Werewolf Boyfriend: Atticus (complete)

My sister is moving for a new job, so she invited me to go with her. I jumped at the chance, and would jump at any chance for a fresh start. When I found out where we were going, I was a bit surprised - Ava got a job at a funeral home in a town called Hearthway Hollow, a mountain town surrounded by a national forest and nature reserve. 

For the time being, Ava and I are renting an apartment, which was fine. The place is big enough, even if we have to share a bathroom, and close to downtown so Ava can easily bike to work, and I can walk as I look for a new job. Even if I did live in a house before this, the apartment feels so much bigger, less confining.

“I may not be able to answer my cell phone, but if you need anything, here’s the number for the funeral home where I’ll be working.” Ava puts it on the fridge under a hot dog magnet. 

“I’m fine. I’m not a toddler,” I chuckle. “I plan on doing some cleaning in my room today, then maybe going out and seeing the town a bit.”

“I know. I’m just being cautious.” Ava gives me a worried look. “And don’t worry about making me anything for dinner. Take care of yourself and have a little fun today.”

Twisting my hair around my finger, I watch Ava pack her lunch. I’m struggling with telling her what I really want to do, but that’s silly. It’s Ava. I don’t need to worry about telling her a thing. “I was kind of hoping to see if anywhere was hiring.”

She turns around and gives me a smile. “That’d be great! I know you’ve been excited about that.” 

Relief washes through me, and I return her smile. “Hopefully I can find something. I know my resume isn’t up-to-date, so I have to figure out a way to spin it.”

“You have a great education, and you were working at a pretty prestigious store. This place still has a tool shop, so there must be a jeweler’s somewhere, too.” Ava checks the clock. “Oh, boy, I have to go. Wish me luck!”

“You’ll do fine! Have a good day.” I give her a hug before she darts out the door, then turn around to look at the empty apartment. There are still boxes to be unpacked, and the furniture is sparse. But for the first time in a long while, I don’t hate the place where I’m living. I can happily call this home.

For a while I work in my room, cleaning the baseboards and windows and contemplating setting up my bed. I’ve been sleeping on my mattress and box spring while my bed frame remains in the box. Our parents bought Ava and I new beds for the big move, but neither of us are really handy with furniture. We looked at the instructions and then procrastinated by doing other things around the new apartment. Today, I at least have all the parts laid out. Then I realize the tool box Ava has is nothing more than a hammer, two butter knives, and an ancient can of WD-40. Needless to say, this is not what you need to put furniture together. So I get myself ready and head out into the world.

Down the street from the apartment building there’s a string of small stores - a tool store, a florist, a cafe and bakery, and a few other quaint little places. The whole thing looks like a painting, but nothing feels old or stagnant. There’s something about Hearthway Hollow that just makes it feel comfortable.

I go into the tool store, which smells like a jar of old pennies and cedar chips. I feel a bit lost. I know what I need, but I have no clue where to begin. There’s a girl at the counter, but I don’t want to bother her. I feel silly asking for help. I quietly amble down an aisle, looking up at a wall of screws and nails and bolts. I quickly move away from this confusing wall of metal bits, and at the end of the aisle I see a display of hand saws. Maybe I need one of those? I pick one up and am surprised by how heavy it is. In cartoons they always seem to be like paper.

“Looking for something?”

The gravelly voice makes me drop the saw to the ground. The loud clatter it makes on the hardwood floor makes me jump all over again.

“I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to!” I quickly apologize as I scramble to pick the saw off the ground.

The man is giant, and immediately he makes me nervous. I look down at the ground as I hold the saw.

“It’s OK, I drop shit all the time. You just seem lost, that’s all.” He has a box under his arm and is stocking the shelf before him.

“I, uh...” I struggle with saying what I want and why I came here. I need a good starter set of tools. I’m putting together my bed. I want to set up my room. I need nails or screws to hang pictures. I want a job again.

“I know most of the people here, but your face is new. Let me guess - just moved in? Need a proper tool box?”

