Chapter Eight
Joaquin
I’d been in construction before I decided to create popcorn flavors, primarily doing painting.
It paid well, but I hadn’t loved doing it and had been under the impression I wasn’t going to be doing it again anytime soon.
But the alpha needed the work done, and I could use the funds, especially if my cart failed.
The alpha had been so kind to offer me a meal, and our conversation had been pleasant, but he hadn’t lied when he said he hadn’t changed his mind. I still hadn’t agreed to take the job, though. It would require some thought.
With that said, I went home and got my cart because I had to keep working as long as I could. The smart thing would be to take on the painting job and maybe any others I could find. Forget my popcorn for the time being and earn a regular wage for a while.
Why had I ever given it up?
I knew the answer to that. Painting was mind numbing and overall did not satisfy my creativity.
I’d done so many other kinds of work in construction, but somehow I kept ending up painting.
Wall after wall. Ceiling after ceiling. Long smooth strokes.
Sometimes a spray gun. And as I worked on each project with its boring plain finish, I could only imagine what I could be doing with such a large space.
A mural. An image that represented the place where the job was happening. Art. I’d painted murals on many of the buildings back in the lands, and walking away from all of them was one more painful element of my new life.
But I had to let go of the past and move forward one day at a time. And that meant going to meet with Eryx again and discussing his offer. I found him in the theater.
“I’ve painted everything from living rooms to corporate buildings. And…I could use the extra money.”
He showed me the estimate he’d gotten from another painter. “I’ll match this estimate. If you want the job.”
“I do. Thank you. I look forward to working with you, Eryx.”
We shook on it, and I was punched in the chest by the instant connection I felt with him. One touch and I was done for.
And I was happy to be spending more time with him.
Until he was ready for me, the next day, I went and got my popcorn cart set up again, ready to do business.
Fortunately, Eryx wasn’t parked in the loading zone again, and I had a pretty good day with lots of people curious about what was going on in the theater and willing to buy popcorn to get all the gossip.
What a shame that just when I was starting to connect with people, I was probably going to have to give up on the whole idea.