The Mix Up, page 11
“How was your day?” she asks me as we both start to eat.
“It was good. I finished that book that I was working on and started another one.”
“Another romance book?” she asks and I nod.
“Yeah. That seems to be the most popular genre. I think I’ve only gotten two or three thriller and fantasy books so far, but I’ve only been doing this for like nine months.”
“Do you mind doing romance books?”
“No, not at all. I can read pretty much anything but translating isn’t really reading. You have to think more about how each word or sentence should be. Sometimes you have to try to figure out the best word for something in a different language since they don’t have that word.”
“It’s so cool that you can speak so many different languages. If I ever go overseas, I’m taking you with me. You can be my own personal translator,” she teases but the truth is that I would love that.
I want to show her the world. Maybe the fact that she’s talking about me and her doing stuff in the future is a good sign. Maybe I’m more than a fling to her too.
“What places do you want to see the most?” I ask.
I had no idea that it would open the flood gates.
“Oh, man! There are so many places. I want to see the black sand beaches in Iceland and the blue lagoon. Ireland and Scotland seem like such beautiful places with all of the cliffs. I want to see London and the rest of England. Go to Amsterdam and Germany. Eat my way through France and Italy. Oh! And Spain. Greece looks so pretty and so does Thailand and Australia. Where else… maybe Japan or South Africa. Then the Bahamas and Hawaii and…”
I smile as she lists off pretty much every place in the world. It’s obvious that she wants to travel and explore the world and I want to do that with her.
I want to give her everything.
We clear our plates and I carry the dishes over to the sink. Arlowe is already there, filling the sink with water and I pass the dishes to her and grab a dish towel.
I used to only use the dishwasher, but I find that I like these quiet moments with her. She starts to hum as she works, and I fall a little more in love with her in that moment.
“What should we do now?” Arlowe asks as I dry the last dish.
“I’ve got an idea,” I tell her.
“I think that I might have the same idea,” she tells me, a flirtatious smirk curving her lips.
“Let’s go upstairs and find out.”
She grabs my hands and rushes down the hallway and up the stairs. I laugh as she drags me along.
We burst into her bedroom and I let her pull me over to the bed. She tilts her face up and I take her offering, molding my lips to hers.
We peel each other’s clothes off layer by layer. We’re taking our time, savoring each moment with each other.
Our mouths meet and we lick and nibble at each other’s lips. We pull apart, changing the angle of our heads or moving against each other softly.
Finally, we’re both naked and we tumble back onto the bed together. I’m ready to kiss my way down her body and lick her sweet pussy, but she pushes me onto my back and throws her leg over my waist.
She straddles me and my hands go to her waist to steady her.
“I want to try it this way tonight,” she whispers, and I nod wordlessly.
Her hands land on my chest and she braces herself as she slides up and down my length. I’m not penetrating her yet but I can feel how wet she’s getting with each pass. My cock rubs against her clit and she closes her eyes, her legs shifting restlessly on either side of my hips as she moves.
Then she slides up to the tip and arches her back. Her hips angle and my cock nudges against her opening.
We both hold our breaths as she slowly, ever so slowly, lowers herself down my length.
“Oh,” she sighs quietly, her eyelashes fluttering softly as she takes in the new sensation.
My hands slide up her sides and I cup her breasts in my hands.
“Yes,” she moans as my fingers flick across her nipples.
I tease and tweak her stiff peaks until they’re red and sensitive. Arlowe starts to move, to bounce slowly up and down my cock. Her walls flutter around me and I grit my teeth so hard I’m surprised I don’t crack a tooth.
“So full,” she pants as she starts to rock a little faster.
She leans down, her lips landing on mine. I kiss her back right away, my hands moving to grip her ass as we move together.
She sighs against my mouth and I can feel it then. This time is different. We’re not in a rush. This isn’t fucking. This is making love.
That thought should freak me out, but it doesn’t. It feels right, so I go with it.
We drink from each other’s mouths as she grinds down on my dick. I can tell she’s close by the way her breath keeps catching with each stroke and I grip her ass tighter as she finally breaks apart on top of me.
I follow her over the edge, spilling inside of her. She lays her head against my shoulder and I run my hands over her body, comforting her and enjoying the feel of her draped over me.
The words are on the tip of my tongue. I would have told her right now that this isn't a fling for me, but Arlowe's breathing has evened out and I know she's sound asleep.
So instead of baring my soul to her, I slowly roll her onto her side and cover the two of us with the blankets.
I guess I’ll have to wait until tomorrow.
I gather her in my arms and let my eyes fall closed as sleep claims me too.
FIFTEEN
Arlowe
I’ve been at the ceramic shop for close to an hour when I remember that I need to log in for the Monday morning meeting.
“Crap!” I yelp as I hurry to grab my iPad and take a seat at one of the tables.
The shop is coming along great and I’ve already contacted about a dozen people to come in for interviews later this week. I can’t wait to share my news with Angela and the rest of the team.
