CHAPTER 23 Reliable


    Joy


    After cing the grocery bags in the car, I took Noah to themercial space just beside the grocery


    store which would soon be my boutique. Luckily, he came prepared. Apparently, he keeps his


    builder’s tape h ooked on his belt at all times.


    He promised me he could get the ce done in two weeks just in time for the spring formal.


    As we were leaving the emptymercial space to go around town, I noticed a man walking


    down the sidewalk. It was Cristos! He was wearing a form fitting ck T-shirt, skinny jeans,


    and ck loafers with no socks. He was sashaying quite ostentatiously with one arm on his waist while


    his other arm swung forward and backward with his every move.


    Noah followed my eyes and grinned at me. “Ah yes. I had a feeling you would notice him.


    Come on. I’ll introduce you. Hey, Chip!” Noah called out.


    “If it isn’t my favorite construction man!” Cristos said mboyantly, his hand twirling in the air. He


    nced at me and winked. “And he has a date!” I bit my tongue to keep myself from giggling.


    “It’s not like that, Chip. I’m just showing Virtue here around town. She just moved into my


    neighborhood,” Noah quickly exined, embarrassed I was called his date. Cristos began to


    fan himself with his hand.


    a


    “I thought you were going to say she just moved into your house! Boy, you almost gave me heart


    attack! Virtue, darling, I’m Chad Hendrix Palmer, the town’s bartender, but you can call me Chip for


    short. Let me take a look at you, beautiful, Cristos said, lifting my chin up and scrutinizing me with


    laughter in his bright blue eyes. “So pretty. Oooohhhh, Nicole has somepetition.” He snapped his


    fingers, delighted at the idea. “Virtue, tonight isdy’s night at the local pub, half off on all drinks. Do


    come. It will be an interesting night.”


    I was so busy gawking at him that I didn’t answer. “Virtue, cat got your tongue?” Cristos


    asked.


    “Oh, yeah, Lisa told me about that. I’ll stop by after dinner,” I answered quickly, embarrassed


    I was caught off-guard.


    “Oh, Lisa, poor thing,” He grimaced, then quickly changed the subject. “Well, what can I say. What


    happens at the Buzzed Pub stays at the Buzzed Pub. You, darling, have to witness it


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    CHAPTER 23 Reliable


    firsthand. So, where are you two headed?”


    “I’m going to show her around town. We’ll even drop by at the Mayor’s office, so we can get a head


    start on those permits for the construction of this ce, Noah answered, pointing at the empty


    commercial space.


    “Oh, so you’re headed to the town hall to see Lim. Well, ta-ta darlings. Virtue, I’ll see yourter tonight,”


    Cristos said and sashayed away to the grocery store.


    “I like him,” I blurted out loud, giggling. Oh Cristos! You are such a character!


    “That makes the two of us,” Noah said, chuckling. “Come on. Let’s grab a cheeseburger from the diner


    and head to town hall. Once the permits are approved, we can start shopping for the construction


    material and furnishings at Dom’s. Don’t worry. The permits will be processed quickly because I know


    the Mayor,” he said proudly.


    When he noticed the cynical look I gave him, he quickly exined, “Well, yeah, I know everyone knows


    the Mayor, but he and I are really good friends.”


    Good friends, he says.


    Sure, Noah. Good enough to stab me in the back. You are sooo reliable that way.


    It’s only my first day back and I have to face the monster in all my nightmares.


    Sebastian


    “Virtue is headed to the Mayor’s office, Cristos whispered through the phone.


    “I’d like to ano


    apologize for the dy. I’ll call you as soon as your order arrives,” I said to him. “You too. Good day.” I


    abruptly ended the call and hid my smartphone in my pocket.


    “Who was that?” A high pitched nasal sounding voice said in front of me. I wished I could. tell Nicole to


    leave, but she gave me priceless information for free. If she wasn’t so useful, I would tell her what a bi


    tch she really was… to her face.


    “Just


    t some


    person asking me to follow up on his orders,” I said, making it seem call wasn’t important. “Anyway,


    before you make a decision on lights, how about with you to town hall and take a look at that office?”


    Nicole’s face lit up like a Christmas tree. This was one of those rare times she’d be a


    III


    HAPTER 23 Reliable


    patade me in front of all the women in this town. She couldn’t get any attention from Xavier and Cristos


    had seemingly made everyone believe he was g ay, so that left me, the reliable one. I had to make the


    girls in Liam’s group trust me enough to tell me if not all, most of his deep and darkest secrets.


    When the three of us ‘moved here, all the single and unhappily married women vied for our attention.


    Cristos got sick and tired of all the groping, so he told everyone he was g ay. Xavier, on the otherhand,


    was only sociable at work. Outside of the grocery store, he was quiet and moody, angry at all the


    people living in this small town for what they did to Joy. If he had his way, he would take a machine gun


    and kill each and every living soul. It’s actually a relief Joy is finally here with us. I actually saw Xavier


    laughing when he came back from the diner with his lunch. He’s now in a better mood.


    If people in this town only knew all three of us were in love with Joy. It seems strange how three men


    could fall in love with one woman and share her. I even thought it was going to be difficult, being in this


    kind of rtionship, but it wasn’t. All four of us were happy and we wouldn’t have it any other way.


    “Oh, Dom, really? You woulde with me?” Nicole asked, not hiding her surprise and excitement. I


    nodded my head.


    “Stanley can watch the store for me. Right Stanley?” Stanley, an employee of mine, was a high school


    graduate who was trying to save some money for college. He was actually really helpful and had a


    good eye with regards to interior design. I was thinking maybe I could. leave the store to him when IProperty belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    left.


    “Sure thing, Mr. Samuels,” he said enthusiastically.


    “If there are any problems, you can reach me through my cell, I told him, then focused my attention to


    the short tinum blonde standing in front of me. “It’s a beautiful day. How about if we walk?” Nicole


    giggled and wrapped her hand around my arm. I was teny remove it, but I needed information on Liam


    and Nicole was one of Liam’s clo


    “Sure, we can walk, Dom, Nicole said, grinning from ear to ear. We exited my shop while Nicole clung


    to my arm, smiling smugly at every woman who walked by.


    OF


    course, I’d rather be with Joy, but I had to make a sacrifice. If we wanted to achieve our goal, we had to


    hide our feelings.


    Joy…


    Joy was now beautiful, although to me and the boys, she had always been


    The Joy of Revenge: