Sweet Little Lies

Ch. 4 First day of work

Harper Morgan
Footsteps wake me up around 6 in the morning. I listen as water starts to run and stretch my still tired body. Ajax is up and getting ready, I should too. I roll out of bed and sleepily walk to the closet. I take out a grey tweed pencil skirt and a white button up blouse tossing them on the bed. I bend down and pick up a black pair of peep toe sling back heels and add them to my outfit. Next, I go to the dresser and take out a pale pink bra and matching underwear and set them on the bed with the other items.
We didn't discuss a dress code, but I don't want to look unprofessional. This is what I would wear to work back in Flagstaff. I take a quick shower, careful not to get my hair wet and walk back into the room to change. There's a knock on the door and Ajax comes in. I grip the towel around me tighter, shocked to see him standing in my room.
"Breakfast is ready downstairs and my dad said he'd meet you in the office when you're ready. He didn't expect you to be awake."
"Okay, thanks. I'll be down in a minute." He shuts the door and I drop my towel not wanting to leave Mr. West waiting. When the door opens again. "One mor-" I scream and grab for my towel.
He laughs. "Calm down. I've seen you naked before, no big deal."
I stare at him my mouth hanging open. "What? No you haven't." I deny, holding up the towel in front of me.
"I have. You were sixteen and started screaming while you were in the shower-" He starts reminding me.
"Oh, yeah. That damn spider." I cut him off, remembering the day with the same feeling of embarrassment warming my cheeks.
He nods, smiling. "That damn spider."
Still, that was along time ago. "What did you come back in for?"
"I thought you might need these." He replies. Taking out my underwear from the back pocket of his jeans and tossing them on the bed.
"Thanks." I mutter, turning from pink to red.
"By the way, I can see your ass in the dresser mirror." He states casually, shutting the door.
Shocked I look behind me confirming his observation. I need my own place, this is not going to work. I dress quickly and walk to the bathroom. I brush my long straight blonde hair. Next, I put on my loose powder, mascara and dab on some lip-gloss.
I won't let this affect my day. I will be professional and just like Ajax said, he's seen it all before. I groan. He's seen me naked and it was no big deal. I'm sure it would hurt any woman to hear that.
The words 'no big deal' echoes in my head no matter how hard I try to get it to stop. Am I really that unappealing to him? Will it be like that for all men I get close to? Am I that forgettable? I don't know why I'm letting this get to me. I am a  strong self-assured women and in the past twenty four hours I've acted like a school girl. Its not Ajax's fault its mine. He hasn't changed, things are the way I left them four years ago. I just keep overthinking things instead of being myself. I'm right back to being eighteen again and being rejected by they boy I was convinced I loved.
I huff and steel myself against anymore overthinking and adolescent behavior. I have a job to do and I will do it. I put on my heels and notice the underwear still on my bed. I pick them up and put them back in the drawer.
Leaving the room quickly I take the steps down to the large eat in kitchen. The smell of bacon and eggs has my stomach rumbling hungrily. I smile when I notice all three West's eating at the table. Mr. West looks up as I walk closer. "Good morning, Harper."
"Morning." I say, casually. I will not think about being naked in front of Ajax.
"Honey, you look beautiful today." I look down at my work attire, I would hardly say I looked beautiful. "Don't you think she looks beautiful Ajax?" Mrs. West asks, bumping him with her elbow.
I smile at Mrs. West's attempt at getting me a compliment. "Its just a work outfit. This is what I wore while I worked in Flagstaff." I say, saving Ajax from having to answer.
"Wear whatever you feel comfortable in." Mr. West replies. I smile and nod while Mrs. West fills my plate with everything on the table. Another thing I recall growing up, Mrs. West would feed me as much as she did the boys, thinking nothing of it. Having no sisters herself, she was used to cooking for her brothers and father. That means big appetites and my brother and Ajax are no different.
I start eating not wanting to hold up the work day. "Did you get a date with Brandon?" Mrs. West inquires, leaning forward showing her interest.
Confused I think about who Brandon is. "Brandon?" I ask, trying to remember.
"Sheriff Brandon McKenna." Mrs. West supplies and it clicks in my head.
"Oh, him. Nope, no date."
"He didn't ask you?" She questions, clearly thinking he had.
I laugh at her disappointed face, "I just met him yesterday. It wasn't love at first sight and Kira likes him anyway." I reply, not at all upset.  As far as I'm concerned he's all Kira's.
"If he were interested in Kira he would've asked her out by now." Mrs. West points out.
I shrug. "We'll see."
"What if he asks you-" She starts.
"Jesus, Ma. Leave it alone." Ajax demands irritated, standing up and going to the coffee pot.
"I'm just looking out for her. Good men are few and far between in this town. It's filled with no good cowboys." Mrs. West states, knowingly. Yet, there is a hint of mischief in her eyes. She's goading him on purpose, but why?
I watch her and she winks at me. "He's always so pleasant in the morning."
"Ma." Ajax warms, walking back to the table with a fresh cup of coffee.
"He was being just as pleasant last night." I whisper to her. I hear a low guttural sound from Ajax throat and I smirk. Now I understand why Mrs. West was prodding him, its fun to get Ajax worked up.
"I heard that." He states.
"So?" I reply, uncaring.
"I wasn't grumpy." He states and sips his hot coffee.
I make eye contact with Mrs. West and we both try to cover our smiles. Ajax is always so serious. If you ask me, he needs to lighten up a bit. I don't get where it comes from. His mother and father are playful, especially with each other. Yet, he's so different from them. Sure he can joke, but even then its a dry sense of humor with witty comebacks.
"I don't know how we got such a grumpy son, but I still adore him." Mrs. West says, lovingly as she brushes his long shaggy hair from his forehead. "Ajax, get a hair cut and shave." she scolds in the next breath, making me and Mr. West laugh.
I glance at Ajax his face telling me he's heard her say this everyday since he could grow facial hair. He doesn't need to shave. He looks good with his five o'clock shadow, it makes him look harder and sexier. Dammit, not sexy. He just looks good with it...it suits him.
"Tell him to cut his hair and shave, Harper." Mrs. West orders as Ajax groans and sets down his coffee mug.
"Like he'd listen to me." I mutter, stealing his coffee away from him and taking a hearty gulp.
"I'm not driving into town just for a hair cut on a workday." Ajax argues, watching me drink his coffee. "Help yourself." He says, with a hint of amusement. I decide to keep the mug and curl my fingers around it.
"Thanks. I can cut your hair for you." I offer. I used to cut his and Dan's hair all the time growing up.
He scratches his face, the sound giving me butterflies in my stomach. "Alright." He agrees.
"Make him shave too." Mrs. West chimes in.
I chuckle. "He'll be fine with just a hair cut."
I finish the rest of the coffee and Mr. West looks at me expectantly. "Ready to get started?"
"Ready when you are." I nod, happily.