the last thing he wanted to do, he was going to need a job, something to help pay his bills.
Chauncey had to get back to his ranch. He said there was too much to do, and he was going to get his ass kicked by his pa if he didn’t get his day’s worth of work done. Curtis chuckled at the fear in his bear’s eyes when he spoke of Mr. Lakeland. It was truly comical.
“Curtis,” Murphy, one of the mates who happened to be half wolf, half human, greeted him. Murphy had always been nice to Curtis, although Curtis suspected he was a little nutty.
“Hey, Murph. I came to apply for the assistant job,” Curtis said as he walked over to the glass-encased counter. He sat the paper down, looking around to see quite a few people inside the small bookstore.
“Oh, thank goodness. I’ve had a bunch of college kids apply that wouldn’t know a hardcover book if it smacked them in the head.” Murphy waved his hand around the shop as he walked over to stand by Curtis. “Ever since I opened a cyber café on the other side of the bookstore, I can’t seem to keep up. Tell me you know how to make espressos.”
Curtis could feel his face heat up as he shook his head. “Sorry. But I’m a pretty fast learner.”
Murphy eyed him for a moment before sighing. “Then I’ll teach you. I would rather have pack working here than some college kid who is only interested in sex and his newest Android phone.”
Curtis was about to point out that he was college age and loved sex now, but he closed his mouth. He really did need the job. If he was to prove that he was independent, then he needed to keep that lousy apartment. He still couldn’t get over the fact that the pipes rattled every time someone took a shower in the building. At two in the morning, it was unnerving. Although he had Chauncey with him, it still spooked him.
“Let me show you the ropes so I can get back to the book side of things,” Murphy said as he led Curtis to the other side of the bookstore and behind a counter that held a large coffee machine and bottles of liquid flavorings. He prayed he hadn’t gotten in over his head. He was relieved when Murphy handed him a cheat sheet on how to make all the different flavored coffees.
“The pumpkin-spice lattes are in season, and everyone has been ordering them like mad. Maybe we should start with that one.” After about an hour, Curtis was no closer to getting half the orders correct. Murphy continually reassured him that he would get the hang of things. He did get the seasoned drink down pat though. Curtis chatted and laughed, getting to know a few of the customers as the day pushed on.
It wasn’t as bad as he thought it would be. Curtis liked working at Murphy’s. He grinned widely as his mate strolled through the door.
Chauncey grunted at a few college men who had been sitting at the counter, chatting away with Curtis. He thought it funny when his mate leaned over the counter, cupped his face, and staked his claim.
Oddly enough, that only made more of the guys come over to the counter. Now it was Curtis’s turn to grunt. He didn’t like the men giving his mate so much attention. Chauncey chuckled as he took a seat, a shitty-ass grin on his face. “Don’t like turned tables, do ya?”
“Not one bit.” Curtis pouted.
“You know I only want you, honey bunny, right?” Curtis growled when a few people snickered. He wasn’t used to public displays. For Chauncey, he would get used to it real quick. But the “honey bunny” part was going to take some getting used to. Like ten years.
Curtis grabbed a cup to make another coffee, sticking his tongue out at his mate as he did so. Just as he turned around to tease Chauncey some more, he spotted Billy walking into the bookstore.
Chapter Six
Chauncey looked over his shoulder to see who Curtis was staring at. He saw a redhead standing over by the counter on the other side of the bookstore and wondered who he was. The guy was eyeing his mate awfully
Chauncey had to get back to his ranch. He said there was too much to do, and he was going to get his ass kicked by his pa if he didn’t get his day’s worth of work done. Curtis chuckled at the fear in his bear’s eyes when he spoke of Mr. Lakeland. It was truly comical.
“Curtis,” Murphy, one of the mates who happened to be half wolf, half human, greeted him. Murphy had always been nice to Curtis, although Curtis suspected he was a little nutty.
“Hey, Murph. I came to apply for the assistant job,” Curtis said as he walked over to the glass-encased counter. He sat the paper down, looking around to see quite a few people inside the small bookstore.
“Oh, thank goodness. I’ve had a bunch of college kids apply that wouldn’t know a hardcover book if it smacked them in the head.” Murphy waved his hand around the shop as he walked over to stand by Curtis. “Ever since I opened a cyber café on the other side of the bookstore, I can’t seem to keep up. Tell me you know how to make espressos.”
Curtis could feel his face heat up as he shook his head. “Sorry. But I’m a pretty fast learner.”
Murphy eyed him for a moment before sighing. “Then I’ll teach you. I would rather have pack working here than some college kid who is only interested in sex and his newest Android phone.”
Curtis was about to point out that he was college age and loved sex now, but he closed his mouth. He really did need the job. If he was to prove that he was independent, then he needed to keep that lousy apartment. He still couldn’t get over the fact that the pipes rattled every time someone took a shower in the building. At two in the morning, it was unnerving. Although he had Chauncey with him, it still spooked him.
“Let me show you the ropes so I can get back to the book side of things,” Murphy said as he led Curtis to the other side of the bookstore and behind a counter that held a large coffee machine and bottles of liquid flavorings. He prayed he hadn’t gotten in over his head. He was relieved when Murphy handed him a cheat sheet on how to make all the different flavored coffees.
“The pumpkin-spice lattes are in season, and everyone has been ordering them like mad. Maybe we should start with that one.” After about an hour, Curtis was no closer to getting half the orders correct. Murphy continually reassured him that he would get the hang of things. He did get the seasoned drink down pat though. Curtis chatted and laughed, getting to know a few of the customers as the day pushed on.
It wasn’t as bad as he thought it would be. Curtis liked working at Murphy’s. He grinned widely as his mate strolled through the door.
Chauncey grunted at a few college men who had been sitting at the counter, chatting away with Curtis. He thought it funny when his mate leaned over the counter, cupped his face, and staked his claim.
Oddly enough, that only made more of the guys come over to the counter. Now it was Curtis’s turn to grunt. He didn’t like the men giving his mate so much attention. Chauncey chuckled as he took a seat, a shitty-ass grin on his face. “Don’t like turned tables, do ya?”
“Not one bit.” Curtis pouted.
“You know I only want you, honey bunny, right?” Curtis growled when a few people snickered. He wasn’t used to public displays. For Chauncey, he would get used to it real quick. But the “honey bunny” part was going to take some getting used to. Like ten years.
Curtis grabbed a cup to make another coffee, sticking his tongue out at his mate as he did so. Just as he turned around to tease Chauncey some more, he spotted Billy walking into the bookstore.
Chapter Six
Chauncey looked over his shoulder to see who Curtis was staring at. He saw a redhead standing over by the counter on the other side of the bookstore and wondered who he was. The guy was eyeing his mate awfully
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