Chapter 10

Chapter 10

 

Kate practically threw a fit when she found out what Kelli had done. Gwen made her promise not to take action, nevertheless, she spent the following two weeks calling her every nasty name in her vocabulary. Gwen wasn’t the kind of person to stoop to that level, but she had to admit Katie’s backbiting did make a welcome distraction. Zach enjoyed it also, mainly because Kate was too busy attacking Kelli to hassle him. In other words, he had two weeks of unofficial bliss, not that he was crazy enough to think it would last. He spent Gwen's days off with her at the rink, she was doing better and, more importantly, few kids from their school went there. The other days of the week he would meet her at the restaurant after her shift, which basically translated to after closing, then walked her home. He met the other staff members including her boss Tony who matched the stereotype of an Italian chef perfectly. Tanned, muscular and balding, he looked like he would feel right at home as a contractor as well. Gwen informed him Tony had a large family who owned several businesses, a roofing company being one of them, but he preferred life at the restaurant. He was an interesting guy, loud and humorous, but rather protective of his redheaded waitress, which became clear when he threatened to sick his sons on Zach if he hurt her. He laughed it off, but in the back of his mind seriously hoped they weren’t Sicilian.

One day, fifteen minutes before closing someone unexpected stopped by to see her.

“Hey Gwen,” Kate called from the register. “You have a visitor.”

Her voice was too relaxed for it to be Zach, Gwen gazed up from the table she had been cleaning curiously.

“Dustin!” she said surprised.

She stuffed her rag into her apron’s spare pocket and moved toward the waiting area.

“Hi,” he said giving her a shy smile. “This a bad time?”

“Heck no, I could use a break,” she said showing him to a bench.

They sat down before she added, “I’ve been wondering about you, how’s it going?”

“Gwen, explanation please,” said Kate staring at her.

“I told you about him, meet Dustin my latest Hex project,” Gwen replied cheerfully.

Katie’s eyebrows shot into her hairline.

“This is Steel?!” she said pointing.

Gwen felt him shudder beside her.

“It’s okay, Kate knows just about everything I do, your secret’s safe,” she told him reassuringly. “Kate and my boyfriend, Zach would never put someone else in harm’s way.”

“You told your boyfriend?” he questioned anxiously.

“No, I didn’t, he was there,” she said calmly, “Well, around the corner. I’m very open with him regarding what I do, but I’m not going to put him in the middle of a fight.”

“Hmm,” he shrugged. “Makes sense.”

Gwen stared at him sideways and chuckled.

“Now that we’re all acquainted, what’s on your mind?” she asked kindly.

Dustin shifted uncomfortably and watched his feet as he spoke.

“I told my parents.”

Gwen switched gears instantly.

“How did it go?” she asked earnestly.

“They didn’t kick me out . . . but they still believe Hexes are criminals,” he sighed.

Gwen hummed sympathetically.

“Purgatory,” she said. “Neither accepted nor rejected, that’s rough, are you all right?”

“Yeah, I guess, but I need your help,” he replied.

“Sure.”

“It’s just . . . they didn’t throw me out when I told them, but that doesn’t mean they won’t later,” he said awkwardly. “So I have to make money in case that happens.”

“You want me to help you find a job,” she said.

“You told me you had connections,” he mumbled.

“I do indeed.”

Gwen rested her chin on her palm as she thought. After a few moments her eyes lit up and she snapped her fingers.

“I know,” she said standing. “Eh! Tony!”

“Yes, dear,” he replied entering the room.

“Your boy Marco,” she started, leaning on the counter. “Does he still work at the car lot or has your manipulative brother managed to interfere with that part of the family businesses?”

“No, no, Marco wouldn’t let him,” Tony chuckled. “Why do you ask?”

Gwen grinned.

“Think he could use a new pair of hands?” she asked pointing to Dustin.

Tony followed her thumb and Dustin stepped up next to her.

“Can he handle the work?” Tony asked.

“No worries, he has a . . . special advantage,” she replied indirectly.

“Ah,” he said knowingly. “I’ll call him tonight, you come in tomorrow, okay?”

“Yes, sir,” said Dustin happily.

Tony returned to the kitchen with a nod and Gwen patted Dustin on the back triumphantly.

“There we go,” she said cheerfully.

“We don’t know if he’ll take me on yet,” he said, but couldn’t help smiling.

“I wouldn’t agonize over it, unlike his uncle, Marco’s a doll,” Gwen said.

