Chapter 15 Zaxon
Thighs I imagine wrapped around my shoulders
Since Bea insisted on going to meet Antoinette on her own, I decide to check in with Torgan. I’ll be returning to my normal schedule soon and I’ll need an update on everything going on in the resort.
I find him, predictably, sitting at an outdoor table at the beach bar watching longingly at Serena. He either needs to ask her out or give up this obsession of his, it’s getting ridiculous.
“Torgan,” I call out to him drawing his attention away from the mermaid bartender.
“Zax. Where’s your shadow? Is she gone already?”
I slap Torgan on the shoulder and sit on the empty tall stool at his high-top table, my wings and tail shifting behind me. “No, she’s talking with Antoinette.”
“Everything okay?” His large green eyebrows pull together in concern.
“Yeah, everything’s fine. Actually, she’s interviewing for a possible position at the resort.”
“Interview? For what job? Isn’t she a code enforcement agent? Does the resort even have a position like that?”
I can understand his confusion. We’ve never had anyone at the resort in such a position.
I myself wasn’t sure what she would do, until I thought about it all afternoon watching her naked body lounging in the shade on the beach.
Deciding then and there that I would come up with a good enough reason for Antoinette to hire her.
Apparently, my basic concept was enough to entice Antoinette. I’m sure she did her own research overnight. Hopefully finding more reasons to hire Bea.
“For an on-site inspector to continuously keep everything up to code and fix any problems we may have. I’m sure they’ll come up with more specific duties and responsibilities but that’s the base of it.
I only brought it up to Antoinette last night, so I’m not even sure if she’s going to offer Bea a job or not. ”
“She’s not going to be like a snitch, ratting everyone out, is she?”
I hope not. I imagined her job here would be a little different from her code enforcement position. She wouldn’t be sneaking around and reporting people or locations for bad behavior, she would be helping them to better their areas and procedures.
“No, nothing like that. She would be working with the resort and employees, not against us.”
He nods and picks up his glass to take a sip. There’s a pineapple slice, cherry and umbrella on it, but I know it’s nonalcoholic. No doubt the result of a lengthy conversation at the bar with Serena.
A server approaches and I order an iced tea with lemon along with a club sandwich, side of fries and conch salad. It’s almost lunch and I’m hungry. Need a lot of food to fuel my large body.
“So, are you and Bea dating now? Is that why you want her to work at the resort?” Torgan asks, his eyes focused on something in the distance, but I’m sure his ears are trained on my answer.
“I’m not sure. There’s definitely something, but it’s still new and we haven’t defined it yet.
Her working here would make it easier to see her more.
But she also seemed so much happier now than when she first arrived.
I think being here did that. We were just talking on the beach yesterday and the idea popped into my head, and I ran with it.
She seemed interested.” I shrug and fiddle with the napkin on the table.
Torgan hums and drinks more of his elaborate fruit juice, his eyes still not watching me. I turn my head to see what he’s looking at, but I already know what I’m going to find.
“Are you ever just going to ask her out?”
“What?” The straw falls from Torgan’s tusked mouth and he turns wide guilty eyes on me. “Who? I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Yes, you do. Serena. Just ask her out already.”
“But what if she says no? What if she says yes? And the date goes horribly wrong? Then she’ll hate me, and I’ll ruin everything.
She’d never talk to me again, or smile at me and make me overly complex fruity drinks.
” He sucks on the straw to his overly complex fruity drink again, eyes drifting back to Serena.
“And what if she says yes and you two have a wonderful date and continue dating and then you get to be with her more and even touch her? Kiss her.”
His dark eyes widen and the straw falls from his open mouth as he imagines their date going well, ending the night with a kiss. Maybe some groping. Maybe more.
“Maybe. I’ll think about it.” His voice sounds choked and if he’s thinking about Serena how I think about Bea, he’s probably sporting a chubby under the table right about now.
I laugh at my friend and sip the iced tea the server sits in front of me, after pinching the lemon wedge and spritzing it with the juice.
“Don’t think about it too long.”
“Why?” He scowls at me like I’m gonna slip in and ask her out first. I have Bea and I was never interested in Serena, he knows that. But someone else might.
