Skaydal - Unsettled Beta

7

Zack

“Hey,” I greeted Grayson as I stepped into his office. “You wanted to see me?” Grayson eyed me over the top of his laptop and then he nodded as he just realized who I was.

“Yes, I did,” he said. I hung by the doorway, hoping that this wouldn’t take long or that it had anything to do with Mato. “So, have you heard that Mato and his siblings are starting up an internet café type of thing?”

“Ah…” did I want to admit that I knew everything there was to know about Mato – aside from personal details such as what his favorite color was. “Um…” still I hesitated.

“I’m going to take that as a yes, you do know about it,”

“Nothing specific,” I quickly argued, and I could see the amusement in his eyes.

“Right, well, I was thinking that maybe you could accompany him on their journey,”

“What journey?” I asked cautiously.

“The journey of starting up their business, of course,” he said in that matter-of-fact tone of voice, and I was tempted to roll my eyes.

“Ah…how would I be of any help?” I wasn’t sure I even wanted to help. Mato had been clear in his note that I should stay away, and I had been doing a bang-up job of doing exactly that. Helping him or his siblings with their business would be defeating the purpose. Wouldn’t it? Granted, I did want to help him. I did want to be involved and it wouldn’t be the first time I had helped someone out. However, I had a feeling Grayson was suggesting something else. Not that I would point that out.

“Well, who knows…” he waved his hand ideally around and I frowned. “I think you should go and help him,” he then said.

“Is that an order?” I questioned as we stared at each other. Grayson was silent for a moment and all I could think about was how to get out of this. I had a feeling Mato would not appreciate my help.

“Yes, that is an order,” he finally said, and I sighed as I sagged against the doorframe.

“If this is some type of matchmaker business…”

“No…I mean, maybe? I mean, no,” he smiled, and I shook my head as I pushed off against the frame.

“Fine,” I muttered before I left the packhouse. I headed into town and almost immediately I spotted a small group standing outside one of the empty shops. Mato and his siblings were talking to Jo-Ann, and I had to force myself to get out of my car. Of course, Mato spotted me first and before I could say or do anything, Jo-Ann turned to face me.

“Zack!” she exclaimed, and I cringed. I probably shouldn’t have hooked up with her and then avoided her until now. “What a lovely surprise,” she cooed, and I didn’t miss the way Mato frowned suspiciously at the two of us.

“Grayson sent me,” I blurted out. “Have to follow orders,”

“Orders?” one of the brothers echoed, and I really needed to remember who was who.

“Ah, yeah, to help out…” my voice trailed off and my gaze caught Mato’s. He did not look happy.

“Well, then you have arrived just in time for our first viewing,” Jo-Ann said as she pulled out a set of keys and unlocked the door. I hung back and while I wanted to give Mato his space, my eyes unwillingly followed his ass as he moved passed me. “So, this place is probably a little small for what you guys have in mind, but…it does have all the facilities for a kitchen,” she explained. The front space was tiny, and I tried to remember what it had been before. “This was Jason’s first shop,”

“Jason?” one of the brothers said and I rolled my eyes. The sister suddenly slapped my arm and my attention snapped to her.

“Stop that,” she hissed out softly and I felt myself blush.

“Jason, Skaydal’s famous baker. If you don’t know him or his sweet treats, then you are truly missing out. Wouldn’t you agree, Zack?” she turned her flirtatious gaze on me, and I felt like I could just make a run for it. Of course, she would bring that up. I didn’t date, but I did pick her up at Jason’s bakery.

“I guess,” I mumbled out as I looked around the space. It was far too small for what they wanted to do. Jo-Ann led Carmen and one of the brothers to the back, while Mato and the other brother looked around the front.

“Not much here, bro,” the brother said.

“No, not enough space,” Mato agreed.

“Which one are you, again?” I asked the brother and the look he threw my way let me know he wasn’t impressed.

“Jett,” he growled out, and I nodded. Jett – the angry looking one with the longer hair. Carmen was the first one to return to the front and although she gave me a dirty look, I didn’t miss the disappointment in her eyes.

“The backspace is amazing, but it’s too big. I don’t need that much space,”

“And the space in front is too small,” Mato remarked. The other brother – who I now knew was Triston -returned with a flustered Jo-Ann. Had something happened in those few seconds they had been alone?

“Let me show you the next one,” she said, and when Triston winked at Jett and Mato, I figured he must have made a pass at the poor realtor. I was impressed and amused by whatever was happening. The next shop was diagonal across the road and when Jo-Ann unlocked the double glass doors and pushed them open, I knew that this was it. The front was spacious but not too big; although the back was smaller, Carmen squealed at the kitchen space.

“It’s perfect!” Carmen exclaimed as she looked around the space.

