“FUCKING HELL!” I screamed, slamming the sketch room door behind me as I ran back out of it. I’d found her all right, bent over a desk in a very compromising position, a position I was sure would leave me with nightmares.

“Sorry ‘bout that. What’s wrong?” she asked, tucking her shirt back into the band of her still unbuttoned jeans.

“I… umm… I…” I stumbled over my words, still thrown off at just having walked in on my brother diddling his wife. At. Work. A place where I was no less!

“Come on, out with it,” she told me, fluffing up her hair so it didn’t look like it’d just been pulled. “Everyone has sex, sweetheart.” She smiled.

“I… the… the phone… umm…” I shook my head and tried again. “There’s a customer on the phone who claims to have an appointment with you this afternoon, but I have no booking for him.” I followed after her toward the front of the shop and paused long enough to say, “You two are fucking gross.”

Teeny simply poked her tongue out and pushed her boobs up for effect before picking up the phone and putting on a professional demeanor. Still shaken and feeling like I needed a bleach bath, I busied myself helping the collage kids find what they were after, hoping the day didn’t get any worse. One of them picked a small fairy to go on her ankle while the others took a seat.

I handed the image off to Trip and passed him the signed consent form. He looked unbothered that I’d just seen him having sex. In fact, he just chuckled and took his client to the other end of the store to work.

Teeny stood up from my seat and put the phone back on the base. “All sorted. His appointment was for next Wednesday. His girlfriend booked it in under her name apparently.” She changed the name in the appointment book and leaned down on the glass counter.

“I swear today can’t get any worse. I’ve fucked everything possible up,” I grumbled, clicking Print on the screen in front of me.

The printer came to life and started spitting out forms to re-stock our paperwork just as Teeny let out a loud laugh. “Famous last words, chick.”

I scrunched my forehead up and looked toward the door where her eyes had been fixed just as Jude walked in. My stomach instantly plummeted to the floor and the rest of my body knotted up. Seeing the man you were completely and hopelessly in love with walk into a room, knowing you had him and lost him, was gut wrenching… literally.

I looked down to the computer screen but not fast enough to miss the steely expression cross his face when he saw me. Talk about a slap to the face. That slap turned into a punch when he walked straight past me to the back of the shop without a single word. The moment he was out of sight my shoulders slumped.

“Go take a break across the road for lunch or just go for a walk, chick. You need a minute.” Teeny’s tone was understanding. I snatched up my bag and headed to the front door with my head still down, silently holding back the tears that threatened to spill over. “I know it’s not worth much, but I’m sorry,” Teeny added before I ducked outside and around the corner to the parking lot where the fat tears broke their banks and rolled down my face.

“What a cluster fuck of a day. “ I sniffled into my hands as I made my way as far as my legs could carry me from the parlor.

Teeny was right; I spoke too soon. Jude was the icing on my completely fucked-up cake of a first day. No way in hell was I going to be able to go back. I bet my pink slip was waiting for my defeated return.

“Please don’t be there when I get back,” I mumbled to myself as I opened the door to the sandwich shop. I had no appetite, but the smell of fresh baked bread was comforting anyway.

I couldn’t shake the look he had given me, or should I say non-look as he walked past me as if I were nothing but gum on the bottom of his boot. I closed my eyes as I slouched into the little booth toward the back. Almost as if in silent prayer, I willed my heart to stop breaking just a little bit more every time I laid eyes on Jude.

Jude

Fuck me dead.

I’d been anxious before I got to Needle’s Kiss, but once I actually entered the shop, I nearly fell over my own tongue. Seeing Haven was fucking painful, but seeing her looking so good was pure torture. That sexy outfit had somehow made me want to say to hell with everything, throw her over my shoulder and take her home. The thought of Haven in my home as she made it our home, caused a twinge in my chest. It would never be.

“What the fuck do you want?” Trip’s sharp tone snapped me back to the here and now.

“I want to talk to you,” I shot back just as bad-tempered as he was. I was well and truly over this hostile bullshit. These boys were my family for all intents and purposes.

“Well, too bad. I got nothing to say to you.” He threw a hand towel over his shoulder and stomped off toward the back entrance. Apart from the fact I didn’t want Haven overhearing us, I also knew he was going to take a swing and that was always best done outside.

“Don’t really give a shit. You don’t have to say anything but you’ll damn well listen.” I let the heavy back door close behind me and steeled myself just in time for Trip’s fist to connect with my jaw. A metallic taste filled my mouth instantly. I spat it at the ground near my feet and ran my tongue over the small split in my lip. “You done?”

“Fuck you!” Trip snarled, lunging at me again. I let him throw as many punches as he needed to, blocking them all without hitting back until he was out of breath.