I look up at him in surprise. “All my sister’s box has is butter knives.” I lace my hands together, tugging my fingers nervously. “I would appreciate the help.”

He sets down the box and waves his big hand for me to follow. “The name’s Billy.”

“I’m Mimi.” My voice trembles, so I clear my throat to cover it. “It’s nice to meet you, Billy.”

Billy smiles. “I know I look scary, but you should be more frightened of a ladybug than me.” He takes me into an aisle and picks up a tool box. “If you don’t mind me asking, Mimi, what brings you to our sleepy little hamlet?”

I pry my hands apart as I try to settle my nerves. “My sister got a job at the funeral home, and she invited me to come with her.”

“Oh really?” Billy kneels to pick up a couple of screwdrivers. “Which one? Family Heart or the Heatherstone Family Celebration Services?”

“The second one. The mouthful.”

“I know Gregory Heatherstone.” He stands up as he adds the tools to the box. “Although I hope I don’t have to use their business anytime soon.”

I nod, unsure of how to reply without sounding trite. 

“Let’s see, now.” Billy grumbles as he rubs his chin. “What’re you trying to do today?”

“Oh, I’m putting together a bed.” I follow after Billy as he goes for another section. He adds a couple of things to the tool box, including a new hammer. 

“Worse things to do.” Billy leads me to the counter and sets the newly put-together tool box down. “Kamilah, where did you go?”

The girl from before comes up to the front. “I was trying to find a good chair. This one up here hurts my ass.” Her stomach is huge and looks ready to pop. 

“You don’t even need to be working now,” Billy grumbles. “That baby...”

“She’ll pop out when she wants, it doesn’t matter where I’m at.” Kamilah pulls the tool box over and starts ringing things up.

“If you’re looking for work, I’ll be needing someone to man the front here,” Billy offers. 

“Oh,” I’m a bit surprised. “I don’t know the first thing about tools. I’m actually hoping to get a job at a jewelry store, if there are any around.”

“I know Maven,” Billy says. “She owns the Golden Goose down on Hyacinth Creek. I can give her a call if you’d like.”

“I don’t want to be a bother.” I shake my head. “I can just go down there and see for myself. Thank you for your help. This is much nicer than what my sister has.”

Billy smirks. “Almost anything is better than a butter knife when butter isn’t involved.” He opens the door for me and points down the street. “Go around the corner there at the Chinese restaurant, then you’ll want to head right and then cross the street. The Golden Goose is at the end of the block.”

I nod up at him, trying to remember the directions in my head. “Thanks again, Billy. It was nice meeting you.”

Billy’s smile is warm and inviting. Despite his appearance, he has the aura of a teddy bear. “Nice meeting you too, Mimi. Good luck, and welcome to the Hollow.”

I make my way down the street, following Billy’s directions until I come to a storefront under an old, painted sign in the shape of a goose. I walk inside to see pristine glass cases of jewelry, and shelves to one side containing various knicknacks, cards, and gift wrapping. 

“Good afternoon.” An older woman comes walking from the back. “May I help you, young lady?”

“I was...” My voice cracks. I want a job. Are you hiring? Can I help here with anything? I just moved, and I’m a gemologist and a trained jeweler as well. 

My phone starts ringing. “I’m sorry.” I quickly step aside and take my phone out. It’s Ava. “Hello?”

“Hey, where are you right now?” Ava sounds chipper.

“In town.” 

“Then would you like to come have lunch? I’m with my new boss, though, so it’s up to you.” 

I swallow the lump forming in my throat. “That’s okay, where are you?”

“Tiny Hotpot?” Ava seems to be asking someone. “It’s a Chinese place.”

“I just passed it. I can come back.” I look up at the woman, who smiles patiently. As I hang up the phone I give her an apologetic smile in return. “I’m sorry, I’ve gotta go. I’ll come back later.”

“That’s fine.” She waves as I leave.

