertained you so,” I mumble. “I should go.”
“Remember what I said, kid.” There’s no laughter in his voice now. “Don’t let people push you around.”
I hold his eyes. Then I smile.
He smiles back.
Maybe it wasn’t such a bad first day after all.
CHAPTER THREE
“How’s college, honey?”
I sigh and lean back into my pillows, adjusting the phone against my ear as I talk to my mom. “It’s all right. I’m looking forward to coming home for the cookout tomorrow.”
“We’ll be glad to have you back. It’s not the same without you here.”
“How’s everything with Ava going?”
Recently, our club president’s daughter, Ava, got taken by some crazy dude wanting revenge on the club. I know she struggled with it, though the details have been withheld, so I don’t know the depth of it. I love Ava, so it sucks that I can’t be there to help her through whatever it is she’s dealing with.
“She seems to be doing okay. She’ll be happy to see you.”
“Same. Is Danny going to be there?”
“Of course.” She laughs. “Danny thinks he’s the president of the club already.”
I giggle. “Yeah, he certainly does.”
“Tell me more about college. Have you made any friends?”
I spend the next hour telling her everything, my first day, and Taj. She laughs and listens like she always does. I have the best mom ever. She’s equally as headstrong as me, my brother and my dad, so we can make quite the explosive team when we want to.
“Dad wants to talk to you. I’ll see you tomorrow, baby.”
“Bye Mom, love you.”
“Love you too, honey.”
A few seconds and a few shuffling sounds later, my dad is on the line. “Those locks holdin’ strong?”
“Dad, I haven’t even been here two nights.”
He grumbles.
“I miss you, though,” I say softly. I know how to poke the bear, but I also know how to sedate him.
“Fuck, miss you too, baby. Not the same havin’ no one to fight with.”
I laugh. “Some people would call us dysfunctional.”
He chuckles. “Yeah. How’d college go?”
“It was okay. Hey dad, I saw another club riding down the street today. Is there one here in Denver?” I don’t mention how I stopped and spoke to them—that might not go down so well.
“Yeah, they moved into town about six months ago.”
“Are they causing you any problems?”
“Not entitled to say, kid, but you don’t have anything to worry about.”
“So they’re not dangerous?”
He grunts. “Baby, all of us can be dangerous. Don’t matter if you’re wearin’ a patch or not.”
“Good point.”
“They bother you in some way?”
I shift. “Why would you say that?”
“A lot of questions.”
I huff. “No, Dad, I was just curious.”
“Hmmm,” he rumbles. “You been doin’ your schoolwork?”
“Dad . . .” I say, exasperated.
“Just makin’ sure you’re not out partyin’ with boys instead of focusing.”
“I swear I’m focusing.” I try to smother a laugh. “I’ve been here two days—no time for boys yet.”
“Yet?” he grunts.
“Daddy,” I say softly. “I’m twenty-one.”
“Not to me, Mouse,” he says, voice going soft as honey. “To me you’ll always be the tiny, fragile baby I once held in my arms.”
My heart goes to mush. “Love you, Dad.”
“Love you too, kid.”
We say our goodbyes and I hang up, slumping back into the sofa. My dad can be intense, but I love him so damned much. If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t be the way I am today.
I just wouldn’t be me.
~*~*~*~
“It’s simple, really,” Caitlyn says, pointing to the glasses lined up. “Coffee, milkshakes, juice, soda, and water.”
I blink at the line-up of different-shaped glasses, trying to remember them all. It’s my first day working at the café down the road and so far, it’s freaking me the hell out. Caitlyn, the waitress training me, laughs. “Don’t worry—so long as the coffee always goes in the mug, the milkshake in this glass”—she points to a glass that’s so typically milkshake-style, with its narrow base widening to a rounded, awesome shaped top—“then you won’t have any issues. Soda, juice and water can go in anything, really.”
“Right,” I say, memorizing the glasses.
“Food service is easy; the tables all have a number. When Ian has finished cooking, he’ll ding the bell and tell you which table they’re for. You simply take them over and ask who ordered what, place them down and walk away. You’ll get the hang of it quickly.”
“I hope so,” I say, trying to hide the nerves shining through in my voice.
Caitlyn smiles. She’s so pretty. Honey brown hair, hazel eyes, tiny petite build. “We get a rush after the last classes of the day finish at the college. Loads of people come in; that’s our busiest time. We don’t usually have any problems. If you do, you go to Ian right away if he’s here, or if Richard happens to be here, you obviously go to him.”
Richard is the owner and the man who hired me, but apparently he doesn’t come in often.
“You ready?” she asks.
“Only one way to find out.”
She smiles, patting my shoulder. “You’ll be fine. Next week we’ll teach you how to serve and ring up the till, and you’ll be a pro.”
My smile shakes a little. “I hope you’re right.”
“I am.” She grins. “Now go and clear off the tables, and keep your ears open for the bell.”
