11
EDEN
ZANDER SAW ME mostly naked.
In fact, he was the only person in the world who had seen that much of me.
My own mother hadn’t seen me naked since I was sixteen, yet Zander Hale, owner of Empire Sevens, and also the most intimidating man I had ever met, had walked in and saw me in my bra and panties.
It was my fault.
How the heck did I end up in the men’s locker room?
And why did it look exactly like the women’s locker room?
You would think there would be some defining decoration differences, or at least they wouldn’t be the same freaking colors.
I wasn’t sexist.
I didn’t believe women needed pink rooms and men required blue, but two different colors would be nice.
Any two freaking colors would do.
The strangest part was my reaction to him seeing my nakedness.
Yes, I had covered myself.
It was the reasonable thing to do when someone walked in while you were changing, but instead of pure mortification and panic, I felt something entirely different.
It was the way he looked at me. There was a sense of devastation in his eyes. As if looking at me was shifting his universe somehow.
No one had ever looked me that way.
His eyes had moved over my face before dropping and very slowly and deliberately taking in my body. It was as if every part his eyes touched, his fingertips were caressing, as well.
Goose bumps covered my skin, and I shivered, feeling as though he was somehow making the temperature in the room warmer. My skin flushed. I didn’t need to see myself in the mirror to know I was blushing everywhere. The heat of the blush devoured me like a hot tidal wave.
When he left, I quickly dressed and left the locker room before anyone else saw me naked. Once I was on the floor and starting my shift, I felt much better. Still, I continuously scanned the room, looking for Zander and wondering if he was looking for me.
My new shoes were a godsend, making maneuvering through the tables and the room so much easier. I was proud of myself for not taking Zander’s money, but I had to admit I was shocked he had even offered it.
“It’s about time you got some new shoes, girl. I don’t know how you worked in those things,” Jena said.
She stood next to me at the bar and helped me load my tray with the drinks she had just mixed.
I laughed. “Says the girl wearing the six-inch heels.”
“It’s all for the money, honey. When the big spenders come in and see the illusion of long legs, they tip better.”
I groaned. “Great. So to make more tips, I need to kill my feet one toe at a time?”
“You, Ms. Thing, don’t need to worry about that. Your sweet angel face gives you all the tips. Men would do anything for you if it meant getting a little taste of heaven.”
I blushed to the roots of my hair. “That’s not true,” I insisted.
She picked up the final drink on the bar top and set it on my tray. Before she began to walk away, she said, “I promise you, it is. Tell her, Luke.”
Luke, the bar back I’d met when I first started, had been coming toward us as Jena walked away. She turned, winking at me.
“What’s she talking about?” Luke asked me, confused.
I felt the heat in my cheeks intensified. “Nothing. She’s crazy.”
He laughed. “So I was wondering, since you’re new to Vegas, if you’d like me to show you around?”
“Oh.” His question caught me off guard, and I was at a loss for words.
I’d been asked out lots of times, but this was the first time I’d ever been tempted to say yes.
“That sounds nice, Luke, but I’m trying to work as many hours as I can so I can move out of my aunt’s place. Maybe once things slow down?”
He smiled, and I hoped that I hadn’t hurt his feelings. “Sounds like a plan.”
“You’re up, Eden,” Jena said, pointing toward the pissed-off customers waiting for the tray of drinks I was holding.
“I need to get back to work,” I told Luke.
He nodded and grinned down at me. “Just don’t work too hard.”
I giggled. “Never.”
Although, that was a lie.
I was working my ass off.
Already I had lost three pounds since moving to Vegas, and the shorts I brought with me were starting to get too loose around my waist.
Walking away, I felt like everyone was staring at me. Hearing Jena’s words about looking innocent and it turning the customers on suddenly made me very self-conscious as I moved around the room.
I spent the rest of the night being careful and making sure my skirt didn’t rise too high on my thighs. I made sure not to flirt with the customers, and I tried not to smile too much.
Somehow, imagining them getting turned on by me made me feel a little sick to my stomach. Especially since most of the customers were older, unattractive men.
By the time I finished my shift, I was exhausted and ready for bed. Thankfully, Aunt Kennedy was leaving at the same time, which meant I wouldn’t need to call her for a ride.
