Page 11 of A Minute More
“Do you know anyone who would be willing to meet up and put out for a few minutes?” I say. What they say is true. I don’t want to work that hard at it. I’m not incredibly motivated.
They all stare at me—Ollie, Jude, and our roommate, Lucas, all of them in varying degrees of eating.
“Minutes, man?” Lucas asks.
“Yeah, don’t know if I’ll need longer than that.”
“I mean, do you want us to put out an ad or something?” Lucas asks, his voice a low timbre. He shoves some food into his mouth and then cocks his head at me, his long hair pulled up into a bun at the top of his head. His beard is so unruly that I don’t know if I’ve ever seen his jaw. I sometimes wonder how we’re friends, being so different, but he seems happy to live here with us, so we never say anything. He spends most of his time in the garage tinkering around with wood anyways.
“What about Izzy at work?” Jude asks, and I shake my head.
“You dense?” I ask. “She’s gay.”
They all continue eating, bobbing their heads, and then Jude says, “I mean, I may know someone. Want me to text her?”
“It’s not Cassidy, is it?”
“Pfft, no.”
“Okay, then sure,” I say with a shrug, already feeling nervous, and I haven’t even met her. Hopefully she’s nice and understanding. I don’t actually want a relationship, just a way to satiate my dick, to give me something to focus on besides that guy from work.
Simon, my head chants.
Simon. Simon.
Nope, no. No more.
“You’re gonna love her. She’s a babe,” Jude says, and Lucas nods, a noodle hanging from his beard.
No one says anything, we just let it dangle.
* * *
“She’s here,” Jude whispers loudly. My head snaps up, and I take in the girl he’d told me about last night.
She saunters into work, looking way too gorgeous even for me. Where has Jude been hiding her and why hasn’t he mentioned her before? I don’t even know if I’m in her league. She’s like a supermodel with long legs, a trim waist, and auburn hair down to her waist.
Shit.
“Hey, guys,” she says, leaning over the counter and pressing a kiss to Jude’s cheek.
I mean to chime in, but suddenly Simon makes an appearance, showing up early for his shift. I don’t know why he does that. He’s always coming in at least fifteen minutes before he needs to be here. Usually I’m late or just on time. I have no desire to spend more time than I have to at work. This is not my life.
“You must be Wes,” she says and holds out a hand, a flirtatious and yet kind smile on her lips. “Jude told me all about you.”
“He did?” I ask as Simon slams his locker shut. I can hear it all the way in the main area of the shop and my brows meet. Shit, what’s his problem?
“Yeah, I just had to come check you out. Meet you in real life. You never know with Jude…he’s done me wrong a few times.”
I shake my head and smile softly at her. I don’t know what it’s like to be a woman, and yeah, Jude doesn’t seem all that perceptive. I could be a total creep in real life. She doesn’t know me.
“I mean, I follow your Instagram…” she adds, and I smile widely at her.
“Ah.”
“Just wanted to get a general vibe from you… I’m Dena, by the way.”
I see Simon move out from the break room and stand next to me, his fingers clenched into fists on the counter. Don’t know why he seems so tense. Maybe he had a rough morning. I’m not sure I’ll ever know with the way he keeps everything bottled up.