"Is Ariana Townsend one of Jack's lake rats now?" Stella asks me in between bites of her Cobb salad. She's sprawled out on the futon while I sit at the tiny wooden IKEA table serving as my desk. She was determined to make sure the studio I was staying in wasn't some sort of dungeon, so I invited her in to eat while I logged onto class.
"Ariana? From the bar?" I ask and she nods before spinning her phone around to show me what prompted her question. Jack was tagged in a picture with her and Fischer at Lake Pleasant an hour ago.
"Weird. She's another one who tried to snag Jack. Hannah wouldn't have let that happen though. Maybe now that she doesn't work there, she'll try again," I tell Stella and it's impossible to ignore the way my stomach waves at the thought of Ariana hanging with Jack today. For all I know, Jack could have slept with both of them while I was gone. I am no longer privy to his sexual exploits.
"Are you worried?" Stella asks as she spins her phone back to her and I shake my head, "No. I don't think so. Jack always avoided her at work. He wasn't a fan." I say I'm not worried, but I can't shake my annoyance that he hung out with her. She was always obvious in her attraction to him.
"Looks like she ended the day with Fischer though. Jack is only in that one photo and the rest are of her with Fischer and Taylor Hill's crowd," she informs me as her finger swipes through the photos. "Fischer still looks good."
Stella was attracted to Fischer for about forty-five seconds. She liked that he was Filipino and traveled to the Philippians to be with his extended family multiple times a year. Then he mentioned he was an "entrepreneur" and she took that to mean unable to keep a long-term job. She dated one guy who bounced around from start-up to start-up and now she's wary of men with ambiguous job titles.
"That whole group always looks good and that's why it's a cesspool. They all just sleep around with each other, it's gross." I tell her as I skim my assignment. "They are always tan and toned with all their little lake toys. The lake rats are just as flawless. I absolutely hate the new thong bikini trend," I mutter to her as I read over my assignment again, realizing I am absorbing nothing. I have calculus today and I have been struggling since I have had to start taking it online. I was always terrible at math and trying to do it from a book with little teacher interaction is nearly impossible. If I fail the class again, I won't graduate on time and I really can't afford to take it a third time. Financially or mentally.
"Well since you aren't hanging with Jack anymore, you won't really have a reason to be around them. I get you all to myself," she coos and then goes back to munching on her salad. I slide my hummus wrap box into the trashcan before grabbing my grid paper to start on my homework. I struggle immediately.
I continue to stress and erase for another hour while Stella wanders around the small space, picking through my few boxes and unpacking my bathroom stuff for me. She maneuvers around my large boxes containing my baking supplies and I tell her to keep them boxed up. I don't even want to look at cookie sheets.
"You can't let your audience down, Luce. You know you need to keep posting to stay relevant and start bringing in those Youtube dollars again," Stella says after I glare at the box my ring light is in.
"I told you, my heart isn't in it at the moment. Making videos feels so tedious and I just need to focus on school at the moment," I tell her. The little voice inside my head has been nagging me to post more icing videos. I find coloring sugar cookies with icing soothing, and I know people tune into them because they relax them too. It's a great way to build my TikTok views, but I just can't bring myself to pull out my mixer.
"You are going to school so you can run your own business. You won't have a business to run if you have nothing to sell," she tells me with a raised eyebrow. "Get to baking. I am already working on your website and we need to decide what is going to be on it."
"I know, I know. I've noticed I've gotten a lot of requests to ship out my cookies in the comment sections, I just need to figure all that out."
"I mean this with love, but now that you aren't working grueling hours or planning a wedding or settling into your big fancy New York apartment, you can focus on you and your baking."I sigh out dramatically, hoping she'll take the hint.
"I know Stella. Just let me stay in my rut a little longer. I'll try to work on some videos after I figure out how to pass this damn calc class."
"Isn't Jack good at math? I bet he'd help you study." She raises an eyebrow at me but I just roll my eyes.
"I am in no position to be asking him for favors. Also, it's hard enough for me to concentrate when he's not here. Can you imagine me being alone with him, hovering next to him?"
"True. Your brain would not retain the math homework but I guarantee you'd know what he smelled like."
"You make it seem like I am a creepy stalker."
"Babe. When it comes to Jack Dalton, you kinda are." I don't argue with her because I know she's right. She finally reseals my baking boxes and she's rifling through my make-up bag when she asks, "You work tonight, right?" I glance at the clock and realize I have ten minutes left to get this turned in. I shake my head in frustration as I reply, "Yes, I'm gonna have to shower here soon."
