Chapter 8
Chapter Eight
The next morning, I turned over in bed, reaching across the soft sheets, but Soyer wasn’t there.
That realization woke me faster than an alarm could have.
After the witch, I usually felt safer when he was here.
At the same time, I knew that most of the fear was irrational, just as all the things the witch had made me believe were irrational.
I turned the other way to get to my phone and check the time. Just a little after noon. That was pretty early for me these days, but since Soyer wasn’t here, I decided there was no reason to linger.
I got up and saw that Soyer had laid out a set of the very soft sweats he’d bought for me.
He’d picked the ones with the light blue shirt and the darker pants; a similar color layout to my uniform.
When he’d got me this set, I’d secretly wondered if he liked seeing me in my uniform, if these sweats had spoken to him because of that.
I was smiling even as I stretched and pulled them on.
I made my way to the bathroom, and from there, I went down the winding staircase to what looked like an empty apartment. That made my smile falter.
“Soyer?”
There was no response, but a thermos stood on the kitchen island next to yesterday’s breads, now stowed away in plastic containers that were neatly piled there.
I had an uneasy feeling, and sure enough, Soyer had made me coffee, even set out a cup for me underneath which he’d tucked a note written out in his intricate copperplate. It read,
My Heart,
I apologize for leaving you. I had to take a meeting. Please text me when you read this.
Soyer.
I sighed, poured myself some coffee, and took it over to the couch before opening the chat on my phone.
You always manage to sneak out, and I never notice.
Soyer’s answer came fast.
Always? I loathe leaving you alone in bed, so that seems the wrong word.
Did you sleep well?
Yes. Having coffee now. Might head to work early just to spite you.
You explain all that overtime to Dwayne then. He should be there today.
He actually asked for you to come in early, just around 5. The new manager is going to start, and Dwayne wants you there to evaluate, do the onboarding or whatever you call it.
I might not make it back before then.
I sipped my coffee, wondering what I should do until then. Five o’clock was still a long way off. I had books I wanted to read, and hanging out with Elias was always an option.
No worries, I’ll be there.
I started typing again, but hesitated. I wanted to ask when Soyer would come in, whether he’d be late at all. But he was probably busy with…whatever the Black Shuck got busy with.
He didn’t need to worry about me feeling lonely for no good reason.
Besides, once I was at work, it would be like any other day.
He’d come by around midnight, maybe earlier, but until then, I was fine with Ben, the job enough to keep me busy and stop me missing Soyer. Or not miss him all too much anyway.
If you go out, remember to let Ben know.
I groaned. “Typical.”
Whatever you say. Can Ben get a raise? You know, because if he ever plans a date with the writer but has to cancel on short notice because he has to act as my bodyguard, that seems only fair.
Amory, careful. But very well, tell Ben you just got him a raise when you next see him. Which will be…?
I was about to write something teasing, but I didn’t. Soyer had come for me when the witch had taken me. I didn’t want to make him worry by being irresponsible, by even giving him the faintest of suggestions that I was ditching Ben and thereby going right into danger, as he saw it.
When I leave here. Hey, can Rae get a raise too? Since you hired them to watch me just like Ben.
Seems unfair to only give Ben a raise.
Whoever needs a union if they have you?
Fine, they get a raise too.
You’ll have to thank me in their place later tonight.
My cheeks heated, and warmth built in my belly.
All right. I’ll do that.
Only if you want, my heart. I have to get back to this. See you later.
I sent him back a heart emoji even though emojis were more his thing, and stretched out on the couch.
I hadn’t been alone in a very long time, and for a moment there, I felt like a fir tree, uprooted and taken from its place in the forest into a house where tinsel was rained on it like snow, where the air was too warm, and where no living creature sought shelter in its branches.
After washing Soyer’s Turkish coffee pot, which he’d left in the sink, I ended up reading while snacking on the buns he’d made. The sweet bread was good with the berry jelly he kept in the fridge, and I had more coffee than I normally did.
All in all, I was being lazier than I had been in ages.
That didn’t bode well for…next week? I hadn’t asked when they’d start taking away my shifts, but I had to train the manager first. They wouldn’t just expect someone else to take over from me without at least a little bit of extra training.
