A Boat Made of Bone (The Chthonic Saga) (3 page)

“This is perfect,” he said, beaming at the cover.

Kate put her hands in her back pockets and looked around the empty store.
Where are all the other customers?
Maybe it was just because it was summer and people were out having fun rather than cooping themselves up in an old store. She should be glad she had the place to herself with Mr. Old-Spice guy—maybe they’d have a nice tumble under the vinyl racks or something. She scoffed internally,
yeah right.
But why not? And what if? It would be . . . amazing. Probably. Though from the looks of him, maybe he was self-centered.

She studied the ground, avoiding his face, and turned slightly to face the rack rather than him. If there were other customers, she could go help them rather than standing expectantly in front of him, staring like she had no manners, as he considered the album.

He finally broke the silence. “Well, actually, I was just looking for her other album. But I guess this is newer. And better?”

“Oh, right. We have that too. But this is her most recent release. Limited edition. She’s got some songwriting chops, you have to admit,” Kate said. She noticed an album with two different price tags on it and pulled the lower priced one off and began rolling it up between her fingers. “Who doesn’t love Katy Perry, right?”

The guy continued to stare at the album, seeming distracted. “Oh, it’s not for me. It’s a gift.”

“Even better. You can’t go wrong with that. Collector’s item, so even if they don’t want to open it and put a needle to it, they can keep it and the value will go up.”

“That’s what I’m thinking,” he said, giving another of those bright smiles and studying the cover again. He must have been thinking about the lucky girl who was going to get the album.

Normally Kate would know exactly what to do after she’d led a customer to what they wanted—leave, saunter to another spot in the store and busy herself with organizing something or asking other customers if they needed help. But this gorgeous specimen unnerved her. And there were
no
other customers. So she stood there, lamely, watching him stare at the front cover and the back cover, over and over again. She felt unnatural and awkward, suddenly too self-aware to behave in a normal fashion.

And she found herself longing to be given a Katy Perry album. She would love it. She really would, if it came from him. Well, as long as he knew she didn’t love it for the music, but because it would possibly appreciate in value. And . . . it would be from him. She wouldn’t care if he gave her an Enrique Iglesias album. Or a Shakira album, or any other world-famous mass-produced South American pop star. If it came from him. Well, it was from
him.

“Well, thanks for the help,” he finally said, apparently deciding that it was exactly what he wanted.

“Oh, yeah, of course. Um, you ready to check out?” she asked, taking a step back, suddenly noticing she’d been standing kind of close to him. He laughed and ran a hand through his hair. The motion caused a riffle in the air and when she took a breath, she caught the musk of his deodorant. Old Spice? Unmistakable and rather fitting, since he could have starred in one of the commercials. Old Spice Sport. Tom had used it. Her knees weakened.

“Yep,” he said. His voice was smooth and soft. A baritone.

Kate took off for the front of the store, finding that her legs were stronger than she’d expected. At the counter, she scanned the tag with a price-gun and stuffed the album into a paper sack. She told him the total and waited as he pulled out two twenties. Her mouth felt thick with cotton. Of course it went like that. The moment when she wished most to have charisma and confidence, she could only sink into awkward silence during the final moments of their currency exchange. It was probably the last time she’d ever see him. He was probably going to move far, far away and would never even be at the climbing gym ever again.

She longed to know who the album was for, but couldn’t bring herself to formulate any type of casual question about it.

“Well, thanks,” he said as he took the paper sack and walked to the exit. He gave a final glance over his shoulder and smiled as he pushed the glass door open and walked out.

“Yeah, have a great night,” Kate managed to choke out, but he was already gone. 

She sighed and leaned across the counter to look for him through the doors, but it was no use. She let out a groan as she flattened herself on the glass surface, letting her arms drop over the edge. “Total loser,” she muttered to herself. To make matters worse, she hadn’t been able to appreciate his rear end—his black shirt had been too long and he’d been wearing a pair of gray striped, long, skater-shorts.

