Love's Rapture

Kelly: New Employees

"Talon and his friend, Robby, will be coming in today," Parker said from his desk. His office was on the small side, but I think he preferred it to be that way so that he couldn't stay in the back. He liked to spend the majority of his time out front, interacting with customers. The Hut was his business, and he happened to be a very active part of it. I admired that about him.

"Oh." I paused in front of his door. "Are you guys hanging out or something?"

He looked up from his paperwork. "No, I hired them."

I guess that made more sense than Parker hanging out with a couple of guys almost five years younger than him, but it still caught me off guard. "I didn't see them come in to apply."

"Kelly." He sat back in his chair. "Are you going to have any issues with them working here? I would have asked before, but I guess I didn't think it'd be a problem."

"What?" I asked. My voice was slightly higher than usual, but I couldn't get it back to normal, even with my knowing it. "No! Why would that be an issue? I mean, it's just a job, right?"

"Okay, kid." When Parker smiled, I quickly made my way to the ladies' restroom.

I stared at myself in the mirror and took a deep breath. "This isn't going to be weird at all. It's not going to be awkward, and you are not going to talk in that squeaky voice again," I told myself. I heard the bell on the front door chime, and my heart went berserk.

"This isn't a good sign," I said, placing a hand over my chest. I took a deep breath and then took another. Neither one helped anything, so I plastered the world's most convincing smile on my face and walked out to meet my new coworkers.

Talon was talking to Parker while the guy who I assumed was Robby was looking at one of the canvases I'd painted recently. I walked up to introduce myself. "You must be Robby," I greeted. His eyes moved from the painting and landed on me. He reminded me of my cousin, Callahan. He had shaggy blonde hair and an easy smile.

"And you're Kelly." He shook my hand. "You don't remember me, do you?" he asked.

I squinted my eyes, like that somehow helped, and thought back to times Talon had friends over when I happened to be hanging out with Breton. Recognition hit me, and I laughed. "Robby! I do remember you!"

"There it is," he chuckled and pushed his hand through his hair.

"You're so tall now," I joked. "And your hair is a lot longer."

I didn't have many memories of him, but I did recall eating dinner together a few times. He was always funny, even when Talon acted like a jerk.

"Is Robby talking your ear off?" Talon asked as he walked up to us. My conscience instantly started chanting, telling me it was time to apologize to him, but this wasn't the place to get into the past. I gave him a tight smile.

"I should probably get started on putting the machines back together," I said before I shuffled to the drying rack. I quietly tried to convince myself I didn't see the disappointment in Talon's eyes.

Parker walked them through the menu and what each machine did. He showed them where we kept our ingredients and the supply closet before standing in front of me. "I think it would be good for them to shadow us for today, and we'll see how comfortable they are tomorrow," he said.

"Okay."

"Which one do you want?" Parker asked. My mouth opened, but nothing came out.

"I'll shadow Kelly," Talon said before anyone else could say anything. Robby gave him a funny look I couldn't read, and I felt every inch of my skin heat up. I was sure I was red.