Angela and some of the people back at the home office have been acting weird for the last two weeks. I haven’t really thought much of it, I’ve been too wrapped up in Yates and my new friends here to give it much thought. Since I only communicate with the home office through emails and this weekly meeting, it’s easier for me to forget about the weirdness happening back home.
As I wait for the call to connect, I wonder what could be happening back in Miami to have everyone so on edge.
When the meeting doesn’t start after five minutes, I don’t think too much of it. They’re probably just running late.
When they’re ten minutes late, I get nervous but maybe it’s someone’s birthday or traffic was just really bad this morning.
When over twenty minutes have passed, I know something is really wrong. I grab my phone, standing and starting to pace as I wait for someone to answer. The phone rings and rings and my heartrate picks up.
Then finally, the call connects.
“Clay Fire, Inc., this is Amy. How may I direct your call?” the receptionist answers and I can tell she’s been crying.
She sniffles and my stomach drops.
“Hey, Amy. It’s Arlowe. I was trying to connect for the Monday meeting but no one ever signed on.”
“Oh, hey Arlowe. I guess that you haven’t heard the news yet,” she starts, and I swallow hard.
“What news?” I ask and it sounds like my voice is coming from the end of a long tunnel.
“Clay Fire is filing for bankruptcy. Angela and Michael are divorcing and he just wants his money back so he’s liquidating everything. Today is going to be everyone’s last day,” she says, a sob getting caught in her throat.
“What?” I ask.
I can’t believe this is happening.
How is this happening? How did this happen?
“They’re divorcing? What happened?” I ask.
“Rumor is that he’s been cheating on her for a while now,” Amy says, her voice dropping.
I can hear loud sounds in the background. People talking and crying, items being packed, and I wonder what will happen to my little office there. I don’t have that many belongings in my office but I wonder if anyone will take my photos of my mom and me from my desk and mail it to me.
“That’s awful,” I murmur and Amy sighs.
“It sucks for us more. How am I going to pay my rent without this job?” she asks, her voice breaking, and I swallow.
I don’t know what to say to her. I don’t know how I’m going to pay my bills either. I have savings but that won’t last me long in Miami.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper, and she starts to really cry then.
I listen to her sob for a few minutes, my mind a million miles away.
What do I do now?
I guess I have to go back to Miami.
Maybe this is a good opportunity. I could move somewhere closer to my mom, somewhere cheaper to live and with less traffic. Maybe I could start my own social media management firm.
“I can mail you your things,” Amy says, and I nod, swallowing hard and clearing my throat.
“Thanks. That would be really nice of you.”
“Of course. I’ve got to go but I’ll let you know if there’s any other news.”
“Thanks, Amy.”
We say goodbye and I stand in the deserted Clay Fire store, staring off into space. It’s like my body is in shock and I have no idea how to snap out of it or what my next move should be.
My phone rings again and I blink, looking down to see Angela’s name on the screen.
“Hello?”
“Arlowe, sorry for missing the meeting. Things have been crazy here. I have news.”
I listen as she tells me the company is going under and I need to get back to Miami, that they won’t be covering anymore of my costs.
“You’ll get your last paycheck in the mail next week,” she finishes and I just blink.
“Okay.”
“I’ve loved working with you,” she says but it sounds robotic.
I just nod, feeling numb as she hangs up.
I don’t know how long I stand in the empty ceramic shop before I gather my things and make the short drive back to Yates’ house. I didn’t even think about having to say goodbye to Yates, Lena, and Auden and as I think about having to say those goodbyes, the dam breaks and tears fall from my eyes.
“Arlowe?” Yates asks and I look over to him.
I wonder how long I’ve been sitting in the driveway. I didn’t even hear him approach me or open the car door.
I open my mouth, to say I don’t even know what, but instead, all that comes out is a sob.
“It’s okay. It’s okay, baby.”
“No, it’s not.” I cry and he holds me tighter.
“Let’s go inside,” he says, and I let him help me out of the car and inside his house.
We head into the living room and he sits down, pulling me onto his lap and letting me bury my face in his shoulder to cry.
He rubs my back and lets me cry all over his shirt. Once the tears finally stop, he brushes my brown hair away from my face and looks at me with concern.
“What’s wrong? What happened?” he asks me and I swallow around the lump in my throat.
“Clay Fire is going under. They’re declaring bankruptcy and liquidating all of their stores and assets.”
“What?” he asks, looking shocked, and I nod miserably.
“Yeah, Angela, my boss, her husband cheated on her, I guess and they’re divorcing and getting rid of the business that they shared.”
“Arlowe…” he starts and I nod.
“I know. I don’t know what I’m going to do now. I love the ceramic shops. I set up most of them. Now they’re all just going to be sold off.”
He rubs my back and I look out the window to the water.
“What am I going to do now? I know that I have to go back to Miami to get rid of my apartment and pack up my things but what now?”
“You’ll find another job,” he assures me.
“I know. I’m trying to look on the bright side. Maybe I can move closer to home. Maybe I can buy one of the shops. I know which ones do the best and I could run it.”
