Page 23 of All That Glitters

“Stay out here and keep me company. It’s not like you’ll be in the way.”

“Okay, if you’re sure.”

“Yeah. Just give me a second. I’ve got one of those fold-up TV trays around here somewhere you can use to work on.”

He heads into the back just as the bell chimes above the door. I paste a grin on my face, hoping it looks welcoming, as the guy from the first time I was here walks in. “What are the odds?” I mutter to myself.

He looks around before spotting me and frowns as he walks over. “I didn’t realize you worked here.”

“I don’t. I’m just helping out. Everything okay?”

“I took your advice and told my mom.”

“And…?”

“She cried. I fucking hate making her cry. Makes me feel like a piece of shit.”

“Then maybe stop doing the things that make her cry.”

He huffs out a laugh but nods, reaching into his back pocket and pulling out his wallet. He lets out a breath. “I sold my car. I wanna buy my mom’s ring back.”

I smile. “I knew I had a good feeling about you,” I tell him. It’s not long before he returns the smile.

“Really?”

“Really. Now, let me go find Midas for you. I have no clue how any of this works.”

“No problem. Uh…maybe I could get your number too?”

“She’s taken,” Midas snaps as he comes up behind me, his hand resting on my shoulder.

“Figured. But hey, you can’t blame a guy for trying.”

Midas doesn’t say anything, so I turn to look up at him. “He has the money to buy his mom’s ring back,” I tell him.

“Is that right?” he says dryly. I elbow him in the ribs because he’s not being very professional right now.

“Yeah, like I was telling your friend, I sold my car. My mom’s more important.”

“Alright, step over here, and we’ll get this all squared away.” He looks down at me. “You good to deal with that inventory?”

“Yep.” I look back at the guy and give him a friendly wave. “I’m glad you did the right thing.”

“Thanks, but I still have a lot to make up for.”

“Maybe, but this was a good first step.”

Once he leaves, the day passes quickly. By the time Au closes, I’ve logged all the new stock, taken inventory, wiped down the showcases, and swept the shop floor—all while Midas dealt with the steady stream of customers. Most of the time, I kept to myself, only stepping in to smooth things over when it looked like he was about to lose his shit. Turns out the man has zero patience. I’d laugh at him for picking the worst job for himself if he doesn’t like people, but I don’t feel like getting my ass spanked. And he seems to be riding the edge between fucking and fighting since he locked the doors after the last customer.

“Thanks for your help today,” he grunts as he leads me out the back and over to his bike. I bite my lip to hide my smile.

“You’re welcome. If you ever need a hand again, just ask.”

He grumbles something under his breath as he hands me my helmet.

“What was that?”

“I said, watching every motherfucker hit on you was bad enough for one day. Not sure I can handle it again.”