Chapter Two

nu-mi-nous

n(y)o͞omənəs

adjective

mysterious, holy or spiritual

synonyms: spiritual, religious, divine, holy, sacred

"Would you like to get a drink with me?" James McAvoy's lovely Scottish burr made me shiver as I stared up at him raptly.

"Oh... yes..." I said, nodding rapidly.

"All right." He leaned in, and a teasing grin lit up his face. "Only don't let me drink too much. Things might get crazy."

Holy crap. I held my breath and just kept nodding, watching his face draw closer and closer to mine...

And then my alarm went off again. I scowled, flopping my arm over and swiping it off. I loved that area between sleeping and waking when I had total control over my dreams, and I could make James McAvoy ask me out.

However, three ten minute snoozes were all I could allow myself, so I scrambled out of bed and got ready and go at top speed. When I finally managed to burst in through the door of It's Bean Great, shirt buttoned wrong, Jess was there to greet me. 

"Morning, slacker." Jess crossed her arms and raised her brows as she came in behind the counter to find me shoving bites of bagel in my mouth between painful swallows of coffee.

"Morning, sorry, sorry," I said with my mouth full. "I snoozed twice and missed the early bus. I'll do all the prep tomorrow. It was James McAvoy's fault."

"Yeah you will," she said with a shrug. "No worries, you've covered for me enough times. Oh, and here's your muffin. Mom says she's not making any more for you after this, though, so the bet's off."

"Oh cruel fate, when wilt thou weary be." I eagerly snatching the chocolatey goodness. "Do you think if I kidnap her and hold her for ransom you could get me the recipe?"

"She does it from memory," Jess replied, pulling out her own muffin and biting into it. "What was that about James McAvoy?"

"I was having a dream about him," I said thickly around another bite. "He has a drinking problem that makes him very kissy."

"You know he's married, right?"

"Doesn't matter in my dreams, baby." I waggled my brows.

She just shook her head, finishing off her muffin, and held out her hand. I gave her the keys as I continued stuffing my face, alternating bagel with muffin, and washing it down with coffee. 

Things were unusually busy that morning, so I didn't even notice it was nine o'clock until I heard the door open and glanced up to find the gorgeous bright blues of Mr. Hotty McGrumpy fixed on me. I jerked upright and straightened my shoulders instinctively, then rolled my eyes at my own response and glanced down to finish my current task of placing a drink and bagel on a tray. I eyed him as I brought the tray to its intended recipient. This morning he was with some young guy who looked like a local, the same beardy tattooed look that was so common.

As usual, they made their way to the corner table, and Mr. McGrumpy glanced up at us with his come-hither-and-serve-me-wench look. I picked up the water and glasses and made my way over to his table, veritably beaming down at the two of them.

"Hi there, I'm Jack, are you ready to order?"

"Well, Mr. Geller? Are you?" As usual, his growly voice did things to me, and I swallowed hard. The clock began ticking down to when I would lose my nerve and get all stammery.

"Yeah, I'll just get a caramel latte," beardy man said quickly.

Liam glanced up at me with an impatient flick of his eyes. "Espresso macchiato and a savory scone."

I nodded solemnly. "Mr. Geller, are you sure you don't want anything to eat? The food here is practically a numinous experience."

"Well that doesn't sound good," the guy replied with a nervous laugh.

"Oh, it's very good."

"That will be all, Miss Jacqueline." Liam's stern voice reprimanded me without even trying, so I flushed and scurried back behind the counter.

"Was Mr. McGrumpy all mean to you again today?" Jess asked as she handed over his completed macchiato.

"Just the normal level of mean." I peered over where Liam was now taking out a folder and placing it on the table. Great, now I was calling him Liam automatically.

"And beardy boy?"

"Tall caramel latte," I said as I began warming the scone. "This one has promise, no waffling at all."

"That's a good sign." Jess started working on the drink. "I love how we don't even know what the hell they're doing here or what their relationship is, and we're weighing in as if we're experts."