“It does need a bit of work,” Jo-Ann said as she looked down at the file in her hands. “But I do agree that this is probably the best fit for your business,” the four siblings huddled together, and I threw Jo-Ann a smile. The fact that she didn’t catch on, meant that I was no longer on her radar. Especially since she couldn’t keep her eyes off Triston.

“We’ll take it,” Triston said as he turned away from the group.

“Wonderful…that’s…ah…wonderful,” Jo-Ann and Triston came together to discuss the contract while Carmen excitedly started talking about what would go where and I was simply mesmerized by her description. I had a feeling it would look fabulous once they were done. However, Jo-Ann suddenly paused and looked over at Carmen. “You won’t find any of that here in Skaydal,” she said.

“We won’t?” Mato asked and she shook her head.

“The warehouse offers your basic needs, but they won’t have any cherry red paint nor any of that shelving you guys were talking about,” my gut clenched in anticipation for what was about to happen. “You would have a better chance in Dexter to get those supplies,” Carmen’s eyes met mine and I actually saw the glow and sparkle as an idea came to her.

“Oh…well, I just don’t have the time right now to go into Dexter,” she said, and I was tempted to roll my eyes. I was no fool, I knew exactly where this was leading, but I was curious as to how she would execute it.

“Do we need it now?” Jett questioned as he glanced around the space.

“Oh yes, we do. The sooner the better,” Carmen said. “Zack…” she started and the smile on her face was truly wicked. “Would you be so kind as to help us out with this?”

“You want him to get us paint?” Mato asked and Carmen giggled. Jo-Ann and Triston had gone back to talking and Jett looked bored. Mato, on the other hand, looked like he was going to be sick.

“No, brother…I want him to take us to get paint,” Mato made an ‘O’, and then his eyes went wide.

“But you just said you can’t right now,” he remarked, and she actually played her part well. She looked disappointed that she couldn’t go anywhere.

“No, I can’t,”

“I’ll go,” Jett offered, and I saw the flicker of panic in Carmen’s eyes. Mato looked relieved, but I knew better.

“You can’t!” she declared and Mato and Jett both turned to stare at her in surprise.

“I can’t?”

“No, of course, you can’t. You promised to help me, remember?” Jett looked confused for a moment and then he nodded slowly.

“Oh…yeah…sorry, I forgot about that…” clearly, he hadn’t forgotten because there was nothing to forget. He didn’t understand why he was being played, but Carmen looked happy with herself.

“I guess the two of you will just have to go together,” she said to me and Mato.

“Ah…wait,” Mato started, and I could tell that he was trying to figure out how to get out of this. “Triston!” he called out, but Carmen quickly stepped in his way.

“Triston can’t go either. He has to talk to Jo-Ann about the contract and all that stuff,”

“It’s fine, Mato,” I finally said. “Let’s just go and we will be back before you know it,” he didn’t look happy. Jett looked lost while Carmen looked smug. Triston and Jo-Ann had left without any of us realizing it and when I saw Carmen holding on to the keys, I had to admit that I hadn’t seen that happen. Mato stormed out of the shop but before I went to follow him, my gaze met Carmen’s. “Well played,” I said as I clapped my hands.

“Thank you and you are welcome,” her smile was large, but I wasn’t sure if she knew what was really going on between Mato and me. This was a disaster and, between Grayson and Carmen, I was going to end up joining Benjamin in the prison cell for murder.

Silence stretched on and on as I drove us to Dexter. Mato was so tense that I didn’t dare make a sound.

“Woah,” I heard Mato whisper and I smiled. Dexter had that effect on people. It was flashy with big buildings and lots of trees. I drove us to Dax instead of the hardware store and Mato finally turned his attention to me. “You brought me to a bar? Seriously?”

“We should get something to eat, and they sell a mean burger,” I wasn’t lying, and I was hoping that spending a bit of time together could ease the tension between us. Mato didn’t look happy, but I ignored that as I led us into the bar. Usually, the place was dark and dreary, but it was barely lunchtime.

“Zack!” Luke greeted me from behind the bar. “Here for some day drinking?”

“Ah, no…just here for the food,” I said as I pointed over at one of the booths in the far corner. We sat down and when Missy suddenly came toward us, I froze. s**t balls, I had forgotten she worked here.

“Hey there, darling,” she sang out as she put two menus down on the table. “What can I get for you? Or would you like a repeat?”

“A repeat?” Mato asked, confused, and I silently hoped Missy wouldn’t give anything away. However, when she leaned in and put her hand on my shoulder, I knew that this had been the biggest mistake ever.

“Oh yes, how about a two-for-one special? I’m all in for a threesome,” realization dawned on Mato’s features, and I closed my eyes. I didn’t want to see the wreck that was about to happen.