I nod and rush off, clearing tables, and smiling my way through it. When Ian dings the bell, I walk over. “Table eight,” he says, with a warm smile. He’s an older man, maybe mid-fifties, with salt-and-pepper hair and kind blue eyes. From the looks of the food coming out, the man can cook. I note to myself that I’ll need to come and have a meal on one of my days off.
“Thanks,” I say quickly, taking the two plates.
I glance around, find table eight, and walk over. “Cheeseburger with fries?” I ask.
“Mine.” A pretty blond girl smiles.
“And this must be yours then,” I say to her male companion, placing the meal in front of him.
They thank me and I hurry off.
That wasn’t so hard.
The next two hours fly by, and Caitlyn warns me that the after-college rush is about to come in. She isn’t wrong. About twenty students enter just after five, and all of them take a seat. I rush around as Caitlyn takes orders, making sure they have coffee and no mess on their tables. I deliver the meals as quickly as I can, trying not to spill anything.
“Hey.”
I flinch at the cool voice that I swear travels up my spine and lodges itself into my brain. I turn slowly to see Diesel and his posse sitting in a corner booth; I didn’t see them come in.
I swallow and straighten. “Can I help you?”
“Yeah, you can take our order. We’ve been waiting for freaking ages. Learn how to do your job, like, yesterday,” Blondie snaps, curling her hand around Diesel’s.
My blood boils, but I don’t it show. I hold his brown eyes and he holds mine, equally as determined.
“I’m not taking orders; it’s my f
irst day. I’ll get Caitlyn for you.”
“Caitlyn’s fuckin’ useless. Surely you can write a few things down?” Diesel finally speaks.
Prick.
If it wasn’t for my job, I would open my mouth and tell them exactly what I thought, but I can’t. Instead, I nod sharply, turning and rushing over to Caitlyn. She’s in the middle of taking orders, so I grab a pad and pen and return.
“What can I get you?” I grind out through my teeth.
I take in the other people with Diesel. There are two other girls aside from Blondie—the stammering brunette from the store, and another girl who I don’t know. She looks like a Latin model. The other two are Diesel’s band members.
“What’re you having?” Blondie says, snuggling in closer to Diesel.
He stares at the menu, diddling around, clearly taking his time on purpose. My chest clenches with rage.
“I have a job to do,” I say through gritted teeth. “Can you hurry up so I can serve other customers? For a group that’s been waiting so long, you’re sure indecisive about what you want to eat.” I clamp my mouth shut, horrified those words just came out.
“You know what?” Diesel says, standing and holding my eyes. “Let’s go somewhere else. The service is shit here.”
My mouth drops open at his audacity.
“Fuck man, I’m starving. Ian makes the best cheeseburger around. I’m not leavin’; you wanna head out, off you go,” Spencer grunts.
“Then you can stay here, but Maxine and I are goin’.”
Blondie, who now has a name, turns to him and pouts. “But babe, I wanted a cheeseburger.”
His eyes flicker to her. “Tough. Let’s go.”
She huffs and stands, sliding out of the booth. I’m still standing there, mouth open, shocked that someone could be such a dick.
Diesel looks to me, his eyes holding mine for a second before he says, “Maybe you should work on your customer service skills.”
My mouth hangs open even more, but I can’t stop the words that fly out next. “Are you shitting me?” I breathe.
He jerks back, clearly shocked. “What’d you just say to me?”
“I said,” I say, stepping closer, “are you shitting me?”
He flinches.
“You come in here acting all high and mighty, call me over, take me from my duties after giving me a lecture about not doing my job properly, and then you have the nerve to stand, after wasting my time, and walk out? I don’t know how you were raised, buddy, but clearly you were never taught manners.” I throw my hands on my hips and lean close. “So off you go—leave. You’re the one missing out. I don’t serve wankers who have more mood swings than a female with PMS.”
Everyone around us erupts with laughter as Diesel leans forward, eyes wild with anger. “Watch it,” he snaps.
“Or what?” I challenge.
He straightens and turns, not giving me another second of his time.
“Let’s go,” he orders Maxine, who is shooting daggers in my direction. “This bitch doesn’t deserve our money.”
Then they’re gone.
“That was epic!”
I spin around to see Caitlyn standing behind me, a huge smile on her pretty face.
“I’m sorry,” I say quickly. “I know it’s rude and all but . . .”
“No, don’t be sorry. He deserves it. Jerk comes in here thinking his shit don’t stink. I’ve never seen someone stand up to him like that. You’re my new best friend.”
She stares at me. I stare at her.
Then I can’t help it.
I burst out laughing.
CHAPTER FOUR
“I heard it was epic!” Taj squeals, dancing around the kitchen.
“I can’t believe you heard already,” I mumble, stabbing my fork into my microwaved spaghetti.
“The entire campus heard! Someone filmed it on their phone and sent it out.”
I roll my eyes. “Great.”
“You just went from zero to hero in like two seconds. Everyone is going to want to be your friend after that—except the cheer squad, that is.”
I glance at him. “Cheer squad?”
