Spark in the Dark

Chapter 50

Juice stepped out of the shower the next morning. He had let Shawn shower alone first since she had to get to the studio that morning. She had dried her hair and was putting on makeup in his bathroom mirror. He watched her a bit as he brushed his teeth. On the few mornings after he had stayed at her place, he would leave before she got ready for work. He had never seen her get ready for her day before and was finding it oddly hot.

"How do you not poke yourself in the eye?" Juice asked her as she applied her mascara.

Shawn laughed. "Lots of practice."

They left the bathroom and went into his room to get dressed. Shawn stepped into her dress and pulled it up. Juice buckled his belt buckle and moved behind her to zip her dress for her. She looked over her shoulder at him and smiled. They went downstairs and ate cereal at the breakfast bar that separated the kitchen from dining area.

"So, who got you groceries if you didn't go to the store?" Shawn asked.

"Gemma, who else?"

"She's such a mom," Shawn said with a laugh.

"I kind of like it. My mom worked a lot when I was a kid. Me and my sister always had to do everything."

"You know, I've heard you talk about your sister a couple times now, but you never use her name."

"Super Hispanic name. Guess."

"Juanita?" Shawn guessed as a joke.

Juice laughed. "Juanita and Juan Carlos. That would almost be as bad as Shawn, Fawn, and Dawn. You got the ending of it right, though."

"Ok, I give up. What is it?"

"Rosita. And she goes by Rosita, too. If you try to call her Rose she gets pissy. I used to call her Rosey to make her mad. Nosey Rosey when she'd get in my business."

"So, what you're saying it, you were an obnoxious little brother?"

"Oh, yeah," Juice said with pride. "Your sisters call you anything?"

"Princess."

"That's not so bad."

"They said it to be sarcastic."

"Oh. Well, them bitches," Juice said, sounding insincere. Shawn laughed at his tone.

When they were finished, Juice put their bowls in the dishwasher. As they were getting ready to leave, Shawn grasped his arm so she could stand on one foot to slip her heels on. They left through his front door and Shawn waited for him as he locked the door. While he was doing that, his neighbors were also leaving. The two girls mostly ignored Juice and Shawn as they walked passed them.

"You sure they're not together?" Shawn asked.

"They made it very clear that they're just roommates and very single, but I think you got your point across. After you left yesterday, I was on my way out to head to Lumpy's, and the blond one asked if we could keep it down in the bedroom."

Shawn gasped. "They heard us? Why didn't you tell me yesterday? I wasn't quiet when we came back at all."

"I know," Juice said with a smile. "I don't give a shit."

Juice walked Shawn to her car and gave her a quick kiss goodbye before walking over to his bike. He let Shawn leave first and then followed her out. They came to an intersection where Juice had to turn left to go to the clubhouse while Shawn needed to continue straight for Cara Cara. Juice pulled into the turning lane next to her. Shawn blew him a kiss as they parted ways.

Juice went straight to TM and parked in his usual spot. Jax was there still on his bike as Juice backed his bike in. Juice gave Jax an upwards nod as a greeting and Jax made his way over to Juice.

"Hey, man. What's up?" Juice asked him.

"Dude, you are so busted."

* * *

Shawn walked into Cara Cara and was immediately approached by Ima. She was pissed off that the maintenance guy hadn't changed the lightbulbs in her dressing room, making it hard for her to apply her makeup. Which then segued into her bitching that she had to do her own makeup at all. She wanted Shawn to hire a makeup artist. Shawn promised to call the maintenance guy about her lightbulbs and to talk to Luanne about the makeup artist. She only lied about the latter. After she walked away, Shawn finally went into the office.

Shawn set down her bag and opened her laptop. Her phone buzzed right as she was putting in her password. As she pulled her phone out, Lyla appeared in the doorway.

"She still bitching about lightbulbs?" Lyla asked, referring to Ima.

Shawn nodded. "They're freaking lightbulbs. Is she so dense that she really can't change a lightbulb?"

"You think there's a joke out there about that? How many pornstars does it take to change a lightbulb?"

"One, as long as it isn't Ima Tite."

Lyla laughed and walked away. Shawn looked down at her phone to see a text from Juice.

911.

She looked at her phone in confusion, wondering what could have possibly happened in the 15 minutes since she had seen him. Standing up from the desk, Shawn moved to the door and looked around to see if anyone needed her. It looked like everyone was getting on fine without her, so she closed to call Juice. He answered on the first ring.

"Hey," he said.

"Hey, what's the emergency?"

"Jax just made me shit my pants."

"Like... really? Or metaphorically?"

"Metaphorically. He came up to me as I parked my bike and told me I was busted."

"Oh, shit."

"Don't panic just yet. I forgot that when I rode up to Indian Hills with Tig that he asked who I was talking dirty to on the phone. I lied and said I was dating someone named Sarah. Jax thought I had a secret girlfriend I'm keeping from him."

"Well, I mean, he's not wrong. So, you decided to scare the shit out of me because Jax scared the shit out of you?"

"Sorry, I was freaking out. Thought talking to you would help me calm down."

"Did it?"

"Yeah. Something about my girlfriend thinking I had actually shit myself helped lighten the mood."

"You have to admit, that would definitely have been an emergency," Shawn said, making Juice laugh. The door to the office opened and Ima came in.

"My room is still dark. Did you call yet?"

"Oh, Jesus Christ," Shawn mumbled to herself. She walked over to a closet on the side of the office and opened the door. Taking out a box, she studied it to see what was inside before tossing it to Ima.

"What is this?" Ima asked.

"Lightbulbs. Change them yourself, Ima. It's not fucking rocket science."

Ima rolled her eyes and slammed the door shut on her way out.

"You busy?" Juice asked. Shawn could tell he was laughing.

"Little bit."

"I'll let you go."

"Ok. Call me if you really do shit yourself."

"Love you, too, babe."