Loan Shark Love

“Yes, dear brother,” Natalie tells him, rolling her green eyes.

I look up at him in surprise when she leaves. “She’s your sister?”

“My half-sister, yes,” Grey says with a nod. “A product of poor choices.”

“I heard that!” Natalie yells from the front, but Grey is grinning, so I assume it’s their usual banter. “I was a product of poor choices and alcohol, thank you!”

Grey shakes his head. He looks at me. “Can I ask why you’re doing this?”

I let out a sigh. “I don’t have any other choice. I work at the library, so I would never have enough money even after a year. But I can’t let the bakery go under.”

“Which bakery is it?” Grey asks me, sitting on the edge of the desk. “Forgive me if I’m intruding; I’m just curious about you, Rose. I hope you don’t mind.”

My heart picks up speed, and I tuck the thick bank bag into my large tote bag. I can’t let myself think that Grey could be interested in anything about me. If I’ve learned anything through the years of bullying about my weight, it’s that men usually don’t want me the way they might want my slim friends.

There was no way this man was interested in me.

“Um, it’s called Cake O’Clock,” I tell him, giving him a shy smile.

“I think I’ve seen it on my runs,” Grey says with a nod. He looks appropriately impressed. “It’s usually just too packed with people to even go inside.”

Suddenly all I can think of is Grey Kingston running shirtless by my window. I picture his glistening muscles and the V-cut that would undoubtedly trail into his running shorts.

I realize that I’ve fallen into my daydream, and I startle, blushing.

“He has enough business, but most of the buildings on that street have been sold to the same family,” I answer him finally. “They raised the rent, so he’s out of luck to keep it going every month. It’s ridiculous, to be honest.”

I’m sure he can hear the anger in my voice, but I don’t care at this moment.

“He could just buy the building,” Grey offers, considering. “Then he wouldn’t have to pay the rent every month, and it would just be his. That seems the best way.”

I let out a humorless laugh. “Yeah, that would be amazing. My dad is five months behind in rent, though.” I don’t want to think about it, but it’s cathartic talking it out. “They’re taking the whole place from him at the end of the month.”

“That’s a damn shame,” Grey says, rubbing a hand over the shadow on his jaw. “I really hate to see a good place go under.”

“It won’t,” I say quickly. “At least not as long as I have anything to say about it.”

Grey raises an eyebrow, and when I stand in my wet clothes, offering him the jacket that Natalie gave me, he just shakes his head.

“I have to give it back to Natalie,” I tell him in confusion. “Should I just take it right to her? I was going to leave it with you.”

He tucks the jacket warm around me. He stands in front of me, and his woodsy scent is like coming home.

I want to close my eyes and breathe him in.

“It’s mine,” he tells me. “You can keep it. Be careful out there, Rosie.”

The nickname makes me feel tingly. I know that this is the man I want. I need Grey Kingston like I need to breathe.

But all I can do is stand in front of him and gawk.

“I will,” I tell him finally, and when I turn to leave, he looks disappointed.

I can feel him watching me as I walk to the front room. It’s almost as if some kind of invisible cord has tied us together, and I can feel its pull on my heart.

I want to turn around and fold myself into his arms, engulfed in his manly scent.

I shake my head, heading for the door. He’s at least twice my age and not into me.

“Have a good day!” Natalie says cheerily, waving at me. “There’s an umbrella by the door!”

At the big, wooden door, I reach down and grab the umbrella she mentioned as the rain is still pattering over the sidewalks and streets while lightning flashes above me.

“Thank you,” I say as I smile over my shoulder. “I’ll bring it back to you.”

I’ll bring it back when I figure out how to get the money to pay your brother back.

I can’t think about the money in my bag just yet. The bakery is a few blocks away, and I’m eager to get out of the rain as soon as possible. I leave at a brisk pace, feeling the weight of the money in my bag, hoping I don’t get mugged. I hadn’t even thought about that until now, but hopefully, the rain will deter anyone.