“Yeah, Diesel has a cheer squad. A group of girls who follow him around like he’s some major-league footballer or something. Everywhere he is, they are. Before Maxine, I’m sure he picked a different one each night.”
“Let me guess—she’s the leader of the cheer squad?”
“Bitch thinks she’s the leader of the school.”
I frown and look at the soggy spaghetti in my bowl. Frozen dinners are starting to suck.
“Why so glum, chum?” Taj asks in a singsong voice.
I take myself back to the night Diesel kissed me. It was so intense, so damned perfect, and now he’s acting like I’m a fly he can’t get rid of. Hell, I don’t even think he remembers me. He’s certainly not acting like he does. He probably kisses that many women, he doesn’t know one from the other.
“I’m not glum. I just think Diesel is a turd.”
Taj stares at me, then bursts out laughing. He snorts a few times, doubling over and wrapping his hands around his belly.
“What?” I ask, fighting a smile.
“Did you just call the most popular guy in college a turd?”
“I call it like I see it.”
He laughs harder, managing to straighten out and walk over to me, wrapping his arms around me and pulling me in for a shaky hug as he tries to gather himself.
“I picked the best roommate ever.”
I grin.
He so did.
~*~*~*~
“Hey.”
“Hey.”
“What’s up?”
“How’s it going?”
“Hey girl.”
I blink at all the people passing me, offering smiles and greetings. I reach my locker and fling it open, glancing back over my shoulder and receiving more “heys.” Taj was right; I suddenly got noticed after my fight with Diesel. For someone who is king of the college, it sure looks like a lot of people are thankful to me for standing up to him.
“Mercedes, right?”
I turn and see a pretty redhead standing behind me, books pressed to her chest. She’s got the biggest green eyes I’ve ever seen, and cute little freckles on her nose. She’s a little taller than me, and her body is curvier than mine. She’s got the ultimate Marilyn Munroe figure.
“Ah, yeah.”
“Hey, I’m Shay. I just wanted to come over and say hi.”
“Ah, hi.” I smile.
“Listen, we’re having a party Friday night at the main frat house. If you want to join, you’re more than welcome. You can come over and get ready with me, if you like.”
A friend.
She’s offering friendship.
My smile gets big and real. “Really?”
“Of course!”
“I’d love to. I don’t really know any girls on campus yet.”
She beams. “That’s awesome. I can give you a rundown on anything you want to know. Here’s my number; send me a text and I’ll save yours, and we can work out a time that works.”
“Perfect,” I say, pulling out my phone and putting her number in as she rattles it off.
“We have English together, right?”
I don’t recall seeing her face, but I don’t pay much attention on a good day.
“Possibly. I’m still trying to remember faces.”
She nods. “We do. I’ll see you there, okay?”
“Ah, sure.”
“Laters!”
“Bye.”
I close my locker and stare at her retreating form.
Did I just make a friend? All because I stuck it to Hot Stuff?
A huge grin appears on my face. I think I’m going to fit in here just fine.
“Woman!”
I turn and see Taj running towards me, grin on his face.
“Hey Taj.”
“Was that Shay talking to you?”
I nod. “Yeah
, do you know her?”
“No, but I’m told she’s pretty popular. Good for you.”
I reach over and thump his arm playfully. “Are you saying I’m not popular enough to be friends with her?”
He scoffs. “Girl, you could be friends with the President after what you did to Diesel.”
“Speaking of, did you see all the people talking to me? I thought he was popular?”
“Walk with me.”
We fall in step beside each other.
“So, spill. Is Diesel popular or is it just me?”
“Diesel is popular, but I don’t honestly believe it’s because he wants to be.”
I frown. “You’re not making sense.”
“He takes it because it’s there, because it helps his band, but I get the feeling if he had the choice – things would be different.”
“You think he’d be the guy who kept to himself?”
“Have you seen how quiet he can be?”
I nod in agreement. “That’s true. Still, why anyone would want to be friends with those bunch of twats is far beyond me.”
Taj snorts and then bursts out laughing. “You just keep getting better and better, like a fine wine.”
“Except I don’t let you wake up with a headache,” I point out with a grin.
Taj throws his arm around my shoulder. “No, you sure don’t.”
My smile stays wide.
I’m really going to like it here.
CHAPTER FIVE
Yawning, I walk out of campus Friday afternoon once my final class is finished for the week. Someone has been partying hard in the apartment below me, keeping Taj and I awake for the last three nights. I’d decided to go out and buy earplugs yesterday; they seemed to help dim out the noise. I scrape my shoes across the floor, too lazy to even lift my feet. If I don’t get sleep stat, I’m going to pass out.
“Hey pretty.”
I jerk my head up and see Max standing in front of me, all red hair and blue eyes. I squeal, suddenly very awake, and launch myself into his arms, wrapping my legs around his waist. He laughs and hugs me tight. “Surprise!”
“Max, you devil,” I cry happily, sliding off him and stepping back. “I had no idea you were coming.”