Chapter 23: 23. Circumstances

**Jodie**

"Are you seriously telling me to calm down?" I half-whisper in front of Doug, where I am standing in front of his big boss desk with his office door closed behind me.

I am in the middle of my shift, a couple of days after my car had a little incident when Doud calls me into his office. Okay, it wasn't that little of an incident, the late-night car trouble had me scared shitless for hours that night. I couldn't even go home, imagining sleeping alone in my bed was too freaking scary for me.

"You can't just tell me that someone messed with my car and not be paranoid? The hell, Doug?" My hands are shaky and I feel the urge to sit down when my legs are getting wobbly.

"Hey, I'm telling you this not to freak you out. Jodie... everything is going to be okay. I'm taking care of it."

"Okay, sorry...it's just that. This is becoming too much for me."

"Jodie, listen to me. Everything is going to be okay. Now, about that car. I talked to the mechanic and he he said it's cheaper to buy a used car in the long run, rather than fixing it."

"No...no, just tell him to fix it. I'll get the money somehow. I'll work an extra shift at the bar. Just please make him do it. Doesn't have to be perfect. As long as it runs." As soon as the words leave my mouth I know I have said the wrong thing, cause Doug looks furious.

"As long as it runs?! Are you being serious right now, Jodie? Do you know how worried I was for you that night? You were stranded by the side of the road! I know you're scared, but now you're telling me you want to risk the experience again?"

"I...I didn't mean..." I am nervous, I know he means well. But I really need my car and I mean it when I say that they should just patch up the car and get it going.

"Tell me, what do you mean?" His shoulder slumps, as he rests back in his chair.

"I just need the car, I can't have you or Billy drive me around every day."

"Why not? Billy works here, and I can surely drive you back to your mom's, even if it means we have to come clean with Billy."

"We can't tell Billy about us," I say in shock, seriously not wanting to add more problems to my ever-growing ones.

"Why? Are you embarrassed of me?"

"What no! It's not about that. Billy might think you are going to play favorites with me."

Fuck...fuck...fuck, I really can't do this on top of everything.

"So? Are you or are you not my girlfriend."

"I am...it's just that we have a complicated kind of relationship here." I am lost at words, I don't even know what I'm doing with him. He's my first real adult relationship. I'm totally clueless.

"Well, I think you're the one who's making it difficult. I want to take care of you. You're..."

Before Doug has a chance to continue, there's on knock on his door. I instantly get up when Doug tells me to stay put. I groan thinking about telling him that we'll continue our conversation later. I still need to get back to my station and work my ass off to pay for my ancient car.

When my mind wanders off calculating how the hell I'm going to sort the bill for my car, an older man comes into the room. And when I hear Doug grgreetim as his dad, my head quickly turns to them.

"Dad, this is a surprise."

"Um... I should go back to the bar." I say to Doug, not wanting to interrupt his Dad's visit. Surely I don't want to be introduced to his Dad while in disguise. Fuck. This relationship *is* getting too complicated.

"Oh, right okay. We'll continue our discussion later, Jordan." And just like we have an agreement, he doesn't introduce me to his Dad. But when I am about to saunter out of the room his Dad grabs my arm and forces me to look at him.

"You look familiar."

I freeze instantly because at that moment a realization hits me. I *know* him. I recognize his cold eyes from somewhere. I know I've seen him before. But I can't remember where.

"Dad?" Doug's voice cut our stares and his Dad cleared his throat and greeted his son after he abruptly let go of my arm.

My heart is still pounding when I swiftly excuse myself from Doug's office. My mind is busy shuffling why those cold eyes really bother me. I feel shivers running down my spine, I can't imagine Doug is related to him. The coldness is still there, I can't seem to shake the bad feeling from my gut. Deep down the man oozes danger, I just can't figure out why.

"Jordan, you okay man? What did the boss man want you for?" Zak asks the second I am by his side, behind the bar, and start wiping the bar's surface. My nerves are still tense when I try to make an excuse for the fogginess in my brain.

"Yeah, just the usual. I'm taking over Kirk's shifts and you're going to be training with Billy." There, I know Zak has a little crush on Billy, and it's cute to see his cheeks flush every once in a while. It surely takes his mind off of my issues.

"Oh, yeah of course," Zak confirms.

"Speaking of the devil, hey, Billy. Evening, boss. It's about time you get out of that storage room. We miss you." I wink at the man and he raises his eyebrow at me, clearly at a loss as to what I was goading him for. Then his smile turns feral when he sees the pink hue on Zak's cheeks.

"Well, you know me. Always trying to up one with the big boss." Billy winks back at me, making me laugh. "Hey, Zak. How are you doing behind the bar? Everything good?" Billy continues moving past me the stop inches away from Zak. I see Zak's cheeks turn another shade of pink and I shake my head at Billy, silently telling him to cool his jets.

A flux of incoming customers keeps us busy for the next couple of hours. Zak makes a couple of mistakes, and both Billy and I help him correct them. When break time arrives I dismiss myself to the break room where Luis fills in for me and starts helping Zak fall into his new routine.

"He's doing great isn't he?" I ask when Billy enters the lounge then hunting for dinner stored in his locker earlier.

"Yeah, Zak is learning fast. I might've put him as a busboy for too long, clearly, he was getting comfortable with the position that he needed time to take more workload. But he's definitely better."

"Wow, so proud of you Billy, spoke like a true manager. And here, I was actually asking about how great Zak is hiding his little man crush from you." I giggle when Billy almost drops his meal.

"Come on, show me yours and I'll show you mine?" I tease as I get my lunch bag out of my locker and walk to the square table in the corner of the room.

"Damn, Jodie, you are so full of it tonight aren't you?" He grumbles and I can't help myself but laugh at him. "So what did the boss man want with you earlier."

"Um..." I guess it's time to tell Billy. "You know how Doug found me when my car broke down?"

"I remember, and still pissed that your phone was dead. You still remember to charge it when you're about to go out, right? It's a miracle he found your car. Well, that car *is* a miracle in its own way. Seriously, Jodie, just get rid of that death trap. I'll be happy to get you to the bar whenever we have the same shift, you know 'save the environment, go with to work with your buddy' or some shit like that."

"Yeah, some shit like that..." I repeat and he laughs at me, making me laugh with him too.

"Well, he helped me call the mechanic for the car. He also told me about the car and how they think it's cheaper for me just to buy another used car than to fix my car."

"Uh-huh, don't forget to mention it'll be safer too."

"Ugh...what is with my life? I just want a little break here, Billy." I release my frustration on him.

"Hey...there Jordan, everything is going to be okay. I'm here for you. We'll make things work. Okay?"

"Fuck, now you get me crying," my tears flow easily, all the tension starts cracking, and when Billy hugs me, I cry harder.