On the Plus Side by Tabatha Vargo Read Free Book Online Page B

alarm clock went off at seven.
    I stopped off at Mirabelle’s for a coffee before I unlocked and opened the store for the day. Shannon and I watched TV in between customers and soon it was time to close for lunch. I was sitting at the corner table. It was now my favorite table in Mirabelle’s thanks to the inspiring love birds from a few weeks before.
    When I didn’t have pockets in my pants, my bra became my phone holder. So, when my cell phone rang it vibrated my boob and caused me to jerk. I touched my screen and accepted the call from the number I didn’t know.
    “Hello!” I answered happily
    “Is this Lilly?”
    “That’s me!”
    “Hey, this is Devin. Can you talk for a few or are you busy?”
     
     
     

 
     
    Six
    Dirty Work
                 
    Today was a slow day. After I finished with the new water pump on an old Ford Dad left for me, I gave Lucy a bath. I grabbed a quick shower and soon it was noon and I had absolutely nothing to do. After I stuffed a ham sandwich and a coke down my throat, I decided to call Renee. I could use a little afternoon delight.
    I was about to call her and make up a lie about coming home early, when I noticed the napkin with Lilly’s number lying across my dresser.
    Why not?
    It only rang twice before she picked up.
    “Hello!” She sang into the phone.
    “Is this Lilly?”
    “That’s me!”
    “Hey, this is Devin. Can you talk for a few or are you busy?”
    The other line got quiet for a minute and I thought maybe she had hung up on me.
    “Yeah, I can talk…what’s up?”
    “I know I just got your number yesterday and we have a date tomorrow night, but I couldn’t stop thinking about you.” I smiled to myself.
    It was more like I was completely bored and there was nothing better to do than sit on the phone handing out fake flattery. Work was work. I might as well have some fun with it. Either way, I was getting paid for this gig, so I might as well do it right.
    I snuggled down into my dad’s big chair. The house was nice and quiet. Jenny was at school and dad was out running errands.
    “Oh, whatever,” she giggled. “You’re funny.”
    “How am I funny?” I asked.
    From what I could tell this chick must never get approached by guys. That was strange considering she was kind of a pretty girl—she’d be hot if she just lost a little bit of weight, but hey, some guys like that kind of thing. I’m just not really into that.
    “It’s just funny…anyway, what are you up to today?”
    “I’m done with work and now I’m lounging around trying to figure out what to do with the rest of my day. Exciting huh?”
    She laughed a little. “It could be worse…you could be stuck at a boring jewelry store with me.”
    “Sounds like torture…being stuck somewhere with a beautiful woman all day? Just kill me now,” I joked.
    She giggled uncomfortably. “You’re silly.”
    We talked like that back and forth. We talked as she left the café and went back to work. We talked while she was at work, and while Shannon, who apparently is her roommate/coworker/best friend, put her in her two cents in the background. I realized after a while that I was actually enjoying our conversation.
    She wasn’t like most chicks, all flirty and boring. She actually talked to me and asked me questions about myself. Not the normal stupid giddy female questions, but actual questions about my family and work. It was kind nice to talk like that. It was comfortable, maybe because I didn’t feel like I needed to impress her. Now that I think about it, it was kind of strange. I didn’t feel like I was talking to someone I barely knew. We talked like old friends.
    By the end of our three hour conversation I learned so many things about her. She talked about her and her mom’s shitty relationship, which was uncomfortable considering I had already met her bitchy mom. She told me about her dad that lived in California and how she never really saw more than his back and briefcase