A Little Maddy Snark

From FAKING IT by Jennifer Hendren (c) 2010

Hopefully this is new to everyone. Enjoy!


My days fell into a routine over the next week. Each morning I would start off in Miranda’s area. About an hour or so into my shift, Gabe would show up and take me out to the shack. Frankly, these little rides were the most exciting moments in my operation. I prayed my lustful thoughts weren’t apparent on my face.

Since that first day, he had stopped flirting with me—in fact, he was downright cold to me most days— and I couldn’t help the stab of disappointment I felt. I’d taken great pains to make sure my hair was in place and my face clean when he showed up each day. Nevertheless, he hadn’t continued his overtures toward me. What was wrong with him? Or rather, what was wrong with me?

Even more confusing than my infatuation was the fact I hadn’t seen Reynolds at any point. I’d be glad when my driver’s training finally began. For one, I wouldn’t be wasting my time and Drew’s money on these useless poker games that weren’t getting me anywhere.

Okay, so I’d been losing. No biggie. Drew hadn’t threatened to cut me off—yet.

Second, I wouldn’t have the proverbial carrot dangled in front of my face on a daily basis. The sooner I got away from Gabe, the sooner I could get him out of my head and my nighttime imaginations. Altogether too much of my time had been spent in a little fantasy world where Gabe was shirtless and I…well, you get the point.

I’d managed to find out his full name from an employee roster the big boys had given me at the company meeting. Gabriel Marquette. It suited him.

As if on cue, his horn sounded behind me. I climbed up and took my place beside him.

Miranda gave me a disgusted look as we sped away. She had made her opinion on my little excursions clear the moment Gabe had dropped me back at her workstation that first day.

“You’re a real stupid one, ain’t ye?” she had said, stepping around a column that had hidden her from view.

I had to do a mental shake at that one, but had refrained from blurting out the first thing that sprang to mind. I couldn’t afford to alienate anyone that early in the game. So instead of the snarky retort I had wanted to give, I said nothing and walked on past her.

“He ain’t nothing but trouble, mark my words.”

I didn’t know whether she meant Gabe or Reynolds, but I didn’t care. I smiled regardless. Whether or not she realized it, I took her words in a positive way. Trouble equals success in my biz. And warnings meant I was on the right track.

Even so, her little tirades had grown tiresome.

She was still in sight as we stopped to let a group of workers pass in front of us. I leaned out, made eye contact, and flipped her the bird. Whatever she said in response—and it was plenty—was drowned out by the ambient noises in the factory.

Beside me, Gabe chuckled. That really made me smile.