And while giving up my nights at the Moonlight felt like I was being pushed out, I was happy that we were growing, that we’d be open for longer.
I also liked the idea of seeing more people from the underground come to visit us.
I reached the conclusion that expanding was going to be good, that it meant we’d get more people in the door, and that got me excited.
With the energy born from that excitement, I ended up taking a shower at about three, right after texting Ben to let him know I was going to head in early if he was okay with that.
He said he was going to meet me downstairs at the front desk. Yet, when I got down there, it was just Jules. The young doorman looked up from his computer and smiled when he saw me come out of the elevator.
“Heading out early today, sir?”
I leaned on his desk. “Just a little. Did you see Ben?”
“Not yet. Would you like anything while you wait?”
Jules looked downright hopeful, which made me smile. Maybe it was like Elias had said and people really thought I was dating a dark prince, a moniker Soyer wouldn’t appreciate.
“No, I’m good. But thanks.”
“Of course. Say, while I have you, do you have any preference when it comes to holiday candy?”
I cocked my head. “Holiday candy?”
Jules was beaming. “Oh yes.”
“Do you mean like…gingerbread? That sort of thing?”
“Absolutely. Do you like gingerbread?”
“It’s not too bad. I guess…marzipan is nice.”
“Hmm. Good choice. Anything else?”
“Uh, I don’t know? I’m not sure.”
That had him frowning, but he recovered quickly. “Marzipan and gingerbread with a big question mark is a good start. And about Thanksgiving, we wouldn’t want to intrude, but do you think we could bring you up a pumpkin pie? Or maybe you’d rather apple?”
I didn’t know why he was asking me all this, but I had the feeling this was one of those important interactions where each casual remark I made meant something far more important to the other party, and if I said something wrong, I’d probably end up offending someone.
Jules looked like he really wanted me to say yes to the pie, that much was clear.
“You don’t have to go to any extra trouble, Jules.
Thanksgiving is always so busy…” I trailed off.
It was. Had been. Back before Soyer. Dwayne had made it special, in his way.
There was normally cake in his office, and he’d been sure to make everyone food to take home at the end of their shift.
As it was, I wasn’t even sure I was going to be working on Thanksgiving.
I registered then that not working on a holiday was something family people might care about, and from there, I went on to a minor revelation: I had family too.
I didn’t know if he was the type to celebrate, but maybe he’d be fine if we asked Elias over, maybe Valentin and Simeon too.
And Rae and Ben, though if Ben brought the writer, I couldn’t quite imagine how I was going to handle that.
Jules was shaking his head, pulling my attention back to himself. “No trouble at all. We’re really so happy you’re settling in well here, Mr. Saintclair.”
His smile reached his eyes, and his expression was one of deep approval, as if I’d done something momentous, like making famous art or saving drowning children.
“Well, uh…”
Ben saved me, walking through the door in his winter hat and warm jacket, gloves too. He hurried toward me.
“Sorry, sir.”
I raised my hands. “It’s fine. I just got here. See you later, Jules.”
“Of course. Have a great day at work, Mr. Saintclair!”
Ben gave Jules a curious look before falling into step next to me.
“I hope I didn’t pull you away from anything,” I told Ben.
“Of course not.”
“Soyer was busy, and I thought I’d head to work early. They hired a co-manager.” I sighed. “And you’re getting more time off. And a raise too.”
“Sir?”
“I got you a raise. You think you can call me Amory now?”
Ben looked at me with big eyes. “You got me…a raise? What did I do?”
I chuckled, the cold air rushing into my lungs and making me cough. “You’re just doing a good job and are basically on call whenever I decide to leave the house. I think being ready to drop what you’re doing at a moment’s notice deserves a raise, don’t you?”
“Uh…sir…”
“Amory.”
“Right. I’ll…remember that.”
I almost said something snappy back, but Ben sounded genuinely impressed. And, unless I was mistaken, genuinely happy too. I was going to count it as my good deed for the day.
We arrived at the diner during an afternoon lull. As I was about to pull the door open, I spotted Levi and Ant behind the counter, engrossed in hushed conversation while pointing at the menu.
They straightened and looked our way when the silver bell above the door twinkled with our entrance.
“Welcome to the Moonlight Diner!”
Ant said it with full excitement, while Levi, who was both taller and broader than Ant, hunched and whispered as if he were trying to hide behind him.
