Betad by kitchmill. Mistakes are my own.
Preread by Hoodie.
Someone noticed this sounded a bit familiar. And yes, I did enter a New Years os based in Australia that was a chopped up version of the beginning of this story. I had this written and had a hankering to enter a contest so I tweaked it. However, this beginning doesn't completely go the same as that os and this is way longer.
Yeah, this is early. Y'all know me. I can't stick to a schedule for shit.
2
"Little Wolves," he read off of the sign. His voice was deep. It vibrated through me like the rumble of a powerful engine. "Any of those Little Wolves yours?"
I cleared my throat. "Yes, actually. That one. Brady." I pointed him out in the picture. Dimples and all. "He plays fullback. Just like his father." Got the dimples from him, too. But why in the hell was I bringing all that into this? I was such an idiot.
The curve of the guy's lips settled into a straight line. Glancing down at my left hand he made the slightest movement away and crossed his arms over his chest. "Your husband plays, too?"
"Well, played. But he's not my husband."
Before I could finish telling him how I'd never been married Mike slid in between us, holding his hand out across the front of the booth for a handshake.
"Hey, man. I'm Mike. Mike Newton from Newton's Embroidery and head coach of the Little Wolves. And you are?"
The guy shook Mike's hand. "Masen Edwards."
"Ah well, you lookin' to help the kids out today? I know they would surely appreciate it."
Alice and I exchanged a look. What the hell was he even still doing here? We were fine on tickets, didn't need any help and he wasn't supposed to be here until five.
"You from around these parts?" Mike asked, getting off the subject as he often did.
"About an hour north of here. Just transferred from Chicago."
"You don't say. What is it you do for a living? If you don't mind my asking."
Smiling, the guy rubbed his chin. "No, I don't mind." Almost seemed amused by it. "I'm an aircraft maintenance engineer."
"Oh, so you do maintenance," Mike said as if he considered the mere word beneath him.
If my eyes could shoot laser beams they would have burned a hole right through the back of Mike's dumb head.
"On aircrafts, yes. You know, airplanes, helicopters—"
"Yeah, yeah."
"Sometimes work on the guys' bikes when needed."
"Got it. So uh, how many tickets can I get for ya then?"
Masen Edwards, the aircraft maintenance engineer from up north who sometimes worked on bikes barely thought about it. "How much for the whole lot?"
All three of us gaped at him in unison.
"That's not necessary," I started, but Mike lifted his hand to stop me.
"Let's not be hasty now. You're telling me you want to buy the rest of these raffle tickets?"
"Depending on how much it'll run me I guess, but yeah."
Mike looked over at me then at Alice.
"Does this mean I can go home?" Alice asked.
Ignoring her, Mike swiveled his head back to me. I shrugged.
"Twenty-five hundred," Mike spouted off randomly.
My eyes darted back and forth from him to Masen. They went wide as saucers when Masen reached for his wallet and whipped out a credit card.
"Sorry, bud. Cash only." Mike smirked, crossing his arms and puffing out his chest.
"No, wait!" Alice exclaimed and grabbed her purse. "Just give me a second here." She circled the contents a few times before pulling out her trusty card swiper she used for those who obtained her services. Alice was a traveling masseuse, hairdresser slash nail technician, and prodigal entrepreneur all rolled up into one tiny, adorable woman.
Dropping the purse back down on the ground she joined us. "Okay, let me see that." Reaching past an annoyed Mike she grabbed then swiped the credit card. "All right, so, this will go straight into my account. Monday morning I'll just withdraw the twenty-five hundred and give you the cash at practice," she explained to Mike, handing Masen his card back before having him sign his twenty-five hundred dollars away.
"Thank you for your business!" Alice sang then threw the device back in her purse.
At that point Mike had no choice but to concede. He held out his hand again. "Appreciate it, man. This'll mean a great deal to the kids."
Masen nodded and took Mike's hand in his.
"So, we closing up shop or what?" Alice asked impatiently, pulling the strap of her purse over her shoulder.
Tail tucked between his legs, Mike stepped away to start cleaning up around the booth.
I stepped closer to this practical stranger who'd just paid for every kid's uniform and then some. "I can't believe you did that. Really. It's just … too generous." And crazy. "I feel like I owe you or something," I said idiotically.
His brow raised.
"I mean, I'm just saying. It's a lot of money." And it was his money, his choice. I didn't owe him anything for it. I didn't ask him to do it. I knew that.
I also knew that I needed to shut up but I just couldn't get over it. I'd always, always lived paycheck to paycheck and then this guy swoops in with enough cash to cover three of my mortgage payments.
His surprise morphed into amusement and he smiled. "Okay well, if you really feel that way, I suppose your name would do."
"My name? Twenty-five hundred dollars and all you want is my name."
"And the raffle tickets."
I breathed out a soft laugh. "Right."
"Yep, those'll do me. For now."
Those last two words put a fire in my chest. It burned out just as quickly as it ignited, and I grabbed up the last of the tickets to hand over.
"All right, so, let's have it." He gestured with his hand.
"Have what?" I asked, remembering the deal the very moment he reminded me. "Oh, right. Shit. Sorry. It's Bella. I'm Bella." I flattened my palm on my chest. My heart beat erratically against it. "Bella Swan." And a spaz now, apparently. Either that or this guy was making me this way.
"Well, Bella, will I be seeing you around or did I just run you all off?"
"Pretty much ran us off," I joked, though I didn't think it came across that way.
Masen's face sort of fell. "Oh well, that wasn't my intention."
"No, of course not. I was only kidding." Just not very well, I guessed.
"Okay, so that means you'll still be around then?"
"Oh. Uh, I'm not sure about that." No way I was hanging around this crazy place just for the fun of it. "This isn't really my s—"
"Son's dad's scheduled night." Alice swooped in as I was just about to explain how this wasn't my scene. "So, she doesn't have a sitter. But she will tomorrow night, right?"
I looked over at her. She yelled at me with her eyes to agree. "Right, Bella?"
"Right. Tomorrow. Tomorrow I'll have a sitter."
Alice nodded, smiling at Masen. "So, five o'clock tomorrow. Same place. You'll be here?"
"Yes, ma'am. I'll be here."
"Okay, good. Well, we should get going. Can't keep the kids waiting. See you tomorrow then, Masen." Alice waved and grabbed my arm to drag me out of the booth with her.
"All right. See you tomorrow." Masen gave a gentlemanly nod, keeping eye contact as I backed away. "Bella."
I couldn't seem to take my eyes off of him either. "Yeah, see ya."