At the restaurant, Ava flags me down. “I got you some green tea,” she says with a grin. She turns to the man sitting at the table with her. “Mimi, this is my new boss, Atticus.”

Atticus stands and offers his hand to me. He’s extremely tall and pencil-thin, with thick mass of shiny blonde hair slicked back to show off a sharp widow’s peak. “Your sister was just telling me about you,” Atticus chuckles, sounding a tad sheepish as he pulls out my chair for me.

“Here.”

“Thank you.” I feel nervous with Atticus there, but not in a bad way. He has on thick glasses, and a couple of buttons on his shirt are messed up, as if he rushed through dressing. There’s something disarmingly attractive about him. 

Atticus sits down and clasps a teacup between his hands. “I’m not technically her boss, either. We’re doing the same job, I’m just helping to train her.”

“Your name is literally on the building,” Ava teases. 

“My dad is the boss. I’m doing the exact same job as you. Just because Hatherstone is on your paycheck, that doesn’t mean I’m the Heatherstone.” Atticus glances over at me, his dark blue eyes moving back and forth. “Oh, let me pour you some tea.” He takes the teapot and fills my cup. I notice his hands are shaking.

“Thank you, again,” I chuckle. “Atticus… Were you named after-”

He sighs and nods. “Yes, yes. And if I had been born a girl my name would have been Scout.” He takes a quick sip of tea and his glasses fog up. He quickly takes them off to clean them. “But yes, I was named after ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’.”

“It’s a good name.” I look back to Ava, who is going over the menu. “Is Ava causing any problems yet?” I ask to deflect off of me.

Atticus looks shocked as he wipes off the steam from his glasses. “Oh, goodness no! She’s a wonderful employee. I mean, so far, but I think she’s a good fit at Heatherstone.” As he’s putting his glasses back on, he sees the missed buttons on his shirt. “I’m a mess today.”

Ava smiles over at me. “It’s fun so far. I mean, as much as being a mortician can be fun. But Atticus has a pretty clean shop running. Better than the last place I worked.”

As Atticus is fixing the buttons on his shirt I can see a hint of dark blonde chest hair. I quickly looked away, feeling embarrassed for ogling. 

“I see you were at Billy’s.” Atticus motions to the bag at my feet. 

“Oh yeah.” I glance at Ava. “Your tool box was basically just butter knives, so I had to go out and get actual tools.”

Ava shrugs. “I never needed anything else until now.” She sighs and smiles at Atticus. “We’ve got these beautiful new bed frames our folks got us, and we have been putting off putting them together.”

“Then how are you sleeping?” Atticus laughs.

Ava sighs. “On the floor.” I nod in confirmation when Atticus turns to look at me.

Atticus fidgets with his glasses. “If you want some help, I can come by. I’m used to putting things together at work. Surely I can put a bed together.”

I’m not sure how to take that statement, so I just sip my tea.

“Atticus is awkward,” Ava teases, giving me a wink.

Atticus gives Ava a look. “I’m offering help. You could be nice to me.”

“I think we’re pretty helpless with this task, so I suppose beggars can’t be choosers. Is that okay with you, Mimi?”

I open my mouth, but don’t speak. I close my lips again, pressing them into a tight line. “It’s fine,” I finally say. “You’re right, we could really use the help.”

“I’m guessing you would want them together as soon as possible?” Atticus asks.

Ava hands me the menu. “It’d be nice, but we’re fine right now. Whenever you want to offer help, we’ll take it.”

“It’ll probably be an upcoming evening. I’ll have to look over things when we get back to work, but I can tell you then.”

I keep stealing glances at Atticus. He’s a little goofy, but I like the way he picks things up, and how elegantly his long fingers move. A single lock of his neat hair keeps falling between his eyes. Those dark blue eyes, surrounded by golden lashes, are like the sea at night. I find myself blushing when I look too long, so I avert my eyes only to glance at him again.

“Ava was telling me you’re a gemologist. That sounds really interesting.” Atticus refills his tea cup, then mine.

