Money Can't Buy Happiness

Chapter 6

Katie and Happy went on like that for a few weeks. Spending the majority of their time together, hanging out, flirting, drinking, and, occasionally, when Katie was unwilling to fight the attraction, they fell into bed together. Word of Katie's profession spread through the club but no one cared to mention it unless they used it in an effort to tease or annoy Happy. He hated it, even though she wasn't really working in that capacity...yet.

"Hey," she hoisted herself up on the edge of the sedan Happy was working under. "How's it going down under?"

The wheels squeaked as he rolled out and looked at her without so much as a grin. "Bad joke."

"Whatever," her eyes followed him as he stood and wiped his hands. "You have anything planned tonight?"

"Nah," he started tossing his tools away. "Why?"

"I wanted to hang out," she said casually, "Maybe talk a little."

That was a giant, bright red, waving flag for Happy. "Talk?"

"Yeah," she shrugged, slipping off the car as he reached to drop the hood down. "It's nothing serious or crazy."

"So tell me," he said blankly. "Now."

Katie huffed, her hips jutting out as she shuffled her weight from foot to foot. "I decided to stay in town," she explained, "I want to be here for my grandpa but, I like it here too, a lot."

His face scrunched, his brows furrowing, as he shrugged. "Okay, we been talkin' about this. I thought you already decided."

"Well, I did," she was uncharacteristically anxious, stumbling over her words. "But, if I stay, that means I need to actually work and, I wanted to tell you, I got my first real client." Happy's entire body tensed, every muscle clenched tight, and Katie could see it, but she didn't stop. She needed to get it all out. "I know we're friends but you should know, cause sometimes we end up in more than friendly situations."

Letting out a deep growl, Happy scratched at his scalp and looked at her, his eyes dark as usual but softer. "Work is work," he said simply. "I ain't gonna pay your way so you better make some money."

Katie smiled at that, only briefly, before immediately getting back to the issue. "Yeah, exactly, I just thought you know."

"Now I know," he said coolly.

"Yeah, good," she shrugged. "Think about it, in case you want to stop certain aspects of our friendship because of it."

Happy didn't hesitate. "When's the job?"

"Tomorrow night," she gave him a questioning look. "Why?"

Grabbing her hand roughly, Happy pulled Katie with him toward his bike without an explanation. Surprisingly, he knew better than to admit it, or maybe he didn't even truly realize it himself, but Happy wanted to have her again. Especially now that it would be the last time he would be the only one to be with her.

Katie was happy to be on the back of his bike, her arms wrapped tightly around Happy's waist but it made her dread her work. It was a first, she'd never felt so strongly for someone that it made the job difficult, but suddenly she did and she wasn't sure how to get her head straight.

"I know it makes this weird," she admitted. "It's my work but I understand there's a stigma and it makes relationships difficult, at best."

They were at a red light when she said it. Happy glanced back and furrowed his brows. "We ain't in one, it's all good." He was saving face and helping her do the same, she was exponentially grateful for that. Katie smiled and chuckled as he took off down the road away from the intersection.