With These Words

“Can I get any service out here?” Someone yelled from the front of the bakery.

“Sir?” I heard Andy leave his post by the register. That was a rare occurrence.

“Hello?” The man yelled again ignoring Andy.

I stopped frosting cupcakes and set down the knife. “Is there a problem?” I asked sticking my head around the corner.

Caleb was standing in front of Andy. He gave me a wide grin. “Oh, hey, Georgia,” He waved. “I was wondering when you’d show up.”

I laughed and wiped my hands on my apron. “I thought I was going to have to come out here and throw down.”

“Really?” Caleb raised his eyebrows. “Now that I would have liked to see.”

Andy cursed under his breath and returned to the register.

“Well he’s a bunch of laughs,” Caleb smirked.

“Always,” I smiled. “So what are you doing here?”

“What?” He frowned slightly, but quickly regained his cool. “Kyle can come visit you everyday, but I can’t?”

I rolled my eyes. “Kyle just shows up on a whim and keeps me from getting things done.”

“So you don’t like it?” He tilted his head and looked at me. “When he comes around,” he clarified. “You don’t like it?”

I tried to pick my words very carefully. “No, I mean, I don’t mind it…” I played with the ends of my hair. “Like…he’s a nice guy. And he’s funny…sometimes. But like…” I couldn’t bear to even listen to myself. I knew I was just rambling on and on and on.

“Whatever,” he laughed and shrugged off the subject. He leaned on the counter. “So,” a smile played with the edges of his lips. “What are the odds of you buying me another doughnut?”

I laughed. “Isn’t it the guys job to buy things for the girls?”

He leaned closer on his elbows. “Isn’t that only the case on a date?” He cupped his chin in his hands and smiled.

“What?” I blushed. “This isn’t a date.”

“Well I know that,” he smirked. “Which is why I don’t feel the need to pay.” He reached into the back pocket of his jeans and pulled out his faded leather wallet. “But, if you insist, how ‘bout you take a break and we try some of those smiley face cookies?” he pointed to the bright yellow cookies near the other register.

“Oh,” I looked at Andy. “I don’t know if I can take a break…”

“Trust me,” he stood up straight again. “I don’t think you’ll miss much.”

I stared at him. His ginger hair. His light brown eyes. His boyish face. “Yeah, alright,” I smiled and grabbed some napkins from underneath the counter. “I’ll get some cookies.”

“Great,” He slapped the counter and headed to the far table in the corner. He pulled out a chair for me and sat down in the opposite.

I tore my eyes away long enough to grab two cookies and place them on top of my stack of napkins.

“Thanks,” He immediately took one from my hand, not even waiting for me to set them on the table.

“Hungry?” I laughed and sat down in the vacant chair.

He let the crumbs falling from his lips do that talking.

“So,” I took a small bite of my own cookie. What I really wanted to know is what he was doing here, but I wasn’t sure how to word that casually. “How are things?”

“Same,” he shrugged. “Kind of boring at the moment.”

“Yeah,” I nodded and watched him shove the rest of his cookie into his mouth. “I know the feeling.”

He looked up at me. “Then we should do something.”

“What do you mean ‘we should do something’?” I set down my remaining piece of cookie on the table.

“You know,” he gave me an easy grin. “Why should we both sit here and be bored? It’s summer vacation!”

“Well yeah,” I nodded again. “But I mean, I have work and you have…stuff…with your band.”

He waved his hand around. “It’s not like I don’t have a second of free time.” He grinned. “I’ll just have to sneak out when the guys aren’t looking.”

I laughed.

“No, but seriously,” He smiled again. “We should do something.”

I couldn’t tell if this was leading into a date. He was definitely implying it would just be the two of us. The thought alone made me sick with nerves.

“Like?” I tried to play it cool. I took another bite of my cookie and set it back down.

“Well,” He brushed his hands off and on his jeans. “Do you like fun?”