“So true,” Kate added. “Although, he can be a shameless flirt when Gwen’s around.”

Gwen was about to reply when the door opened and Zach walked inside.

“Hey,” she said joyously, completely forgetting Kate’s comment.

She skipped over and gave him a quick peck, but he stared at Dustin over her head.

“Oh yeah, Dustin this is my boyfriend Zach,” she said glancing back at him. “Zach, I think you know Dustin.”

“Yeah,” Zach said flatly.

Gwen rubbed Zach’s arms supportively.

“Hey, before you two get all gooey, Gwen still has tables to finish,” Kate said.

Gwen stuck out her lip.

“Aw, no fair,” she said stepping behind the counter. “Why don’t you come help so we can get it done sooner?”

“Wha . . . hey!”

Zach stifled a laugh as Gwen dragged her into the dining area, there was something so enjoyable about her subtle torture of Kate. Dustin shuffled his feet slightly.

“I wondered what her boyfriend was like,” he said quietly.

They watched as the girls wiped down the tables.

“I may be new around here, but from what I’ve seen you’re a lucky man.”

Zach grinned as Kate threw her cloth at Gwen.

“You got that right.”

Dustin returned around closing the next day, the girls were in the waiting area with Zach when he arrived.

“Perfect timing,” Gwen chirped. “Marco should be here any minute.”

Dustin froze in his tracks.

“He’s coming here?” he asked nervously, thinking he wasn’t dressed for an interview in jeans and a sweatshirt.

“It’ll be fine, he’s really laid-back,” Gwen said.

Dustin wanted to believe her, but it wasn’t easy and nearly hit the ceiling when the door opened behind him.

“Hey Marco,” Gwen sang. “It’s good to see you.”

“When I find out you ask for my assistance I come running,” said Marco with a certain flourish.

Zach rolled his eyes, he wasn’t threatened by Marco and his Italian charm, Gwen was too smart to pay serious attention to it.

“Does your wife know about that mouth?” Kate asked glaring at him.

“Of course,” Marco replied confidently. “What do you think attracted her in the first place?”

Kate groaned.

“Obviously not your wit,” she said aggravated.

Gwen and Zach laughed while Dustin kept silent, this caught Marco’s attention instantly.

“So, this is the new blood,” he said walking up to Dustin, who swallowed nervously. “Dad said you used the term special advantage.”

Gwen looked at Marco with a totally nonchalant expression and scooted closer to Zach.

“Is that a problem?” she asked lightly.

“Not at all,” he replied just as smoothly. “In fact you have great timing, he who shall remain nameless skipped out on us again making us short-handed.”

“Your cousins take after their father, huh?” Gwen giggled.

“Did I say that?” Marco asked innocently, then turned to Dustin. “You got a name kid?”

“Dustin Cordell.”

“Go to school?”

“Yes sir.”

“All right come to the lot afterward, we’ll see what you got.”

“Great.”

“Now I have to get going, the wife is cooking tonight,” said Marco moving toward the door.

“In other words, you need to hit the bar first,” said Kate smartly.

“Yes ma’am and I have a limited window to do so. Later kids,” Marco said leaving before they could reply.

“See I told you,” Gwen said standing.

“How can I thank you,” said Dustin sounding relieved.

“Just stay on this side of the line,” she said giving his shoulder a squeeze. “I think we all like you better this way.”

Reviews

[Matthew Ian Herrawood W]

Im having some trouble getting chapter 11 to load for the last half hour now. ill try again later but in the mean time i might as well give ya a reveiw. im enjoying the story so far and have managed to get past the point i got to last time if i remember correctly. a few things that happen are blatently obvious before they happen or expected although that doesnt retract from the story too much. i am however finding it hard to belive Gwen. she doesnt seem real. O.k. so any girl that can controll light without a power switch isnt real but i mean when she speaks somtimes it seems... stiff... un-natrual. apart from that there was about one typo every chapter that i noticed untill about chapter 8 but nothing major. overall though Im nejoying it and its a nice change of pace to what i usally read and write (which tends to be a bit more full on) so anyway yeah ill try to get chapter 11 loaded later on and continue to read.

[Lost in Wonderland]

Yay for Dustin!

[NinjaPi]

very good. you should prolong the kiss at the end. you could milk it so much.00

[Kanattas Atir Enomo]

ooooo!!!!love it. kelli is such a witch. zach is such a sweetheart! i wish we could all find someone like him