Guardian For Hire

Chapter 4: Level With Me

It was eight o'clock and Emily was nowhere to be found.  I looked all over the beach for her gorgous blonde ponytail but I never saw it.  Not once today had I spotted her.  Not this morning, or even through my full shift at the rental shack.  I wondered if she would make it tonight.

Today had been a slow day but I had managed to muddle through, surprisingly enough.  I was even more surprised to find Xander leaning against the side of the rental shack, sporting a pair of angelic white swimming trunks and a black muscle shirt, when I locked up at the end of the day.  He looked strange.  There was something different about his human form, this time I saw it.  He looked more . . .honorable.  His arms were crossed tight across his chest and his biceps were flexed tightly in irritation.  That's when I spotted the difference.  There was a simple black tattoo of a cross on his arm.  The vertical beam was longer than the cross beam which made it both unique and beautiful.

"Where'd you pick up the clothes?"

"Borrowed them from you, when you weren't looking."

"Remind me to pay for them later," I said and stowed the keys in my pocket.  I had a shirt like Xanders clutched in my left hand and I took a moment to pull it on over my head.  "So why are you all inked up?"

Xander grinned at me.  I had a flashback to when we had first met and he tried to kiss me.  I was revolted but I kept my composure as best I could and waited for him to speak.  "I'm your wing man."

I grinned and rolled my eyes.  Pf course, that was something Xander would say.

"So what are you doing here?"  I started walking toward the bench at the big window on the shack that was facing the beach.  Xander followed me.

"I'm here to help you land Emily as your ward, while trying to land a hansom face for myself.  Maybe I'll get a girl and then I can go play on the side."  Xander plopped down on the bench before I did.  He crossed his arms behind his head and spead his knees far apart.  He was always so arrogant about romance.

"I thought you were gay," I laughed.

"I am, dear Luka.  What I meant was that I hope I can land a female as my ward so I won't be tempted to break the rules."

"Right," I said and plunked down beside him.

I stared out at the beach before me.  Still, Emily Ramsey was no where in sight.  I started to wonder if she would ever show up.

"So where is Blondy?"

"I haven't seen her all day.  I'm starting to wonder if she'll even show."

"Hm," Xander was thinking aloud.  Nothing more.

Still, I felt compelled enough to ask him, "What?"

"It's nothing.  I was just wondering if she really likes you.  I mean with her not being around all day, you know.  You'd think that she would want to be around you as much as possible."  That was true, but I somehow felt offended.

"She said herself that she'd like to see me again.  Maybe she had to work today and she hasn't clocked out, yet."  I was still hopeful.  Then again, maybe she wouldn't show up at all tonight.  I felt my spirits fall just at the thought.  I stuck my chin out.  No!  If she wanted anything to do with me then she would show up.

I stood up and went back inside the rental shack.  "What are you doing?"  Xander's voice followed me inside the small cinder block building but he wouldn't come inside.  I grabbed up one of the ski-jet keys out of the drawer.  I took the set of keys to it and locked the drawer back, then headed for the door.  I closed the door to the shack and locked it behind me like a good employee.