Stripped Love (Guys Next Door #1) - Baylin Crow Page 0,17
held the aftercare products and how to keep everything stocked as it sold. "Okay, so the system is pretty simple. Each day you'll log in to your account, and I'll write down your info until you memorize it."
I listened attentively as he showed me the ropes on how to set appointments, keep up with inventory and cash out customers. Everything seemed simple enough, and the pay was probably too much for the minimal work. Perks of being the nephew, I supposed.
Once he was convinced I wouldn't butcher my job, he left me flipping through another binder of designs. My uncle's station sat at the far end of the shop and as soon as he disappeared around the corner, rock music flooded the speakers.
A heavy thud echoed from the back room, and I glanced at the employee door just as a guy, short and slim, strolled into the room.
He paused when he spotted me, dark eyes narrowed on me under brown shaggy hair. "Who the hell are you?"
My spine straightened at the rude question. I wondered if this was the guy who my uncle had informed me liked to poke holes in people. "Archer."
"Archer." He tilted his head. "You new? Isaac didn't say we were getting a new guy, and no offense, but you look more like you should work at Gap."
My brow furrowed as I peeked down at my stonewashed jeans and plain heather gray shirt. In contrast to his all black clothes and tattooed arms, I supposed he had a point. "I'm—"
"Give it a rest, would ya?" My uncle came from behind the guy and placed his hands on his shoulder. "Archer, this asshole is Will, the vandal I told you about. Please forgive his tendency to run his mouth." Isaac playfully knocked Will upside the head. "Will, you are currently talking shit to my nephew. And I did tell you about him." He lowered his voice in a mock whisper. "Must be all the paint fumes he inhaled when he was destroying other people's property."
Will scoffed and then squinted at me. "Yeah, I guess I can see the resemblance. He's right, ya know. I have zero manners." He shrugged. "I'm a work in progress."
This guy might have been the most confusing and rude person I'd ever met. "Nice to meet you," I lied.
He smirked. "Welcome aboard the insanity train."
My uncle explained my role to Will and that I was only there for the summer before they left me to it.
At twelve on the dot, my uncle turned on the neon open sign and unlocked the door. Within the first few hours, I realized I'd underestimated my job.
The AC blew cold, but the constant traffic in and out the door let the midday heat inside. While the shop wasn't overcrowded, people wandered the lobby, checking out the tattoo samples and browsing the cases. They asked me questions that I had to constantly check with my uncle for answers, and the phone rang at least a half dozen times.
Four hours later, I'd set five appointments and sold enough jewelry and product to need to restock the cases. My phone had vibrated in my pocket off and on in those hours, and I'd only been able to see they were messages from CJ and Caleb. I hadn't even been able to read them.
Dylan showed up late which I learned was nothing new. Outspoken and rough around the edges, he looked close to what I'd imagined. He wasn't only covered in tattoos, including solid designs up his neck that met his bright blue hair, but enough metal sticking out of his body to be a walking advertisement for the shop.
"Some you can’t even see," he'd informed me with a smirk, leaving me to wonder what exactly he meant. Probably a dick piercing. Nipples too, most likely.
I was thankful when my uncle decided to order everyone sandwiches for dinner. Once the delivery arrived, Dylan told me to take my break and took my spot behind the desk.
I headed for the back room, snagged a soda from the refrigerator and sat at the table. Fishing my phone out of my pocket, I pulled up the group chat with the twins and then unwrapped my sandwich. My stomach rumbled when the scent of bacon wafted in the air, and I greedily took a bite of the BLT.
Caleb: Did CJ tell you about the party we're throwing this weekend?
CJ: Planned on it right before your message came through.