Lo

REFUSING TO SPEND THE day moping over Maverick, I plucked up the courage to call Hitters, and Gus, the owner, invited me down for an interview. But when I arrived, the place was deserted.

“Hmm, hello,” I called out, scanning the bar for signs of life. “I’m here about the—”

“Job.” A silver head of hair popped up from behind the sleek black and chrome counter. “Lo, right?”

“That’s me.” I smiled, shifting awkwardly on the balls of my feet as the man stood up, stretched out his arms and then made his way around to me.

“Sounds like you’re a long way from home,” he said, extending his hand.

“I moved here last year from the UK.” We shook hands and he smiled. I noticed the way his eyes dropped to my tattoo.

“You don’t say. Don’t think I’ve ever had a Brit working here before.” My shoulders sagged. If he’d heard any of the rumors about the Stone-Princes and their British cousin, he sure didn’t act like it. “I’m looking for someone to cover the tables, take orders, that kind of thing. Do you have any experience?”

I shook my head and the knot in my stomach tightened. It wasn’t going quite how I’d hoped. “But I’m an excellent learner.”

He studied me, rubbing his stubbled jaw. “How old are you?”

“Eighteen. I’ll be nineteen in a couple of months.”

Shit. It hadn’t occurred to me I wouldn’t be able to work behind a bar. Back in England, the legal age to drink and serve alcohol was eighteen. This whole thing was turning out to be a disaster.

But then Gus said, “Don’t look so worried.” His expression warmed. “I can put you on a minor’s permit. We serve food one thru eight, and I need someone to cover tables in the evenings. We all pitch in and work the weekend rota between us. Usually works out you have to cover two out of four.”

Two out of four weekends. Weekends I hoped to spend with Maverick. Crap. But he’d have away games and team stuff too, and I couldn’t put my life on hold for him.

“Sounds good,” I said. “But don’t you want to interview me?”

“Do you have references?” 

“I, hmm, I have a character reference from my school guidance counsellor and I’m sure my dad would be happy to provide a reference.”

“Funny, I like it. When can you start?”

“Just like that?” I gaped at the man unable to believe it could be so easy.

“Well you’ll have to pass a probation period but in my experience there’s no better interview than getting stuck in and doing the job.”

“I can start today,” I blurted out and his chest rumbled with laughter. 

“Tomorrow. Come back tomorrow and I’ll get Sarah to show you the ropes. And if you could bring your details and reference that would be great.”

I nodded, my chest swelling with excitement. 

A job.

I had a job.

All I had to do now was break the news to Maverick.

~

“YOU DID WHAT?” KYLE stared at me wide-eyed, his mouth smacking open and closed with disbelief.

“I got a job at Hitters.”

“Yes, I heard you the first time. I just wondered what the hell you were thinking?” He brows hit his hairline, but Laurie elbowed him hard.

“Hitters, that’s the sports bar on Sunset Drive, right?” 

“Yep.” I popped the p avoiding Kyle’s thunderous expression.

“Cous, come on. There are a hundred places you could have applied, and you chose a skeezy sports bar.”

“It is not skeezy. Gus, the owner, seems like a good guy and he’s really short on staff. Besides, they serve food so it’s not like it going to be full of drunken groups of guys or anything.”

He rolled his eyes and said to Laurie, “Will you please talk some sense into her?”

“I agree with Lo, babe. Hitters is upmarket. Besides, if Lo wants a job that’s her prerogative.” She gave me a little smile, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes.

“You think this is a bad idea too?”

“I don’t think it’s a bad idea at all, but I don’t think Maverick will see it that way.”

“Seriously? It’s a bar. It’s not Hooters. I have it on good authority I can keep all my assets covered.” I rolled my eyes. “And he’s at college. College, guys. He’s practically surrounded by naked boobs.”

Kyle snorted, and Laurie shot him a stern look. “What?” He protested with a shrug. “She said boobs.”

“Oh my god,” my best friend groaned at him. 

Kyle managed to compose himself. “But for real, Cous, have you told Maverick?”

“I don’t need his permission, Kyle.”

“No, you don’t. But imagine if he went and got a job in...” he paused a beat, his eyes creasing with concentration. “A place where lots of drunken girls were. Would you be okay with that?”

“It’s just a bar,” I said but Kyle’s words hit their intended target. “Fine. I’ll call him later.”

“Yeah, you will. Because I do not want to be caught up in an argument.”

“I just wanted to do something for me, you know?”

Kyle came over and slung his arm around my neck. “I know, Cous, but sometimes you gotta think before you act. Hitters is a cool place. I’m sure it’ll be great. But talk to Maverick. He deserves to know your plans.”

“I said I’ll call him later.”

Kyle nudged me, and I grumbled, “Fine, Fine. I’ll call him now.” 

