Dare Me (Dare Me Series Book 1)

Dare Me (Part 6 - Alexis)

Her parents put her through culinary school, which she just graduated from not too long ago. Late bloomer because my best girl has a past, too, and his name is Cain. Cain liked to hit women and control their every move. Kinda like my stepdad... actually, just like him. But one afternoon after a beating that almost left her unable to use her sense of smell anymore, she called me from the hospital. I was clueless and horrified. She'd hid it well over the several weeks it was going on. I should have known something was up because she kept making excuses not to see me. I was hurt that my best friend was going through that and didn't tell me. After she got out, we packed up everything she cared about in my little Honda. She moved into my two-bedroom apartment. She got a restraining order, pressed charges against his ass, and enrolled in college a year later. Then I met Mark and we all know how that ended. "Find anything?" I ask, wiping the sticky ice cream from the side of my hand. "No, but I did get a flyer in my mailbox this morning. There's a new restaurant opening up not too far from here. They're looking for a chef." She holds up the flyer. "Oh, yeah?" She grabs her phone from the table. "I looked it up," she says, handing me her phone. "Looks like a cool place." I swipe through the photos. "Yeah," she agrees. "You going to apply?" "Why not?" She runs her fingers through her sandy brown hair and takes a bite of her ice cream. "Maybe they'll be desperate and hire me." I roll my eyes. "They wouldn't have to be desperate, crazy girl." I read over the job description. "You're well qualified." Her right shoulder shrugs. "I guess. We'll see." I trade out her phone for her coffee cup and take a sip, immediately making a face. "Jesus, woman. Where are the cream and sugar?" She sighs. "Alexis, I told you I was cutting back last week. Remember?" "No. Otherwise, I wouldn't have tried that sad excuse for a coffee." I frown. "That's just bitter muddy water." I'm given a laugh. "It isn't the greatest, that's for sure." "So, you wanna go out this weekend?" I flick a piece of lint off my apron. She looks up from her red marker circling. "Go out?" "Yeah." "You," she points her marker at me, "Alexis, the girl who wouldn't hardly leave the house for a month because of Mark's dumb ass?" I turn my lip up as my face tightens. "Let's move on from him. I want to focus on a new future." She holds up her hands. "Hey, I'm totally down with that. No more Mark." "Good, so what about this weekend?" "I'll call Brennen." I smile. She grabs her coffee cup and takes a sip. Scrunching her nose, she says, "Girl, go get me some cream and sugar." I laugh. "Coming right up."

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Immune to gravity, dust floats through Friday rays as I sip on a fully loaded coffee, strumming my pencil over the list of items we need to order this upcoming week while Guns N' Roses sing "Paradise City". The bell above the door dings. I lift my eyes. My coffee slips from my fingers, and I jump back before it spatters all over my legs. Sweat the size of marbles rolls down my back, and my face burns like the stupid coffee covering the floor. Two men. And one of them is none other than the leather jacket on the stairs. My heart races, and when I make eye contact, it stumbles, tripping and falling face first. He's wearing a Nirvana shirt, dark jeans and a snap back turned around backwards. "Shit," I curse under my breath. He looks even better up close. "You okay back there?" the other man asks with a black T-shirt and canvas gray shoes on.I drop to my knees and put some paper towels on the floor, trying my best to keep it cool. "Yep. The cup slipped." I pat the floor, tossing coffee-soaked towels into the trash. I shake my head at my clumsiness and the fact I'm only making more of a mess. I feel the other customers looking at me from the reading side of the shop, but I choose to ignore it. You people act like you've never seen someone drop coffee before."Are you finished?" I look up as the one in the Nirvana shirt eyes me with a miffed quirked brow. I narrow mine and wipe the stickiness on my apron as I stand, removing hair from in front of my face with a blow and the back of my hand. "Um, yeah. What can I get you?" Asshole. You don't have to be a dick.Why is it so hot in here? "Large coffee, black," he says. "We're in a hurry." "Brother, chill." Black shirt guy slaps the asshole across his band logoed chest and turns to me. "Sorry about Mr. Dickhead here. He's not always this unfriendly." I lift a brow, anger taking the place of my nervousness. Who does this guy think he is? I can see they're brothers, though. Same dark short hair and blue eyes, but totally different personalities. I twist the string bracelet on my arm, watching the two. Nirvana shirt exhales exasperatedly. "Can you just order?" "I'll have the same." "Coming right up." I grab two paper cups and pour the coffee before placing the lids and sleeves on. I hand Nirvana shirt his first, and our fingers touch. My eyes shoot to his, and I take in a whoosh of air. He stares at me, and for a brief moment, I see something. Anger and hardheadedness."How much?" he asks, clearing his throat and fishing his wallet out of his jeans back pocket. I look to his tattoos. With his red tinted hair and the tats, he looks like a badass MMA fighter. I tell him the total. "Keep the change," he says, replacing his wallet. "What kind of books do you sell here?" The friendly brother makes his way over to the shelves. "Thrillers, mysteries, romance." I feel eyes on me, and I risk a glance back. With narrowed blues, rude ass looks like he's appraising me, before I catch him, that is, and he looks over to his brother. "Here. This might help you with your love life," easygoing says. The book is caught against The Doors' chest, and I see it's a romance. My smirk causes him to once again look my way. Folding my lips, as if I were caught with my hand in the cookie jar, I wipe the towel across the counter top and swear I see his lift...if only a tad. "Let's go," uptight says, taking a sip from his cup and placing the book on the counter. "Ah, I was just starting to have fun." Friendly brother smiles, and it reaches his eyes. He's carefree and nice, where his sibling is tense and a rude dick. Friendly brother walks back to me, holding out his hand. "I'm Gage Brock." I take his hand, and he brings it to his lips. I smile and feel a blush rising up my neck. "Alexis Harrison," I reply. "Good to meet you. I'm sure we'll be back. This is good coffee." He lifts his brow and takes a sip before making a sound of approval. I chuckle because he tried it after the compliment. "Come on, brother. Let's go see what Sam is up to." He walks toward the door. "Until next time, Harrison." He salutes me and heads through, causing the bell to ding. I smile. The one who caught my eye on the stairs the other night starts to walk out but twists to look at me. I stand with the twenty still between my fingers, gnawing on my inner cheek. "I've never seen you at the club before." So, he goes a lot? Good to know he remembers me. I wonder if he's been thinking about me as much as I have him? "That's because it was my first time," I reply. He nods, his eyes looking at me before he scans the shop. He looks at me once more and says, "See you, Alexis Harrison." My name slips smoothly past his lips, sending a rush of natural morphine through my bloodstream. "Bye," I say after he walks out. I shake my head as my sight dances across the shop and a heavy air leaves my chest. I toss the twenty into the drawer and turn to look at my mess. With my hands on my hips, I say, "What a show you put on, Lexi. What a show." Rolling my eyes, I go after the mop and finish the inventory list.