“What kind of a question is that?” I made a face at him. “Who doesn’t like fun?”

“See?” He grinned and held his hands up. “Since we both like fun, I’m sure we’ll find something to do.”

I shook my head and finished off my cookie. “You’re weird.”

“You’re weird,” he echoed and crinkled up his napkin. He looked up at me again and smiled.

“I um, I should get back to work,” I eyed the registers. “You know, can’t take day long breaks.”

“Yeah,” he sighed and looked around the empty bakery. “True that.” He scooted his chair back and stood up. I followed suit.

“Is Kyle stopping by today?” I asked before he headed towards the door.

He looked confused. “What? I don’t know.”

I felt my cheeks turn pink. “I um…well I just…he was supposed to come by ‘cause…well I don’t know. That’s what he always does…” I wasn’t sure why I always ended up stuttering.

“Right,” he nodded curtly. “Well I don’t know.”

I nodded too and ran my hands over my apron.

“Text me sometime,” He walked over to me and slipped the black pen out of my apron pocket. He reached out for my hand and gently printed his number on my palm. I was flustered by how close we were.

When he was finished he let go of my hand and capped the pen. “I’ll see you later, Georgia,” He lifted his chin in a nod and dropped the pen back in my pocket.

“Yeah,” I looked down at my hand. “Bye.”

I heard him chuckle to himself before he pushed open the heavy glass door and disappear into Dallas’s normal street traffic.

“He looked like a winner,” Andy commented in a bored tone.

I shot him a glare before wiping down the table Caleb and I had ate at.

::;::

After changing into something comfortable, I grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and set up camp on my futon.

It was time to listen to Kyle’s band.

I’ll admit, I had some preconceived notions. I mean, after meeting these guys and spending some time with them, you can’t help but somewhat anticipate what they would sound like.

I slipped the CD Kyle had given me from movie night into my CD player and dropped down onto the couch. I was ready to be wowed.

The first few beats started. They were simple. But only a few bars had passed before my cell phone started buzzing wildly in my pocket.

I quickly paused the music and pressed the phone to my ear. “Hello?”

“Georgia?” The voice held a somewhat familiar tone, but I couldn’t place it.

“Yes?” I didn’t know what else to say.

“Hey,” the voice seemed to relax. “It’s me, RJ.”

RJ? I’d been so busy with the bakery, and barbeques, and movie nights, and Kyle coming around, I’d completely forgotten about RJ.

“Oh, hey,” I eased myself back onto the couch. “How are you?”

“Good, good,” He cleared his throat. “So I’m sorry it took me so long to get back to you.”

I nodded, not feeling to the need to respond.

“I um, I lost your number,” he continued. “You know how it goes…”

No. No I didn’t. And I knew he didn’t lose my number. It was in his contacts list. “Sure…” I mentally kicked myself for not saying something a little more forceful. I had spent many a night wondering if RJ was ever going to get around to calling.

“But anyway,” he cleared his throat again. Clearly the awkwardness was just as strong on his end. “I hope everything is well with you.”

“Oh, sure,” I picked at one of my nails. “I’m doing fine.”

“I’ve haven’t seen you around the clubs lately,” he mused.

“Yeah,” I shrugged to myself. “I’ve been busy.”

“Not all work, I hope,” He laughed.

For some reason this angered me. Like he thought I had no life outside of him and his DJ-ing. “No,” I told him curtly. “I’ve been hanging out with some friends.”

“Friends?” He questioned. “You mean the blonde girl you used to dance with?”

“Her name is Haley,” I informed him. “And no, I have other friends.”

I wasn’t quite sure why I was being so cold to him. After all, this is what I wanted. I wanted RJ to call, and here he was, trying to make conversation with me.

“Well of course,” he swallowed. “I just thought you and Haley were really close.”

I shrugged to myself again. I wasn’t sure what was up with Haley these days. She seemed…different. After I had confronted her about Austin and the other boys at the clubs, she’d been…different. That’s just it. Different.

