Chapter 1 Hot Trio

Lily POV

“Um Sir, SIR, Please, don’t do that!”

“GRRRR…this fucking thing isn’t working…AGAIN!!!”

“I can help you sir, maybe just step away from the copier and I can take a look?”

“I’m not letting some incompetent woman see my documents. I’ll fix it myself.”

“Sir…sir…please…I can”

“HEY Buddy! Touch it again and I’ll put your face through the window…I told you yesterday…we aren’t copying your shit…Now…SCRAM!”

Maisie flies out of the breakroom at lightning speed wielding a baseball bat and waving it like a madwoman. The guy at the copier takes one look at her, grabs his files and runs for the door screaming, “Fuck you, you crazy bitch!”

“I told you not to take their shit Lil, you know that guy was in here yesterday trying to photocopy porn…grabbed my ass when I suggested he be less creepy…ugh”, her whole-body shudders as she remembers the ordeal… I can’t help but laugh.

I’ve been working at the “Copyhub” for six months now. My aunt Anna and uncle Henry own the place, and Maisie is their crazy daughter and my favourite cousin! It hasn’t been an easy year. My mom was killed in a car crash late last year and I never had the pleasure of meeting my father, so Anna, Henry and Maisie are all I have left. They insisted I move to Elwood after my mom died and even though I didn’t think I would, I’m beginning to fall in love with this little town.

It’s quaint and quirky and people even remember your name here. It’s not like the city I grew up in but it’s not nearly as bad as I thought it’d be.

“Hey, Abbie wanted to know if we were up for going to the diner after our shift?”

“Yeah sure, I like Abbie, she’s really sweet.”

“And…we need to talk about Bruce, he might be there…” No! Bruce is the biggest creep I’ve ever met, and Maisie just can’t seem to see it.

“Oh Maise…look I know you grew up with him, but he just kinda gives me the creeps. The last time you left me alone with him he tried to kiss me…”

“I know, I know…He’s forward…” I look away and pretend to be busy, stacking reams of paper on the back shelves, as I say, “He’s not just forward, he’s rude and entitled. He ISN’T my type…” “But if you just give him a little chance you might change your mind, oh…I hear he’s really good in bed…he could be the one to pop your…”

“Uh Uh…excuse me ladies. I don’t mean to interrupt this very entertaining conversation, but is there any chance we could get some help please?”

I turn towards the counter to be met by three of the most handsome men I have ever seen. Maisie chokes on her own breath as she takes them in.

The tallest stands to the side, glaring at us, as if we are something he stepped in. He’s stunningly handsome, so much so that I get a little lost in his cobalt blue eyes and the stubble along his jaw sparks heat along my spine. He’s tanned, easily six-two and has dark brown hair, cropped on the sides and slightly longer at the top. He clearly works out…

His two friends are equally as handsome. The one nearest to me has deep brown eyes and black hair, short on the sides but that falls over his forehead in soft curls. The last guy seems to be the friendliest of the three and is the one that spoke. He’s around six feet tall with auburn hair and light brown eyes that seem nearly amber in colour.  They are hard to look away from.

The three men stand awkwardly as we stare at them, and the first ones glare seems to bore through my soul.

“Welcome to “Copyhub”, how can we help you?”

“Thank you for the welcome. It’s nice to finally meet you…I’m Danny.” The third guy gives us a huge grin as I take in his words, what does he mean “finally” meet us?

We wait for him to say more, the second guy speaks next.

“We need help with copying a delicate book. We only have a loan of it, and we need to copy the whole thing, without damaging it.”

“Oh, Lil can help you with that. She’s an actual archivist. Has a degree it in and everything.” Maisie loves to tell everyone who’ll listen about my double major in archiving and historical mythology. She forgets to tell people that after I realised it wouldn’t get me far; I did a masters in biological sciences.

“Is that so…well, uh Lil, we would appreciate the help…”

“Sure thing, can I see the book?” Handsome man number two reaches into a bag and pulls out an ancient looking book. It’s so old that it even has a clasp to bind it shut. I reach under the counter and take out a pair of gloves that I keep handy for handling sensitive documents. I take the book with reverence and glance at the title.

“A human history of Werewolf prophecies” Interesting…I can’t help but wonder why three guys in their mid-twenties have it.

Moving out from around the counter, with the book in my hands, I’m quickly surrounded by the men.

“Whoa…boys, she isn’t going to run away with it…maybe think about standing back a tad…let her breathe and all”, Maisie is still swinging the bat from earlier and the three men take a collective step back from me.

I inspect the first pages of the book and once I’m confident it won’t be damaged during copying, I set up the copier to a sensitive setting and show Danny how to proceed. The first guy doesn’t say a word and continues to stand off to the side, glaring between us and his friends.

Maisie and I try our best to pretend not to be drooling as they continue copying the book. My phone beeps.

Maisie: Tall, dark and grumpy keeps looking at you. I’d so do the other two though

Lily: You’d do Bruce, or anything with a pulse…

Maisie: True, BUT, I haven’t done Bruce…just his friends…you should do Bruce…Wonder where these guys are from?

Lily: Not here anyway, they are waaaayyyy to hot and I’m not doing Bruce…EVER!!

The chime on the door jingles and in walks the creep himself. Bruce sidles up to the counter and props himself up on his elbow as he winks at us.

“Well if it isn’t the two most beautiful girls in Elwood.” I roll my eyes and turn back to the shelf.

“You can do better than that Bruce.” Ugh why is she encouraging him!!

I shoot Maisie a glare and walk out around the counter towards the storage room when Bruce grabs my wrist as I pass him. He tries to pull me closer as I try to pull away. I don’t want to make a scene, but he’s really hurting my wrist. I’m doing my best to yank back my arm as quietly as possible when a vicious snarl sounds from my right.

Bruce drops my hand as his face glazes over with fear of whatever is coming up behind me. Suddenly I’m pulled to the side by strong arms as Bruce is hauled into the air by his collar, legs dangling off the floor.

“The girl doesn’t like you jackass. READ. THE. ROOM. Touch her again and I. WILL. END. YOU.” His tone is low and cold as the grumpy guy of the hottest trio alive drops Bruce to the floor and walks back to the copier without another word.

Bruce’s face goes purple with embarrassment and as he begins to walk to the exit, he whispers menacingly at me, “This isn’t over, LIL.”

WHAT now?!