"I've got a new theory," I said with a grin, pulling the scone from the oven and tossing it onto a plate. "I think he's running a matchmaking agency, and interviewing potential matches. He has to be intimidating to prove they really want love enough to deal with him."

"Totally plausible," Jess said, nodding. "He matches people based on order efficiency and taste in coffee."

I swept up the completed latte, planting it on the platter along with Liam's order. I was halfway across the room, maneuvering between tables, when I glanced up to find Liam's gaze pinning me, a strange look on his face. I almost stumbled under the strength of his regard, but thankfully managed to right myself without wobbling any of the drinks over.

"Here you go, can I get you anything else?" I planted the drinks and food on the table and stood back.

"One more thing." Liam's long fingers pressed together and he leaned his elbows on the table. He eyed beardy guy across from him, then looked up at me. His gaze flicked over my T-shirt, down over my jeans, then back up to my face. "When do you get off work, Miss Jacqueline?"

"It's Jack." It took me a moment to catch up with myself and realize what he had asked. "Oh. Uh. Around noon."

He nodded, then turned back to beardy guy, his actions effectively dismissing me. I hesitated, but couldn't think of what to say. Oh great. The brain freeze had finally activated, and no more coherence was going to emerge.

Instead I turned and went back to the counter, body working on autopilot as I took the pitcher of water, made a round to fill up everyone's empties, then came back behind the counter and leaned against it weakly, staring at Jess. There was a lull in customers, so she was checking her phone, but glanced up and started.

"Are you okay? You look... constipated."

"I'm great!" Too loud, Jack. Tone it down. "He asked me when I get off work."

"What?" Jess's voice shrieked out loudly enough to make a few customers look over with brows raised. "What?" she repeated in a quieter screech. "What did you say? Why did he ask? Was he hitting on you?"

"Shut up, shut up," I groaned, massaging my temples. "He'll hear you. He probably has super hearing. I think he might actually be Superman. Clark Kent. But no glasses. He'll be recognized without those, that's kind of stupid of him. Shit."

Jess smacked my ass lightly. "Get it together!"

Right. Focus, focus. "I mean, I don't know. He didn't say. He wasn't looking at me all lustfully or anything, I don't think it was a pickup line. But why else would he want to know? I don't know!"

"Wow... weird." Jess frowned and rubbed her bottom lip with her thumb. "I bet he was hitting on you. Sometimes you just can't tell, and he's more inscrutable than most."

"I don't know." I threw up my hands. "I can't think about this, I'll go crazy. I just have to wait and see."

When the noon shift arrived, I pulled off my apron with uncharacteristic lethargy, gathering up my belongings and leaning against the wall for a long moment. Jess was getting ready to go as well, and stopped to glance over at me in the middle of pulling her purse over her shoulder.

"What?"

"I'm nervous to go out there."

"You're usually nervous to do anything," Jess said with a smile. "But you never let it hold you back. You're intrepid. Channel the lioness that resides within!"

"But what if he's out there," I whined, following her through the door.

"Then woman up and deal with it." She stopped, got behind me and planted firm hands on my shoulder, making me feel like a little kid as she guided me out, down the hallway to the front entrance.

I began to relax as I let her steer me out, feeling a bit silly about my nerves. Then the front door swung open, and in came Liam McGrumpy himself, accompanied by a gust of misty rain. He stood there for a long moment, looking like a force of nature, then his eyes found me, and he nodded grimly.

Jess leaned in close and whispered in my ear. "Keep it together, Jack. Lioness."

I snorted and straightened my shoulders, pulling away from her grip. "You're a dork."

"I'm heading home. Call me." She winked and swept forward past Liam, out the front door and was gone. Damn.

"Miss Jacqueline. Please join me."

I trotted after him obediently to the corner, suddenly glad I was wearing a baggy jacket that I could hide in. He went to pull out the chair for me, but before he could, I plopped my butt down in the chair he always sat in.