The car thing was really getting on my nerves, and I thought maybe it was time I rectified that situation.
With the money to get the car out of impound in my pocket, I climbed into Aunt Kennedy’s sleek black sports car and smiled.
It wasn’t new, and it was the biggest piece of trash ever, but at least once I got the Oldsmobile out, it would be mine.
THE FOLLOWING DAY, we got up early, and Aunt Kennedy took me to the tow truck’s impound yard.
It was a shady place, and I hated to go there, but getting the car back was important.
“Thank you so much for bringing me down here, Aunt Kennedy.”
“Well, there was no way I would let you come here alone. This part of Las Vegas isn’t exactly the nicest area.”
We stood in line as we waited for the person in front of us to finish.
“Are you sure you want this car back? From what you said, you’d probably be better off getting something new.”
I probably would have, but I didn’t have the money to get a new car, and I wasn’t ready to start making payments on something.
Allen’s car would suffice for now.
It definitely wasn’t easy on the eyes, but it got from point A to point B.
“Yes, I’m sure. It’s just for a little while, and then I can sell it and get something nicer.”
She sighed. “Okay.”
“Next,” the man at the counter called, and we stepped up to take the place of the last customer.
“What can I do for you?”
I smiled at the man even though he didn’t he return it. “My car was towed, and I’d like to get it out, please.”
“I’ll need to see your registration and driver’s license.”
I swallowed and leaned forward. “I talked to a Dave on the phone, and he said as long as I brought cash, I could get my car out without the registration.”
He stared at me for a long minute and then gave my aunt Kennedy a once-over. Finally, he asked, “What’s the make and model of the vehicle?”
I gave him all the info and then paid the four hundred dollars cash that I needed to get the car back without the registration.
I hated giving up so much of the money I’d saved—and on this piece of crap—but this needed to be done.
Thirty minutes later, I followed Aunt Kennedy out of the impound parking lot.
While I hated that I still held a part of my past, it felt good knowing that I was free to come and go. I couldn’t wait to drive into work tomorrow.
After the tow company, we had lunch at a swanky restaurant with fish tank walls. I sat closest to the wall as I nibbled on my flounder and watched the fish float up and down at my side.
I hadn’t felt so at ease in years.
“Eden.” Aunt Kennedy got my attention.
I turned to face her with a smile. “Yeah?”
“I told myself I would let it go and allow you come to me, but I need to know. Is she okay?”
My smile slipped, and I picked up my drink, taking a long pull from the straw. Setting it down, I shook my head in sadness.
“She’s not great.”
I wasn’t sure how else to say it.
I didn’t want to drop a truth bomb on her and tell her that her older sister was into drugs pretty hard and had all but given up on me. It felt insensitive, yet not telling her felt wrong, as well.
“Please tell me everything.”
How did you start a conversation like that?
I had no idea what I was going to say, but I opened my mouth and the right words came out.
“She started dating a new guy a couple of years ago. He’s a drug dealer and a jerk. He beat us. Refused to let us work. You name it. She takes the drugs to escape. I didn’t. Instead, I ran here.”
Tears flooded her eyes, but instead of responding, she turned away, sipped her drink, and blinked away her tears like the hardass that she was.
When she looked back over at me, she was completely composed. A grin tugged at her lips.
“How about we go do some shopping? You up for it?”
I giggled, shaking my head at her quick emotional turnaround. “Let’s do it.”
A sad fog followed us around for the rest of our day out. I knew what I told Aunt Kennedy was going to weigh on her for a long time, and I hated making her feel guilty when there was nothing she could have done.
Shopping with Aunt Kennedy was easily one of the best things I had done in a long time.
She had excellent taste, and everything she picked out was going to look amazing on her. While she continued browsing, I looked through dresses. I found a yellow summer dress and held it up to me, turning toward the mirror on the wall and admiring my reflection.
“You’d look gorgeous in that,” my aunt said, coming up behind me and speaking over my shoulder.
“It would be all the dress.”
“Nonsense. Here.” She took it from my hand and added it to the armful of clothes. “Excuse me,” she called to one the sales associates. “Could you please hold these for me up at the front? And if you could start ringing me up, that would be perfect.”
“Of course, ma’am.” They smiled, and the associate made a joke about needing an army to carry out her bags.
