Werewolf Boyfriend: Atticus (special preview)

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

I start to ask if she’s Maven but I suddenly clam up. “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?” I answer.

“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 down 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 as she smiles waiting on me. As I hang up the phone I give her an apologetic one 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 waves to flag me down. “I got you some green tea ordered,” she says with a grin. She then 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 looks like he’s pencil thin. He has a tick mop of shiny blonde hair that’s slicked back and away from his forehead to show off the sharp widow’s peak. 

“Your sister was just telling me about you,” Atticus chuckles, sounding a tad sheepish. “Here.” He pulls out my chair for me. 

“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 dressing. There’s something disarming about him, but at the same time, he’s quite attractive. 

Atticus sits down and clasps a tea cup in between his hands. “I’m not technically her boss either. We’re doing the same job, I’m just helping 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, doesn’t mean I’m the Heatherstone.” Atticus glances over at me, his dark blue eyes cut back and forth. “Oh, here, 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,” I murmur. “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. “But yes. Uhm-” He takes off his glasses. “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 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 celebrations.” 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 shopping running. Better than the last place I worked.”

As Atticus was fixing the buttons on his shirt I could see the beat of dark blonde chest hair. I quickly looked away, feeling embarrassed at myself for ogling. 

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

“Oh yeah.” I glance to Ava again. “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 reply 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 sip my tea.

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

Atticus huffs as he gives Ava a look. “I am offering help, you could be nice to me.”

“I think we’re pretty helpless with this chore, 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 then 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. In a way he’s a little goofy, but I keep seeing these glimpses of things I find attractive. The way he picks things up and how his long fingers move elegantly. How his hair is so neat but a single lock 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.