Page 5 of Stalked By Shadows
Lukas snorted. “Open mouth, insert foot.”
“Jerk,” I grumbled at him. HeknewI didn’t people well.
“Somewhat of an existential question,” Micah said. “More a question to the universe than for you directly. You probably don’t know yet. We all get set in directions that curve and twist only to either find ourselves back where we started or in a place we never intended but fits us well.” He closed the door he’d come through and held out a hand for me to shake. “Micah Richards,” he said.
“Alexis Caine,” I replied back. “Just call me Alex. Nice to meet you. Thank you for the opportunity.” His grip was warm and firm, but didn’t last long. Practiced, I realized. Something I didn’t have enough of anymore. “I don’t know if you want to actually do an interview or anything before putting me to work.”
“Lukas vouched for you,” Micah assured me.
“Sometimes Lukas is too nice,” I said bluntly. Micah should know about the PTSD. If I had an attack and he didn’t know how to respond, I could be a danger to him.
“He is,” Micah agreed, “and very straightforward.”
“Yeah?” I asked. “You know about the whole me being crazy thing?”
Micah smiled. “Aren’t we all? Yes. I know about your PTSD.”
“He’s had department training,” Lukas piped up. “It’s part of his certification right along with his first aid training. We have a lot of vets in this city.”
That shouldn’t have shocked me, not with Lukas having as much influence over the city as he did. People liked him, he spoke well, and could convince a nun to sell her soul if that was what was needed. But that he’d gotten the entire police department to even have training for mental health emergencies was a miracle.
“It’s not mandatory for officers,” Lukas said. “But it is for the tour guides. Too much noise, movement, and opportunities for being startled at night. I convinced the mayor it was a better way to weed out the trash too. Keep the best guides certified and alert, and the city’s reputation skyrockets, tourism increases, revenue increases. I’m still working on getting the department to put all officers in the training.”
“Happy politicians,” I said.
“Of course. Money makes all those shady bastards more agreeable.”
“You two are very alike,” Micah said looking between the two of us.
“We’re not,” Lukas and I said at the same time.
Micah laughed. “Okay.”
Lukas sighed. “You good? You have my number,” Lukas asked me. He looked at Micah. “If he needs to step away, is that okay? He’s working on grounding if something comes up.”
“He’s fine,” Micah assured my brother. “Five senses. I know about grounding. It’s a slow day. Some stock to put away and tours later, but otherwise not much going on. I’ll keep it low stress.” Micah turned his gaze back my way. “You’ll be okay for the cemetery tours later? They usually last about an hour. It’s a two-mile walk. We have two tonight. Usually I take a dinner break in between.”
“I’m good,” I assured him, then looked at Lukas and repeated, “I’m good.”
Lukas put a hand on my shoulder, nodded once to me, then to Micah and left the shop. I breathed a sigh of relief, feeling some of the tension leave the room with him.
“He’s worried about you,” Micah said. “That’s why he’s so intense. Does the same thing around Sky. Gets all puffed up and papa bear like. It’s cute.” Micah headed to the area where the cash register sat. It was one of those new set-ups with an iPad instead of a computer. “Time card tracking is here. So when you come in,” he tapped the screen a few times then turned it my way. “Click on your name, enter the last four of your social, and it will clock you in. Same way to clock out. I have the same stuff on my phone so when we’re out on tour we have access.”
I followed his instructions and watched my name pop up on a preformed time sheet. He navigated away from the time application and clicked another icon that put it back to the register. “There is less than $100 in cash in the register. Most people pay with cards anyway. I’ve never had a robbery, but if someone demands cash, give it to them. Usually the cops come through before Mardi Gras to give everyone the safety spiel, but they have so many feet on the ground that I’ve never had trouble. I’ll show you how the register works later. If you don’t mind helping me carry up a few boxes of stock first?”
“I’m all yours,” I told him.
He stared at me a moment, his cheeks a little pink. Adorable. Close enough that I could study the freckles decorating his cheeks and nose. I had the feeling if I stared long enough, I could count them all.
I sighed, feeling like I really did need to lay it all out there else it would eat at me. “So I don’t want it to be weird…”
“Okay?” He tilted his head to study me, waiting for my question.
“I used to watch you. I’m not sure if Lukas told you or not, but I was a fan. Well… would still be if you were, but you’re not, so anyway. Fuck…”
“Oh. Okay. Thank you. For being a fan, I mean. It was the money I earned making those videos that paid for this shop.” He didn’t look at all ashamed or worried that I knew he was an ex-porn star.
“So you’re okay with me knowing? It’s not weird?”