The Achy, Breaky Heart!

Chapter 8

I've been living in Santa Cruz for a week. After I left Maddox behind in New York I hired a car and drove here.

I live in a one bedroom apartment that overlooks the beach.

The guy that runs the building is a grumpy old fart that makes whistling noises with his nose every time he breathes.

I think I need to get some earplugs for when I'm around whistler.

Today I'm looking for a job. I need to money for the apartment I'm living in. I pick up resume and and handbag. I walk out the door.

I walk along the boardwalk and come across cafes and shops. I put my resume into all of them.

The last cafe on the boardwalk has people lining up onto the streets.

There's a girl around my age pushing through the crowd and collecting cups from the tables.

I walk over to her. "Do you need some help?"

She nods. "Yeah, can you collect all the cups and bring them into the kitchen?"

I put my bag behind the counter and collect the cups from the tables and wipe them down.

The line moves and it takes fifteen minutes until the final person on the street is served.

The girl my age sits at a table. "Do you have a resume?"

I give it to her.

She flips threw the pages. "I want you here tomorrow morning at seven for an induction. I'll train you how to make coffee using our machines."

I shake her hand. "Thanks."

She smiles. "My name is Lauren."

"I'm Samantha."

"It's nice to meet you. I have to go to the office. If you want something to drink one of my employees will get it." Lauren walks behind the counter and into a room.

On the way back to my apartment my phone rings and I look at the called ID before answering it.

"Hey, Maddie,"

"Guess who's back in town?"

I shake my head. "I'm not in the mood for games. Who's in town?"

"Maddox Colt."

My grip on the phone tightens. "What's he doing there?"

"He's looking for you."

I sigh. "Does he know what happened between my parents and me?"

"Yes, his Aunt and Uncle took him to my work and told him over lunch. Maddox isn't happy and I think he's ready to hurt people."

"Don't tell him where I am."

"I won't. Sam, please go to one of his games before you give birth to the kid. Take care of yourself and I'll see you in two months."

"Okay, I'll show you around town and where I work."

"You got a job? That's great."

I hear a male say. "Maddie is that..."

I hang up the phone.

I can't talk to Maddox right now.

I stop in front of the rundown apartment building I'm staying in.

Whistler exits the building. "Stop loitering girl and get inside. You make the place look dirty."

I laugh. "Yes, Sir." I salute him.

I enter the building and walk up the stairs to my apartment.

A guy run down the steps. His shoulder brushes against mine and I nearly fall down the stairs.

He grabs my arm and tugs me to him. "I'm sorry." He drops his hands.

"Be careful next time." I start to climb the steps.

He grabs my hand. "I'm Jaxon."

"Samantha."

"Do you want to grab dinner sometime?"

"Sure, find me when you want to go on the date."

"Alright, I'll see you around, Sam." He runs out of the building.

The door to my place is ajar.

Whistler walks up the stairs. "Is everything alright, miss."

I shake my head. "The door to my place is ajar. I locked it when I left. What if someone is still in there."

"No ones in there now. If it makes you feel safer I'll check it out for you." He enters the place.

A couple seconds later he exits the room. "It's all clear."

I enter the place and everything is thrown all over the place. The fridge and freezer are open.

I start cleaning up the place.

Someone was after something I don't have.

I don't feel safe here.

I walk into the hardware store.

A guy stops next to me. "Can I help you, Miss?"

I nod. "Sure, I need some locks for my apartment. My place was broken into and I need to feel safer in my place."

Damn, I need to learn when to talk and when to keep my mouth shut.

This is the time when I need it keep my mouth closed.

The guy pulls some things off the shelf. "Is there anything else you need?"

I shake my head. "That should be it." I stop. "Tools, I need something to use to put those in the door."

He picks up the tools and puts it in the pile. "Follow me to the register and I'll ring your order up."

I follow him the register and he puts the items through. I give him the money and take the brown paper bag from the table.

I hear the pounding of feet as I step onto the street.

The guy from the apartment trips over his feet. He lands at my feet.

I laugh. "Hey, handsome."

He looks at me. "Of course it had to be you that I fall in front of."

I help him to his feet.

He points the bag. "What did you get."

"I got some tools and locks for the apartment door."

He shakes his head. "Your place was the one that was broken into?"

I nod. "Yeah, does that happen all the time?"

"No, only to the new people to the apartment. Did you have anything valuable in that house?"

"No, everything I had valuable was left behind with my old life."

"What about the baby?"

"That's another story and something I don't want to talk about."

Jaxon put his hand on the small of my back and we head toward our apartment. "Do you need help installing the stuff you have in the bag?"

"Yes,"

"I'll have a shower and then come over."

Jaxon enters the apartment next to mine.

I put the bag on the floor next to door.

I pull out the mince from the fridge and the spaghetti from the cupboard.

I start making dinner.

There's a knock on the door and I open it.

Jaxon looks great in his jeans and t-shirt. His black hair is tousled from his shower.

I pull the tools out of the bag and give them to him.

He takes it from me. "Thanks, babe."

I check on the food on the stove and turn it to a slow setting. I put a timer on for twenty minutes.

I watch Jaxon put the locks into the door.

The timer goes off and I turn off the stove.

Jaxon stands. "The locks are done. I should go."

"Please, stay. I don't want to be alone." I set two plates on the table.

Jaxon and I sit on the lounge and eat dinner.