He froze, his hands gripping the back of the other chair tightly for a long moment. Then he straightened and lowered himself regally into the empty chair, eyes sparking as frosty cold as my morning showers.

"Mr. - Liam."

He looked ill at ease. Sitting with his back to the corner was apparently important to him, judging by how disconcerted this was making him. He looked almost startled when the afternoon shift guy came up to our table and smiled at me.

"Hey, Jack. I'm Greg, can I get you guys anything?" He was a friendly man, short and a little thick, sporting a full beard, but his smile was so genuine that he was handsome.

"No thanks, I'm getting lunch after this," I said cheerily. "We'll be quick, don't worry."

Liam glared at me, probably all alpha male and pissy because I answered for him, but reluctantly nodded. "Accurate. I do not require sustenance."

"Yeah, robots only require recharging once a day." I hadn't totally clammed up so far. I was doing really well. Something about how nervous Liam looked was relaxing me. I had stopped thinking of him as that impossibly sexy and mysterious customer, and more as just Liam, the generally disgruntled guy.

Greg cleared his throat and nodded. He was obviously still intimidated by Liam, so maybe it was just me noticing the shifty eyed behavior. "Okay, don't take up the table too long Jack, you know we're only supposed to let customers hang out very long."

"No problem, Greg. Thanks." I turned back to Liam and folded my hands on the table. He did the same with his, and I noticed how large they were. I wondered what that meant about his penis size. Or was it feet that supposedly correlated? I resisted the urge to peer down at his feet.

"Miss Jacqueline. I have a proposition for you."

"Yes?" I asked, proud of how strong my voice sounded. Maybe a little too loud. Tone it down.

"Over the course of the past six months, I have frequented this establishment often."

"I have noticed," I said solemnly, nodding.

"Do not interrupt me," he snapped. Then he took a deep breath, as if attempting to reign in his emotions. "I have observed that you are extremely competent in the workplace. Very friendly and efficient. You seem, from our interactions, also marginally intelligent."

I opened my mouth to protest the marginally part, but his glare intensified enough for me to think better of it.

"The past few weeks, I have been interviewing for a bartending position at my club," he continued, unfolding his hands and smoothing his tie. "I have found the results unsatisfactory. I require reliability, obedience, confidentiality, skill, and above all..." He paused and looked at me appraisingly. "No foolishness."

"And you have reason to believe I'm any of those things?"

"I had my doubts about the foolishness," he admitted, lips twitching. "However, I now believe that to be eccentricity, which is an acceptable flaw."

"Um." I cleared my throat to buy myself some time. "So you're offering me a job as a bartender? You know I don't have any experience with that, right?"

He waved his hand dismissively. "Things as simple as pouring drinks are easily taught. Indefinable qualities that make a good employee are more difficult to find."

"I see." I tugged my earlobe nervously as I thought about it. "It's a full time position? I'd have to work nights?"

"Yes, from five in the afternoon until the club closes. You will have to work hard, and on the weekends, but we pay well, and provide excellent benefits. We believe in rewarding good behavior."

Health insurance. That would be nice. Since I only worked part time at It's Bean Great, and my other jobs weren't providing it, I had to pay the annual fee when I paid my taxes. Plus I had to hope like hell I never got sick enough to need a doctor. But there was no way I could give up my weekend evenings. The symphony needed me, and my band performed most often on Friday and Saturday nights.

"I'm sorry, I'm very flattered, but I just don't have time."

"No time?" He looked startled, as if that were the last thing he was expecting me to say. "You only work here four days a week, and not even a full eight hour shift."

"Yes, and clearly working at a coffee shop is the only way I spend my time," I said dryly. "I'm afraid I have fairly regular commitments on weekends that are extremely important to me."

"I see." A calculating gleam appeared in his eyes, and he leaned forward. "You would not give them up for anything? Not even eighty thousand a year?"

Holy shit. My brain fuzzed for a moment, and I'm sure I looked like a glazed over idiot as I processed that. Who the hell paid a bartender that much?

