“Ugh. I would love a sub right now, but I’m trying to cut back on the carbs. My sister’s wedding is in a few months and I don’t want to be the fluffy bridesmaid.” She reaches into her lunch pail beside her desk and pulls out a clear Tupperware full of salad.
I narrow my eyes at her and then put her in her place. “First of all, you are anything but fluffy. You are gorgeous and curvy and you should love your body. Second, I’m at least going to bring you back a cookie because life is too short to not give in to a little sugar fix once in a while.” I wink at her, grab my purse, and then head for my car, cruising to the Italian deli in Newberry that is always packed around lunch time.
I find a parking spot in the back and make my way inside, the smell of fresh baked bread hitting me the moment I open the doors. Waiting in line makes my stomach lurch at the prospect of food, so as soon as I pay for my order, I run to my car and open the sandwich wrapping on my lap, diving in for that first bite like my sub might grow legs and walk away from me.
“Oh my gawd,” I mumble around a mouthful of my lunch. I am by no means a vegetarian, but their no meat sub is full of my favorite things—fresh tomatoes, avocado, pepperoncini’s, olives, lettuce, bell peppers, and onion, and topped with a homemade vinaigrette that takes the sandwich to another level.
As I sit in my seat and stuff my face, my eye catches on the gleam of sun hitting metal when a truck door closes abruptly to my right. My head follows the noise as I take in the Gibson Construction logo on the door—but that’s not the only thing that catches my eye.
Striding toward the building I just came from with his crew members in tow is Javier Montes, decked out in worn blue jeans, an orange construction shirt that clings to his well-defined torso I’m quickly becoming a fan of, and a black bandana tied around his head, keeping the sweat from pouring into his eyes during this humid and hot Texas summer day. The skin exposed on his arms seems even darker than I remember, his tattoos flashing a pinch of danger in his presence. But his smile is carefree and given easily as the men joke with each other while making their way inside, showing me that the hard lines of his face and down turn of his lips I’ve grown accustomed to must be an expression he only saves for me.
And then it hits me. Javier works for Gibson Construction? I thought he worked for Elite Gym? Maybe he does both? Holding down two physically exhausting jobs can’t be easy, and for a moment, I admire his work ethic until the rasp of his voice calling me Princess whispers in my ears and suddenly I’m irritated with him again.
Wanting to see if I can catch him off guard, give him a little aggravation to ruin the lightheartedness he’s carrying around with him today especially after his less than welcome attitude last night, I decide to go inside Russo’s again and purchase a few more cookies. The office staff has been working hard and I think everyone deserves a treat.
I check my teeth in the rearview mirror, fluff my hair for good measure, and then walk back toward the door, opening it and seeking him out without being too obvious. My legs are shaky and I momentarily consider leaving, but Javi and his two buddies found a table right near the register, giving them a perfect view of me as I walk straight to the cashier.
“Sydney? Did you forget something?” Hattie, the teen girl behind the second register asks me, worry evident in her eyes.
Out of my peripheral vision I see Javi’s head pop up but I don’t dare turn in that direction. I don’t want him to know that I see him, for him to read me in any way which would allude to the fact that the man has been in and out of my mind for the past eighteen hours and I’m here just to spite him.
“Well, yes. I need to get a few more cookies, please. The office staff needs an extra pick-me-up today.” I wink at her as Javi shakes his head, momentarily pulling mine in his direction.
“Oh, sure. All chocolate chip?” Hattie asks, drawing my attention back to her.
“Yes, please. Just make it a dozen so there’s more than enough.” I flash her my poised smile and then hand her the money for my purchase.
“Looks like you don’t know how to wait in lines, do you, Princess?” Javi’s words pull me back to him as I see his co-workers are now watching our interaction too, grins plastered on their faces.
“Excuse me?”
His arm flies out to the side, gesturing to the line of people still waiting for their sandwiches. “There’s people that are waiting for their turn, you know? What the rest of us are taught to do?”
“The rest of you?”
He nods. “Yeah. Those of us that haven’t been handed everything in our lives.”
“Here are your cookies, Sydney,” Hattie says, breaking my stare down with Javi, which is probably best seeing as how my blood was boiling just looking at him. However, the space between my legs was heating up too, which makes no sense as he was acting like a complete jackass to me just now.
“Thanks, hun.” I grab the bag and then turn back to Javi, taking the few steps over to the table where he’s seated. His eyes falter for a moment from mine, taking the opportunity to study me from head to toe. And in that moment, I’m so glad I wore my maroon pencil skirt that makes my ass look great and the sleeveless black blouse that pairs perfectly with it.