"Let me do your make-up," she states as she spins a pink lipstick out of its tube. I usually don't take her up on her make-over offers because she uses foundation, concealer, highlighter and bronzer and I feel like I manage to get it all over my clothes, hands and anyone I come into contact with. I usually just swipe liquid foundation on with some mascara and call it a day. But tonight, I think of Jack spending the day with Ariana and how I told myself I needed to start getting out of my comfort zone. I know to just say yes.
"Sure," I mutter and she stops testing the color on her hand and looks to me.
"For real? You'll let me?" I submit the half-completed assignment and shut the laptop. I shift my gaze to her and reply, "Yeah. It just has to be appropriate for work. No smokey-eyes or red lips." She claps her hands and dumps the entire contents of my makeup bag onto the small counter.
"Thank god I always bring my essentials with me. You have like, five things. I'm taking you to Sephora this weekend," she tells me as she strides over to her blue Goyard bag. After rifling around in the endless bag, she shakes her make-up kit at me and I roll my eyes as I pry myself off the seat. I'm so not in the mood to go stand on my feet for hours and make cheap drinks for college kids. I tell her to busy herself while I shower and I go prepare myself to go spend my second night with Jack.
*********
I might be physically and mentally exhausted when I whip the employee's door open, but I look damn good. Stella wanded my short hair and finally achieved the beachy waves I have been dying for since the stylist did it. She made my hazel eyes pop using shades of purple and lined them using a white kohl eyeliner. I didn't mind the full contour that covered my freckles and the bronzer made it look like I had never left the Arizona sun.
Maggie is the first person I run into and she gives me a mischievous grin when she sees me.
"Well look at you! Do I dare ask if this new look means you are back on the market?" She places her tattooed covered arms on her tiny waist and blocks the hallway with her elbows.
I continue towards her as I shake my head and let out a light laugh, "No. I'm not dating until I am done with school."
"How long is that?" She asks as I snake around her to get into the office and I answer, "Maybe May maybe December." I swing my colorful locker open and stuff my water bottle and purse inside the cubby. Before she can get me flustered over calculus again I ask, "Back bar? With Jackass?" She's tying a yellow bandana around her head to use it as a headband as she replies, "Yep. March Madness begins on Thursday and then spring breaks officially begin Friday. Please wear all and any Sun Devils gear after tonight." I think she's done but then she sticks her finger up and adds, "Oh, and try and enjoy your last quiet night." She swings her raven and purple hair behind her and then disappears out of the office. I forgot about March Madness. That brings even more college kids out when Arizona plays and the people in town for business also flock to our pub tables because we are within walking distance to their hotel. Drinkers camp out all evening and since we only serve fries, mini-corn dogs and chicken tenders, most end up stumbling out of here.
When I make it to the back bar, I find Jack stacking our disposable Coors cups. I tuck a wavy strand of brunette hair behind my ear and ask, "What do you need? And do not say ice." He finally realizes I am behind him and turns toward my voice. When he spots me, I catch the way his eyes slightly widen and I forgot about my fully made-up face. He doesn't point it out but he clears his throat and then says, "Grenadine and limes." I nod to him and then spin away from the bar to go to the backstock. I find Ashleigh walking toward the front bar with one of the most stunning black women I have ever seen. They both smile at me and Ashleigh excitedly says, "Lucy! Oh my god! You look fantastic!" I'm flattered but also surprised that two people have been in awe over me wearing some eyeshadow. How do they think I normally look?
"Meet Sabrina! Our newest hire." She quickly adds and Sabrina waves her dainty hand at me. I notice her hot pink manicured nails match her top.
"Hi Sabrina, welcome to the team." I realize she's been here a month and then laugh, "Obviously this is not your first day. My bad."
She shakes her head and her wide smile is contagious, "I'm enjoying it here."
"I heard you were in the back with Jack while I was gone. I'm glad you were able to handle him." I don't know why I bring up Jack, but she laughs before saying, "You apparently left some pretty big shoes to fill. I'm sure he's thrilled to have you back. No one can apparently live up to his Goose's standards."
I'm sure my blush burns through my seven layers of make-up. Hearing her say 'His goose' definitely made my heart flutter. I never would have thought those two words would make me flush.
"I don't know about that, but it's great to have you on the team." I want to talk to Ashleigh about her weirdness from yesterday but she darts away from me before I can. I wave to them and then continue to the stock room. I wonder what Sabrina learned about me from Jack. The nickname is obviously going nowhere.
I find the box of limes and a bottle of grenadine and wonder if Jack and I will be on less icy terms tonight. We were sort of thawing out during the last shift but then he was pulled away before I really got to talk to him. I want to sort things out with us so my anxiety doesn't kill me this month. Getting through March Madness and spring break without Jack as my sidekick will be absolute torture.