Chapter Five
Nikki
The timing worked out perfectly timed for Maeda to start as Selena was taking off for Yale. The staffing issue had weighed on me as I prepared for community day, and I was debating on letting the rumor mill at the event spread the word about an opening.
Then, I saw Maeda.
It was like I was transported back in time to that night when everything between us melted away like cotton candy.
It had been years since I had last seen her before she ran off and got married to that guy.
When I had heard, it crushed me, but I believed that if I kept putting good energy and good deeds out into the universe, things would work out for me.
I kept working hard at Lucky Lanes, to become the owner was my dream.
I had let any thoughts of Maeda drift to the back of my mind.
But then, there she was, back in Pine Grove.
I saw her rush into the bathroom, and I wanted to immediately check on her.
I hadn’t really believed my eyes. When I finished unloading and got to the restroom, I hadn’t expected an audience.
It threw me off, and I didn’t know what to do.
I had rushed to her without a plan and felt like an idiot.
When I handed her some pasta, I was trying to find the right thing to say, but the moment passed too quickly. I was thrown, and it was disorienting. All I knew was I wanted to talk to her. How could I talk to her? What would I say?
When Gene proposed Maeda working at Lucky Lanes, it solved both my issues at once.
My staffing issue would be fixed, at least for now.
Rationally, there was a chance she would be a bad fit for the business, but I doubted that, given her work ethic when we were younger.
Meanwhile, I would get to know her again.
Get to know her now, and she would get to know me again, too. Maybe we could be friends again.
I hadn’t realized how much I missed her.
I shook the sentimentality out of my mind. This was business, and that was the priority. I needed an employee, and she needed a job. Anything more than that would not only be inappropriate but selfish.
Although, I couldn’t help but notice the absence of a wedding ring on Maeda’s left hand.
I shook my head. It was Monday afternoon, and I was double-checking the pinsetter on Lane 4, as it failed to sweep the pins during an earlier game. The fix was easy enough. The infrared lens sensor had a bit of dust on it. When I walked back out to the lobby, I saw Maeda.
She was in a pair of blue and white checkered Vans with light wash high-waisted skinny jeans.
Those pants hugged every curve of her ass and hips.
Every. Curve. I wanted to take a bite. She was wearing a t-shirt that was a size or two too big for her but tied in front, highlighting her hourglass shape.
Her hair was twisted back in two French braids.
Makeup was minimal, some mascara and a touch of highlight on her cheekbones.
“Welcome, welcome,” I greeted her, my best impression of being a normal person. Clearly, I shouldn’t go into acting.
Maeda smiled in response. A polite smile, performative social cues rather than a genuine “happy to see you” kind of smile. “Good afternoon,” she said, “Did you get my resume? I found the business email online and sent it in.”
I nodded. “Yeah, thanks for sending that ahead. Let’s head up to the office to chat.
” The tiny office felt even smaller with both of us in there.
My desk was against a wall, so she had to sit next to me instead of across.
I kicked myself for coming to the office, instead of using some of the diner tables.
That would have been more professional, but I didn’t have her resume printed.
I needed to look at it. We were here, I had to commit.
It’s nothing, I reminded myself.
“Okay.” I opened her email on the computer where we could both see it.
“I know I have a big gap,” she started, “I was a stay-at-home mom for those years.” That made me pause. A mom? “But, now, I’m divorced, so I have been looking for work.”
I wished I could look her square on. Instead, I was focused on contorting my body to give her space. We were sitting closer than airplane seats.
“What is your career goal?” I asked her.
“To provide for my daughter,” Maeda declared, “I need a job to do that.”
“Beyond that. What do you want to do? I know most people view Lucky Lanes as a jumping off point, and that’s okay. I want to help in any way I can. You used to want to be an author,” I cleared my throat. Was it weird that I remembered that? “Is that still something you’re interested in?”
Maeda nodded. “Yes, but it’s a long slow process. As I said, taking care of my daughter comes first.”
“I didn’t know you were a parent,” came out of my mouth before I could stop it, but I recovered, “There are a lot of skills you could put on your resume from that.” I ran my hand through my thick wavy hair.
“I see you have here Writing Degree in Progress. Where are you going to school? Can you send me your class schedule so I can schedule you appropriately?”
“My program is asynchronous and entirely online. I do my schoolwork whenever I can.” I was curious as to who Maeda has become over the years. Maeda shrugged. “It’s stable.”
I looked over the other aspects of her resume. “Well, you have your caretaker role for your grandma on here from nine years ago. That’s good. And, you worked on-campus in the bookstore until…” I trailed off as I looked at the year.
Maeda was staring at the computer screen. “Until the last time we talked, yeah.”
My heart twisted at the memory.
That night when everything went wrong…
When she left…
“I just want to say,” she started.
“We don’t have to talk about it,” I said. “The past is the past. It’s nothing.” If we started talking about it, it would bring up all the old feelings I didn’t have the energy for. It would hurt all over again. It would stain this opportunity for a new start.
She bristled. “It’s not nothing, but okay.” She took a deep breath. “I know my work experience is limited, but I am a hard worker.”
I nodded. “Well, let’s get you a work shirt.
You’ll be shadowing Emma this week. Then, you’ll have a half shift where I observe you and see if you’re keeping up.
You will be compensated for your time until you are fully onboarded.
” I paused to let the information settle.
I watched her warm brown eyes stare at the computer screen while she processed and nodded her understanding. “Do you have any questions?” I asked.
Maeda shook her head, no.
“Well then,” I clapped my hands on my thighs and stood up.
I opened a cabinet and grabbed Maeda a work shirt and handed it to her.
“Let me give you a tour of the space, then you can come by tomorrow morning for your first shift with Emma.” I gestured around the office.
