The Undergrowth

Chapter 3: First Impressions

 After sitting with the girls for about thirty minutes, I walk out the backdoor where the guys are hanging out. Ebon has joined them and is in deep conversation with a shorter black man. His head is shaved and he's dressed in a sweater despite the humid October air.

"Hey, Texas," Cody drawls in his Southern accent. "Want a beer?"

"Yes, please." I make my way over to him and Liam who are leaning against a makeshift bar made from what appears to be plywood and cinder blocks. Cody pulls a beer from a cooler, twists off the top and hands it to me.

"Thanks." My eyes dart to Liam. He's no longer wearing the leather jacket and his black shirt hugs him in all the right places. Enough to make me drool and only fantasize about what's underneath. I had l Harper that Ebon has muscles on top of muscles. Liam is leaner and more defined.

"I never got your name," he says.

I place my hand on my chest. "No more pretty words?"

He smiles and his eyes crinkle. "I can never have too many pretty words for a pretty girl."

"Oh, he's going to try to flatter me now." I tease. "I figured the orange shirt was a turn off."

He laughs. "Your shirt isn't orange."

"Um...yes it is."

"No. It's not."

"So you're color blind."

He smiles. "No, I see colors just fine. And that shirt isn't orange."

"He's not wrong, my friend." Cody pipes in. "There's only one shade of orange in this town."

I laugh. "Oh, I see. You mean that hideous color your football team wears."

They both gasp and Cody hisses at me.

"Hell is empty and all the devils are here." Liam quotes.

"Aw, there's the pretty words." I smile. "I'm Amelia by the way."

"Amelia," he says my name and something about the way he says it sends a cascade of fire through my body.

"Charlie said you were going to be a teacher at the middle school, too." Cody breaks whatever it is that's passing between me and Liam.

"Um... yeah. I start on Monday." I confirm.

Liam tilts his head at me. "Are you the fill in for Ms. Davidson?"

"If Ms. Davidson is the eighth grade English teacher, then yes." I had been lucky to score this teaching job because the current teacher was going out on maternity leave. It was a temporary thing, but I was hoping to make it more permanent.

"Well, on behalf of the Beavers I welcome you." Liam's eyes twinkle in the moonlight and he raises his beer.

I giggle, knowing the mascot for my new school was the Beavers. Harper, Chad and I had a good laugh about it when I read it. But hearing it come out of this man's mouth made me feel like I was a middle school girl.

"What do you guys do?" I ask.

"I'm a mechanic. Own my own shop." Cody says.

"And you?" I ask Liam.

He leans against the bar and takes a swig of his beer. He crosses his ankles and shoves one hand in his pocket. I'm suddenly very aware of my own heartbeat and how sweaty my palms are. I shuffle, moving a few steps closer to him.

Liam raises an eyebrow at me before answering. "Can't say. Top Secret."

"Are you like the head of the vampires or something?" I tease.