“I guess,” I spoke into the phone. “You know how it is.”

“Sure, sure.”

I let out a breath and decided to continue playing my CD. If I did miss something RJ said, I was doubting it would be all that interesting.

“What are you listening to?” He asked almost instantly. “I think I’ve spun them before.”

I doubted it. These guys seemed a little above being played at a run down club. “Just something someone gave to me.” I figured vague was best.

“Right,” he sighed. “Well, um, I was just calling to see if you maybe wanted to do something later. Like tomorrow night maybe?”

I thought long and hard. This is when it counted. This is what I had wanted! But I don’t know. Somewhere along the line something had changed.

“Look RJ,” I braced myself. “I think you’re a really nice guy, but I just don’t think it’s going to work out...”

Click.

I pulled the phone away from ear. RJ had indeed hung up on me. I felt like I should be hurt right now, but I wasn’t. I just couldn’t bring myself to feel it.

On impulse, I slid my phone open to it’s full keypad and typed out a message.

'I’m finally getting around to listening to your music.' I typed out.

I scrolled down to Kyle’s name and quickly hit send. I was finally getting some use out of him putting his number into my phone.

Moments later my phone vibrated. I flipped it open to retrieve the new message, but Kyle had called me instead.

“Oh, hello?” I quickly pressed the phone against me ear. This time I was happier though. I couldn’t always guarantee Kyle’s conversation would make sense, but at least it was more interesting than RJ’s.

“This clearly is not something to be discussed by text,” he said into the phone. His voice filled my ear, and if I closed my eyes it was like he was sitting there with me on my beat up futon. “Oh, and I’m glad you finally got around to calling me too! I thought I was actually going to have to show up to the bakery and ask you for your number,” he laughed and I felt myself smile.

“I guess I’m just a little slow.”

“So what do you think?” He asked.

“Well I---” there was a loud crash on his end of the line.

“Hang on,” he cut me off. “MARC!”

I knew he had pulled the phone away from his face, but I could hear him loud and clear. He spoke rapidly to his step brother and they both laughed.

“Sorry about that,” I heard a door click shut. “You were saying?”

I laughed. “I was just going to say I’ve only listened to one song.”

“One?” He sounded surprised. “I gave you that CD days ago!”

“It was like two days ago,” I reminded him. “And like I said, I guess I’m a little slow.”

“A little?” He mumbled. I could picture his boyish smirk.

“Got a problem, Burns?”

“Hey now,” He laughed. “No need to get sassy there, Georgia. But I’m glad you’ve liked the one song.”

“Who said I liked the song?” I pulled my feet up underneath me in an attempt to get more comfortable.

“Um, why else would you be calling?”

I thought for a moment. “Well perhaps I was calling to tell you I didn’t like your music and the second you return to the bakery I’m going to give you your CD back.”

“Ah,” he paused. “Well I guess you’re right. I had never thought of that.”

“It’s your ego.”

“Right,” He agreed with a chuckle. “My massive ego.”

I laughed and listened as the second song on the CD started. It was a more upbeat one than the last.

“You should hear it live,” He interrupted my thoughts.

“Hmmm?” I turned down the volume slightly. “Like I have the money for that. I work at a bakery, Kyle.”

“Maybe we could work something out,” he offered.

“Oh?”

“But let me tell you,” I could see his smile. “It’s going to cost you quite a few sprinkle covered doughnuts.”

I laughed and tucked my feet tighter beneath me.

We talked a little while longer about his band and his music, but then I had to go. It was getting late and I had to work early tomorrow.

“I’m coming by the bakery tomorrow,” he said before I hung up.

“I figured.”

He laughed. “Goodnight, Georgia.”

“Goodnight,” I mumbled to the dial tone. I ended the call and set the phone on the futon next to me. My ear felt cold and lonely now that Kyle’s voice wasn’t filling it.