"What... what... wh..." I paused for a long moment to collect my thoughts. "What club is it? I mean, I've never heard of a bartender getting that kind of salary, especially before tips."

"It is a very unique club." His eyes held a hint of triumph, like he thought he already had me. "We require absolute discretion, and are willing to pay for it."

"I'm assuming I haven't heard of it, then." My mind immediately flicked to the secret club where Isaac had booked us a gig. Underworld. I wondered briefly if it was the same one. If they had bands bailing at the last minute, maybe they had trouble keeping bartenders around too.

"It is highly unlikely."

"Okay, so. You want me to agree to quit my current job, give up engagements which are extremely important to me, and become your bartender at a vague and secret club, for a suspiciously large amount of money." I kept my voice even, though I was fighting the urge to burst into hysterical laughter.

He hesitated, seeming to consider the accuracy of my words before replying. "Yes. Well, Miss Jacqueline?"

"Why do you call me that? It's Jack."

"I despise nicknames. A very irritating habit of your species."

"As opposed to yours? Which is what, Grumpius Roboticus?"

His lips twitched again in that almost-smile of his. "I need an answer, Miss Jacqueline."

"Um, no," I said plainly. "Sorry. I don't mean to be rude, but I have way too much stuff going on right now, plus the whole thing sounds a little shifty."

His eyes went cold, and he drew back. I felt the absence like a slap. "I see." He rose to his feet immediately, and I leapt up with him. "I urge you to reconsider."

"I don't think I will," I said doubtfully, pulling my purse on over my shoulder. "Like I said though, thank you for the offer. Don't take it personally, I'm just too busy."

"I understand perfectly." He clearly didn't believe me. "Goodbye, Miss Jacqueline."

He turned and strode away without another word. I blinked at his abrupt departure, and pulled my keys out of my purse. What a weird encounter. And what a prickly fellow. Hopefully I hadn't just lost a good customer. I pulled out my phone to call Jess on my way to the bus stop, ducking my head against the light rain. Her reaction was of course, as expected.

"Oh my god. Please tell me you didn't say no."

"Of course I did," I snapped, getting a little aggrieved now. Why was it so hard to believe that I had stuff going on? "You know I'm too busy."

"Ugh. I know." She sighed. "You're always busy with the band, and the other band, and practicing, and the lessons, and blah blah. I'm proud of you, you know that. It was just such a great romance novel moment, you know? Where the guy hires the girl he likes so he can get closer to her, and they end up fucking in the storage room?"

"Yes, I know, I've ruined all your dreams of me fucking some dude in a storage room." I laughed. "But you get it, right? Hey, maybe tomorrow I should mention you to him instead. I didn't even think of it, I was so stunned. But you'd be perfect."

"Oh man." Jess paused for a long moment, then her voice took a more excited tone. "Do you think so? That would be amazing. That salary, holy crap."

"I can mention it if you want. But I mean... It does sound shifty, doesn't it?"

"Maybe a little. But it's not like he's a creepy guy in an alley, he's been interviewing people in public for the position. I wonder if it's a sex club," she continued. I could almost hear the fiendish grin through the phone.

"Probably," I snorted. "Classy businessmen are always pervs in the bedroom. Most of them like that whole dominatrix thing, I read it in an article."

"I wouldn't mind that. Ordering guys around is kind of my specialty."

"You don't need to tell me. If you wouldn't mind bartending in a sex club, and you feel safe around Mr. Liam McGrumpy, I'll ask him for you tomorrow. I don't think he's super happy with me right now, but it couldn't hurt to try, right?" I glanced up as the bus pulled up to the stop. "I gotta go, though, the bus just got here."

"Okay, I'll see you tomorrow." She paused and I climbed into the bus, swiping my card and making my way to an empty seat. "And yes. I'm very interested."

"Noted." I smiled. "Bye, freak."

"Bye, weirdo."

She hung up, and I tilted my head against the window, watching the city streets go by and wondering if I'd made a terrible mistake.