The door-chime went off again and she jumped, standing up straight.

He was there, suddenly, standing on the other side of the counter.

“Oh, hey, again,” she said. “Did I . . . did I give you the wrong change back?” She couldn’t believe it. It had to be a mistake that he was back in the store, standing there looking perfect and beautiful. 

He smiled at her, one hand in his pocket. His green eyes scanned her face in one swoop. “Do I know you?” he asked.

“Er, maybe. Yeah,” she answered, feeling flustered. “Uh, you just bought an album from me? Less than three minutes ago?”

“Right, how could I forget?” he laughed. “No, I mean from somewhere else. You look familiar.”

Her body temperature skyrocketed. Her palms felt clammy. If she told him exactly where she knew him from, he’d think he was the shit. Like she’d noticed him.

He shook his head like he’d figure it out if he could just jostle his brain around. “Did we have a class together once, is that it?”

“Only if you studied graphic design,” Kate said, her heart racing.
Why is this happening? This never happens.
Besides, with her straw-like hair and eyes on the brink of extinction (when she smiled), there was no way Kate had a chance with a looker like him.

“I didn’t. So that’s not it.” He put a finger to his bottom lip as though he was concentrating. “Maybe a general? Like geology or ecology or something?”

“That would have been two or three years ago, if so,” she said, feeling her face get hot in a blush.

He snapped his fingers. “You climb, don’t you? That’s it, right?”

She nodded weakly. “Just a bit. I’m not that good.”

“I doubt that. I don’t remember well enough to deny or affirm that. But I’ll remember to judge you now, and make a determination, next time I see you,” he flashed a teasing grin that made a dimple appear in his scruff-covered cheek. She swallowed. It was hard to swallow—her throat was as dry and prickly as a cactus rib. “I had no idea you worked in such a cool place.” He looked around, nodding slowly.

“It’s a job. I like it,” she said and shrugged.

“The only job sweeter would be mine,” he laughed. “Kidding. But yeah, I work at the gym. What’s your name?”

“Kate,” she answered. “Yours?” 

“Ty,” he said and scratched his arm, suddenly seeming uncomfortable. He cleared his throat. “Well, it was good to figure that out, Kate. So, I’ve got to go, but it was cool to run into you. Next time you’re at the gym, say hello.”

Kate found her smile. “Sure, yeah. Of course.”

The door chimed again as he exited. Kate expelled a deep breath and shut her eyes, realizing just then that she’d been so tense she’d hardly breathed.

“Well, he was hot,” a voice said. Kate flinched, startled, her eyes whipping open.

Luke, her coworker and replacement for the rest of the night, was standing on the other side of the counter. He must have come in when Ty left. Kate flashed him a glare, then grinned immediately, feeling embarrassed for some reason, her cheeks on fire again.

“You thought so too?”

It was Luke’s turn to blush. “I’m not—he’s—I didn’t mean it like that. Not that I have anything against that. One of my best friends is gay. I was trying to tease you.”

“Jealous?” she asked, raising an eyebrow at him. Luke was tall and thin, a pacifist who avoided conflict as if engaging in it brought on the plague. And he was too sweet to tease her. He couldn’t even do it right.

Kate couldn’t stomach giving him a hard time, and she stretched across the counter to give his upper arm a friendly jab. Something about Luke’s nature made her want to protect him, even from herself.

“Not even,” he said, flushing slightly and jumping away from her touch. He pulled his phone out and began typing into it. “Hang on, I’ve got to send a message to Zoe, uh, my girlfriend, you know?” He shrugged and lifted his gaze to her before it darted back to his phone. “It’s about tonight.”

3: Coincidences

Kate’s phone buzzed with a text from Audra as she exited the store, leaving Luke at the helm.

She walked past the adult store, the juice bar, the furniture store, and arrived at Salt and Sugar Coffee, perched at the intersection. Audra sat outside, reading a book. 

“Your phone not working? Is that why you had to buy a book?” Kate asked as she sat down in front of a foamy cappuccino. “Thanks for getting me a drink.”

