“Got it, disco buddy.” Callum rose with a deep breath. “Well, I’d better get back to work. Layla is gonna kick my ass for being gone too long, and I’m fairly certain Tobias is plotting all our murders.” He opened the door, whispering as he slipped inside, “I don’t trust the quiet ones.”
Talking to Callum had been a whirlwind. I couldn’t help laughing at the ridiculousness of it all. He seemed to be close to my age, yet he was freshly unique.
Aside from Willow, I hadn’t had many friends my age, if any at all. Even with my limited experience, I knew that Callum was different. I liked him. I hated that he saw me vulnerable and knew it immediately, but I liked that he didn’t judge me.
Instead, he’d called me his disco buddy.
Mom’s voice was in the back of my mind, singing the lullaby Callum performed for me. Growing up, Mom never sang me anything like that. She would always hum songs from the eighties—shit from Phil Collins or Lionel Richie.
I blame her for my preference for old love songs and my equally strong hatred for romance. Willow used to tease me when I’d hook up my music to the radio in her car. Now, though, she always said it reminded her of my mom. When we traveled together to the grocery store, she’d smile and sing along to each song that played.
Deciding it was about time I went back inside, I heaved myself up and off the ground. I knew the restaurant was close to opening, so it was likely Price would leave me alone for a while.
The back door creaked when I opened it. As I stepped inside, I noticed the office that Price had labeled as Brandt’s was open, and the door swung out close to where I stood. I could hear loud voices coming from the room, and neither of them sounded very happy.
“If you had done it right, we wouldn’t be in this mess!” a voice I didn’t recognize yelled.
“Well, as you know, that isn’t exactly in my job description.” That one was Price’s. He sounded much more level-headed, his voice firm, not raised like the other man’s.
A growl came from the other man. “It is because I say it is, Iverson. What in the fuck are we meant to do now?”
“I don’t know, Brandt. I’m kind of busy. I don’t have time for this.”
“Find the time!” Jeez, Brandt did not sound nice.
“Uh-huh, I could be doing that instead of entertaining this increasingly pointless conversation.” Price sounded almost bored.
The exasperated huff Brandt released practically echoed out of the office and all down the hallway. “Get out of my sight. Go train that kid and keep Tony in line.”
“His name is Tobias.”
I could hear heavy, determined footsteps just before Price walked out of the office. His face was scrunched and red with fire, a hint of exhaustion clouding his eyes as he turned. When he spotted me, he froze in place. “Crew, you’re back.”
What was I supposed to say to that? “Uh, yeah. Just needed a minute. I said I’d be back.”
“Yeah,” Price’s expression softened, the hard lines and blazing fire I saw just a moment ago fading. “I wasn’t sure you would.” Our eyes were locked, yet I missed the frightening flames of his. They weren’t as bright anymore. He looked worried. Or sad.
I understood sadness. I couldn’t understand the worry. Sadness came in waves, hitting sometimes for no reason at all. The worry, though, seemed directed towards me. “Don’t make me a liar, Price. I can turn around right now if that’s what you’d like and?—”
“No, wait.”
I lifted an eyebrow at him curiously.
“Sorry. I thought I’d scared you off or something.”
That deserved an eye roll and a half. “You think you have that much influence on me, Mr. Iverson?” That wasnotsupposed to come out so flirty.
Price’s signature smirk washed away any hesitance. “Let’s run to my office for a moment. I want to go over something with you before I’m whisked away.”
Residual tingling tickled the tips of my fingers, and my feet were still cold from the outside air. I wasn’t sure how easily I’d survive being alone with him again, especially if he kept chewing that stupid gum. Even less if he tried to push me, or flirt with me, or whatever it was he was doing earlier. I straightened my shoulders and puffed out my chest, hoping some resolve would come to me if I faked it enough.
Price closed his office door behind me, blocking out most of the sound coming from the kitchen. I could distantly hear Callum laughing, and I wondered if he was actually happy or if he was having a silent disco and just covering it up.
Before Price opened his mouth, I crossed my arms over my chest. “What do you want?”
He blinked at me for a moment. “If you take a seat, I’ll show you.”
I tried to uphold a practiced scowl on my face, still standing in the same spot. Price had been right earlier. I was attracted to him, and that terrified me. If he got too close, I might cave. If I looked pissed off, maybe he’d stay away.
