Spark in the Dark

Chapter 17

Shawn woke up before her alarm went off the next morning. Instead of laying in bed the extra few minutes, she decided to get up early so she could treat herself to a latte from a coffee shop in the center of town before heading into Cara Cara. Normally, she was rushing to make it into work on time, so it was a rare occasion she got to do this. She was waiting for her drink to be made when she heard the door open and looked up to see Lyla walking in.

"Hey," Lyla said cautiously. "I didn't know you were here."

"Good morning. Yea, I got up early and wanted a drink."

Lyla ordered herself an iced coffee and turned towards Shawn while they waited. "Did you do anything fun last night?"

"Maybe," Shawn smirked.

"So, he did show up?" Lyla asked excited. "Wait, you're not mad at me, right?"

"Yes and no."

"Did you guys bang, again? Did you bang in the studio?" Lyla gasped. "Did you bang on Luanne's desk?"

"No! Jesus, we didn't bang."

"Wow, so you didn't get laid and yet you still have that big ass smile on your face? Girl, you got it bad."

"I do, don't I? Man, I am in deep shit," Shawn said and bit her lip as the barista handed her her drink.

"Will you chill out? You're going to give yourself premature wrinkles. Have some fun, ok? If things get serious then you can worry about your dad."

"I can't help it. It feels so good when I'm with him it's like I just forget we're doing something wrong."

Lyla was handed her drink and they turned to leave. "Feels pretty good being bad, huh?"

"Not helpful, Ly," Shawn complained as they walked to their cars. Shawn's phone began to ring. She handed her drink to Lyla so she could pull her phone out or her purse. A big smile spread across her lips when she saw Juice's name on her caller id.

"Is that him? Damn, girl, you light up like a Christmas tree for this guy!"

"Shh!" Shawn hushed her and answered her phone. "Hello?"

"Hey, it's me," Juice voice came through the phone. "I was hoping to catch you before you left for Cara Cara."

"I left already, but I'm not there yet. I stopped to get a coffee first."

"Listen, I was wondering if you work on Saturdays?"

"As in tomorrow? Sometimes I do, but not tomorrow."

"Some of the guys are going on a run, but I'm staying here. Clay wants to me to install some cameras outside the clubhouse, but it won't take long and then I'm free the rest of the day. Would you want to, I don't know, ride out to Yosemite with me or something?"

It took everything in Shawn to not squeal in delight at his request. Lyla's eyebrows raised and she shook her head at her friend's behavior.

"Yea, I'd like that."

"Great!" Juice said, a little too excited. He cleared his throat and tried again. "I mean, cool. I'll let you know when I'm done at the clubhouse in the morning before I pick you up, ok? Probably around 10?"

"Sounds good. See you tomorrow then."

"See ya," Juice said and ended the call.

Shawn put her phone away and took her drink back from Lyla. She took a moment to compose herself.

"I'm, uh, sorry you had to see that," Shawn said feeling a little embarrassed.

"I'm not. You're like one of those Beliebers."

"A what?"

"You know, those little girls who scream and cry when they see Justin Bieber."

"Shut up. I am not," Shawn said and went to get into her car.

"I'm just saying," Lyla called to her, "if he spits in your face and you get all happy about it, I'm calling a shrink."

"Go to work, Lyla."

"Yes, boss," Lyla said with a smile and walked to her own car.