It was only seven so the sun still shone brightly. The other tables surrounding the cafe were full. Groups of hipsters walked by wearing black-framed glasses and suspenders, the cuffs of their jeans rolled up. Audra had picked a table near the road so exhaust blew toward Kate as an evening breeze stirred along the hot street. 

“No problem, doll,” Audra said cheerfully, putting the book down. “I bought this tome over there,” she said, jerking her chin toward the chain bookstore across the street. “I wanted to read a book—an actual book.”

“It always looks cool to read unnaturally enormous tomes,” Kate joked loudly. A line of cars rumbled along after waiting at the nearby intersection. 

“Pretty much. I got these glasses at Goodwill to round out the image,” she took them off and handed them to Kate. “See? No lenses. But they look cool, right?”

“Very cool,” Kate said, hiding how doubtful she felt about fake glasses. “So, did you already eat dinner?”

Audra sipped her iced tea. “I went home first, ate something, then walked down here.”

“Audra?” A slightly familiar voice came from behind Kate. She looked up just as Ty stopped by their table. Kate inhaled sharply. She couldn’t believe her luck, bumping into him twice in one night.

***

“Hey Ty,” Audra said, smiling up at him and squinting against the sun.

“How’s it going?” he asked, hovering at the edge of their table.

“This is my friend Kate.” Audra nodded toward Kate.

Ty’s intense green eyes flicked toward Kate. “We’ve met,” he said, smiling and lifting the Katy Perry album, concealed in its brown paper sack.

“Hey again,” Kate said. She could feel the jerky nature of her tentative grin. He made her so nervous. Unnaturally nervous—so unlike those recurring dreams she’d been having where she was full of confidence and sexual prowess. Kate’s stomach did a flip in response to having his gaze on her.  

“Oh really?” Audra said. “You bought something from her?”

“Definitely. We talked, didn’t we, Kate?”

“Yep,” she said, feeling lame.
A guy with looks of his caliber will never go for me,
Kate reminded herself, feeling suddenly depressed.

“Lovely.” Audra smiled at Kate. There was a look in Audra’s eyes. That patronizing expression, the one that screamed
It’s about time you got over Tom.

Kate rolled her own eyes just for Audra. Shouts came from across the street where a group of high school kids skateboarded on the stairs outside the bookstore.  

“So what album did you buy?” Audra asked Ty, eyeing the brown paper sack.

“Uh, nothing much. Something by Katy Perry.” He flushed and grinned like he was embarrassed about it.

“Really? That big a fan, huh?” Audra asked. Kate’s ears perked up to hear Ty’s response. Maybe he’d divulge the big secret about whom it was for and Kate could find out if he had a girlfriend. Why she cared, she couldn’t say. It wasn’t like she had any hope of landing him.

“It’s not for me. It’s a gift, like I told Kate. Right Kate?”

Kate blinked at hearing her name on his tongue again. His green eyes looked amused as he stared down at her. She cleared her throat. “That’s what you said, but I have my doubts.” Kate couldn’t believe it. She was joking with him. Where’d that come from?

He laughed and pulled an empty chair over from another table to sit down with them. “Hope you guys don’t mind if I join you for five minutes. I might stretch it to ten, if you’re lucky,” he teased.

“We can only hope we’d be so fortunate,” Audra said.

“So how do you guys know each other?” Kate asked, suddenly, surprising herself again. Ty and Audra exchanged a look.

“The climbing gym,” Ty answered. He cleared his throat. “Audra’s been throwing herself at me, haven’t you Audra.”

Kate’s stomach did a pirouette hearing this. She felt ridiculous for having fantasized even for a second that she’d have a chance with Audra in the competition. In fact, she hadn’t known she’d even been hoping for one until that very moment. It was an impossible creature, the hope, something outside her conscious thought. A parasite or a . . . a barnacle, or something, with a life of its own. She couldn’t suppress the desire, try as she might, and even though she knew he was out of her league, the hope lived on.