Nate Finlay

I WAS HERE like I promised. I just hadn’t got out of my truck yet. I was giving myself a pep talk. Which was ridiculous considering our history. She was nothing but a childhood fling. One that I was pretending I didn’t remember, which explained me sitting in my vehicle.

“This is a higher level of coward,” I said to myself out loud.

Shaking my head with disgust I got out and headed for the door. The backdoor. Not the front. Bliss had a question about a shipment. I would answer then be on my way. The list that I had of “to do’s” at the place was a half mile long or better, but I couldn’t stay in there with Bliss. Alone, where I could see her and smell her.

Octavia wasn’t going to be happy if she got back and her shit wasn’t finished. I should stay today and get things done. Stop being a dick and hiding. She hadn’t said anything about that summer. Maybe she’d forgotten me too? Lies. I’m lying to myself. Like me, Bliss remembered. I’d seen it on her face the moment we locked eyes. It was as if we were still there. Younger, happier and knowing. Knowing we’d never forget this.

Opening the backdoor I walked inside and stopped short when I saw Bliss’s ass. Stuck up into the air being asslike. It was a nice one. No, scratch that. It was a stellar one and I thoroughly enjoyed the view. The shorts she was wearing rode up high and perfectly cupped her stellar ass. Damn.

She then began to shake that ass, as she remained bent at the waist. She must have heard me come in. Was that why she’d asked me to meet her here? To shake her ass at me? That wasn’t a horrible plan. Currently it was working for her.

“Shake it off, shake it off!” she sang rather loudly, and on key I might add. She then straightened and shook it some more. This time her hips joined in and she did this thing with her hands. It was cute. Blended well with her hips. Bliss York was dancing and I was almost positive she had no idea there was an audience.

She began singing another line, interpreting moves as she unpacked the box. The polite thing to do would be to let her know I was here “not” enjoying myself. Which would be another fucking lie. My guess was she had in ear buds, and couldn’t hear a thing but the music. I wasn’t polite. I let the door close behind me with a thud. That didn’t make her jump so I leaned against the wall crossing my arms to watch. Eventually she’d spin around and here I would be. Bliss would become embarrassed. A nice guy would feel bad about that. As for myself I owed her one. She’d crushed my young heart seven years ago. I might as well make her blush and cringe. Besides, she was giving me a very fond memory, one I would never forget.

The “shake it off” song must’ve ended. Suddenly she belted out “baby, this is what you came for!” I recognized that song. I was impressed with her Rihanna rendition.

Though she didn’t get very far into the song. It was then she threw up her hands, turning in a circle that became a squeal when she saw me standing there. I didn’t move. I just grinned. Then slowly clapped my hands.

She jerked the white cord of her ear buds. As expected her face turned bright red and I felt a little guilty for that. But damn, this was fun to watch. I could get over being a dick. I liked seeing Bliss this way.

For a moment, she was the girl I remembered. The one that made that summer. Now the woman, the Bliss of now, the thing she’d grown into, stammered for something to say.

“I was hoping you’d get to the good part. I think you’d do it better than her. Definitely give her a run for her money.”

I was trying to tease so she’d laugh. It worked, she pressed her lips together, and released a loud giggle. “How long were you standing there?”

“Long enough to see your repertoire of ass wiggling, hip jerking and impressive shimmies I had no idea existed.”

Again, she laughed and covered her face with both hands hiding her embarrassment. “Oh God!”

“I was entertained as hell.”

She shook her head. I waited until she finally dropped her hands and smiled Bliss York’s huge grin. It was like a punch in the gut. As if time hadn’t happened and she was still fifteen, the smile the same, genuine, full of life. Back then that’s what I loved the most, Bliss enjoying everything. She found the good in everyone without any jealousy or any of the negative shit I was accustomed to hearing from girls my age. She didn’t do that, had no interest in anger or spite.

I once thought her smile the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen because she meant it. Nothing fake in its delivery or meaning. Seeing it again I knew it was the same, no matter what happened after that summer, she was still Bliss York. Now she was just older, more mature and more beautiful.

“I didn’t expect you until later.” She appeared to be explaining herself.

“Clearly,” I agreed.

She let out a sigh and another small giggle. Bliss nodded her chin to the left. Towards the boxes stacked on the side. “I need to know what to do with those. Three boxes, the exact same order. I know Octavia loves the Jimmy Choo scarves. The ones she found in Italy were shipped here then these others arrived. I don’t think she wanted that many in stock. She means to keep smaller quantities, to make them more exclusive, and these seem to be overkill. I believe there’s been a mistake.”

The way Bliss spoke with so much knowledge of Octavia’s vision for the store impressed the hell out of me. They’d only met once in the interview. Bliss paid attention and remembered. Octavia had been smart in hiring her.

“I agree. She wouldn’t order that many. It’s about to be hot as hell for the next few months. Few people will be buying scarves.”

Bliss nodded. “That’s what I was thinking. Could she have ordered for her father’s stores?”

That was a possibility. I could call her and ask but this was something Bliss had caught for Octavia. And Octavia needed to know that. My fiancé wasn’t easy to impress and she was hard where Bliss was soft. I wanted Bliss to do well and succeed. Nothing had been handed to her, whereas Octavia, well, had been given the moon and then asked if she’d like condos on its surface. I admit the same goes for me, but I’d learned to appreciate drive, in those who had to make it by themselves.

“Call her, tell her and see what she says.”

Bliss frowned. “You want me to call?”

She sounded terrified, which was good. Octavia could be a mean bitch. Bliss just had to impress her.

“Yeah, Octavia hired you, she needs to hear it from you.”

Bliss chewed on her bottom lip and I wanted to chew on it to. Jerking my gaze off her mouth I silently cursed myself.

“When?”

“Now.”

“Now now?”

“Yep, right this second.”

She inhaled deeply, squared her shoulders and simply replied “okay.” That one word sounded like she was going into battle. It was fucking adorable.

“Thank you for stopping by.”

I shrugged. “I was coming in anyway. I’ve got a shit ton of things to work on. I’ll be here most of the day.”

She looked as surprised as me.

Bliss York

OCTAVIA WAS FURIOUS about the order. She had me get the invoice, read it entirely and when I gave her the balance she freaked, cursing a blue streak and threatening the lives of those who were to blame. I had to admit her anger was justified. Paying thirty thousand dollars for scarves she didn’t order would make me have a stroke. She’d ordered ten, receiving sixty. I was instructed to repack them, though I hadn’t unpacked them, only had a peek. Then return them all. The supplier had made a mistake. She wouldn’t be buying any scarves from them. I thought that was a bit overboard. She was carrying Jimmy Choo items and it was an honest mistake but I didn’t say so.