"Hold back?" I repeated as I smirked and put a hand on my hip, "If I wanted a man, I would have had one already. I don't have the time or the patience for a relationship. Though I'm not afraid to admit that if I were looking, I'd be one jealous bitch."
"Oh, you don't know the half of it," Meg replied with an impish smile that promised all sorts of mischief.
"Had we met a few years ago, well, I'd imagine we would have been thick as thieves, Meg." I wagered as I moved around to the back of the truck and unlatched the gate.
Ramon then climbed into the bed and proceeded to lift one of the barrels onto his shoulder effortlessly and drop out of the truck, taking the two-foot drop with only a slight bend of his knees.
"I'll be back out for the second one in a moment," Ramon called out as he disappeared back into the restaurant.
Watching him go, I couldn't help but shake my head in disbelief, "There's no way that man was an accountant."
"Wait until you try his cooking," Meg added on as she leaned against the doorway.
"Is that how he reeled you in?" I asked with a soft laugh.
"Well, if you count the breakfast he made after I woke up in his bed, I guess you could count that," Meg replied with such a straight face that I couldn't help but shake my head in disbelief, "You got no shame, do ya?"
Meg raised an eyebrow, "Is that a problem?"
I snorted, "Of course it fucking ain't, if all that's stopping you from doing something is worrying and stressing about what other people will say, then you gotta rethink your priorities."
"Damn, I wish I had someone tell me that a couple of years ago," Meg muttered sourly just as Ramon reemerged from the restaurant, dusting off his hands, "Before I take this second one and you take off, I wanted to ask how scrouging up supplies is going?"
"Don't worry, I ain't waisting the money you have me," I assured him, "Everything is set to arrive on the farm early Saturday morning. So be ready to rise at the ass crack of dawn and for a long day hauling shit that weighs more than a prize hog."
"You know you have such a beautiful way with words, Ashe," Ramon muttered as he picked up the second barrel with just as much ease as the first.
I threw up my middle finger as I walked back over to the driver's seat, "Fuck you, how about them for words?"
I heard Ramon laugh as I climbed into my truck and started the engine. Looking out the window, I waved goodbye, "It was nice meeting you, Meg, and I'll see you on Saturday, asshole."
--[Ramon]--
"I liked her," Meg commented as we watched Ashe pull off in her truck, "I hope you figure out this farm business, and end up adding her to the coven. Speaking of the Coven, when are you going to go all Prince of Darkness on Patty?"
"Prince of Darkness? You know I'm not related to Satan, right?" I asked with a raised brow.
Megan rolled her eyes, "I know, believe me, I watched a whole bunch of video essays breaking down the different types of demons and their origins."
"You did?"
Now it was Megan's turn to look at me like I was crazy, "Of course I did, you think I just casually accepted that I bound my soul to a demon and would do a bit of research into what that would entail?"
I scratched the back of my head, "That's actually an excellent point. Have you found anything interesting?"
"Sure, it's all somewhat entertaining, but how much or any of it is actually true is anyone's guess. Though honestly, I'd be relieved if you're a very isolated case, because breaking news, in most cases, demons aren't all that fun to deal with."
"Well then, I guess you got lucky with me," I replied as I pulled Megan to my side and kissed the top of her head, "Now, enough theorizing about the possibility that there are thousands of reincarnated demons secretly roaming the earth. We got a dinner rush to prep for."
"Great, nothing like a dose of existential dread to get you motivated. Also, Patty's going to be a bit late coming in today."
I nodded as we left the sidewalk and went back inside, "I figured as much...I almost wanted to give her the day off, though I was afraid of putting too much of a burden on you."
Megan smiled up at me, "We'll both be fine, though, if you want to take us shopping again as a consolidation prize, I don't think either of us would mind."
"Definitely in the books, and eventually I'll be able to hire more waiting staff. But first, I have to finish streamlining the kitchen workflow and hire a second cook."
"I got twenty bucks that says you end up hiring some bombshell that has no business working in the service industry." Megan propositioned, making me shake my head, "What would make you think that?"
Megan shrugged, "I don't know some weird passive demon magic."
I gave her a look, "You need to stop watching those video essays."
"Okay, you're acting like you're not an actual sex demon." Megan scoffed and crossed her arms, "You know what, a hundred dollars says the first person who responds to your job offer looks like they should be some fairy tale princess."
I chewed my lip for a second before shrugging, "Fine, I'll match that action. Now enough fooling around, we've got work to do."
Megan nodded and turned around to get started, but I remembered something at the last second, "Also, I may have offered one girl an all-inclusive dinner, so if you see a redhead with a resting bitch face, just make sure to let me know."
"The one from the gas station?"
"The one from the gas station." I confirmed with a nod of my head, making Meg smirk, "Alright then, I'll make sure to keep a lookout."
--[Summer]--
"Can't believe I'm dressing up for his ass," I muttered under my breath as I pulled the dress over my head, "I should turn up in a damn sweatshirt and tennis shorts, upset all of his boujee guests just to teach him a lesson."
On one hand, I was pissed that Ramon kept dropping off the face of the earth only to appear without any warning and act like he hadn't done anything wrong. But at the same time, his sporadic, aloof, and controlling attitude only made the impending sex hotter, 'It's a bit late to try and pull a power move when this man had me on my knees and blowing him while he made small talk with my mother.'
"Whoa, what are you getting all dressed up for?"
I jumped and spun around to find my mother standing in the doorway of my room, looking me up and down, "Wait a minute...is that one of my dresses?"
"It's not like you ever wear it," I muttered as I turned back to face the mirror. "I was also looking for those green stileto heels Dad got you for Christmas a few years back, but I couldn't find them in your closet."
"You're lucky I'm already two glasses down tonight," my mother muttered before taking another sip from her wine glass, which was already half empty, "Looks like it's closer to three glasses, which is why I'll ask if I can borrow your car tonight."
My mother raised her eyebrow at me, "Alright, what's going on here, you're getting dressed, asking to take my car...are you going on a date?"
"Okay, first of all, why do you sound so surprised that I could have a date? Second of all, it's not a date, I'm just going out to dinner." I explained calmly, hoping that would be the end of the conversation.
"Oh, really, where? Must be expensive if you're getting this dressed up for it."
I let out a frustrated sigh, "It's the new Grillhouse that just opened, and I don't know how expensive it is. But it doesn't matter because the owner invited me there and said he would pay for my food."
"Oh, I see," My mother replied with a laugh, "You're not dressing up for the restaurant, you're dressing up for him."
"Oh my god, Mom, would you just let me get ready in peace?" I muttered angrily as I turned back around to look at my reflection in the mirror.
"Come on, making your kids uncomfortable and embarrassing them is like the only upside to being a parent, let me enjoy this." My mom complained, making me roll my eyes, though before I could respond, she reached behind her back and produced the exact pair of heels I had been talking about, "H-how did you?"
"I saw you eyeing them up a few times. Just make sure your father doesn't see you wearing them; otherwise, he'll get all mopey."
I grinned and eagerly plucked the shoes from my mother's hands, "Deal...now about the car?"