Page 14

Mindy

Ten minutes. I can do all my paperwork in ten minutes and not just because that’s all the time I have.

Because it’s more time than I have. The dogs are going to have to do their business faster this morning. Everything has to be done faster this morning.

Flipping through my mail, I toss the junk mail right in the trash and separate the bills to be paid. Thankfully, most of them are taken care of automatically. All I have are two bills that need to be paid via check.

Wait, what’s that? It looks official. But then scammers have gotten really slick with their mail. That’s probably what it is. I tear the official-looking letter open.

Notification of sale… Huh?

They sold my apartment building. That’s odd. Why did they need to tell me that? Does it give me the information on where to pay my rent? Generally, I just drop a check in the box downstairs on the first of every month.

But it doesn’t say anything about that. Odd.

Oh well. That’s a problem for another day. I finish my bills, pull on my sneakers, and head out the door.

My neighbor is waiting for me at the door, leash in hand. “You’re late, Mindy. Is everything alright?”

“Everything’s fine. I just overslept.” Those extra fifteen minutes felt amazing.

“Did you hear the building has been sold?” She gives me the leash.

Just barely. But I don’t have time to discuss the local gossip today. “Sure did.” I start down the steps.

“Hopefully they don’t plan on making this some snooty rich apartment building.”

Like that is possible in this neighborhood.

Down a flight of stairs, we stop for the next dog.

“You’re late today, Mindy. Everything alright?” Rusfis’ owner asks.

Is it sad I remember people by their dogs? “Just fine. I overslept a bit.”

“That never happens.”

Yeah, but I’ve never worked three jobs for almost a month before either. “It won’t happen again.”

He nods, holding out Rusfis’ leash. “Did you hear they sold the building? I heard some fancy developer bought it. And they plan to make it into an office building.”

What businesses would want their employees to come to this neighborhood? “Yes, I heard about the sale. Gotta go. I’m running late.”

Down another flight of stairs, Muffin waits impatiently with his owner. “Are you okay, Mindy? You’re never late.”

My morning is just one repeating narrative. “Overslept.”

“Happens to all of us every now and again. Did you hear the building sold? We’re all going to be kicked out soon.”

The rumor mill is rife today. “I heard it’s been sold.” Taking Muffin, I race down the stairs. This is not what I need this morning.

Pretty Girl, the happy Pitbull, waits with her tail wagging for me to arrive. She’s the dog that makes me feel safe walking in this neighborhood even though it’s the chihuahua on the first floor that frightens me.

“You’re late.”

“Sorry about that.” I can’t tell you how sorry I am.

He hands me the leash. “See that you aren’t again. If you are, you’ll lose customers.”

This is the first time I’ve been late in years.

“You just watch out that you aren’t homeless. With the sale of the building, they’re bound to raise the rent.”

How did such a sweet dog end up with a grumpy owner? I really shouldn’t have slept in.

***

“You look worn out.” Dahlia sets down her lunch box next to mine on the table.

Well, hello to you too. “It’s been a long day.”

“Wanna talk about it?”

I really want to whine to someone about it, but people don’t want to hear my problems when they have their own to deal with. “No.” All I need to do is not turn my morning dog walk into a jog around the park. Though the dogs enjoyed it, which means I should run with them more often. “How goes the wedding planning?”

A smile fills Dahlia’s face. “So good.”

“Hey.” Adonis walks in. “The group picked tacos for tonight. Are you two in?” He gives me a look.

My mind goes blank for a long moment. The power of a beautiful man can overwhelm a woman’s good sense. But those are pipe dreams. He isn’t smiling at me to flirt with me. Adonis wants me to make sure Dahlia goes out with the group. “Tacos sound amazing. Adonis always finds the best places in town. We should go.” Like I have time to eat tacos.

“Sounds good. Let me just message Maverick to make sure he knows.”

There go my plans for an early night… well, a semi-early night.

***

“You understand how I feel, Popcorn.” The sleepy snake barely moves as I spot clean her cage. I yawn. “It’s been a long week and all I want to do is go to sleep for ten hours.”

Oh, that sounds like a spectacular dream. Almost as good as those tacos were. I should have ordered a half dozen of them and not two.

Why did I try to save a few dollars? Thanks to this job, my savings account is flush with cash again. But my nerves won’t settle down when it comes to money.

My stomach twists and grumbles. I should start packing dinner.

Or second dinner in this case.

“You’d share your food with me, wouldn’t you, Popcorn?” Not that frozen rats would ever be considered food for anyone but a snake. She doesn’t even move.

That’s probably a no since she really likes to eat. I close and lock her cage before moving on to Hot Dog. A real hot dog would taste so good right about now.

“How is everything going?”

I jump out of my skin even though I should be used to people just randomly showing up in the middle of the night, but there’s something about Maddox’s voice that always gets me. No one sleeps around here. “Fine. Thanks for the note about Peaches. I can’t believe she’s gravid. You breed snakes here?”

“Nope. It seems she was bred accidentally before I got her.”

“What are you going to do with the babies?” Peaches’ babies would be so very cute.

“Probably sell them at Pit’s pet store. If there are any viable eggs. The vet thinks they might all be duds.”

