Page 21 of Demon's Desire
“They aren’t.” I shook my head, trying not to laugh. “Bartending is a lot more complicated. You have a menu people have to choose from. I have to have a categorical knowledge of every major cocktail and exactly how to make it. I also have to deal with drunk people.”
“You think I don’t deal with drunk people at a coffee shop?” He smirked at me. “You’d be surprised.”
That… Yeah, that surprised me. “All right, I concede that point.”
“Besides, people are always coming in asking for random shit they get at Starbucks and making me guess how to make it,” he explained. “If you wanted Starbucks, just go to a fucking Starbucks!”
I laughed at that. “That’s fair.”
“But I’m getting off track.” He looked over at me. “You said you bartended in Texas. So what are you looking to do here?”
I took a deep breath. “Um… I haven’t figured that out yet. I mean, I’ll probably bartend just to make some money. But I plan to stay here, so I want to try to find a career. I’m thinking reception, maybe? That sounds like a good stepping stone into… whatever else I want to do.”
“Reception…” He nodded. “I can see you sitting behind a desk in cute little skirts and blouses, answering phones and shit.”
“You really are a dick!” I grinned, nudging him.
“It’s all part of the charm.” He smirked.
I laughed and held my tea close to my chest. “This is so weird. You remind me of Elias, but how he was last night. Cool and clever and charming. Then just now, he was like a different person. And he didn’t remember meeting me.”
“I’m sorry about that.” He sighed and reached up to pat my shoulder for a second. “Some guys can be dicks in front of their friends. Maybe that was it.”
“Maybe.” I shrugged. “I just… I kind of got excited. Not about him, but like… I came to Chicago wanting this fresh start. I want my life to be different here. Then I instantly meet this handsome guy, and we hit it off. It sort of felt like a sign that things here were going to be good. Then I meet him again, and he acts like he’s never fucking met me. What kind of a sign is that?”
“Hm…” He glanced over at me. “Different how?”
I looked over at him and blinked. “What do you mean?”
“You said you want life to be different here,” he elaborated. “Different how?”
I thought about my answer for a second before sucking in a breath. “I lived in a small town where everyone knew everyone. They all knew each other’s business. You couldn’t have secrets or privacy. And I lived with my family, who have a very specific idea of what they want me to be. I couldn’t listen to the wrong music or wear the wrong clothes, and Heaven forbid I ever have sex before getting married. Life was stuffy, and I had to follow all these rules… I don’t want it to be like that here. I want to be able to say fuck in my own house if I want to.”
Marcus grinned at me as I spoke. “You know what… I know exactly what you mean. Small communities, rules… My life was the same way. Then I moved here, and I got to do whatever the hell I wanted… It’s one of the best things that’s ever happened to me.”
“Exactly!” I smiled at him. It was nice to know that someone else understood. “That’s what I’m hoping it’s like for me too.”
“Trust me.” He nodded. “It will be.”
I watched him for a second before looking around and realizing where we were. “Oh, this is me, right here.” I pointed to my apartment building. I noticed Kelly’s car on the street out front near Torie’s car and realized that Kelly had given Mica our alley parking.
“This is you?” Marcus turned and looked up at the building. “Good. Now I know where to send flowers.”
“You are not going to send me flowers.” I rolled my eyes.
He laughed and winked at me. “Where to bring tea then.”
I blushed a bit at the idea that I’d see him again. I wondered if I should ask for his number, but I was a bit gun shy after the shit with Elias. Still, at least I knew where to find him, and he knew where to find me.
“I’ll see you around,” I muttered.
“Yes, you will.” He nodded.
I gave him a smile before taking the soda-coffee from him and carrying it and my tea to the front door. I stacked them on top of each other to grab my key and open the door. When I went inside and looked back out the window, he was waving with the same confident, lazy smile on his face. I waved back before turning and heading up the stairs.
You know what? I decided this was a good sign after all. I’d gotten my hopes up with Elias, and he was an ass, but meeting Marcus and having him there to save the day, that had to be a net positive. And it was certainly a big change. I’d never gotten attention like this back home. I wasn’t sure if it was just Texas in general, or maybe growing up with the same people in the same neighborhood, but things were already changing here, and I liked it.
When I got to the apartment, the door was unlocked. As I pushed it open, I saw Kelly, Torie, and Mica all leaning against the window in the living room. When they heard me come in, they all turned around.