Ant gave me a toothy grin. “Boss, you’re early today! Checking in on us?”
He seemed extraordinarily excited about being checked in on. I was about to tell him no when Ben stepped in front of me.
“Aren’t you busy? And mind your manners.”
I looked past Ben to watch as Ant went from excited to pouting.
“I’m working,” he mumbled. “Just being friendly. Human-friendly. You know what that’s like.”
I glanced around to make sure no one was sitting close enough to overhear, but it didn’t look that way. I recognized a few pawns—supernaturals—who had become regulars outside of my regular shift too apparently.
“I think he’s okay, Ben,” I said, patting Ben on the shoulder.
He shrugged. “Have to earn my raise is all. I’ll be at the bar.”
I went through to the back myself to put my jacket in my locker, but stopped at the kitchen. Kasey was cooking, and his snakes spotted me first.
“Oh, joining us early today, boss?” the gorgon asked, turning to me after flipping a pancake in the air—one of the thick, fluffy ones made the way Dwayne liked them. “That’s rare.”
I shrugged. “Well I…uh. Dwayne asked me to come in early today.” Which was…a white lie. I’d have to tell everyone I wasn’t going to be here every day like normal, but…
Kasey’s snakes tongued the air. “You’re smiling like a kid who had candy for breakfast. Did something good happen?”
“What? Oh. Uh, nothing much.”
Kasey went back to his pancakes. “Fine. Don’t tell me, then. In that case, I don’t have to tell you that Rae has been scheming to get their way with the holiday decorations. White, pink, and baby blue they said. Not that I’d ever repeat such a thing to you.”
I rolled my eyes. “The secret chat again?”
Kasey’s snakes moved in unison, like sea anemones. “What secret chat? I know not what you speak of, boss.”
I sighed. “All right. I’ll take that as a yes.”
Kasey chuckled while plating the cooked pancakes and pouring more batter. “Consider that they handled most of the organizing around the Halloween party. It went off pretty much without a hitch. Has to count for something, right?”
Ant peered through into the kitchen from the passthrough. “It was epic. I can’t wait for Krampus Night.” He gave me a thumbs-up before his face vanished from view.
“There you have it,” Kasey said.
It was then that I considered that perhaps a co-manager might be helpful.
Not that I really had manager qualifications to begin with, I just had seniority.
That little voice about how working less meant more time with Soyer, though…
oddly, it was getting louder. I was looking forward to meeting the new manager, because meeting them couldn’t possibly hurt.
“You’re all such a mutinous bunch,” I said, though I meant it fondly.
“Aw, not me, boss,” Kasey said, but I was already on my way through to the back.
I dropped off my jacket before knocking on Dwayne’s door.
He was at his desk, focused on his computer screen and typing away. He looked up when he saw me.
“Shit. Five already?” He went for his phone.
“No, I’m early.”
He put his phone back down. “Nearly gave me a heart attack, kid. Didn’t we talk about overtime yesterday?”
“Soyer said you wanted me early?”
Dwayne raised his brows. “He here?”
“Nope. Had something else to do.”
Dwayne grunt-nodded. “The guys have everything handled. And the new guy’s only supposed to be here later.” His face hardened. “You guys didn’t fight, did you?”
“Me and Soyer?”
“Yeah.”
I cocked my head. “I don’t think we’ve ever really fought. So no. I was just…you know. Bored.”
Dwayne snorted. “There are hobbies. Crocheting and such. Knitting.”
My eyebrows flew up. “Dwayne, do you knit?”
I couldn’t remember seeing Dwayne blush in all the time I’d known him, so the sight of it now was confusing.
“Laura’s sitter has been teaching her, and she wanted to show me. One thing led to another.”
“That’s pretty cool.” I wondered whether Soyer could knit, whether it was one of the skills he’d mastered in his long life. I was really missing him more than I should have been.
Dwayne grunt-nodded again. “You try too, then. Join the knitting circle. Look, I have to get back to getting payroll done. Can you handle the new manager when she comes in? And come in here again at four-thirty, let me know to call it a day and pick up Laura, ’kay?”
“I can do that.”
I left Dwayne’s office, finding myself at work, but somehow with nothing much of anything to do.