“This is the office. You can take breaks in here, if you want, but it’s small so people tend to take breaks outside at the tables and benches.
We just ask if you’re going to be taking a break, take off your work shirt so people don’t bother you on your break.
These lockers are for employees only. You can put a lock on it if you’d like, but most people don’t.
We use an app to clock in and out and see the schedule and get shift coverage and all that. ”
We walked out of the office toward the diner side of the building. Following the handrail that separated the diner from the lanes, we descended down a few stairs to the alley floor. Each lane had its own ball return and seating, standard for any bowling alley.
“We have 21 lanes, so we are considered a smaller bowling alley, but it’s Pine Grove. What do you expect?” I laughed.
“Why 21? That’s an odd number.”
“It’s Lucky Lanes. 777, seven times three is 21.” I shrugged. “Listen, the owner, Mike, never was one to gamble, but he liked the superstition of it.”
We walked down the lanes from 1 to 21. I thought about the Maeda I used to know and the woman who was next to me. “So, how old is your kid?”
“She’s five.”
I couldn’t help but do the math. It had been six years since she walked out of my life, and even if I believed in them, this couldn’t be a coincidence.
“That sounds like a fun age.” What else could I say?
Just as we were about to turn left to the pinsetters, the front door opened, and an old man walked in. Well, more like shuffled in.
“Mike, where is your cane?” I called out. The owner of Lucky Lanes swatted my question away like it was a fly. His beady eyes narrowed when they landed on us.
“You know better than bringing dates in here when you’re on the clock,” Mike grunted.
Maeda stiffened next to me.
“First, this is not a date.”
Mike huffed.
“This is Maeda. I’m showing her around before her first day,” I continued. “And second, I’m always on the clock.”
“I don’t pay you for that,’ Mike teased in his gruff sarcasm.
“I do the payroll, Mike,” I quipped back, which caused him to laugh.
He started his way down the stairs, a strong grip on the handrail. I made my way over to him, and Maeda followed. She offered Mike a steady hand which, to my surprise, he accepted. He looked at her then, and his beady eyes went gentle.
“You look like a beauty poster,” he said, “remind me of my girl, Darlene.” For a second, he was misty eyed, and if I hadn’t seen it myself, I wouldn’t have believed it.
“Thank you,” Maeda said. “Darlene is a beautiful name.”
Mike nodded, “Well, that’s enough sissy stuff.” He pulled himself upright and turned to me. “I came by because I wanted to check the manager book. I have a meeting soon with the accountant, and I need to have everything for the last year.”
“I can get that for you.” I wanted to ask to attend the meeting. I was ready for more responsibility. “It’s all on the Shared Drive. You can access it from your phone.”
Mike waved this away, too. He insisted. “I need a hard copy to write on.”
A chuckle escaped me. Maeda and I exchanged a look, old people and technology.
“I’ll be right back,” I told her. She nodded.
“Here, let’s sit while we wait,” Mike said to Maeda and began to shuffle his way to the closest seat. “Would you get me an ice water?”
I hesitated. I hadn’t shown her where everything was in the kitchen yet.
“Sure,” she replied to Mike. Then, she looked at me, her smile was confident and at ease. Fuck, she was so beautiful, and it made some of the nerves in me settle.
“Glasses are on the counter,” I told her.
“Seems easy enough,” she said to me, then to Mike, “I’ll be right back.”
I watched her go around the corner to the fridge.
“Nikki, the paperwork,” Mike barked. I jumped out of my daze and rushed to the office. I heard him laughing as I opened the door.
When I came back down to the table, Maeda and Mike were looking at pictures on her phone. Maeda had placed three ice waters on the table. It was a small thing, but she had thought of me, and the way it made me light up inside was embarrassing.
It’s just a cup of water, I chided myself, not a flirty text message.
“Here she is at Deja Brew the other day,” Maeda said. “She keeps telling me that the chocolate milk there is better, but I think she just really likes the crystals and everything inside.”
Mike smiled, “I always wanted a daughter. You’re blessed.”
“Thank you,” Maeda said, “She’s my everything.”
I put the paperwork on the table and accidentally broke the spell of sentimentality. Mike sat up straighter and nodded. “We should talk some business things now.”
“Oh, sure,” I said. Awkwardly, Maeda looked at me.
“I should get going then. It was nice to meet you, Mr. Kenzin. I look forward to working here.”
Mike nodded once in response, his focus on his iced water.
She stood, and I followed her to walk her out. “So, that’s the owner,” I said stupidly, just to fill the silence. “He can be a bit grumpy sometimes. I hope his sudden shifts in mood didn’t make you uncomfortable.” I hoped I hadn’t made her uncomfortable either.
“It’s all good. I’ll send over my availability when I get home.”
“Okay,” I said. I was struck with the sudden realization that I didn’t want her to go.
“Do you have plans tonight?” I asked before I could stop myself.
She hesitated. “I have a custody swap tonight. Why?”
“Oh, yeah, I just was going to see if you wanted to finish the tour.” I just want to spend time with you.
I want to reconnect. I want to memorize all the newness to you, the ways you’ve expanded and grown and changed since we last knew each other.
I want to see if there’s something there anymore, or if I’m crazy.
“You can bring her if you want?” I sounded desperate, even to my own ears.
“That’s sweet of you, but she’ll probably be tired. Can I just come in tomorrow?”
“Yeah, absolutely, whatever works for you.” Man, I sounded like an idiot. We waved goodbye as she walked down into the parking lot, got on a beach cruiser bike, and started riding away.
I really needed to pull my head out of my ass. Maeda was off limits and unattainable. There was no reason to think she was interested.
The music on the playlist turned over to a new song, “The Heart Wants What it Wants” by Selena Gomez.
Fucking perfect.