“If you wait too long, I’m sure some other brave orc will ask her out first. Maybe even a merman. If you don’t make your move soon, she may get swooped up. She is a great catch after all.”
“Well…I…” He has no argument because he knows I’m right.
“If you are worried about the date, me and Bea could double with you, if you like,” I offer, knowing having others around to keep the conversation flowing would be a help to him.
Torgan is a very friendly male, funny and polite, definitely flirty.
But anything beyond a simple flirty conversation and he gets nervous when speaking to a female he likes.
He’s never shown as much interest in any female before Serena.
She seems special, and I want him to have his chance.
He’s been circling around asking her out since he met her.
Having no problem flirting while she’s working but every time the opportunity came up to hang out alone or without a buffer, he bailed.
Having Bea and I there as a buffer is the least I can do for my closest friend.
“Really? You’d do that?”
“Of course. You’re my friend and I want you to be happy. And I know taking Serena out on a date would make you happy. It would probably make her happy too.” I raise an eyebrow at him suggestively.
I smile, and he seems to relax and truly consider my offer.
The server returns with my sandwich, and I dig into it while he contemplates my proposed double date.
I’m halfway through it and making a decent dent in my conch salad, when he makes up his mind.
Slapping his large green hand down on the glass top table, he rattles our glasses and plates.
“I’ll do it. I’ll ask her on a double date with you and Bea.”
“Good choice. Why don’t you go over there and do it now? Bea doesn’t leave until the day after tomorrow. We could go to dinner tonight or tomorrow before she leaves.”
His eyebrows shoot to his hair line as his head whips up to stare at me completely astonished.
He had just decided to ask her out but apparently doing it right now is too much for him to process.
But once Bea leaves it’ll be more difficult to arrange a double date, unless she takes the job.
But then she may be too busy starting the new job and basically creating the new position at the resort.
Since no one’s done it before I imagine there will be a lot to do in the beginning.
“Now? Right now? Tonight? That’s too soon.”
“No, it’s not. You’ve known her for over a year now and have been flirty for just as long. Ask her now and we’ll go out tonight.”
I reach out and grip his massive shoulder, urging him with support and confidence knowing he just needs a little push. Torgan’s wide chest expands with deep breathes as he builds himself up to asking her.
It takes him till I’m done with my sandwich before he abruptly stands, his determined gaze set on the bar and Serena behind it.
“Okay. I’m going to go ask her.”
“There you go. Go get her!” I cheer him on as he strides purposely across the outdoor bar and restaurant.
I watch as he approaches the bar and waits patiently for Serena to help a guest before striding down to meet him at the end of the bar in the server pick up area.
She smiles at him like she always does, and since I can’t see Torgan’s face, I have to guess how the conversation is going based on her expressions.
At one point she licks her lips and flutters her lashes and even from across the space I can see her scales shifting color on her cheeks, then she nods.
They speak for a moment longer and then she’s called away by a guest and Torgan turns on a heel to return to our table, a wide tusk filled grin on his stupid-happy face. I smile back at him as he walks back, falling on to his stool still grinning.
“I’m guessing it went well?” I ask knowingly.
“Yeah, it went great. She said yes. But she works late tonight so she agreed to dinner tomorrow.”
“Perfect. We can hopefully celebrate Bea’s new job at the same time.”
We finish our drinks and pay before going our separate ways, Torgan finishing his rounds for the day and me on my way back to my apartment to wait for Bea and hopefully some good news.
I find her sitting on a bench in the shade staring out at the ocean before I even make it back to my building.
She’s beautiful sitting there so peacefully.
Her silky brown hair tied up in that prissy bun on top of her head, stray strands blowing in the wind.
The hem of her yellow and white striped sundress fluttering in the breeze around her knees.
Her eyes concealed behind the tint of her glasses.
She seems to be lost in thought, and I take the opportunity to watch her.
Spotting the differences in her posture from when I first met her.
Instead of sitting ram rob straight with her head on a swivel and angrily dusting sand off her feet, she’s relaxed into the wooden bench.
Her ankles crossed and extended in front of her, her hands loosely laced together and resting on her thighs.