“I haven’t really done it in a while,” I confess. “And it’s kind of boring compared to what you and Ava do.”

“To be fair, I think my job is a little boring, but I’m used to it.” He gives me a soft smile. “What was your favorite part of the job?”

It’s a surprising question, not one I got very often. I have to think about it. “Well...” Looking into his eyes directly, I realize they’re not the sea at night. They’re sapphires. I begin to smile. “I really loved looking at the gemstones. I loved studying them and touching them. When I put them under the microscope, it was like looking into another world sometimes.”

Atticus’s smile blossoms into a grin. “That sounds fascinating. I would say the same thing about my job, but that sort of comes across as gross.”

“Maybe a little,” I titter.

After our orders are taken and brought out, it’s a little quiet while we eat. Atticus checks his phone a few times and speaks to Ava about something at work.

“Thank you for joining us, Mimi,” Atticus says as we leave. He holds the door open for me, and I get to take in just how tall he really is. He must be six feet at least, and I’m barely about five. 

I step out onto the street and look back at him. “Thanks for inviting me. It was nice.”

Atticus smooths down the front of his shirt. “Maybe we can do this again.” He clears his throat, then turns to Ava. “We should head back.”

“We should. Hold on just a sec.” She turns and hugs me, then comes close to my ear. “He’s cute right? Just your type.”

My face instantly burns bright red as she pulls away. I scowl once I realize she’s been playing matchmaker. “Yeah, see you.”

I head back to the jewelry store with a bit of courage built up. Once I ask if she’s hiring, Maven sighs with relief. Apparently, she’s been looking for extra help since business has been picking up. She asks for my resume. I email it to her then and there, a bit worried about the gap between my last two jobs. 

“I’d like to call a couple of your references,” Maven replies. “But I think you’ll be a good match here at the Golden Goose. I’ll call you this week and let you know when you can start.”

I sigh with relief. “Thank you! I really appreciate this.”

A couple of days go by. I nervously wait for the phone call from Maven, busy cleaning the entire apartment. One morning, Maven calls and tells me to start working on Monday. As I’m dancing happily in the kitchen, the door opens and Ava walks in. “Look who's happy!”

I turn, excited to tell her the news, and see Atticus standing behind her. I grow hot from the tips of my ears all the way down to the base of my neck. “I got the job.”

“Oh, yay!” Ava cheers. “Oh, right, Atticus is here to put the beds together.”

Glancing up at him, I wave shyly. “Nice to see you again.”

Atticus grins. “Congrats on your job. You must be excited.”

I suddenly don’t feel so embarrassed. “I am.”

We sit down and have dinner first, and afterwards Atticus helps Ava and I put our beds together. He rolls up his sleeves, showing off his arms a little bit. At one point, Ava steps off to go to the bathroom, leaving Atticus and I alone for a moment. “You look really happy,” Atticus says softly. 

“Do I?” I smile shyly. “I am, but it’s strange. It’s been a long time.”

Atticus finishes screwing in a leg and we set the frame down. “I may be overstepping, and please tell me if I am, but...” He rubs the back of his neck. “If you’re free at any time, I would really like to take you out.”

My heart hammers. “Oh,” I gasp.

“You can say no. It won’t hurt my feelings. You can call for Ava and have her throw me out, if you want.” He chews on his bottom lips anxiously. “But you’re really cute and sweet. I’d like to know you better, even as a friend.”

I feel warm from the inside out. “Thank you,” I say breathlessly. “You too.”

Atticus grins at me. “I mean it. You’re lovely.”

I look aside, wringing my hands, before our eyes meet. The sapphires are wide and sparkling, and I find I cannot look away. “I might like that.” I smile sheepishly. “I wouldn’t mind having a new friend.”

Atticus grins from ear to ear. “Great!” His voice squeaks, and he laughs. “I’ll… I’ll finish this.” He gathers up some of the debris left over from putting the bed together. “Then we can trade numbers.”

I smile. “I’d like that.”