“Yeah, you have lots of options,” he promises me.
I nod, resting my head on his shoulder.
I want him to offer to let me stay here. I want him to tell me that he doesn’t want me to leave, that he can’t live without me and he wants to see where this thing goes between us, but he doesn’t.
He’s right though. I do have options. I can look into what they’re selling the ceramic shops for. I can start my own company or go stay with my mom until I have another job lined up. I have different paths that I can take.
Now I just need to figure out which path is the right one for me.
SIXTEEN
Yates
I can’t let her leave.
That’s the only thought I have running through my head as I hold Arlowe in my lap. I’m trying to comfort her, but I feel like I need someone to comfort me too.
“I’m going to go lay down,” Arlowe says after we’ve been sitting in silence for a while.
I stand with her and watch as she slowly walks up the stairs. As soon as she disappears from my sight, my breath stalls in my lungs.
I can’t let her leave. I can’t be all alone again.
But how can I get her to stay?
I hear Arlowe go into her bedroom, the one I’ve practically moved into the last few days so that I could be closer to her. She lays down in the bed, her mattress squeaking under her weight, and I can’t stay in the house while she makes a plan to leave me.
I grab my keys and head out the door. I know who I need to talk to now, so I head toward Destiny Falls and it isn’t long before I’m pulling into the parking lot of The Fainting Goat Pub. I park next to Arlo’s car and climb out.
It’s only a little after two pm so the place is empty when I walk in.
“Hey!” Arlo greets me and I turn to find him wiping down one of the tables toward the back of the bar. “What are you doing here?”
“I need some advice,” I admit, and he frowns but waves me over to the bar top.
“Want a drink?” he asks and I nod.
He pops the top off a beer without asking me what I want, and I smile grimly as I raise the bottle to my lips and take a long drink.
“What’s going on, Yates? Is it your parents?” he asks and I shake my head.
“No, I haven’t talked to them in a while. My dad only calls to ask me how the business is running and my mom only calls when she needs me for a photo op. You know the drill.”
He nods, not looking impressed with my lack of a relationship with my parents but I know he gets it. His family isn’t great either.
“What’s going on then?”
“Arlowe’s job is gone. Her company is going under so now she’s headed back to Miami.”
“You knew that she was leaving eventually though, right? I mean she was only meant to be here for what? Six weeks?”
“Yeah,” I admit, and he leans on the bar top.
“But you don’t want her to leave,” he states and it’s not a question, but I nod anyway.
“I’ve gotten used to having her around.”
“No, it’s more than that. You really like her.”
I take another drink of my beer and he just stares at me.
“You love her,” he says eventually and my heart leaps in my chest.
It recognizes the truth in his words, even if I’m not ready to admit it out loud even to myself.
“You need to tell her how you feel. Ask her to stay. She can try to find a new job around here,” he suggests.
“She mentioned buying one of the ceramic shops. She says that she knows the numbers and which ones do the best so she could try to buy a few of the shops and run them.”
“Why don’t you buy the one here in town for her? It’s not like you don’t have the money. You could just look at it as an investment opportunity if you want. That way you’re not putting too much pressure on the relationship or freaking either of you out.”
He might have a point. I do have more than enough money from working for all of those companies over the years and from managing my father’s import export business. I could tell her I wanted to invest in the ceramic shops and then let her run them. It would basically be like what I was doing with my dad’s business.
I could be hands off and still have her in my life. She can stay with me, move into the master bedroom with me, and we could see how things go.
I could still have her in my life.
“Do you think it would freak her out?” I ask him and he shrugs.
“I don’t really know her, just what you’ve told me about her, but I doubt it. She seems to like you as much as you love her.”
I give him a dry look when he says that I love her again and he just gives me a wide grin.
“You know I’m right.”
I roll my eyes but I can’t get his words out of my head.
By the time I’ve finished off my beer, I know I’m going to do what he suggested.
“Thanks for the advice, man.”
“Anytime,” he says as he tosses a towel over his shoulder. “Let me know how it goes.”
“I will,” I promise as I slap a twenty down on the bar and stalk toward the door.
I ignore him when he calls out that the beer was on the house and just wave as I push out the door. I’m sure he’ll try to give me my money back later.
I drive back across town and park outside of the ceramic studio. I’m about to get out and go to the front door to look around. Maybe there’s a number I can call to reach headquarters but as I climb out of my car, I see there’s nothing on the door or windows.
I glance next door to the café and frown when I see that it’s closed up too. There’s a for sale sign in the window and I vaguely remember Arlowe telling me that Lena was worried she was going to be out of a job. She had been so worried for her friend.
I guess it happened.
An idea hits me then and I dial the number on the for sale sign. Maybe it’s about time I invested in my new community.
By the time I’ve hung up, I’ve put in an offer on the café and another on the ceramic studio. I don’t know which other sites are profitable but I made an inquiry about buying the whole chain if that was possible.