Pit? These guys have some weird names.

“Have you had dinner yet?”

Could he hear my stomach complaining about being empty? No, he’s too far away. But if the growling gets any louder, he might. You can’t just keep taking food from a stranger.

He’s not a stranger. He’s your boss.

For how long? I should quit soon. There’s no way I can keep up with this schedule. “Sort of.”

Maddox leans on the door jamb and folds his arms. “What does that mean?”

I spent way too much on tacos and I’m still hungry. “I could eat again.” So much for avoiding him. Food wins out over the thought of the random awkward questions he might ask. “I’ll just change.” Why did I say that? My overalls would be a better option than the dress I have to wear. Maddox is going to think I picked this outfit to flirt with him.

It was the only thing left in my closet that was clean. I need to take a couple of hours and run down to the laundry room.

The booty shorts and bikini top from high school might have been a better choice than this dress. What was I even thinking buying it in the first place? It has more cutouts than dress to it. Outfits like this should only have been worn to the club.

Not to either of my jobs. This sweater is the only thing saving me from complete humiliation. Why did snakes need to be cold-blooded? I’m going to melt in this sweater.

Oh well, all you can do is live in the moment you have.

The scent of garlic and onions hit me as soon as I step into Maddox’s office.

Don’t drool.

Don’t drool. “What is that?”

“A little of everything.” He lifts the covers.

I practically levitate towards the food.

There’s a green pasta that I would sell my mother for a bite of the caramelized garlic on top. “What is that?” And why have I never seen it before in my life?

“Broccoli and spaghetti. It’s an Italian dish usually made with peas, but my friend makes it with broccoli when he can’t get fresh peas.”

Without grace or hesitation, I pile my dish high with every delectable thing.

“I think you might like this.” Maddox holds out a bottle of Mango Mania.

What? “How did you get that? It’s off-season. They’re sold out until the summer.” I know. I asked twice, cause yeah I love it that much, and I’m determined.

“They keep some in stock for friends and family,” he says that all too casually.

Friends and family? “You know the owners?”

Maddox nods. “Known them since they were kids.”

It’s a small world. That connection theory may just be right. “Wow. You should suggest that they make a caramel cookie beer.” Why did I just say that? Because it sounds fabulous. And the food or lack thereof combined with no sleep is making me feel a little punch drunk.

“I can do that.”

We’re supposed to just sit and eat, but that invites conversation which obviously I’m not good at right now, even though I’m usually great at it. Thanks Mom.

There’s got to be something in this massive room to pull attention from conversation… a television or game station, maybe. What’s the point of having a massive office and not having a single television in it?

Maddox is weird. Sexy, but weird.

Though who needs a television when you have all these amazing snakes everywhere?

Maybe I could just talk shop until his brain goes dead, and he forgets to ask me weird questions.

Ohh. There, in the corner of the room, is a chessboard. More than a simple board, there’s an entire table with the board inlaid. It’s a beautifully crafted piece of art that probably costs more than anything I own, and today it’s going to keep me sane. “Do you play chess?”

Maddox stops filling his plate up. “I do.”

“Want to play a game?” Just be careful not to beat him too badly. Or maybe I should lose on purpose. Beating your boss at a game is never a good idea. Maddox doesn’t seem like the sore loser type.

Has he ever lost at anything? Dressed the way he is and with the way he looks… too smart and powerful for his own good, it’s doubtful.

“Sure.”

The weight of the pieces makes me think they’re hand-carved. They’ve got to be custom. I’ve never seen a snake set. The pattern on the two cobras that act as the king and queen had to have been carved with a microscope.

We settle down into the most comfortable leather armchairs. I could sit here for hours.

The first move tells you so much about a player… unless they don’t really play that well.

“Ladies first.”

Time to see what my boss is made of.

***

I slide my queen over. “Checkmate.”

Maddox’s head bobs and his eyes go wide as he stares at the board. “I lost.”

You sure did. But that wouldn’t be polite to say.

“You beat me at chess.”

Yes. Yes, I did.

“There are very few people who can beat me at chess.”

Should I say sorry even though I’m not?

“And I haven’t lost a game in years.”

It seems like you haven’t been playing against me.

“Where did you get so good at chess?”

He doesn’t need the truth that I learned it from a barback when I was a kid. “I have always enjoyed games of all kinds.” Which is also true.

“What else do you play?”

Everything. There aren’t many games I haven’t tried at least once. “You name it. I’ve played it.”

“We’ll have to play again, then.”

The way he said that makes my entire body tremble.

Get it together. Maddox isn’t flirting with you. He just wants a rematch. “Sounds good. And thank you, that was the best meal I’ve had in a while.” Which is saying a lot since the tacos tonight were pretty amazing. I climb out of the oh-so-comfortable chair and watch Maddox’s eyes change from friendly and jovial to dark and steamy…

My sweater!!!! I slipped it off my shoulders sometime during the game because I was going to sweat to death.

What do I do?

Act like it’s nothing, and it will be nothing. “I better get back to work.”

Maddox doesn’t say a word as I walk back to change. My fifteen-minute warning alarm goes off. That means we played chess for three hours.

Three hours felt like fifteen minutes.