Page 11 of Wasn't Supposed To Love You
Chapter 6
Bryce
I post up the help wanted sign in my shop window, hoping someone will see it and want to work here. I just need someone that can run the front part of the shop until I set up the back. Just as I walk back to my desk to finish an order for some parts, the chime on the front door goes off.
“Are you sure you want to keep doing this, Seth? Every time you compete with your brother at the skate park you always end up in the hospital because you broke something,” I hear a voice say.
“Emma, shut it, it’s just part of riding.”
“Hey, man, what can I help you with?” I say, greeting the young couple. The girl is wearing a bright yellow polka-dotted sundress and her man looks like he stepped out of a punk rock band. Interesting duo.
“Need some new tires, man. Some punk at the skate park got pissed I showed him off doing a backflip, sliced my tires,” he informs me, bringing his bike forward.
“Sure, I have some eighteen inchers in stock actually, over on the racks over there. Take a look, see which ones you’d like,” I tell him.
The girl with him stares at me for a few moments, sizing me up, before walking off with him. Minutes later he comes back with a set of tires. “You hiring, man?” he asks.
“Yeah, my girl started college, need some help in here.”
“Cool, you got an application or something? I start college at the end of the summer, but need a job to help pay for it,” he says, handing me over his credit card for payment.
“That would be great, as long as you know your shit,” I tell him.
“Yeah, my brother, he does those X-games all the time, he taught me everything I know.”
“Good, because I need someone to keep this front area going. I’m trying to expand into my garage in the back, want to build custom motorbikes and cars. BMX is a dying breed, it’s not gonna keep food in my mouth if I don’t do something else.”
“Yeah, man, my brother was saying that too. Most BMX shops have closed down, only the online shops are really making anything.” He puts his card back in his wallet. “I’m actually taking some mechanics classes in college, and I’m a great painter, magic with the air brush. Once you get the rest of the business going, think maybe I could intern, train or something?”
His girl groans. “You’ve spent too much time around Zippo and Angel, seriously. You wanted to be an electrician, and now you want to be a mechanic?”
“You know the Angels Warriors?” I ask, now weary. If I find out my brother sent this kid to me, I’m gonna knock his teeth out.
“Yeah, lived in the same town, all my life. My sister and her friends pulled more pranks on them than I can count.” She giggles.
My eyes narrow. “What’s your name? Vinny, Zippo, is my little brother.”
Her eyes widen and she jumps up and down. “Oh my God! I didn’t recognize you, it’s me, Emma! Remember, we used to live down the street from you? My sister, Kristi, would follow you around like a puppy trailing its owner all the time.” Her smile falls and she mumbles, “Until our bitch mom left, and then Kristi was all ‘man hater.’”
I smile, thinking on her name and her sister. Shaking my head, I smile. “Haven’t seen either of you in a long-ass time.” It’s true, Kristi used to follow me around a lot. We were friends growing up, not close, considering I’m ten years older than her, but enough that when we got bored, and no one else was around we’d go to the park or something.
I also remember the change in Kristi after her mom left. I was an angry teenager myself, so I just put it off as her growing up and going through PMS.
“Shit,” Seth says looking at the time. “I’d love to stay and chat but I’m gonna be late.”
“We’ll have to catch up another time! Later, Bryce,” Emma calls out as Seth drags her from the store. I watch her standing on the sidewalk, and she looks back at me, almost in thought, and then she smiles. It’s the smile that kind of creeps me out.
Emma
I leave the store with Seth after coming along with him to buy new tires for his stupid bike. I swear, one of these days he’s gonna kill himself with some of the stunts he does.
That guy, Bryce though, he’s perfect for my mission. I just need to get to know him more first, but he also said he already has a girlfriend. How am I going to work that? I didn’t really know him all that well growing up, knew he was Vinny’s brother, but I never had anything to do with them, since I’m so much younger. Not only does he look like a Kristi type, he was her first crush. So this is so epic.
“What are you up to?” Seth asks me, narrowing his eyes.
I give him a sly smile. “Oh, nothing.”
“Right, nothing. You have something up your sleeve.”
“I don’t have sleeves today, I’m in a tank top,” I say, rolling my eyes.
“You know what I mean,” Seth says, exasperated. I just shrug. “He has a girlfriend, he won’t go for your so-called plan.”
“Never know, when money comes into the picture, he might sing a different tune.” Considering he wants to expand his business into something more, he needs the cash.
Seth turns around and pulls me into him, kissing my neck. “I love you, you crazy woman.”
