The girl appeared surprised. “You...want to work here?” She flicked her eyes over Lexi’s outfit.
“Um, this isn’t what I normally wear. And yes, I really want to work here. I’ve dreamed of working in a place like this since I was a kid. The coffee, the books, the vibe—it’s perfect.”
“And she’s a quick learner,” added Jason.
The girl offered a small smile. “Well, one of our baristas quit yesterday and we haven’t found a replacement yet. We don’t do applications, but if you come in later tonight, our manager will be in. You can talk to her and see if you’re a good fit.”
“Will do!” said Lexi, still bubbling with enthusiasm.
“Come on,” said Jason. “Still got the apartment to take care of.”
Drinks in hand, Lexi chomping on her muffin, the two of them left the restaurant and started down the block.
“Might be a little high-profile for us,” said Jason.
“Are you kidding? It’s a coffee shop. Shifters aren’t exactly known for their love of books and iced Americanos.”
“I’ll think about it,” he said. “Because staying safe is a bigger concern than you getting your dream job.”
They continued on, Lexi finishing her muffin and washing it down with her coffee. She loved it, loved being surrounded by the tall buildings, drinking her fancy drink, knowing the entire world was finally there, waiting for her to uncover it.
They came to a stop in front of a glass and steel condo.
“This is it,” said Jason. “Come on.”
He sent a text to his uncle as they stepped in, Stone responding with the code for the front door. After putting that into the keypad, the two rode the elevator up to the fifth floor, then walked to the end of the hallway where the apartment was located.
Stone opened the door, revealing a large, loft-style apartment with a view of the city. It was a nice place, Lexi considered, though maybe a little small for the two of them.
“Ah,” said Jason. “Home sweet home.”
He stepped in and dropped onto the couch, laying back and folding his hands behind his head, a big grin on his face.
“This is your pad?” Lexi asked, looking around.
“Sure is. Spent the last few years here. But I had even bigger plans—this was just going to be a starter home. Check it out.”
He got up and made his way over to the window. Lexi, not sure what was going on, joined him.
“Look at that.” He pointed off into the distance at something Lexi couldn’t make out.
“What am I looking at?”
“That building—357 Cherry Street. It’s the silver one, that one that looks like a crystal.”
Lexi spotted what he was talking about. The building was huge and modern, looking like something out of the future.
“They finished that building a month before I left, and the penthouse is still for sale. Before my family called me back to Seattle, I had my eye on it.”
“A downtown penthouse? That...sounds pricey.”
He shrugged like money didn’t mean anything in the slightest. “Dream big, you know? If I can get back to where I was with my uncle, I’ll be able to afford it before the year’s out. Just need to bust my ass a little.”
Lexi smiled, finding his enthusiasm and hustle endearing. Kind of hot, even.
“But for now,” he said. “We can get comfy here.” He pointed upstairs. “There are two bedrooms, and you can take whichever you want.”
Then his expression turned severe. “But we can’t get too comfortable. I’m going to be looking after you, Lexi. Just because we’re hours away from home doesn’t mean we can relax. Right now, Chad’s probably running wild trying to find you. If we’re lucky, he’ll think one of the other clans took you. But it’s only a matter of time before he realizes that we went to Seattle. And when we do, he’ll turn the entire city upside down looking for us.”
“I know, I know.”
He kept his stare hard and serious. “You don’t know. I’ve been out here, and I know how the world works. You’ve been in the woods since you were a kid.”
“What are you trying to say, that I’m some kind of stupid hick who doesn’t know any better?”
“No. What I’m saying is that you’re smart, but you’re not experienced.”
I’m more experienced now, she thought. Thanks to you. But she kept her comments to herself, not wanting to make the situation any more complicated.
“But that doesn’t mean you need to talk down to me.”