Slipping out of his arm, I retrieved my phone from my back pocket, my stomach in a tight knot. I hadn’t told Kyle and Laurie we’d already had an argument.

“Lo?” Maverick’s voice was barely audible over the racket in the background.

“Maverick? What’s going on? I can barely hear you.”

“I’m at a team thing.”

“A team thing? You didn’t mention any team thing.” I flinched, annoyed at the trace of insecurity in my voice. 

A chorus of cheers drowned out his voice, and I breathed out, “Are you at a party?” 

“No, it’s just the team and...” his voice got lost in the noise again. “Listen,” he sounded clearer this time and I heard the soft click of a door. “Can I call you back later? If they see me using my cell phone, they’ll confiscate it.”

“Confisc—”

“Hey, who’s in there,” a muffled female voice came over the line. 

“I thought you said it was a team thing.” Sarcasm dripped from my words.

“It is. Kind of.” He sighed. “It’s a long story. I’ll tell you all about it when I call you later, okay? I promise.”

“Yeah, whatever.” I hung up, clutching the phone in my hand as I tried to work out what the hell had just happened. 

I didn’t want to be that girl; the one obsessing over every little thing her boyfriend was doing at college. It hadn’t yet been seventy-two hours and I was already going out of my freaking mind. Now I had to deal with the mental image of him at a party surrounded by drunken scantily clad college girls.

“Everything okay?” Kyle’s voice filtered down the hall. When I didn’t answer, his head peered around the corner. “How bad is it?”

“Is what?”

“Come on, Cous, this is me you’re talking to. How bad have I got to fuck up my stepbrother for hurting you?”

“He didn’t... who am I kidding? He’s at some team thing. It sounded a lot like a party to me.”

“Okay.” Kyle sauntered over, leaning against the wall. “And that’s a problem because...”

“There are girls there.” I cringed at how pathetic I sounded.

“Please tell me you are not worrying that Rick would even so much as look at another girl, let alone touch one. He is completely committed to you.”

“I know.” And I did. I trusted him completely. But I didn’t trust girls. Especially not drunken horny college girls. 

“Say it again. Just so I know you mean it.”

“I trust him, Kyle, I do. I’m just... this will take some getting used to. We spent almost every second of the summer together and now he’s gone.”

“I get it.” He ran a hand down his face. “I was in a bad place even thinking Laurie wasn’t going to apply to USC. We all know I lost my shit for a second there, but you’re strong, Lo. You and Rick are the real deal.”

My lips pulled tight as I tried to smile but instead, I blurted out, “We had a fight.”

“About the party?”

“No, yesterday. He asked me about college and I froze.”

“Whoa, okay, start from the beginning.” 

I filled Kyle in. On the silly disagreement yesterday morning, and my reservations about following Maverick to SU. When I was done, Kyle looked at me, understanding glittering in his ocean-blue eyes. He blew out an exasperated breath. “Jesus, it’s me and Laurie all over again.”

“Not helpful.”

“Okay.” Kyle straightened. “Answer me this. You want to be with him, right?”

I nodded, and he continued, “And you look into your future and see the two of you together. Am I right?”

“I guess.”

“So what is stopping you? I know you haven’t given college much thought. But it’s college, Cous. It’s not a prison sentence. And SU is a small school with a good Arts program.”

“You know,” I said around a meek smile. “For someone who struggles with doing serious, sometimes you speak a lot of sense.”

“What can I say? I’m awesome.”

“Yeah, yeah you are. Thank you.”

“You don’t need to thank me, Cous. You just need to name your first born after me.”

“Kyle!”

“What? I think it’s a fair trade.” He said it as if his job here was done. But the knot in my stomach told me this was probably only the start of what was going to be the longest year of my life. 

“Wait though.” Kyle frowned. “Would that make me the little guy’s uncle and cousin? That’s some crazy shit.”

“Step-uncle and second cousin, I think.” I shook my head, annoyed I was even playing along. “Stop being so weird.”

“What? It’s a valid question. When it happens, we’ll need to draw a family tree or something, get that shit nailed down.”

“Kyle, seriously. Shut. Up. I’m far too young to be even thinking about babies.”

He looked shocked. “You mean you don’t picture little Rick’s running around the place?”

“You do?”

“No, I picture little Kyle’s, obviously.” He grinned, and I punched his arm.

“You are such a freak.”

“But you love me.”

“What is going on back here? I’m waiting to start the movie.” Laurie’s head appeared around the door.

“Lo’s having Maverick’s baby and naming it Kyle,” he deadpanned, and I choked on my saliva.

“You’re pregnant?” Laurie’s eyes grew to saucers.

“No, I’m not pregnant. Jesus, I need fresh air.” I stomped past her and out into the living room and away from their special brand of crazy.

Before they rubbed off on me.