Irreparably Broken (Irreparable 1)

“Two, of course.” I giggle. Crap! I did it again. I’m not a giggler. I don’t even like gigglers, well, except for Liv, of course. My fingers toy nervously with the hem of my tank top as I watch Harrison. I can’t remember the last time I felt so nervous around a guy, other than Brady of course, but he’s in another league altogether.

Liv pushes in front of me and leans over the counter to speak with Harrison. “Do you know if you’re hiring?”

“We are. We had two openings for the summer. We filled one of them last week, only the girl we hired stopped showing up after day two. I think the crazed caffeine junkies were too much for her to handle.” He laughs. Oh, cute and a sense of humor. And you don’t date, remember? The hissing of the espresso machine doesn’t allow Liv to continue. Harrison pours both shots into a cup of milk and cocoa and stirs. Once he puts the lid on, he slides the cup across the counter to me. “Here you go, Tor.”

“Thanks. How much do I owe you?” I dig through the clutter in my oversized purse for my wallet, finding everything but.

He waves a hand in front of him, his smile flirtatious, and he winks at me again. “This one is on the house.”

Taking the cup, I can’t believe what happens. I blush. “Thanks,” I mutter, looking down so he doesn’t notice. I touch my cheeks, the heat emanating from them as warm as my coffee.

Liv rolls her eyes. “Now that the princess has her mocha, who do we talk to about a job?”

“Wait one sec. I’ll get Ted. He’s the manager.” Harrison walks through the door he came out of earlier. My eyes find the ties of his apron, following them to his butt. Oh, my God. What am I doing?

Liv bumps me with her hip. “Tori and Harrison sittin’ in a tree.”

I elbow her. “Don’t sing.”

“Youuu thiiink heeee’s cuuuute.”

Seriously, how old is she? I cover her mouth with my hand, and whisper/shout, “Shut up, Liv, before he hears you.” I release her mouth.

Her eyes dance with excitement. “Holy shit! You didn’t deny it.”

Rolling my eyes, I bite my tongue before I let her have it.

Harrison comes back with a very large man I assume is Ted. He has to be at least six- five, towering over Liv and me. He’s probably in his forties, with long blond dreads. Wearing board shorts with a flannel shirt, he looks like a typical beach bum.

His beady eyes grow wide. “You girls looking for a job?” His voice is hoarse, sounding like he drinks whiskey and smokes a pack a day, and has for many years.

Liv answers for the both of us. “Yep.”

“Can you start tomorrow?” he asks.

Again, Liv speaks for both of us. “Um…sure. I guess.”

“Fan. Freakin’. Tastic. Ladies! You.” He points a stubby finger at me, and I flinch. “Be here at eight. And you,” he adds, nodding at Liv, “be here at three.”

I’m skeptical about Ted’s hiring tactics. “That’s it? No interview or anything?”

He narrows one eye, and his head bobbles like one of those dashboard dolls. “Do you know how to make coffee?”

Make it. Dream it. Drink it. Coffee is my life. “Yes.”

“You’re hired. See you tomorrow.” He totters off laughing, and slips behind the door he came out of.

I wait until Ted is out of earshot to voice my opinion. “Okay, that was random.”

Harrison chuckles. “Don’t mind Ted. He’s a little gruff, but he’s easy to work for. We’ve been short-staffed since the summer began. He’s been stuck working round the clock. I think you two were an answer to his prayers.”

Liv looks thrilled to have the task of job hunting completed. “Well, I’m not complaining any. Now we have the whole day to hang out.”

“I’m not complaining, Liv. It just seems like there should be more to it than this.” I don’t know why I’m complicating this. Pacific Beach is one of the most laid-back places on the planet to live. Why would getting a job in P.B. be any different?

Harrison’s watching me and the little tingle from earlier makes another appearance. My cheeks turn hot, and I bite my lip. Christ…not again. “I’ll be here at eight when you get here, Tori. So I’ll help you out. It’s a piece of cake.”

I look at the door, and keep my head down, muttering, “Thanks, Harrison.” I loop my arm in Liv’s, and start yanking her toward the door. I may have pulled a little too hard, because she stumbles forward, nearly knocking both of us over.