Page 39 of Pucking Matt

I lean back in my chair.

Hell yeah.

Chapter 11

I’m not even on the clock when I see Matt walk through the front door. He’s not wearing his normal attire, but I don’t think much of it because his expression is…not normal. I tie the apron around my waist and ignore him. Jen can deal with him.

I walk to the back to clock in when I feel a tall presence behind me. I turn around and jump. Matt’s eyes widen.

“Scare easily?” he asks.

My heart is racing, but I won’t admit it. “What are you doing back here?”

He leans in, pressing in numbers on the keypad. I take a step back, watching it happen before me. The numbers work, so I whip my head back to him.

“What?” I shake my head, awfully confused. I try to say something again, but only nothing comes out.

“So, is this how you train all the new people? Just gawk at them?” he says.

I blink so much that I notice I’m blinking too much. I don’t like it. “Excuse me?”

He grabs an apron from the hook and ties it around himself. Now I’m laughing because he looks ridiculous in it. I laugh, walking away from him.

I stop and turn back to ask him something, but I bump into him instead. “What the–”

“Yeah?” he asks, taking a step back.

“Are you messing with me?” I ask, and recognizing his cologne from his truck. He smells…like a man.

He smirks, trying to hide it. “No.”

It’s the worst lie I’ve ever seen on mankind.

“Matt, whatever you’re doing here––stop. I’ll make you a sandwich, but you need to get on that side of the counter.”

“This is the most you’ve spoken to me,” he mentions. “Aw, I know why.”

I watch him talk to himself. He’s acting like he’s in a movie, dramatically figuring out a math problem. He’s staring into the air, deep in thought. Then he breaks to look me in the eye.

“You think you won. Well, guess what, Amby? I work here now.”

He brushes past me as I stare at nothing. There’s no way he works here now. This is a joke. I turn to follow him, but I’m stunned at the sight before me. He’s already at the counter, talking with a customer next to Jen. There’s no way she would allow him to be here if this was a prank. I wait until she’s done with the customer to call her name. She’s explaining something to Matt when she turns to me.

“I’ll be right back,” she says to Matt.

I stare at him for a moment. He’s too tall to be in here, too big. Too rude, too arrogant, and too stubborn. Gah, I could shave all his hair off his head when he’s sleeping.

“What is he doing here?” I ask Jen.

“Matt?”

I nod, widening my eyes. Who the hell else am I talking about? I narrow my eyes waiting for her reply.

“He’s training right now.”

“Wait,” I’m blinking like crazy again. Goddamnit. “What?”

“Yeah. He works here now. He’s training.”