“Aunt Kennedy,” I warned. “You don’t have to buy that for me. I want to be able to pay for things.”
She shook her head, pride beaming in her eyes.
“I know I don’t have to, but it makes me happy. Please, let me be happy, Eden.”
She gave me the best puppy dog face, and I couldn’t help but laugh. I didn’t need Aunt Kennedy buying me things, she had no idea how happy I was just to be there with her.
“I promise to let you pay me back later,” she vowed, but I knew she was full of it.
I groaned, and she grinned, knowing full well she had won.
“Fine!” I threw my hands in the air.
She pulled me in for a hug. “The Vaughns and their ridiculous pride.”
I laughed. “You would know.”
The Vaughns.
She said it like there were a lot of us, but there weren’t.
Me.
Mom.
Aunt Kennedy.
We were all that were left.
And the more time I spent with Aunt Kennedy, the more I realized I was a lot like her.
I had spent the past two years worrying that I would become like my mother. I loved her, but I never wanted to be dependent on any man.
Seeing Aunt Kennedy in her element proved it was possible for me.
By the time we left the final store, I could tell she was exhausted. She worked a ton, and when she wasn’t at Empire taking care of things there, she was home still being busy and taking care of things.
I wasn’t ready to go home yet. I hadn’t been in Vegas long, but I still felt like there was plenty to see, which was why I was thrilled when we ran into Luke just outside the last shop we visited.
“Hey, Luke!” I called out, stopping him before he could cross the street.
He turned, his face lighting up with a smile, before he started toward us.
“Hey, Eden,” he said, before turning toward Kennedy. His posture stiffened, and he nodded. “Ms. Vaughn.”
She laughed and shook her head.
“Luke.” She nodded before turning to me. “Eden, do you think you’ll be okay out here on your own?”
Rolling my eyes, I laughed. “I’ll be fine.”
“Good, then I’m going to go home. Luke, can you make sure Eden makes it home okay? I mean, if you’re not busy. I can tell she wants to stay out and sightsee a bit more, but I’m exhausted.”
His eyes moved to mine, and a tiny grin tugged at the side of his mouth. “Sure.”
“Perfect. I’ll see you later tonight,” she said, leaning in and giving me a quick kiss on the cheek.
Once Kennedy left us, I turned toward Luke. “Well, that wasn’t obvious at all.”
He laughed. “Actually, my mom could learn a few pointers from your aunt.”
“Please don’t feel like you have—”
“I’d love to show you around.”
The way he was looking at me gave me butterflies, and I felt my cheeks getting warm.
“Okay.”
Luke took me to The Strip, and as we walked, he pointed out some of his favorite places.
We ended up at the top of Circus Circus playing amusement park games and riding rides. I left the building with a stuffed panda bear wearing a pink tank top and a stomach full of junk food.
“I bet you when left your house, you didn’t think you would be playing tour guide today, huh?” I said as we walked The Strip back toward Aunt Kennedy’s condo. “I really hope you didn’t have other plans. I’d feel bad if you didn’t get to around to them because of me. I feel like Aunt Kennedy just kind of threw me on you, but I had an amazing time.”
He laughed. “Not at all. Trust me, you saved me from a very boring day with my brother. Also, I had a great time, too. I don’t know, maybe we should plan to go out like this again.”
I stopped and faced him, my large panda latched to my side. “Are you asking me out on a date?”
I had never been on a date before. I wasn’t sure what protocol was, but I assumed it would be similar to the day we spent together. Games and fun. Maybe a good night kiss.
“What if I am?” he asked as he shoved his hands in pocket and rocked back on his heels.
I chuckled, enjoying our little flirtatious game.
“Well, if you were asking me out, I guess I would say yes.”
“Good. Then I’m definitely asking you out. Saturday? I could pick you up at six o’clock?”
I nodded. “Okay. Sounds good.”
When we got to Aunt Kennedy’s condo, we stopped just outside the building and said our goodbyes. Instead of a good night kiss, Luke kissed me softly on the cheek.
“I’ll see you at work,” he said, slowly backing away from me.
I was blushing. The heat on my cheeks was slowly spreading into my hairline. “See you then.”
I watched him walk away and didn’t go inside until he turned the corner and was out of view.
As I stepped into the condo, I found myself really looking forward to Saturday night.